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Pittsburgh Penguins seek 250 students who can flush toilets in new hockey arena

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Construction is near completion on the Penguins' new Consol Energy Center. Officials need to simultaneously flush all toilets and urinals to make sure everything is working. The Penguins are calling the June 10 event the "Student Flush," a spinoff of their popular "Student Rush" ticketing program.

consol-energy-center.jpgThe Consol Energy Center, new home of the Pittsburgh Penguins.Pittsburgh -- The Pittsburgh Penguins are looking for 250 students to help with an important task and there's only one major requirement: You must know how to flush a toilet.

Construction is near completion on the Penguins' new arena, the Consol Energy Center. But like with any new arena or stadium, officials need to simultaneously flush all the toilets and urinals to make sure everything is working. The Penguins are calling the June 10 event the "Student Flush," a spinoff of their popular ticketing program known as "Student Rush."

Students already involved in the ticketing program can enter for a chance to win. Students must be 18 or older to participate in the flush-apalooza.

In all, there will be 400 flushers, including some construction officials, on hand that day.


The LeBron-O-Meter: The queasiness sets in after a not-so-warm reunion with fans

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The LeBron-O-Meter takes a step backward today, after an awkward holiday weekend.

Like everyone else in Cleveland, we wonder what LeBron James will do when his contract is up this summer. Will he stay home, or follow the bright lights to Broadway? Until he decides to talk, we have to rely on hunches, instincts and educated guesswork. We'll report our findings, more or less daily, using the                    LeBron-O-Meter.
With less than 30 days to go before LeBron James officially becomes a free agent, the frenzy is really starting to build.

Not because of the impending summit with Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade and other NBA luminaries. What could possibly come of such a meeting, other than publicity? It's not like any two of them could sell themselves as a package deal.

On the other hand, LeBron didn't exactly seem happy to be in Cleveland when he helped judge a dunking contest over the holiday weekend. According to the AP, it was an "awkward" reunion, with the King showing up late and saying almost nothing.

And speaking of Kings, there's another one, Larry, who taped an interview with LeBron today that will air Friday night. We doubt LeBron would have tipped his hand to the Suspendered One, but the very idea of talking to the wizened old man kind of creeps us out.

Finally, we also got nervous reading this piece about the 10 top potential matchups between LeBron and various other stars and superstars. A lot of them make more sense, say, than
LeBron and Mo Williams.

So, while we don't feel quite as desperate as this guy, we're feeling a little queasier than when last we set the 'Meter.

Today's meter reading:
Keep 'em guessing

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Previous meter reading: Lookin' good

Ohio State Comment of the Day: Academics have nothing to do with Big Ten expansion

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"Laughable logic. Like physics or medical researchers are suddenly going to pick up the phone and call their contemporaries at Missouri or Nebraska only because they joined the Big Ten." - ultra

gene smith.jpgView full sizeSome fans don't buy it when Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith lists academic reasons for Big Ten expansion.

In response to the story Big Ten expansion would be about opportunities, says OSU's Gene Smith, cleveland.com reader ultra thinks the academic arguments for expanding the Big Ten are shaky. This reader writes,

Laughable logic. Like physics or medical researchers are suddenly going to pick up the phone and call their contemporaries at Missouri or Nebraska only because they joined the Big Ten.

To respond to ultra's comment, go here.

For more comments of the day, go to blog.cleveland.com/comments-of-the-day.

NBA 'free-agent summit' a reminder of a 1967 event in Cleveland that wasn't about money

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Jim Brown invited top athletes to Cleveland to talk about the war in Vietnam.


ali.jpgIn 1967, some of the nation's top black athletes came to Cleveland to support Muhammad Ali: Front row: Bill Russell, Ali, Jim Brown, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (formerly Lew Alcindor). Back row: Mayor Carl Stokes, Walter Beach, Bobby Mitchell, Sid Williams, Curtis McClinton, Willie Davis, Jim Shorter and John Wooten. The on-again, off-again, on-again so-called summit among free agents LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire and Joe Johnson is a reminder of the last time professional athletes got together on an issue that made a change.

The summit expected to happen before July 1 could change the landscape of the NBA. Because of salary-cap restrictions, no more than two of the free agents could play on the same team. It was Wade who first brought up this idea for the group to meet and discuss their futures.

This possible meeting could change the face of the NBA for years to come. For example, the promise of Bosh and James on one team could influence an owner and or GM to hire the coach Bosh and James wanted.

Not only could a team with Wade and Stoudemire make the Miami Heat an instant contender, but could that force the Heat brass to make other moves demanded by Stoudemire and Wade?

What about the balance of power in the league if all of the top free agents played in the same conference or even in the same division?

Is the upcoming so-called summit about power or money?

In 1967, Jim Brown brought some of the top names in sports together here in Cleveland for a different reason: to show solidarity in support of Muhammad Ali's decision as a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War.

Brown, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, Willie Davis and others listened to Ali's reasons why he would not fight in the unjust war. Their meeting was not about increasing income. This summit, unlike the one proposed by Wade, provided the kind of symbolism many Americans needed who also objected to the war.

Brown said in an ESPN.com interview four years ago:

That was a situation that had to be addressed. I was the president of the Black Economic Union, John Wooten was my executive director. I called John from London and told him to contact all of the top black athletes from around the country and have them meet Ali in Cleveland so we could discuss his situation with the draft. They all showed up and we had about a three-hour meeting with him [Ali] in the back room of my office in Cleveland. [We] realized that he was very sincere in his position and that because of his religion, he was not going to go into the Army and we backed him. … It was a very wonderful thing to have these young players not worry about risking their careers, but getting the right information from the horse's mouth so that they could make judgment on this man's action.

The so-called free agent summit will have as much star power as the Ali Summit, but the scope of that meeting appears limited to only a game.

Maybe the change these players seek will go beyond their economic increase.

Now that would be a change, and a reminder of a social consciousness past.

