Former Browns Quinn and Donte Stallworth, Deion Branch and WKNR's Je'Rod Cherry were among the former NFLers going through broadcast boot camp.

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. — Deion Branch has two Super Bowl rings and a Super Bowl MVP trophy that set him apart from many people looking for a new job.

Not when it comes to an NFL broadcasting gig.

There are plenty of ex-players with impressive resumes on the open market.

So, Branch tried to gain an advantage on some of the competition by participating in the NFL's Broadcast Boot Camp this week.

"I enjoy this," said Branch, a wide receiver who spent 12 seasons with the Patriots and Seahawks. "This is what I want to do so I'm going to give it my all. I come in here and I sponge because I want to learn everything and take it all in."

The four-day boot camp held at NFL Films headquarters concluded Thursday. Branch was among 25 current and former players who participated in the annual seminar, now in its eighth season.

More than one-third of the 168 players who've attended the boot camp in the first seven years have earned broadcasting jobs as a result of their participation in the program.

Branch already has some experience. He hosted weekly radio shows in New England and Seattle. He's still learning television.

"I find myself trying to be a little louder now as opposed to the past few years when I was more mellow," he said. "I'm sitting upright, finding the cameras, doing the subtle things."

Former Brown Brady Quinn, who the team took as a first-round pick from Notre Dame, seemed like a natural in the studio. Quinn and veteran quarterback Dan Orlovsky debated which division will be the most competitive.

CBS host James Brown surprised both players with questions they didn't prepare for, but each handled them well.

"One of the toughest parts is trying to fall in line with what they are looking for but also being an individual and trying to separate yourself from everyone else," Quinn said.

Orlovsky compared broadcasting to playing quarterback.

"You go in with the mind-set that 'I've been playing football for 20 years so I can do it easily,' not that it's belittling the profession, but you just have this expectation of yourself that you know the game so well," he said. "But then you realize how much work goes into it preparation-wise. It's a lot like playing quarterback. You have to be a problem-solver more often than not."

Both Quinn and Orlovsky are well-traveled guys who've played for quite a few teams.

They don't have the star power of a guy such as Ray Lewis, who transitioned to a studio job at ESPN last year right after helping the Ravens win a Super Bowl in his final season. But they offer a different perspective because they've been around the block.

"It gives me a wider background to talk about different experiences, different coaches and different personnel," Quinn said.

The bottom line is this: You don't have to be a Hall of Fame player to thrive in the field. Just ask Glenn Adamo, the NFL's vice president of media operations.

"Preparation, looking for a way to have their reports/stories catch your attention and stand out and, most importantly, how credible they are in presenting their opinion/story," Adamo said when asked how a player catches his eye.

"Those that have the greatest command of the 'King's English,' as James Brown would say, and speak clearly and at a conversational pace are able to better differentiate themselves initially, regardless of their stature in the NFL world."

Players were trained in various areas during boot camp, including game analysis and sports talk radio. They received special instruction from on-air and production staff from each of the NFL's broadcast partners.

They also got a lesson from renowned voice coach Arthur Joseph, who has worked with Angelina Jolie and Arnold Schwarzenegger, among many other celebrities.

"Nothing is gained by going too fast, but potentially everything can be lost," Joseph told them during a session. "It's never how fast, it's how effective. It's never simply what you say, it's how you say it — all the time."

Brendon Ayanbadejo, Sage Rosenfels, WKNR-AM sports talk host Je'Rod Cherry and former Brown Donte Stallworth were among the participants.

Each player taped segments as a game analyst and as a field reporter and served as a live guest host on SiriusXM NFL Radio.

"This is something I've wanted to do for a long time since I was a kid before I got into the NFL," Stallworth said.

Welcome to the real world, fellas.

Browns general manager hired six new personnel men to round out his 2014 staff.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns GM Ray Farmer has spent the break between minicamp and training camp rounding out his personnel staff and making it his own.
Farmer made made additions to the staff, and promoted three individuals from within.

The Browns hired Charles Bailey, Bobby DePaul, Mike Hagen, Ron Hill and James Kirkland as senior personnel associates, and Scott Aligo as a player personnel associate. The club also promoted Sam DeLuca and Harrison Ritcher to player personnel associate, and promoted Colton Chapple to BLESTO scout.

The new hires join executive chief of staff Bill Kuharich and vice president of player personnel Morocco Brown, who were added earlier this month.  

Holdovers from the previous staff include Zac Bocian, Brian Decker, Brendan Donovan, Frank Edgerly, Ken Kovash, Deb Kruszynski, Patrick Moore, Chisom Opara, Dan Saganey, Jon Sandusky and Bobby Vega.

"Assembling this group is an important step for our team," Farmer said in a release. "These individuals operate out of the spotlight, but their work is critical to our success. And contrary to what some may think, scouts work 12 months out of the year.

"Their families sacrifice a lot, and I appreciate all the days scouts spend away from home. Our simple philosophy is to identify and acquire players who can return winning football to our loyal fans. We're committed to building our roster through the draft, developing that talent once it's here, and retaining it. Each of these people is central in that process.''

A look at the newcomers, from the Browns release:

Charles Bailey, senior player personnel associate – Bailey served as the pro personnel director for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2003-08. Before working with the Jaguars, Bailey spent 10 years with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a scout and pro personnel coordinator until 1999. After Pittsburgh, he worked as the vice president of football operations and assistant general manager of the New Orleans Saints.

Bobby DePaul, senior player personnel associate – DePaul played linebacker at Maryland before coaching three years at Catholic University. He then served as an assistant coach with the Washington Redskins (1989-93) and the Cincinnati Bengals (1994-96). DePaul then transitioned to personnel with the Philadelphia Eagles from 1997-2000. After serving as the pro personnel director for the Chicago Bears from 2001-09, DePaul returned to the Eagles working as a pro advance scout. In 22 years in the NFL, DePaul has helped his teams earn four Coach of the Year awards, five division titles, two Super Bowl appearances and one Super Bowl victory.

Ron Hill, senior player personnel associate – Hill comes to the Browns with 34 years of experience as an NFL scout and player personnel executive, most recently serving as the NFL's vice president of football operations. Hill began his career as a college scout for the Dallas Cowboys, and then worked his way up to regional scout and assistant director of player personnel with the Denver Broncos. He then worked as the Jacksonville Jaguars' director of pro personnel before serving as the Atlanta Falcons' vice president of football operations and vice president of player personnel for seven years. Over the course of his time on NFL personnel staffs, Hill has been a part of 10 conference championship berths and four Super Bowls.

Mike Hagen, senior player personnel associate – Hagen was most recently working as a scouting consultant with the NFL football operations department. Over the course of Hagen's 27 years in the league, he has worked with four Super Bowl teams in both executive and player personnel positions. Hagen was on staff for Super Bowls with the Falcons (XXXIII) and the Redskins (XXVI), and made multiple Super Bowl trips with the Broncos (XXII, XXIV) and Cowboys (XXVII, XXVIII). From 2010-12, Hagen worked as the assistant general manager/pro personnel director of the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League. His brother, Steve, is a former Browns assistant coach.