The LeBron-O-Meter: A hint from Larry King warms Cleveland's heart

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Larry King released a partial transcript of his interview with LeBron James, taped earlier today and broadcasting Friday, and from here the news looks pretty good.

Like everyone else in Cleveland, we wonder what LeBron James will do when his contract is up this summer. Will he stay home, or follow the bright lights to Broadway? Until he decides to talk, we have to rely on hunches, instincts and educated guesswork. We'll report our findings, more or less daily, using the                    LeBron-O-Meter.
Stop the presses! Minutes after Tuesday's LeBron-O-Meter went up, and we were still feeling a little queasy, we got this from CNN:

In his interview taped today with Larry King, and airing Friday, LeBron says Cleveland "has the edge" against other teams when it comes time to sign his next contract.

James said:

Absolutely. Because, you know, this city, these fans, I mean, have given me a lot in these seven years. And, you know, for me, it's comfortable. So I've got a lot of memories here. And - and so it does have an edge.
This just in as well: Cleveland's own Iron Chef Michael Symon is sweetening the pot to entice LeBron to stay. In an open letter posted on his Facebook page, Symon promises The King to come over to his house once a month to cook up a Iron Chef style dinner for his family and friends.

Who could refuse that?

Therefore, thanks to Larry King and Iron Chef Michael Symon, the 'Meter reading changes:


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LeBron tells Larry King his hometown Cavs have an edge in the war to sign the star

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LeBron James tells Larry King for a special airing Friday that the Cavs have the edge in the war to sign him.

lebron-james-talks.jpgLeBron James reportedly told CNN's Larry King that the his hometown team, the Cavaliers, have "an edge" in the fight to sign the NBA superstar.Cleveland, Ohio -- LeBron James told Larry King that the Cleveland Cavaliers definitely have "an edge" in the sweepstakes to sign the basketball star, who officially becomes a free agent on July 1.

James' interview with King was taped at his Akron home. It will air as part of CNN's special marking 25 years of "Larry King Live." This abbreviated transcript was released by CNN.

King: Do you lean at all toward the place you know the best? I mean do they have an edge going in...

JAMES: Oh, absolutely.

KING: ...your home team?

JAMES: Absolutely. Because, you know, this city, these fans, I mean, have given me a lot in these seven years. And, you know, for me, it's comfortable. So I've got a lot of memories here. And - and so it does have an edge.

James has not been available for interviews since the Cavs, who finished the regular season with the best record in the NBA, fell to the Boston Celtics in the second round of the playoffs.

Best ways to take something off a normal shot: Bud Shaw's Ask the Pro golf video

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This week, PGA pro John Fiander of Sleepy Hollow Golf Course in Brecksville explains the best methods for reducing yardage with a club.

Ask the Pro: Shows the best techniques for taking something off a shot

Local pros solve your swing problems in a weekly instruction video with Plain Dealer columnist Bud Shaw.

This week, PGA pro John Fiander of Sleepy Hollow Golf Course in Brecksville explains the best methods for reducing yardage with a club.

Need help with your game? Explain your problem to golf@plaind.com in an e-mail. We will select one e-mail each week. All videos are archived.

Cleveland Browns extend contract offers to RFAs until June 15

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In a procedural move, the Browns extended the contract tenders to their five unsigned restricted free agents. Now it's up to the players to sign by June 15 or risk a greatly reduced offer.

d'qwell jackson.jpgBrowns linebacker D'Qwell Jackson now has until June 15 to sign his one-year tender.

CLEVELAND -- The Browns have extended their one-year contract tenders to their five unsigned restricted free agents, said a team source.

 If the club had changed its mind about any of the players since tendering them the one-year contracts in March, this would have been the time to rescind the offer. Doing so would make the players unrestricted free agents.

 By extending the contract tenders, the Browns are giving the players two weeks to sign the deals or risk having them significantly reduced. According to the current rules, if an RFA does not sign his contract tender by June 15, the club can substitute the tender with a 10 percent raise over his 2009 base salary.

 Four of the Browns' five RFAs -- running back Jerome Harrison, linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, linebacker Matt Roth and fullback Lawrence Vickers -- would lose more than $1 million if the club exercised this option.

 Safety Abe Elam's tender would reduce from the current $1.759 million to about $1.65 million.

 General Manager Tom Heckert has said the Browns are considering reducing the offers on June 15. All the RFAs have boycotted the team's offseason program with the exception of Harrison, who rejoined the team last week. 


P.M. Cleveland Indians links: Westbrook auditioning? Picking the wrong poison

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Is a recovering Jake Westbrook more marketable, now?

jake-westbrook-pitches.jpgJake Westbrook, who starts for the Tribe tonight against the Tigers in Detroit, is getting closer to being the pitcher he was before Tommy John surgery.

Cleveland, Ohio -- Detroit is 3-7 over its last 10 games, and lost three games of its four-game series against Oakland. Clearly, they're having a bit of trouble hitting and scoring runs.


That's the good news. The bad news is that even with that sub-par record, the Tigers are still in second place in the AL Central, 71/2 games ahead of the Indians in the standings.


Sigh.


Cleveland begins a three-game series in Comerica Park at 7:05 tonight.


There are two ways to look at tonight's game, too. One is optimistically, as starting pitcher Jake Westbrook is very nearly back to where he was before undergoing Tommy John surgery two years ago. A cbssports.com blog from writer Danny Knobler points out the promising part of Westbrook's ongoing recovery.



His numbers (2-3, 4.78 heading into Tuesday night's start against the Tigers) aren't overly impressive. But Indians people have seen steady improvement through each of his first 10 starts, to the point where they say Westbrook isn't far away from being the pitcher who won 15 games for Cleveland in both 2005 and 2006 after making the All-Star team in 2004.


"He's really close," pitching coach Tim Belcher said. "Physically, he's great. He's really good physically. It's just a matter of more consistent command. And what tells me that he's getting there is I see less frustration on his face each time out."


Doctors told Westbrook, as they tell any pitcher coming off surgery, that the consistent command will be the final thing to come back. For a pitcher like Westbrook, who lived on his sinker (his ground ball/fly ball ratio in 2006 was 1.63), command is crucial.


Of course, since this is the Indians, there has to be a down side, also covered in Knobler's piece:



The way Belcher sees it, by sometime around the All-Star break, Westbrook should be the pitcher he once was. And while Belcher won't say it, that likely means that by the end of July Westbrook will be pitching for someone else.


Indians people have been telling other teams that they're open to anything, that they'll listen to trade proposals on any of their players. They'd love to find someone to take Kerry Wood, could certainly trade Russell Branyan, and have another available starting pitcher in Fausto Carmona.


But Westbrook, in the final year of a contract that pays him $11 million this season, figures to get potential trade partners most interested. And the potential to rid themselves of even part of the $7 million or so they still owe Westbrook would obviously tempt a Cleveland team that has averaged just 14,304 fans a game in the 21 home dates since the home opener.


"That's just kind of one of those things," Westbrook said. "For me, I'm just happy to be pitching again, and I'm going to worry about pitching."


Strangely enough, when Westbrook is on the mound, Starting Blocks doesn't worry that much about pitching. But when Rafael Perez is . . . Carumba!

A welcome respite?
Could the Tribe's trip to Comerica Park be a good thing? Sportingnews.com has some verbiage that indicates there could be some joy in our local Mudville tonight, tomorrow and Thursday.



After reaching a season-high seven games over .500 on May 20, the Tigers (26-24) have dropped seven of nine -- including three of four at home against Oakland this weekend.


Detroit has been inconsistent offensively over those nine games, scoring its only run in Sunday's 4-1 loss on Austin Jackson's pinch-hit infield single. The Tigers have scored 16 runs in their past two wins, highlighted by a 10-2 victory Saturday, and 17 in their last seven losses.


"We just aren't doing much offensively," manager Jim Leyland said. "We had the one pretty good game yesterday where we blew it open a little late, but no, we aren't doing much. That's an understatement."


That trend could change against the Indians (18-31), who have posted a 6.79 ERA while losing 11 of 14. They matched their season high for runs allowed twice while during a four-game road series with the New York Yankees this weekend.


At this rate, the Washington Generals, the Harlem Globetrotters' traveling foil, could end up with a higher winning percentage than the Indians.

Mr. Pettitte, Meet Mr. Victory (Mr. Again)
The Wall Street Journal is one of those newspapers that clings to the use of courtesy titles. In a way, it's kind of quaint. But in another, perhaps better way, it makes the 11-2 thrashing the Indians took at the hands of the New York Yankees on Monday sound a smidge more civilized.



As teammates with the Yankees in 1996, Joe Girardi caught for Andy Pettitte, who was then in his second year with the team and a rising star who would win 21 games that season. Mr. Girardi now manages the team, and Mr. Pettitte, at age 37, is still pitching, though he continues to evolve, impress and sometimes even dominate.


After Mr. Pettitte led the Yankees to an 11-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Monday afternoon at Yankee Stadium, Mr. Girardi was in a reflective mood. He said Mr. Pettitte has become a more complete pitcher at this late stage of his career, a lefthander capable of controlling both sides of the plate with his cutter and flummoxing hitters with two types of fastballs.


"He's just a lot different," Mr. Girardi said, "than when I caught him."


It was meant as a compliment, a testament to Mr. Pettitte's durability and willingness to change as he fends off the corrosive effects of time.


And while it might sound as if it borders on hyperbole, perhaps he has never pitched better than he has this season. He ran his record to 7-1 and lowered his earned-run average to 2.48 with seven sterling innings against the Indians, who managed just four hits and one run--a solo homer in the second inning--against Mr. Pettitte, who struck out five and walked none.


"I feel real comfortable with what I've been doing," he said.


The Yankees, who slugged a season-high 18 hits, blew open a close game with six runs in the bottom of the seventh, highlighted by a grand slam from Alex Rodriguez after the Indians pitched around Mark Teixeira to load the bases. That proved to be an error in judgment.


Gee, ya think? Honestly, doesn't it sound to you like the story was written on an old typewriter in one of those clubs where all the members are men, and all are wearing silk smoking jackets and puffing on Meerschaum pipes?

Situational hitting
About that decision to pitch to A-Rod vs. Teixeira: Plain Dealer baseball writer Paul Hoynes' game story had perhaps the quote of the day, and it came from the guy who served up that grand salami, Tribe reliever Chris Perez:



"I guess [Rodriguez] struggled a little coming into this series with guys on base," said Chris Perez. "I guess he's not struggling anymore."


In other, equally earth-shattering news, the sun rose in the east this morning, night followed day and toilet bowls in the Northern Hemisphere continued to flush in a clockwise direction.

More from The Plain Dealer
Hoynesie's Indians Insider includes a conversation with pitcher Jensen Lewis, who is back with the big club for now after having begun the year in Columbus. And Lewis is talking up catching prospect Carlos Santana. Hoynesie also said David Huff, smashed on the noggin by a line drive off the bat of Alex Rodriguez on Saturday, did well in his bullpen session and likely will make his scheduled start on Thursday.


Meanwhile, the troubles the Tribe is enduring has columnist Terry Pluto talking to himself, looking for future fixes and at past mistakes.


Former Cleveland Indians pitcher Jeriome Robertson dies in motorcycle crash

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Former Tribe pitcher Jeriome Robertson dies in motorcycle crash.

jeriome-robertson.jpgJeriome Robertson, who pitched briefly for the Indians in 2004, died in a motorcycle crash in California on Saturday. Robertson was 1-1 as a reliever with the Tribe. The 33-year-old was drafted by the Astros in 1995.

Exeter, Calif. -- Former Indians pitcher Jeriome Robertson was killed on a California highway Saturday when he lost control of his motorcycle in a turn.


Robertson, 33, pitched only 14 innings for the Tribe in 2004.