James Kirkland, senior player personnel associate – Kirkland most recently worked as a pro scout for the Tennessee Titans in 2013. He got his NFL start as a volunteer scouting intern with the Falcons. Kirkland was hired by the Browns in 2004 as an area scout. He was later promoted to assistant director of pro personnel in 2007. After three seasons in that role, Kirkland worked with the Chicago Bears from 2010-12 as a pro scouting assistant, a pro scout and an area scout.

Scott Aligo, player personnel associate – Aligo was most recently the defensive ends coach for the University of Northern Colorado football team. Aligo also spent time as an assistant at Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and Washburn. Prior to coaching, he served as a player personnel assistant with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2005-09.

Colton Chapple, BLESTO – Chapple began working as a scout on the Browns player personnel staff in 2013 after graduating from Harvard. Chapple played quarterback for four years at Harvard, throwing for 2,567 yards and 24 TDs as a senior in 2012.

Sam DeLuca, player personnel associate – DeLuca graduated from Arizona State in May 2013 and worked as a pro personnel intern with the Philadelphia Eagles in the summers of 2011 and 2012. Before interning in the personnel department, he worked as an equipment assistant for the Eagles from 2006-10.

Harrison Ritcher, player personnel associate – Ritcher played fullback at North Carolina State from 2006-09. After graduation, Ritcher served as a recruiting intern at Florida State in 2010. He then began working in the Browns personnel department as a scouting intern during the 2012 and 2013 seasons.

Mexico advanced to the World Cup's second round with a big win Monday over Croatia. Can the U.S. join them?

Mexico entered this World Cup regarded as one of the worst teams in the tournament.

They have played like one of the best.

A three-goal explosion over 10 second-half minutes Monday pushed Mexico past Croatia and into the tourney's second round with a 3-1 victory.

Mexico's advancement marks a startling turnaround under coach Miguel Herrera, who deserves all the plaudits he is offered for righting the course for El Tri.

Herrera took the job in October on an interim basis after leading Club America to the Mexican league title. The team had floundered in World Cup qualifying, winning only two of 10 matches and just barely finishing fourth ahead of Panama thanks to some help from the United States.

To many, Mexico had become an argument for why the CONCACAF region, which includes North and Central America and the Caribbean, should be allotted fewer spots in the World Cup. A team that wins just one-fifth of its matches against ostensibly weaker competition does not belong in the World Cup, the logic goes.

Herrera promptly led Mexico to a 9-3 victory over New Zealand in a two-match intercontinental playoff that secured Mexico's spot in the World Cup.

But questions about Mexico lingered into the tournament.

Now, those questions are gone. With goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa red hot and Manchester United striker Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez finally breaking his goal slump in Monday's win, Mexico looks like the unheralded team nobody wants to face. And they have the manager that you almost have to love. (Yes, that is Herrera below celebrating Mexico's second goal against Croatia.) 

Then again, up next for Mexico is a very heralded team nobody wants to face: The Netherlands.

Monday's World Cup scores

Netherlands 2, Chile 0

Spain 3, Australia 0

Brazil 4, Cameroon 1

Mexico 3, Croatia 1

Two down, one to go

Mexico's win puts two CONCACAF teams through to the second round. Costa Rica is already through.

Never before have three CONCACAF teams advanced to the second round in the same tournament. In fact, Europe and South America are the only continents to send three teams to the second round in the same World Cup. Honduras has no shot this time, but one other CONCACAF team does: The United States.

Mexico's Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez finally broke his goal slump on Monday, which could give a major boost to his team's chances for a deep run in the tourney. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)Ricardo Mazalan 

Should three teams advance, it would dramatically alter the narrative for CONCACAF. The continental confederation is generally viewed as one of the world's weakest, behind those representing Europe, South America and even Africa.

And generally, you could just beat your chest a little more.The advancement of three teams and a deeper run by at least one of them would boost the reputations of the countries within CONCACAF. It would likely bring a corresponding boost to its top leagues, notably Major League Soccer, which has been mining talent from the smaller countries throughout the region such as Costa Rica and Honduras.

History awaits: What must the U.S. do?

So what does Team USA need to do to make this history? It's simple.

Win: Move on.

Draw: Move on.

Lose: Hope for the best in Portugal-Ghana. Portugal needs a blowout win to overtake the Americans. Ghana needs to both win and surpass the U.S. in total goal differential. (They are currently two goals behind.)

Jermaine Jones, one of five German-Americans on the U.S. roster, has been the best U.S. player in the tournament. Here, he celebrates scoring his first World Cup goal against Portgual on Sunday. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)Themba Hadebe 

Some have questioned whether both Germany and the U.S. should go easy on each other, settle for a draw, and then both would advance to the second round. It's a fair question, because if either loses, they could go home.

But there is plenty of motivation for the U.S. to go for the win.

Whoever wins the group will get a much easier draw in the second round. The loser will draw Belgium. The winner will get either Algeria, Russia or South Korea, none of whom should strike fear into your heart.

Further, Jurgen Klinsmann's team has a history of playing until the end no matter what. It was American Graham Zusi's stoppage-time goal in a meaningless game for the U.S. that knocked Panama out of World Cup qualifying and preserved Mexico's place in the tournament.

Germany is no easy opponent, but Ghana drew them and the U.S. beat Ghana. If A equals B and C is greater than B, does that mean C is greater than A? It's a long shot, but we'll find out. 

Second round taking shape

With Groups A and B wrapping up play, the first pair of second-round matches are set. From here on, it's a straight knockout tournament: Winner goes on, loser goes home, no draws.

One match will feature two big-time attacking clubs in Brazil and Chile. Look for the game to be an end-to-end offensive assault, with neither team likely to sit back and play cautiously. Brazil will be the favorite, thanks to its home field advantage, but they have not looked good against quality opposition so far in this competition. (No, Cameroon does not count as quality.)

The other match will feature the Netherlands and Mexico. So far, the Dutch have looked like one of the best teams in the tourney, but Australia gave them a scare with a pressing, physical approach. Meanwhile, the Mexicans come in with loads of momentum, feeling like they can play with anyone.

Player of the day: Rafa Marquez, Mexico. It should pain any American to praise this most hated of rivals, but give credit where it's due. Marquez scored Mexico's first goal, assisted on the third, and did his share on the defensive end. Mexico's captain stepped up big time.

HIGHLIGHTS: Rafa Marquez put Mexico on the board in the 72nd minute, then the floodgates opened. » http://t.co/6RgHtwNSyg

-- ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 23, 2014

Controversy of the day: Britain's Daily Telegraph caught the president of the Ghana Football Association on video agreeing to organize an exhibition match organized by match-fixers. He denied the charges, but the case against him looks strong. 

It probably means nothing for the World Cup, but if Ghana somehow loses to Portugal by five goals on Thursday, it might be fair to wonder why. 

Best match to watch Tuesday: Italy vs. Uruguay, 12 p.m. ET. One team moves on and the other goes home. No other game impacts this one. It's just two good teams with everything at stake. Uruguay needs a win to advance, while Italy moves on with a win or draw.

RubberDucks starter Joseph Colon (7-4, 2.84) gives up just one run on six hits in seven innings.

Designated hitter Bryan LaHair's bases-loaded double drove in three runs during a five-run third inning and the RubberDucks cruised to a 7-1 win Monday over the Erie SeaWolves in a Class AA Eastern League game in Akron.

Jake Lowery started the RubberDucks' third with a double and Jordan Smith followed with a walk. A balk by SeaWolves starter Tommy Collier (2-6, 6.59) advanced the runners to second and third. After a strikeout by Ollie Linton, Tyler Naquin singled to drive in Lowery.

Francisco Lindor singled to drive in Smith and moved Naquin to second. Joe Wendle walked to load the bases, setting up LaHair's double.

Lindor hit a solo shot in the fifth to make the score 6-0, and Linton had an RBI single in the sixth.

It wasn't really needed as starter Joseph Colon (7-4, 2.84) gave up just one run on six hits in seven innings. He had six strikeouts. Bryan Price and Shawn Armstrong each pitched an inning of scoreless relief.

The RubberDucks (45-32) have a half-game lead for first in the Western Division.

Browns receiver Josh Gordon has no date yet for his appeal hearing regarding his drug suspension, according to profootballtalk.com.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns receiver Josh Gordon is still awaiting a date on his appeal hearing, according to a report.

Gordon is appealing what's believed to be an indefinite ban from the NFL for his third violation of the substance abuse policy, which stipulates that he can't apply for reinstatement for at least one calendar year.

A source told profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio that the hearing isn't even on the calendar yet.

That's significant, because the sooner Gordon is banned, the sooner he can try to get back into the league.

If he loses the appeal, the ban will begin immediately, which means that he wouldn't be able to petition NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for reinstatement until the end of next June. That means he'd miss all of organized team activities and mandatory minicamp next year.

If the hearing is postponed much longer, Gordon could be in jeopardy of missing some or all of training camp next year.

Browns coach Mike Pettine said at the conclusion of minicamp June 12 that he expected to hear about Gordon's suspension by the beginning of training camp July 26th.

He acknowledged, however, that the uncertainty has made it hard to prepare for the season.  

"There's certainly a level of frustration because we've known the news for so long," Pettine told radio partner 92.3 The Fan. "It's just a holding pattern and I understand that the league has a process that they have to go through and there's other things that they're dealing with and we respect that. But at the same time it is difficult because it really will affect our preparation for the season.''

He said the club has met about it and "we're prepared for all of the eventualities, but the waiting is difficult."

Gordon sat out most of the mandatory minicamp with a pulled hamstring. Other receivers expected to help replace him have also been plagued by injuries, including Nate Burleson, Miles Austin and Travis Benjamin.

According to ESPN, Gordon tested positive for marijuana this offseason and was notified of his suspension in April.  The failed test comes on the heels of his positive test last year for what he said was codeine in his prescribed cough syrup.

Instead of banning Gordon for the full four games last year, the NFL agreed to sit him for two games and dock him four game checks. Playing in the two additional games enabled Gordon to lead the NFL with 1,646 yards and make the Pro Bowl.

Upon his return, Gordon confirmed that his next failed test would result in the indefinite ban with the chance for reinstatement after a year.

Sources close to Gordon have told cleveland.com they're concerned his career could be over if he has to serve the full one-year ban and be away from the structure of the team.

Last season, he was permitted to remain with the club during his suspension and he benefited from the support system around him. If he loses the appeal, it would result in banishment, meaning he'd literally be kicked out of the NFL for at least a year and wouldn't be allowed to work out in Berea or attend meetings with his teammates.

Even if the suspension is reduced, there's still a good chance he'd be banished from the team during that time, per terms of the policy.

Golfers recording hole-in-one or double eagle in the past week at local courses.

golf ball and tee. supershooter  

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Here is the list of holes-in-one and double eagles as reported by golf courses for the past week.

Josh Bernhofer of Middleburg Hts. aced the 132-yard 34^th hole at Mallard Creek G.C. using a 52-degree wedge.

Tom DeAngelo of Bainbridge Twp. aced the 134-yard eighth hole at Valleaire G.C. using a 7-iron.

Sherri Erickson of Medina aced the 151-yard 11^th hole at Ironwood G.C. using a driver.

Todd Forseca of Medina aced the 160-yard fifth hole at Mallard Creek G.C. using a 4-hybrid.

Stephanie Hunter of Aurora aced the 110-yard fourth hole at Gleneagle G.C. using a 7-iron.

Bill McGreehan aced the 185-yard 17^th hole at Sand Ridge G.C. using a 5-iron.

John McKenna aced the 146-yard 12^th hole at Sand Ridge G.C. using a 7-iron.

Steven McKinney aced the 115-yard eighth hole at Mastick Woods G.C. using an 8-iron.

Patricia Murphy of Lakewood aced the 147-yard third hole at North Olmsted G.C. using a 7-iron.

Roseann Nardy of Solon aced the 120-yard eighth hole at Signature of Solon C.C. using a 4-hybrid.

John Ostrowsky of Westlake aced the 145-yard 16^th hole at Hickory Nut G.C. using a 6-iron.

Caylie Scherba aced the 140-yard ninth hole at Black Brook G.C. using a 7-iron.

LeBron James opted out of the final two years of his contract with the Miami Heat. He has family reasons for wanting to return to Northeast Ohio. But when the topic of forgiveness is raised in conjunction with his possible return, the better question to ask is if he forgives Cavaliers' owner Dan Gilbert.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – We are approaching the four-year anniversary of "The Decision." But I'm guessing the occasion in the LeBron James household is better remembered as "The Letter."

Where it once seemed a fair question to wonder if Cleveland fans would ever forgive James, that's taking the parochial view. The more reasonable question: has James forgiven Dan Gilbert?

Second best-question for a man with so many options: why would he?

Having opted out of his contract with the Heat on Tuesday, James is holding the hoop and NBA teams are poised to jump through it, waiting only his instruction.

How high, sir?

James' decision to skip out on the final two years of his contract is more about wanting flexibility than it is specific to wanting a return to Cleveland. That's not to say he won't end up here.

It's just dangerous for people to jump to conclusions and get hopes up four years after jumping to conclusions and getting hopes up about him staying.

The Prodigal Son narrative is gaining momentum. James is good friends with Cavs' new associate head coach Tyronn Lue, right?

And don't doubt for a minute, given James' international experience, that he might also be impressed with new head coach David Blatt, who coached Russia to an Olympic bronze.

The Cavs have some good young talent and the No. 1 overall pick. They have a GM in David Griffin who at least seems philosophically matched with his head coach. The same could not be said about Mike Brown.

The minute James signs his name on a Cavaliers' contract, the value of Gilbert's franchise soars.

Would he do that for a man who mocked him as "the self-titled former king?" Who chided him for his "cowardly betrayal?"

Who called it a "shameful display of selfishness" and "callous" and a "shocking display of disloyalty?" 

Whose company marked down the LeBron James Fathead to $17.41, the year of Benedict Arnold's birth? Am I missing anything here?