In the story on his death, his hometown newspaper, the Visalia Times-Delta, carried this account of Robertson's baseball career:


Robertson, who helped lead Exeter to a Central Section championship and was named the Times-Delta co-player of the year in 1995, was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 24th round of the 1995 amateur draft.


He made his major league debut on Sept. 2, 2002.


During his first full season with the Astros in 2003, Robertson compiled a 15-9 record and was seventh in Rookie of the Year award voting.


In 2004, Robertson was traded to the Cleveland Indians after the Astros signed Roger Clemens and Andy Pettite in the offseason.


He made his final major league appearance July 21, 2004.


Robertson finished his major league career with a 16-12 record in 51 appearances.


He was released by the New York Mets on July 31, 2006. He also spent time playing pro baseball in Taiwan, Mexico and in the Atlantic League — an independent baseball league.


Smith Family Chapel in Exeter is handling arrangements. Visitation and burial are scheduled for Monday.

P.M. Cleveland Browns links: This is the big chance for Brian Robiskie

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If the Browns' quarterbacks are to flourish, at least a couple wide receivers must emerge as go-to players. Robiskie could be one. A lengthy list of Browns military veterans; a ranking of NFL franchises; bad-weather games; Scott Fujita; and more.

brian-robiskie.jpgWide receiver Brian Robiskie at a Browns practice on May 27.Questions about the Cleveland Browns' quarterback situation -- with veterans Jake Delhomme, Seneca Wallace and Brett Ratliff, and rookie Colt McCoy -- are complicated by the uncertainty at wide receiver.

The Browns do not have an accomplished veteran wideout on their roster. That creates a wide-open door of opportunity for, among others, second-year pros Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi and rookie Carlton Mitchell

In a "Big Question" blog for ESPN.com, James Walker poses the question, "Is Robiskie Ready?," and writes:

The former Ohio State product struggled and barely saw the field until late in the season. Robiskie finished the year with only seven catches for 106 yards.

But growth for Robiskie is already evident this year in offseason workouts. He has been impressive early and is showing the ability to make plays at the next level. Cleveland is hoping Robiskie can carry that momentum into training camp and eventually earn a significant role in the offense this summer.
 

'Bout the Browns

Plain Dealer Browns coverage includes beat writer Tony Grossi's report on the Browns extending their contract offers to their restricted free agents; Grossi's blog, highlighting the Wildcat offense; beat writer Mary Kay Cabot's story on the Browns running backs, featuring Peyton Hillis; a chat with columnist Terry Pluto.

Veterans remembered

As Monday was Memorial Day, Steve King wrote for ClevelandBrowns.com about former Browns who served in the military. He wrote:

Defensive end Don Steinbrunner served two years as an Air Force navigator after that season (1953). When his tour of duty was up, he considered returning to the Browns but decided instead to pursue a military career.

Steinbrunner, then 35, was killed when his plane was shot down over Kontum, South Vietnam on July 20, 1967. As such, he became the first -- and one of just two -- former or current NFL players who lost their lives while in service of our country. Posthumously, he was awarded the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Pat Tillman interrupted his career as an Arizona Cardinals safety to enlist in the Army after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Serving as an Army Ranger, Tillman was killed in combat in Afghanistan in 2004.

King includes in his report a list of some of the Browns players who served in the military. 

Near the bottom

FoxSports.com uses a photo gallery to rank the NFL organizations, from Nos. 1 to 32. Click here to see where the Browns stand.

And, with the ranking, video of FoxSports.com's Adam Schein talking about the Browns.

Weather stories

The designation of East Rutherford, N.J. as the site for the 2014 Super Bowl has prompted much discussion about possible weather conditions for the game.

NBCSports.com and FoxSports.com use photo galleries to rank the top bad-weather games of all-time.

FoxSports.com limits its games to the playoffs. Coming it at No. 6:

1980 AFC Playoffs, Oakland at Cleveland

In the coldest NFL game in 14 years (four degrees), scoring was difficult. The game had two missed field goals and several interceptions, including one of the most famous in history, as the Browns – down 14-12 late in the game – could’ve attempted a short field goal to win, but chose to throw it instead, resulting in an interception in the end zone that essentially lost them the game. The play call will forever be remembered in Cleveland as “Red Right 88.”

NBCSports.com's rankings include regular season games, making this one - No. 10 - eligible:

2007, Week 15: Buffalo Bills vs. Cleveland Browns

The temperature didn't break zero and heavy snow fell throughout as the Browns tried to hold on to their place in the 2007 playoffs.

Both teams had trouble moving the ball and combined for just 536 total yards of offense. The Browns took advantage of two Phil Dawson field goals and a safety to record the first 8-0 win in the NFL since 1929.

Trying to help

Linebacker Scott Fujita, signed by the Browns as a free agent after starting for the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints, hasn't forgot about the state he left and other stricken areas. On Scout.com, the Orange and Brown Report mentions Fujita's efforts following Hurricane Katrina, and now:

As did every player on the Super Bowl champion Saints, Fujita earned $83,000 as part of the winning team. Unlike other players, Fujita donated half his winnings to charity -- about $21,000 to the Haiti earthquake relief fund and another $21,000 to the gulf restoration project.

Part of Fujita's heart is still in The Big Easy. He is following news of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico closely.

Has to win

In yet another photo gallery, FoxSports.com lists the "Top 10 NFL mini-camp questions," including "Which coaches are on the hot seat?" One of the comments:

Everyone says that Mike Holmgren (right) will replace Eric Mangini with Jon Gruden in 2011.

  

Cavaliers Comment of the Day: LeBron still better than Kobe

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"If Kobe and LeBron switched teams, do you think the Lakers would be worse or better? I personally would go with better." - sadsamjones

Cavaliers beat L.A. Lakers, 102-87View full sizeWhile some fans are jumping back on the Kobe Bryant bandwagon now that he's back in the Finals, others don't think it means anything in regards to who the better player is between Kobe and LeBron.In response to the story Terry Pluto talks Indians, Browns and Cavaliers - Podcast, cleveland.com reader sadsamjones doesn't think the Lakers would be any worse off with LeBron instead of Kobe. This reader writes,

If Kobe and LeBron switched teams, do you think the Lakers would be worse or better? I personally would go with better.