Oh, right, the guarantee. Gilbert has distanced himself from that by calling the guarantee "not the most brilliant thing I've ever done in my life." Credit him there.

The guarantee was so off the charts crazy that it now works to Gilbert's benefit. He can cite it to prove his unhinging at the sight of James on ESPN talking of taking his talents to South Beach.

But the personal attack wasn't just crazy, it was ugly. If James can rationalize Gilbert's words as an extension of the bizarre guarantee, or somehow remove his feelings and see it as a business man playing to his customer base, maybe the road is clear to a reunion.

Life requires swallowing your pride at times. But that's usually a byproduct of necessity.

James has lots of options, one of which includes reworking his contract and staying with an organization where he has friends (Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh – at least for now), knows and respects the coach (Eric Spoelstra) and the team president (Pat Riley) and likes the owner (Micky Arison.)

And that's just one road open to him.

Maybe it's important to James to rescue Cleveland, but in the narrative we used to explain his departure we swore he cared more about Akron than Cleveland, the 330 not the 216. Was that correct then, but now suddenly wrong?

Maybe it's important to James to supersize his legacy by bringing the town its first title in 50 years. 

Maybe his wife's "home sweet home" Instagram message is the ruling force in the family.

 If James returns, it's not exactly a mission of mercy.

But given Gilbert's ugly sendoff and the almost constant organizational stumbling since, it'll qualify as one of the all-time "happy wife, happy life" career moves.

For more Bud Shaw, read "Spinoffs" and "You Said It."

James has plenty of options beginning July 1, when NBA teams can begin to woo the free agent.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The move expected for years was made official Tuesday, and the plans teams have been privately preparing for now can be pushed into fruition.

LeBron James is a free agent come July 1. Let the circus begin.

Many say the four-time NBA MVP has only two real options if he wants to keep his legacy intact: 1. Return to the Miami Heat, the team he's won two championships with, or 2. Return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, his hometown team he spurned in 2010.

But as James proved four years ago with "The Decision," public opinion doesn't seem to matter much to him.

As James walks away from two years worth a combined $42.7 million with the Heat, teams will begin readying pitches – and clearing salary-cap space – to lure James. Some of his top options:

1. Stay in Miami

The Heat still is waiting to hear if Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh also will opt out of their contracts. James is waiting to see what kind of roster upgrades president Pat Riley will make to help the team that was overmatched in the NBA finals loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

Riley already challenged James a week ago in his season-ending press conference, when he said, "This stuff is hard. And you got to stay together, if you've got the guts. And you don't find the first door and run out of it," 

Consider this opt-out James' challenge to Riley that the roster needs major upgrades.

With three players (James, Bosh and Wade) earning more than $20 million each per year, however, the Heat have been cash-strapped with few opportunities available to improve.

Would James and his crew really be willing to take a pay cut to make room for the other big-name free agent, Carmelo Anthony? If not, Riley will need to get creative to keep James. 

He still can sign for the most years (five) and money ($130 million) with the Heat.

2. Return to the Cavaliers

Once scorned in his hometown after his televised breakup with the Cavaliers, loathing has softened in recent years.  Fans even have organized a group called "Come Home LeBron," in the past year to raise awareness that James is wanted back.

James, himself, said in 2012 that he would not rule out a return to Cleveland.

 "I think it would be great, it would be fun to play in front of these fans again," he said before a Miami game in Cleveland two years ago.

The Cavaliers have been structuring contracts to have plenty of salary-cap space this summer, and could have $26 million in space to pursue free agents. That could include James, and if general manager David Griffin gets creative, might be able to include a combination of James and Anthony. With a No. 1 pick and All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, the Cavaliers might not be as much of a dream destination as Cleveland fans once believed.

3. Start anew, and move to L.A.

James could simply start all over (again) and move to Los Angeles – either with the Lakers (who have cap space and Kobe Bryant), or the Clippers (who have longtime buddy Chris Paul at point guard, and a respected coach in Doc Rivers).

Moving to the Clippers would require some player movement via trade as they already have $76 million in salaries committed next season.

4. Get closer to San Antonio

James could physically move closer to San Antonio, at least, with the Houston Rockets. There, he could team with Dwight Howard, James Harden and Chandler Parsons. But the Rockets, too, have $70.7 million in salaries committed for next season, so would need to move players to create space.

These are the top stories for Tuesday, June 24.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Chris Fedor anchors the news for Tuesday, June 24. Here are links to the stories mentioned in the video above:

• A tornado touched down in Brunswick Monday night

• Mother who beat three-year-old sentenced to 19 years

• Rapist sentenced to 28 years

Sandy Alomar, Kenny Lofton, Carlos Baerga and Charles Nagy joined their former teammate to reminisce about their time together in Cleveland in the '90s.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians hosted a roundtable luncheon on Saturday to honor Omar Vizquel, the latest inductee into the organization's Hall of Fame.

Sandy Alomar, Kenny Lofton, Carlos Baerga and Charles Nagy joined their former teammate to reminisce about their time together in Cleveland in the '90s. In the video above, Vizquel discussed his best day as a member of the Indians, when he tallied six hits in a 22-0 win at Yankee Stadium. He retells the story of how Victor Martinez jinxed his opportunity at a seventh hit. 

Vizquel also details his worst day as a member of the Indians, when he committed three errors in one of his first games with the team.

Vizquel won eight of his 11 Gold Glove awards with the Tribe. The three-time All-Star retired at the age of 45 after the 2012 season. He collected 2,877 hits in his career and will be eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018.

When LeBron James opted out of his contract with the Miami Heat earlier this morning, it created a buzz around the NBA.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When LeBron James opted out of his contract with the Miami Heat earlier this morning, it created a buzz around the NBA. Suddenly, something that was only theory - James hitting free agency for the second time in his career - turned into reality.

For teams like the Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, Chicago Bulls and others, this was step one in their attempt to pry James away from Pat Riley's grip in Miami.

His decision also means the pressure has ramped up in South Beach, making the Heat have to re-evaluate the roster and likely spend more money to improve the pieces around him.

Where will LeBron James play during the 2014-2015 season? It's the question that so many around the country are trying to answer today, including in Las Vegas.

The Vegas odds have been released courtesy of RJ Bell, founder of pregame.com. Miami remains the favorite, with a return to Cleveland as the next most likely option for the game's most dominant player.

LeBron odds: Mia -600 (61%); Cle 5/1 (12%); LAC 7/1 (9%); Hou 10/1 (6%) Chi 15/1 (4%); LAL, NYK 25/1 (3%); Dal 30/1 (2%) - via sportsbook.ag

— RJ Bell (@RJinVegas) June 24, 2014

NBA TV analyst Grant Hill is a big fan of Cavaliers general manager David Griffin.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- NBA TV analyst Grant Hill had some kind words about Cavaliers general manager David Griffin. The two spent several years together in the Phoenix Suns organization.

"I think the world of Dave Griffin,'' Hill said in a telephone interview on Tuesday. "I worked with him in Phoenix, got to know him very well and consider him a friend. I just think he's got a smart basketball mind and a really good feel for the pulse of the team and the pulse of the players.