To respond to sadsamjones' comment, go here.

For more comments of the day, go to blog.cleveland.com/comments-of-the-day.

Minor League Report: Akron's Jared Goedert continues batting barrage, with power, too

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Third baseman Goedert, beginning Tuesday night on a 20-game hitting streak and batting .344 with some power production, has regained his status as a solid prospect after batting .224 in an injury-riddled 2009 season at Akron.

jared-goedert.jpgAkron's Jared Goedert has been one of the Eastern League's best hitters this season.FARM REPORT

AAA Columbus Clippers

Tonight's game: Louisville (24-28) at Clippers (33-20), 6:35. Bats LHP Aroldis Chapman (5-2, 3.55) vs. Clippers RHP Josh Tomlin (5-1, 2.23).

Notes: Bats starter Chapman, 22, defected from Cuba last July and signed a six-year, $30.25 million free agent contract with the Cincinnati Reds....LF Jordan Brown, who has had two stays on the disabled list (knee, back), went into Tuesday night's game batting .322 (19-for-59) this season, with seven doubles, one triple, one home run and 19 RBI. The left-handed hitting Brown, who led the IL with a .336 average last season, was 10-for-17 (.588) against left-handed pitchers, with four doubles, a triple, three walks and no strikeouts.... OF Jose Constanza was batting .347 (41-for-118) with five doubles, two triples, one home run and 25 runs, but did not have enough plate appearances to qualify among the International League's batting leaders....Catcher Carlos Santana was leading the league in walks (40) and on-base percentage (.450), third in RBI (43), fourth in slugging percentage (.565) and sixth in homers (10) and batting average (.315)....IF Brian Buscher was batting .367 (11-for-30) with three doubles and a homer in his last 10 games....LHP Francisco Jimenez was transferred to Columbus from Lake County on Sunday after going 5-1 with a 3.90 ERA as a reliever for the Captains, fanning 27 in 30 innings. Jimenez gave up six runs (five earned) in 1 2/3 innings as the Clippers lost to Louisville, 16-2, on Monday....In that seven-inning game that concluded a doubleheader, Buscher pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning....LHP Aaron Laffey, sent by the Indians to Columbus on Sunday, is scheduled to start for the Clippers at Indianapolis on Friday night.

AA Akron Aeros

Tonight's game: Erie (25-26) at Aeros (21-30), 7:05. Seawolves RHP Brooks Brown (3-2, 4.55) vs. Aeros LHP Nick Hagadone (0-0, 0.00).

Notes: Hagadone, a top prospect acquired from the Boston organization in the Victor Martinez trade last July, made his debut at Akron after going 1-3 with a 2.39 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings at Advanced A Kinston....3B Jared Goedert went into Tuesday night's game on a 20-game batting streak, during which he was 26-for-71 (.366) with 10 doubles and four homers. He had homered in three straight games and was third in the Eastern League with a .344 batting average....2B Cord Phelps (.303) was 16-for-41 (.390) with runners in scoring position....IF Lonnie Chisenhall (.278) was 6-for-12 with one homer, six runs and three RBI in his last three games...RHP Paolo Espino (5-2, 3.78) is 4-1 with a 2.48 ERA in his last five starts, striking out 21 and allowing 21 hits in 36 1/3 innings....RHP Alex White is 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA in two starts for Akron since being promoted from Advanced A Kinston. White, the Indians' first-round draft pick last June, has struck out four, walked three and given up nine hits in 13 innings.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Tonight's game: Wilmington (22-29) at Indians (28-23), 7:00. Blue Rocks LHP John Lamb (1-1, 1.50) vs. Indians RHP Joseph Mahalic (1-0, 4.44).

Notes: Going into Tuesday night's game, the Indians had won 18 of their last 23 games....OF Jordan Henry was leading the Carolina League with a .476 on-base percentage and was third with a .342 batting average. He had six multi-hit games among his last eight outings and had 12 stolen bases in 13 tries....IF Kyle Bellows (.279) was hitting.349 (15-for-43) with three doubles, two triples, one homer and 10 RBI over his last 10 games... RHP Rob Bryson (2-0, 1.69) had struck out 20 batters and allowed one hit -- a home run -- and two walks in his first six games with Kinston, spanning 10 2/3 innings....LHP T.J. McFarland has pitched at least five innings in each of his last eight appearances -- the first three of them in relief and the last five as a starter -- and allowed two or fewer runs in seven of them. He was leading the Carolina League with a 1.78 ERA, fanning 34 and allowing 46 hits and 10 walks in 55 2/3 innings. His six wins were tied for the league lead....RHP Cory Burns had five saves in five opportunities with the Indians, making him 17-of-17 including his time at Lake County. Burns had pitched 5 2/3 innings for Kinston, allowing no runs on two hits and no walks, with nine strikeouts. Including his time at Lake County, Burns was 0-0 with a 1.73 ERA, striking out 34 in 21 1/3 innings while yielding 15 hits, no homers and five walks.

A Lake County Captains

Tonight's game: Beloit (26-25) at Captains (33-18), 7:00. Snappers RHP Tom Stuifbergen (4-0, 1.09) vs. Captains RHP Brett Brach (0-1, 4.50).

Notes: Going into Tuesday night's game, OF Bo Greenwell was tied for fifth in the Midwest League with a .328 batting average and catcher Chun Chen was seventh at .323....Chen was tied for third in slugging percentage (.546). He hit .400 (32-for-80) with eleven doubles, three triples, two homers and 15 RBI in 23 games in May....3B Jeremie Tice (.271) was tied for second in the league with 37 RBI....RHP Trey Haley (4-1, 3.65) is 4-1 with a 2.56 ERA in his last seven starts, striking out 31 and yielding 26 hits in 38 2/3 innings....RHP Austin Adams (2-2, one save, 2.90) is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in his last five games, including three starts. In 21 innings, he struck out 27, gave up 12 hits and walked four.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

Tonight's game: River City at Crushers (3-6), 7:05. Rascals TBA vs. Crushers RHP Mike Raymond (0-1, 3.00).

Notes: The Crushers defeated the Rascals, 3 games to 2, to win the 2009 Frontier League Championship Series in their first season....Going into Tuesday night's game, catcher Joel Collins was batting .348 (8-for-23); 3B Lee Huggins was batting .333 (8-for-24) with six runs, two doubles, one homer and four RBI; SS Andrew Davis was batting .290 (9-for-31) with two homers, 10 RBI and eight walks; 2B Andrew Saylor was batting .257 (9-for-35) with eight runs, one double, one triple, two homers and three RBI.

Indians elite prospect LHP Nick Hagadone solid in Class AA debut

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Lefty Nick Hagadone was solid in his Class AA debut Tuesday night for the Akron Aeros at Canal Park.

AKRON, Ohio -- Lefty Nick Hagadone can feel good about his Class AA debut.

Hagadone, one of the Indians' top prospects, gave up three runs on three hits in four innings for the Akron Aeros against the Erie SeaWolves on Tuesday night at Canal Park.

Hagadone walked two, hit a batter and struck out five. His easiest inning was the fourth, but he did not come out for the fifth because of pitch count. The Indians are being cautious with the 24-year-old Hagadone, who underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2008.

Hagadone recently was promoted from advanced-Class A Kinston. He was acquired from Boston in the Victor Martinez trade July 31, 2009.

Erie center fielder Wilkin Ramirez hit a two-run homer to left in the first -- his 15th. It came on a 1-0 pitch that caught too much of the plate.

Hagadone pitched a 1-2-3 second, striking out two. He fanned the first two batters in the third before allowing an infield single to first.

After a walk and HBP loaded the bases, Hagadone walked in a run. He limited the damage by getting a strikeout on a nasty off-speed pitch.

The Aeros led, 3-1, through four.

The 6-5 Hagadone threw a high-octane fastball, slider and changeup from an overhand delivery. His fastball location was spotty, especially with runners on. He worked the inside corner with the fastball and slider, and he sold the changeup with good arm action.

Aeros third baseman Jared Goedert extended his hitting streak to 21 games, one shy of the franchise record.

Akron led, 4-3, through six.

 

 

 

Manager Manny Acta is in search for a middle man: Cleveland Indians Insider

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Acta has four candidates for middle relief, but they've all been reluctant to do the job.

jeriome-robertson-cleveland-indians.JPGView full sizeJeriome Robertson, 33, who pitched for the Indians in 2004, died in a motorcycle crash Saturday in California.

DETROIT -- Manager Manny Acta is looking for a bridge builder. No, he's not looking for a politician to bring feuding sides together.

He's looking for a relief pitcher to unite his starters with his late-inning relievers. He has four candidates, but they've all been reluctant to do the job.

The pitching staff breaks down this way:

Starters: Jake Westbrook, Fausto Carmona, Mitch Talbot, Justin Masterson and David Huff.

Late-inning relievers: Setup men Tony Sipp and Chris Perez, and closer Kerry Wood.

Potential bridge builders: Rafael Perez, Jamey Wright, Jensen Lewis and Hector Ambriz. The position is wide open.

In losing three out of four games to the Yankees in a four-game wraparound series over the weekend in the Bronx, the Tribe's bullpen allowed 24 runs on 27 hits in 11 innings.

Said Acta: "I think a lot of it has to do with the Yankees. They're good and we're not claiming to have a great bullpen.

"Actually, from Day One we've been pretty solid at the back end with Tony Sipp, Chris Perez and Kerry Wood. We have struggled to get to the ball to them. Basically, we have to have someone step up because we're not going to be bringing those guys in when we're trailing just to keep the game close.

"We really want to use those guys in high-leverage situations. We've got four other guys right now who are having trouble getting the ball to Sipp, Perez and Woody."

Ambriz has no record and a 4.30 ERA in 11 appearances. He's struck out 11, walked seven and the opposition is hitting .349 against him. The Indians selected him from Arizona's roster in the Rule 5 draft in December.

Rafael Perez is 1-0 with a 7.20 ERA in 19 appearances. The Indians are trying to find a way for him to return to his dominant form of 2007, but they haven't had a lot of success. The opposition is hitting .387 against him. He's walked 10, struck out 10 and allowed 24 hits in 15 innings.

Wright is 1-2 with a 5.48 ERA in 19 appearances. The opposition is hitting .294 against him. He's struck out nine, walked nine and allowed 25 hits in 21 1/3 innings.

Lewis is on his second tour with the Tribe this season. He's 2-1 with a 3.97 ERA in 11 appearances. The opposition is hitting .256 against him. He's struck out nine, walked nine and allowed 11 hits in 11 1/3 innings.

Tragedy: Former Indians left-hander Jeriome Robertson was killed in a motorcycle crash Saturday in his hometown of Exeter, Calif.

Robertson was drafted and developed by Houston. Acta managed him in the Astros' minor-league system and in winter ball in Venezuela.

"I think I managed him four years and took him to winter ball with me in Venezuela," Acta said. "I'm very shocked. The fact that in less than 10 days, two guys who were there with me on the Mets in 2006 are gone. . . . Jose Lima and Jeriome Robertson. We had Jeriome in major-league camp and in Triple A."

Acta was a coach for the Mets at that time.

The Indians acquired Robertson from Houston on March 31, 2004 for Luke Scott, who has turned into a solid, power-hitting outfielder/DH. Robertson didn't pitch well for the Tribe, going 1-1 with a 12.21 ERA.

"It's shocking. The guy was 33. Full of life. Very competitive," Acta said.

Sizemore update: The Indians are expected to hear today about when center fielder Grady Sizemore will have surgery on his left knee. It's expected to take place Thursday or Friday in Vail, Colo.