"I think the hiring of the coaching staff was exceptional. I don't know much about Dave Blatt, but certainly what I've read and heard is nothing but positive. Tyronn Lue, I do know and played with one year, and Doc Rivers speaks very highly of him. So you've got two head coaches if you will.

"I think it was a smart move. They have some good guys they can move forward with and lock in for some time.''

Hanging out: Got a question for Andrew Wiggins or Jabari Parker? Or anybody else the Cavs might take with the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft on Thursday, or maybe even with the No. 33 pick?

For the first time, Google and the NBA are teaming up to give fans the opportunity to speak live with top draft picks using Google+ Hangouts moments after they are selected. Throughout the NBA Draft, live from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., beginning at 7 p.m. on ESPN, top draft prospects will join various Hangouts to surprise fans and answer their questions.

Fans hoping to have one of the draft prospects join their Hangout during the NBA Draft are encouraged to share their Hangout link using hashtags #NBADraftCrash or #TEAMNAMEDraftCrash.  Hangouts can be created at www.nba.com/draftcrash and www.plus.google.com/hangouts. Google+ Hangouts is a free communications application, available for Gmail, Google+, as a Chrome extension and as an application on your iOS or Android device that allows users to send messages, photos and to make video calls with friends and family.

After the event, fans will be able to view highlights of the surprise NBA Draft Hangouts on various NBA digital assets, including NBA.com, NBA Channel on YouTube (www.youtube.com/nba), NBA Twitter (www.twitter.com/nba) and NBA Facebook (www.facebook.com/nba), along with directly on the Google+ page (www.google.com/+NBA).

Irving a winner: In fan voting on NBA.com, Cavs All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving won the best vine/video during the third annual NBA Social Media Awards, presented by NBA Digital to celebrate NBA players and teams for their social engagement throughout the 2013-14 NBA regular season.

In the video, Irving says, "This vine is deduced to my true love. I love you, never take advantage of you, ever.'' Then the camera cuts to a basketball.

To see the Vine: https://vine.co/v/hWE913aL75t

Jazz coaches: New Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder named former Cavalier Antonio Lang to his staff on Tuesday and retained Alex Jensen, the first coach of the Canton Charge.

Also joining Snyder's staff are Brad Jones, Johnnie Bryant and Mike Wells, who was briefly with the University of Toledo.

Justin Masterson will try to build off his seven-inning performance against the Angels in his last start. In that game, he allowed one run on four hits in a no-decsion effort.

PHOENIX, Ariz. --Here are the lineups for Monday night's game between the Indians and Diamondbacks at Chase Field.

INDIANS

CF Michael Bourn, L.

SS Asdrubal Cabrera, SS.

LF Michael Brantley, L.

1B Carlos Santana, S.

2B Jason Kipnis, L

C Yan Gomes, R.

3B Lonnie Chisenhall, L.

RF Ryan Raburn, R.

P Justin Masterson, R, 4-5, 4.75.

DIAMONDBACKS

CF Ender Inciarte, L.

RF Gerardo Parra, L.

1B Paul Goldschmid, R.

C Miguel Montero, L.

2B Aaron Hill, R.

2B Martin Prado, R.

3B David Peralta, L.

SS Didi Gregorious, L.

LHP Wade Miley, L, 3-6, 4.62.

The Kansas Supreme Court said the risk of being injured by a tossed hot dog is not an inherent risk of watching a baseball game.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- In a ruling that could force sports teams to reassess how their mascots interact with spectators, the Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered a new trial for a Kansas City Royals fan who was injured by a hot dog tossed at a baseball game.

The state's highest court said in a unanimous ruling that a legal standard called the baseball rule, which protects teams from being sued over fan injuries caused by events on the field, court or rink, didn't apply to a mascot tossing hot dogs to fans in the stands.

The state Supreme Court said the risk of being injured by a tossed hot dog is not an inherent risk of watching a baseball game.

"That risk is no more inherent in watching a game of baseball than it is inherent in watching a rock concert, a monster truck rally, or any other assemblage where free food or T-shirts are tossed into the crowd to increase excitement and boost attendance," the court said in its 36-page ruling.

John Coomer of Overland Park, Kansas, said he was injured at a 2009 Royals game when the team's mascot, Sluggerrr, threw a wrapped hot dog into the stands, striking Coomer in the eye. Coomer had two surgeries, including one to repair a detached retina. He was seeking compensation in excess of $20,000 from the team.

The Missouri Supreme Court ruling said a jury that first heard the case and sided with the Royals were improperly instructed to consider whether the risk of the injury from the mascot was an inherent risk of watching the game.

"No such argument applies to Sluggerrr's hotdog toss," the ruling said. "Millions of fans have watched the Royals (and its forebears in professional baseball) play the National Pastime for the better part of a century before Sluggerrr began tossing hotdogs, and millions more people watch professional baseball every year in stadiums all across the country without the benefit of such antics."

However, Royals attorney Scott Hoffer said another jury may still rule for the Royals. Hofer noted that the jury at the first trial found Coomer was at fault because he wasn't aware of what was going on around him.

"Notably, the Supreme Court did not say the jury was wrong when it assigned Mr. Coomer 100% of the fault," Hofer said. "We don't see how what the Supreme Court did will affect how a jury views this case."

Bob Tormohlen, who represented Coomer, said he was pleased with the ruling.

"It's always good to win," Tormohlen said. He said he hadn't yet discussed the decision with Coomer.

Randy Maniloff, a Philadelphia lawyer who often writes about cases involving sporting event spectators, said he was surprised by the decision. He said the ruling could force sports teams to rethink how mascots in the stands interact with spectators.

"The mascots have a lot of interactions with fans, and now the question becomes: Will the teams have to take a step back and look at what their mascots are doing, and are they going to change their activities?" he said.

Advice abounds on what the Cavaliers should do with the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft on Thursday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- So, apparently the Cavaliers have yet to decide whether to take forward Andrew Wiggins of Kansas or forward Jabari Parker of Duke if they keep the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft on Thursday night.

The Cavs, who also have the No. 33 pick in the second round, seem to have backed off injured Kansas center Joel Embiid, who underwent foot surgery last week after missing part of the college season with a back injury.

If the Cavs are looking for advice, they can find it all over the Internet, where Parker seems to be favorite in most mock drafts.

But how tough a call is it? Here's what ESPN's Jay Bilas said when asked in a conference call on Tuesday who he'd take No. 1.

"That's a really good question,'' he said.  "I don't know that there's an easy answer to it.
 
"I still think Joel Embiid, the big guy, is the best prospect in this draft.  I understand the reticence because of his recent injury, but I think I would have [to have] a medical team tell me, 'Don't take this guy, this is a bad medical risk,' for me to say no to him.
 
"Assuming that were the case, that your medical team said, 'You know what, we are waving red flags before you, don't do this,' and I got that kind of advice, I think Jabari Parker is the safest pick because he's NBA ready on the offensive end right now.  He's not nearly as good of a defender as Andrew Wiggins is.
 
"Wiggins is a superior athlete. Long, excels in transition, pretty decent shooter, but can get in the lane any time he wants. He's got a second jump that is unequaled in this draft.  Nobody gets -- a few guys get off the floor the first time as well as he does, nobody in this draft gets off the floor the second time as quickly and as explosively as he does.
 
"The only sort of problem you have with Wiggins, if you want to call it a problem, it's just a question, really -- is he the type of guy that's going to have a killer instinct and be a superstar?  Like I think he's a really good player, and I do not see him failing in the league.  I'm not saying that.  But is he going to be the type of guy that's going to lead your team and go out there and not settle, and he's going to be the best player on the floor?  He has a burning desire to do that?  And I think that's still an open question with him.
 
"But athletically, he's the guy.  So I would pick Wiggins if Embiid was out of the picture, but Parker's safer.''
    
Got that? He actually would pick Embiid, Wiggins and Parker.

Like Bilas, NBA TV analyst Grant Hill is a Duke graduate. Which guy do you think he'd pick?

"My job is to be objective, but in this case, I won't be objective,'' he said, laughing.
 
"I've watched all these guys in college. I just feel Jabari is the most ready to come in and have an impact right away. He's a guy who can come in and score 20 points as a rookie. I just feel he has that skill level, that talent level, and also his game, I believe, will translate well at the NBA level. The two games are different. But his skill, his size, his strength, I think he can come in right away and you pair him with what they have already and now you have some really good, dynamic young players.

"Jabari has the best skill level and the best feel of anybody in college I saw this year. Even though he's young and still he's still figuring it all out, there's certain things he can do that no one else can do. You see that when you watch him play. Wiggins is a tremendous athlete. He can become a tremendous player at the NBA level. I'm not discrediting him at all. They're two different styles of play, two different points in terms of where they are. Jabari is freakishly skilled for his size at his age. The reality is I don't think you can go wrong either way, but I'm biased.''

So he'd take Parker. Or Wiggins.

Here's how some other national writers see things shaking out on Thursday:

David Aldridge, NBA.com
His pick? Parker
"The Cavaliers have gambled on talent over need in two of the last three drafts,'' Aldridge wrote on NBA.com. "Under new GM David Griffin, the wagering stops. Parker is just too solid and too good to pass up, and will finally fill the Cavs need at the three. Can't see -- never could, actually -- LeBron coming back to play in Cleveland, and especially for an unknown quantity (his success in Europe nothwithstanding) in the Cavs new coach, David Blatt. With Parker aboard, that doesn't matter any more.''

Chad Ford, ESPN.com.
His pick? Parker.
"A week ago, Joel Embiid looked like a lock to be the No. 1 pick in the draft,'' Ford wrote on ESPN.com. "News of a stress fracture in his right foot sent the Cavs spinning. Now the Cavs are wrestling between three options: draft Jabari Parker, draft Andrew Wiggins or trade the pick.

"Sources close to the Cavs told ESPN.com this weekend that the team is now leaning toward taking Parker with the No. 1 pick. However, it's far from a lock. Parker came in to work out on Friday in front of the Cavs' front office and ownership. Parker wasn't great. He was a bit heavy (he weighed in at 255 pounds), didn't shoot the ball well and got winded at times. Furthermore, two different sources told ESPN.com that Parker seemed a bit indifferent. One source said he thought Parker "tanked" the workout.

"Why? A source says he strongly prefers to play in Milwaukee. The Cavs appear to be aware of this. "Jabari wasn't himself," one source said. "It was clear we weren't his first option."

"Meanwhile, Wiggins came in and nailed his workout on Wednesday. He shot the ball well, showed off tremendous athleticism and had a good interview. In fact, Wiggins was emphatic that he wants to be the No. 1 pick and wants to play for the Cavs.

"So why is Parker ahead of Wiggins?

"From what I can gather, while there are disagreements in the front office, Cavs GM David Griffin feels that Parker fits a more immediate need at the 3. Parker also is the most NBA-ready. They feel that whether he wants to play there or not, those hesitations will disappear when he arrives. They have a new front office and a new coach, who the Cavs believe can actually help them build the sort of culture they want. Parker's workout on Friday did create doubt, especially among ownership, but so far it looks like they are still leaning toward Parker.

"The third option, a trade, is also on the table. The Cavs received intriguing offers from the Sixers, Magic and Jazz late last week. Each is offering its own high lottery pick plus a veteran. The Cavs could theoretically get either of Thaddeus Young, Arron Afflalo or Derrick Favors and still have a top-5 pick in the draft. It would make it much easier to draft Embiid if you knew you got additional value in the form of a veteran who can help now.

Jonathan Givony, Draft Express
His pick? Wiggins

Garry Parrish, Zach Harper, Matt Moore, CBSSports.com
Their pick? Parker

Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report
His pick? Parker

Mike Evans, who played with Johnny Manziel at Texas A&M, thinks the receiver will stay out of the clubs during training camp and will be "committed'' and "devoted.''

BEREA, Ohio -- Bucs receiver Mike Evans knows Johnny Manziel as well as anyone from their three years together at Texas A&M, and is confident he'll buckle down come late July.

"In training camp, I don't think he'll go out at all,'' Evans said Tuesday at the NFL Rookie Symposium Play 60 youth clinic for NFC rookies at the Browns facility. "He'll be committed and devoted and fighting for a starting job."

Evans, Manziel's leading receiver the past two seasons, has seen the Browns' rookie turn off the party boy act when he needs to. For the past five weekends, Manziel has been Livin' la Vida Loca'  from New York to Vegas to Los Angeles to Houston and back. 

"Yeah, absolutely,'' he said. "In college when he was doing it, I didn't care as long as he was coming to play ball. He's commitment to the team. He's a competitor, and he wants to win. What he does off the field is none of my business."

Evans, drafted No. 7 overall, became best friends with Manziel when they were both redshirt freshman. They spent more time with each other than anyone else during their three seasons together and have remained close.

"He's a great guy,'' said Evans. "He practiced hard. He came to work. He's one of my best friends. So I wouldn't trade him for anybody. I think he'll be a great pro. He's a great guy. He's a better guy than most people give him credit for."

Evans insisted that Manziel, who will be available Friday at the AFC rookies' Play 60 event in Berea, isn't much different than other players his age.

"It's just he's under a bigger microscope than everybody,'' said Evans. "Being a Heisman Trophy winner and coming out of college, he's just under a bigger microscope. Everybody does it. When he gets on the field, all of that will go to rest."

Evans said Manziel was well-liked in the locker room despite his celebrity status in College Station, Texas.

 "I loved him,'' said Evans. "A lot of teammates at A&M loved him. I can't speak for the Browns, but I loved him at A&M. ...Sometimes he would hit me up in the summer and say, 'Let's go throw.' And I'd go with him. We'd go hoop sometimes and go work out. It was all fun."

Manziel and Evans started working on their scramble chemistry right away during that redshirt year.

"He used to do it in scrimmages, run around,'' said Evans. "I remember thinking to myself, 'Man, this guy's got some talent.' Then we just kicked it off our redshirt freshman year. It's a lot of fun. Him running around and seeing him to do that, after the play you're thinking, 'Man, how is that possible?' He's a great player."