He was transferred to the 60-day disabled list Tuesday to make room for right-hander Shane Lindsay, who was claimed off waivers from the Yankees. Lindsay was placed on the 40-man roster and sent to Advanced Class A Kinston, N.C.

In other injury news, Andy Marte could go on a rehab assignment this week. He's been on the disabled list since May 15 with an infected ingrown hair on his stomach that required surgery.

Finally: The Yankees were able to recover Jhonny Peralta's 100th home run ball, which he hit in Monday's game.

"I'm going to put it in my collection and show my daughter when she grows up," Peralta said. Analise Marie Peralta was born last October.


Kent State Golden Flashes baseball team carries on a tradition: Terry Pluto

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Kent State baseball is a feel-good story about a team heading to the NCAA Tournament with Ohio players and academic honors.

Kent - Some stories just feel good.

So it is with Kent State's baseball team, which is headed to the NCAA Tournament and a diamond date with UCLA in Los Angeles on Friday.

The Flashes in the NCAAs is not a shock. It seems the Golden Flashes do it every year. They have won either the Mid-American Conference regular-season title or the MAC Tournament in 10 of the past 11 seasons.

But this is a story about more than a good college baseball team. Consider the recent list released by the NCAA honoring the top 30 academic performances by baseball teams.

"We're right there," said coach Scott Stricklin. "It's alphabetical, and we're between Harvard and Lafayette, one of only six public schools on the list."

When Stricklin played for the Golden Flashes in the early 1990s, he graduated Magna Cum Laude. He played five seasons of minor-league baseball, advancing as high as Class AAA. His point to his players is you can indeed be a serious pro prospect, and also hit a home run with the books.

KSU's team had a 2.35 grade-point average when Stricklin was hired. The APR rating was about 900, under the 925 mark that the NCAA says is acceptable academic performance and showing that players are making progress toward graduation.

This school year, the GPA was 3.1. More importantly, the APR was 1,000 -- considered outstanding.

"If they miss a class, they have to call me," said Stricklin. "They don't like to call me about that. It's been a boring year off the field. They are going to class, doing their work -- and staying out of trouble. I love years like this."

KSU was not expected to still be in action. The Flashes have only three seniors. Their best pitcher is Andrew Chafin. According to Stricklin, he is projected as an eventual first-round draft pick. He missed the entire season following reconstructive elbow surgery. The Flashes also had six different players sign pro contracts from the 2009 team that was 43-17 and was 1-2 in the NCAA regionals.

"We were picked for second place at the start of the season, and that's where we ended up," said Stricklin. "Then we lost the first game of the MAC Tournament, and had to win five games in three days to get to the NCAAs. [Pitcher] Kyle Hallock pitched the last inning [of the semifinals], then pitched seven innings in the second game. He got two wins for us. It was amazing."

This team is so underrated that it had only one player on the All-MAC first team. That's Strongsville's Anthony Gallas, who is tied for the all-time KSU career home run record with 49. Stricklin said the senior with the 3.0 GPA "deserves to be drafted," but isn't sure whether big-league teams will see it the same way.

The Flashes have 28 of 35 players from Ohio. Six more are from Pennsylvania, and one from Florida. That's Jordan Lucas, the team's only junior-college player. He has a 3.5 GPA.

The point is that Stricklin has built a winner with area players and solid students.

He talks about David Starn, the lefty from Walsh Jesuit who was 7-2 with a 5.06 ERA: "He's our Jamie Moyer, puts the ball on the corners, changes speeds. Throws 83 mph, but wins games for us." Another 3.0 student, Starn was a second-team All-MAC selection.

Then there's Kyle McMillen, an Akron Hoban product who is a pre-medicine major in KSU's Honors School. The sophomore also hit .353. Medina Highland's Ben Klafczynski bats second and hits .367. If you want to feel old, consider that third baseman Travis Shaw is the son of Jeff Shaw, the former Tribe pitcher from the early 1990s.

KSU has a tremendous baseball tradition, featuring stars such as Thurman Munson, Gene Michael, Steve Stone and Rich Rollins who had long major-league careers. In the big leagues now are Matt Guerrier (Twins) and Andy Sonnanstine (Rays). Former KSU pitcher Dirk Hayhurst recently authored "The Bullpen Gospels," a book about his minor-league career that has received outstanding reviews.

"We have a lot of good things to sell," said Stricklin.

The Flashes are in the same NCAA bracket with UCLA, LSU and California-Irvine, all ranked in the Top 25.

"Baseball America called it the Bracket of Death," said Stricklin.

But right now, he's thrilled that his overachieving team is still alive.

To reach Terry Pluto: terrypluto2003@yahoo.com, 216-999-4674 Previous columns online: cleveland.com/columns

HRs by Shin-Soo Choo, Russell Branyan lead Tribe to 3-2 win over Tigers: Cleveland Indians briefing

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Jake Westbrook turns in a solid pitching performance and Kerry Wood gets the save as the Indians win at Detroit.

indians tigers 1.jpgView full sizeThe Indians' Russell Branyan, center, is congratulated on his solo home run by Mark Grudzielanek as Tigers catcher Gerald Laird, right, watches in the fifth inning Tuesday at Detroit. UPDATED: 9:44 p.m.

DETROIT, Mich. -- The Indians won for just the fourth time in their past 15 games tonight with a 3-2 victory over Detroit at Comerica Park. It was just their second win in the past 12 games at the Tigers' home field.

Jake Westbrook (3-3) pitched into the eighth inning for the second time this season to win his first game since May 16. Kerry Wood earned his third save despite giving up an RBI single to pinch-hitter Alex Avilla with two out in the ninth.

Jeremy Bonderman (2-3) was the loser.

Small ball: The Indians stretched their lead to 3-1 in the eighth on Mark Grudzielanek's two-out single into left field. Travis Hafner, who reached base when Bonderman hit him in the foot, scored. It was Grudzielanek's 11th RBI and his 30th hit.

All 30 have been singles.