What's more, Evans was blown away by Manziel's football acumen.

"He's the smartest guy I've been around so far,'' he said. "I haven't been around the Bucs that much, but so far, he's the smartest guy."

In 2012, Evans caught 82 passes for 1105 yards and five touchdowns. Last year, he caught 69 for 1,394 and 12 scores.

"In the game, he can throw great balls with great accuracy,'' said Evans. "He has a great arm. But off the field, he's going to go work with you. We were in the film room sometimes. He tells me how he wants to throw a back shoulder, and he tells me if he wants to throw it over my shoulder. So he's a real smart guy."

Evans is confident Manziel will deal with it if he's not he starter, but isn't betting against him.

"I think he should be the starter,'' said Evans. "That's my biased opinion. He's a great quarterback. I think he's the best quarterback prospect in this draft, and I think he'll change the program here in Cleveland.''

What's more, he thinks Manziel's wild, improvising style will play well at this level.

"The NFL hasn't seen anything like him I don't think,'' he said. "He's a better passer than most people give him credit for and he can adapt."

Falcons rookie offensive tackle Jake Matthews, the No. 6 overall pick out of Texas A&M, said Manziel works harder than most folks give him credit for.

"Just his determination, his attitude, his work ethic -- he gets after it,'' said Matthews, the nephew of former Browns linebacker Clay Matthews and son of Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews. "When he's on the field, he's got the mindset that no one's better than him. I really enjoyed blocking for him. I'm proud to say I blocked for him and I blocked for a Heisman Trophy Winner and I think he's going to do a lot of really good things here. I'm looking forward to seeing his career.''

He said Manziel had complete command of the huddle.

"When he talks, everyone listens and that was one of the things I really picked up from him,'' said Matthews. "His determination, man. He was not going to take no for an answer. That's what I loved about him the most. He's one of truest competitors I've ever seen. I'm excited for him.''

Like Evans, Matthews isn't the least bit concerned about Manziel's off-the-field escapades, including the inflatable swan, the champagne spray, and the money phone.  

"He came in and worked every day and I know he's going to do that here,''  said Matthews. "He did a lot of good things at A&M and I've got no complaints. He's going to be fine. There's been media  stuff like this for awhile and he's always come in and gotten the job done, so I'm not worried about it.''

Matthews acknowledged that blocking for the scrambling Manziel is different, but good.

"Most of the time when he started doing that, he made plays and there's time when he got me out of binds by running around,'' Matthews said. "It's a different level that's for sure, the NFL, and he might have to change some things. You don't see many quarterbacks doing that now, but who knows? Maybe he'll start a new trend.''

Finally, after fielding at least a dozen questions about Manziel, Matthews said, "how about another question about Jake or the Falcons?''

Such is life for anyone who plays with Johnny Football.

Slumping Nick Swisher gets a night off as manager Terry Francona goes with Lonnie Chisenhall at third and Carlos Santana at first in interleague game against Arizona.

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Quick hits from manager Terry Francona's pre-game press conference Tuesday at Chase Field.

Swish sits: In the opening of this two-game interleague series against the Diamondbacks, Francona started Lonnie Chisenhall at third and Carlos Santana at first. Nick Swisher, who has played just one game at first base since returning from the disabled list on June 11, was on the bench because of the absence of the DH.

"With the off day Monday, I had some time to walk through it," said Francona. "With Justin Masterson pitching (read: a lot of ground balls if he's on) I wanted to put our infield defense first. Sitting Lonnie and moving Carlos to third after he hasn't played third (since coming off the disabled list on June 4) didn't make a ton of sense.

"I just thought, 'play Lonnie at third where he's done a good job and Carlos has been swinging the bat and playing well at first.' Swish came out today and hit early so we covered everything.

Francona said he didn't know if Swisher would be on the bench again Wednesday.

Swisher is hitting .135 (5-for-37) since coming off the DL from a hyper-extended left knee. Santana is hitting .333 (19-for-57) in June.

"I'm just glad we have Seattle bunched between the two interleague series so somebody doesn't have to sit for too long. We've got two games to cover here. We'll be fine."

The Indians open a three-game series in Seattle on Friday so they can use the DH again. Then they open a three-game, interleague series against the Dodgers on Monday at Dodger Stadium.

Three's a charm: Shortstop Francisco Lindor was named to his third straight World Team at MLB's Future's game as part of the All-Star game.

"We saw him in spring training," said Francona. "He was an invited player to big league camp and there is a lot to like."

Power outage: Jason Kipnis went 1-for-14 against the Tigers over the weekend. Kipnis has three extra base hits, all doubles, since coming off the disabled list on May 27.

"I think Kip has felt like he hasn't gotten into a real good rhythm yet," said Francona. "He's gotten his hits. He has a presence at the plate.

"From the time I've been around him, Kipnis will get hot at the plate. Then he'll get real hot. It just hasn't happened yet, but it will."

Luis Suarez is a goal-scoring machine. Tuesday he looked more like a cast member in HBO's "True Blood."

Luis Suarez is a goal-scoring machine for Liverpool in the English Premier League and has been a star for Uruguay's national team in this World Cup.

He'd also be a perfect cast member for HBO's "True Blood." Or maybe another installment of the "Twilight" series.

Suarez likes to bite people to gain any kind of advantage, it seems. Yes, BITE. And for all intents and purposes on Tuesday, he got away with another chomp on an opponent, something he has a history of doing. 

ICY(somehow)MI: What everyone is talking about - Suarez bites a player for the 3rd time in his career. WATCH » http://t.co/Vrpt4lsyts

-- ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 24, 2014

It's downright strange, and the tape won't lie. Suarez was captured on camera holding his teeth after the bite -- which is more evidence that it happened -- and the victim, Italy's Giorgio Chiellini, went screaming after the referee to show the bite marks on his shoulder as proof. 

Suarez didn't comment right after the match. His coach and teammates downplayed the alleged incident, as did Suarez later to a Uruguayan TV station. However, this will be the lasting image of a match Italy had to win or draw to advance but instead lost a player to a red card and was unable to hold Uruguay off with only 10 players on the field. 

Uruguay scored in the 81st minute after Suarez went all Dracula/Mike Tyson on Chiellini and eliminated the Azzurri  with a 1-0 win -- just when it seemed that Italy might escape after a huge save from goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.

Suarez, had the incident been caught by the referee, should have been red-carded and sent off to make the teams even strength. Then Italy's chances would have improved.

You can't make this stuff up.

So Uruguay advances to the knockout round to face Colombia in a South American scuffle in, where else, South America. That match promises to be fun in the stands and on the pitch, but Uruguay may have to go without Suarez pending a sure-to-come FIFA investigation of the Bite Seen Around The World. 

Chew on that for a bit if you will. And this: 

Suarez now has to wear this the rest of the World Cup.. pic.twitter.com/VxpEpN2zpF

-- White Boy Problems (@WSBProblems) June 24, 2014

Tuesday's World Cup scores

England 0, Costa Rica 0

Uruguay 1, Italy 0

Colombia 4, Japan 1

Greece 2, Ivory Coast 1

The gods must be smiling on Greece

The Greeks' Georgios Samaras converted a penalty kick in the final seconds after a very close call for a foul in the box against Ivory Coast, and Greece somehow advanced to the knockout round with its 2-1 win. 

This after Greece was thumped by Colombia in its first Group C match, played to a listless scoreless draw with Japan that it was lucky to survive, and was seconds away from elimination against Ivory Coast.

Ticos win Group D

Greece's Giorgos Samaras, front, celebrates scoring his side's 2nd goal from the penalty spot during the group C World Cup soccer match between Greece and Ivory Coast at the Arena Castelao in Fortaleza, Brazil, Tuesday, June 24, 2014. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) 

The true Group of Death, many felt, was Group D with England, Uruguay, Italy and Costa Rica. If you called Costa Rica as the winner of the group, take a bow. Los Ticos fought to a draw with England Tuesday and finished on top of the group, with England leaving Brazil without a single victory in its worst performance ever in a World Cup. Just another surprise in a World Cup full of them.

So Greece and Costa Rica will meet in the next round in an elimination game. Two teams few thought would be there.

Feliz cumpleanos, Leo!

Tuesday was Argentina and Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi's 27th birthday, and the world celebrated along with arguably the biggest star in all of soccer. 

Messi got some new cleats to wear at his team's practice in preparation for its group finale against Nigeria on Wednesday.

Limited edition Battle Pack #F50 boot to celebrate the birthday of a #WorldCup star. Happy birthday Leo Messi! #allin pic.twitter.com/qEz1OFxzmI

-- adidas (@adidas) June 24, 2014

'C' is for Colombia

Colombia's 4-1 win over Japan Tuesday eliminated the Samurai Blues and made Los Cafeteros just the third South American team in history to win all three group games. Colombia topped Group C and will face Uruguay in the knockout round. 

Speaking of Colombia, its dance numbers after goals are now the norm. Check out this ode to zombies after their first score against Japan:

Great moment for 43-year-old Faryd Mondragon, the backup goalkeeper for Colombia. The former MLS player with Philadelphia came on as a late substitution and became the oldest player ever to appear in a World Cup. 

Wednesday's match to watch

Nigeria vs. Argentina. The winner wins Group F, while a draw makes Argentina the group winner and Nigeria the runner-up. This is important because the second-place team could see France in the Round of 16, and the French are scoring in bunches so far. France figures to win Group E. 

Manager Terry Francona had a lot of family and friends at Chase Field on Tuesday night.

PHOENX, Ariz. -- Seen and heard Tuesday at Chase Field.

Clubhouse confidential: Manager Terry Francona said Mike Seghi, director of team travel, was not happy with him. Seghi also handles ticket requests for the Indians.

"I've got half of Tucson coming to this game," said Francona, who makes his offseason homer in Tucson.

Francona said most of the passes were for his golfing buddies, including former Indian Eddie Leon. Leon played for the Indians from 1968 through 1972.

"I have a hard time saying no," said Francona with a smile.

Francona has to pay taxes on the tickets.

Taste of the big time: About 60 players from the Indians' extended spring training team in Goodyear, Ariz. attended Tuesday's game. They made the 30-minute drive from the team's training complex to Chase Field by bus.

Among the players were high-round picks from this year's draft Justus Sheffield, Grant Hocking and Bobby Bradley.

Stat of the day: Among AL outfielders, Michael Brantley has the highest average at .324, is tied with the Angels' Mike Trout for the most RBI with 49 and ranks third in extra base hits with 31 behind Trout with 37 and Toronto's Melky Cabrera with 32.

Trevor Bauer said he tried to learn as much as he could from his brief stay with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Arizona Diamonbacks used the third pick in the country to select Trevor Bauer out of UCLA in 2011. Less than two years later, they traded him to the Indians in December of 2012.

A long-term relationship was never meant to be.

On Tuesday, Bauer walked back into the Chase Field, the place where he made the first four big-league starts of his career in 2012.

"It's hot," he said, when asked how it felt. "It's hot and dry and very sunny."

It was 107 degrees during the day in Phoenix and 102 at the start of the game. Inside Chase Field it was 79 degrees.

Asked how he felt about his time with the Diamondbacks, Bauer said, "I look at it, like I look at anything else. It's an experience in life. . .I tried to gain as much out of the experience as I could. I tried to learn from it. What I did well, what I didn't do well and how can I get better.

"I learned a lot in my time here and I've learned a lot in my two years beyond that."

As to whether he was surprised Arizona gave up on him so quickly, Bauer said, "That's not in my control. Players don't trade players. I'm just trying to get better and improve myself."]

Bauer just missed starting against his old club. Justin Masterson started Tuesday and Corey Kluber will start Wednesday. After Thursday's off day, Bauer will start Friday in Seattle.

"I'm focusing all my energy on Seattle," said Bauer. "I don't have any disappointment or relief that I'm not pitching here. It's just that I'm facing Seattle next and that's who I'm focusing on."

Swish sits: Manager Terry Francona started Lonnie Chisenhall at third and Carlos Santana at first Tuesday night. Nick Swisher, who has played just one game at first base since returning from the disabled list on June 11, was on the bench because of the absence of the DH.

"With the off day Monday, I had some time to walk through it," said Francona. "With  Masterson pitching (read: a lot of ground balls if he's on) I wanted to put our infield defense first. Sitting Lonnie and moving Carlos to third after he hasn't played third (since coming off the disabled list on June 4) didn't make a ton of sense.

"I just thought, 'play Lonnie at third where he's done a good job and Carlos has been swinging the bat and playing well at first.' Swish came out today and hit early so we covered everything."

Francona said he didn't know if Swisher would be on the bench again Wednesday.

Swisher is hitting .135 (5-for-37) since coming off the DL from a hyper-extended left knee. Santana is hitting .333 (19-for-57) in June.

"I'm just glad we have Seattle bunched between the two interleague series so somebody doesn't have to sit for too long. We've got two games to cover here. We'll be fine."

The Indians open a three-game series in Seattle on Friday so they can use the DH again. Then they open a three-game, interleague series against the Dodgers on Monday at Dodger Stadium.

Three's a charm: Shortstop Francisco Lindor was named to his third straight World Team at MLB's Future's game as part of the All-Star game.

"We saw him in spring training," said Francona. "He was an invited player to big league camp and there is a lot to like."

Power outage: Jason Kipnis went 1-for-14 against the Tigers over the weekend. Kipnis has three extra base hits, all doubles, since coming off the disabled list on May 27.

"I think Kip has felt like he hasn't gotten into a real good rhythm yet," said Francona. "He's gotten his hits. He has a presence at the plate.

"From the time I've been around him, Kipnis will get hot at the plate. Then he'll get real hot. It just hasn't happened yet, but it will."

Player of the week: Second baseman Joey Wendle was named Indians minor league player of the week.

Wendle hit .346 (9-fpr-26) with three doubles, one triple and two homers in six games last week for the Class AA Akron Rubberducks.

Finally: Class AAA manager Chris Tremie and pitching coach Tony Arnold have been named to International League All-Star game coaching staff. The game is scheduled for July 16 at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.