Tight quarters: Chris Perez relieved  Westbrook with two on and two out in the eighth. He retired Magglio Ordonez on a foul pop to third.

The line: Westbrook allowed one run on five hits in 7 2/3 innings. He struck out one and walked one. Bonderman allowed three runs on nine hits in eight innings. He walked two and struck out two.  

Long ball II: Shin-Soo Choo put the Indians ahead, 2-1, and stopped an 0-for-19 skid with a one-out homer off Bonderman in the sixth. It was Choo's eighth homer. 

Long ball: Russell Branyan pulled the Indians into a 1-1 tie with a leadoff homer in the fifth. It was Branyan's seventh homer of the season and third in his last four games.

Roar of the Tigers: Detroit took a 1-0 off Jake Westbrook in the second on Carlos Guillen's single to score Miguel Cabrera from third. Westbrook dropped down with a sidearm breaking ball against Guillen and he lined it into center. Cabrera started the inning with a double.

You're out: Cabrera tried to stretch a leadoff single into a double in the fourth, but center fielder Trevor Crowe threw him out.  

Pre-game notes:

 Game 50: Following the dismal showing of the Indians bullpen against the Yankees over the weekend, manager Manny Acta said, "I think a lot of it has to do with the Yankees. They're good and we're not claiming to have a great bullpen. Actually, from Day One, we've been pretty solid at the backend with Tony Sipp, Chris Perez and Kerry Wood. We have struggled to get to the ball to them. Basically, we have to have someone step up because we're not going to be bringing those guys in when we're trailing just to keep the game close.

 "We really want to use those guys in high leverage situations. We've got four other guys right now who are having trouble getting the ball to Sipp, Perez and Woody."

 In the four-game series against the Yankees, Indians relievers allowed 24 runs on 27 hits in 11 2/3 innings. Sipp and Chris Perez, used almost exclusively when the Indians were leading, were rushed into the breech against the Yankees to try and keep the Indians close and were hammered.

 Sipp gave up a grand slam and a three-run homer. Perez gave up a slam and solo homer.

 In Sunday's 11-2 loss, Andy Pettitte held the Indians to one run on four hits in seven innings. Here was Acta's review of the veteran left-hander, "He just toyed with the four inexperienced guys in our lineup. He's so good changing speeds and using that cutter inside of the hands.

 "You could see he just toyed with the real young kids. The only guys who had decent at-bats against him are (Mark) Grudzielanek, (Austin) Kearns and Jhonny (Peralta)."

 The four inexperienced players Acta was talking about, Trevor Crowe, Matt LaPorta, Lou Marson and Jason Donald, were a combined 1-for-10 against Pettitte.

 Terrible news: Former Indians left-hander Jeriome Robertson was killed in a motorcycle crash Saturday in his hometown of Exeter, Calif.

 Robertson was drafted and developed by Houston. Acta managed him in the Astros minor league system and in winter ball in Venezuela.

 "I think I managed him four years and took him to winter ball with me in Venezuela," said Acta. "I'm very shocked. The fact that in less than 10 days, two guys who were there with me on the Mets in 2006 are gone. . .Jose Lima and Jeriome Robertson. We had Jeriome in major league camp and in Triple-A."

 Acta was a coach for the Mets at that time.

 The Indians acquired Robertson from Houston on March 31, 2004 for Luke Scott, who has turned into a solid, power-hitting outfielder/DH. Robertson didn't pitch well for the Tribe, going 1-1 with a 12.21 ERA. He allowed 19 earned runs and 22 hits in 14 innings.

 "It's shocking. The guy was 33. Full of life. Very competitive," said Acta. "He was a good guy. Everybody loved him. A California kids. Happy go lucky. He was always wearing shorts and sandals. Just a great kid."

 According to visalia.gannett.com, the California Highway Patrol said Robertson lost control of his motorocycle late Saturday night while making a turn at 70 mph.

 Sick bay: Indians are expecting to hear today when Grady Sizemore will have surgery on his left knee. It's expected to be Thursday or Friday in Vail, Colo.

 He was transferred to the 60-day disabled list today to make room for right-hander Shane Lindsay, who was claimed off waivers from the Yankees. Lindsay was placed on the 40-man roster and sent to Class A Kinston.

 Lindsay began this season for the Class AAA Colorado Springs Sky Sox and went 0-1 with a 6.59 ERA in 14 appearances after he went to big-league camp with the Rockies. The Yankees claimed him on waivers, but he had not pitched in a game after reporting to extended spring training in Tampa, Fla.

 In other injury news, Andy Marte could go on a rehab assignment this week. He's been on the disabled list with since May 15 with an infected ingrown hair that caused an infection that reguired surgery on his stomach.

 Lineups: Indians (18-31): CF Trevor Crowe (S), RF Shin-Soo Choo (L), LF Austin Kearns (R), DH Travis Hafner (L), 3B Jhonny Peralta (R), 1B Russell Branyan (L), 2B Mark Grudzielanek (R), C Lou Marson (R), SS Jason Donald (R) and RHP Jake Westbrook (2-3, 4.78).

 Tigers (26-24): CF Austin Jackson (R), LF Johnny Damon (L), RF Magglio Ordonez (R), 1B Miguel Cabrera (R), DH Brennan Boesch (L), 2B Carlos Guillen (S), 3B Brandon Inge (R), C Gerald Laird (R), SS Ramon Santiago (S) and RHP Jeremy Bonderman (2-2, 3.78).

 Umpires: H Derryl Cousins, 1B Marvin Hudson, 2B Jim Joyce, 3B Jim Wolf.

 Quote of the day: "You can't tell how much spirit a team has until it starts losing," said Rocky Colavito when he played for the Tigers. The quote appeared  in Baseball's Greatest Quotations by Paul Dickson.

 Next: RHP Fausto Carmona (4-3, 3.69) vs. RHP Armando Galarraga (1-1, 4.50) Wednesday night at 7:05.

Cleveland had no interest in Dontrelle Willis: Indians Chatter

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Unfortunately, the Indians are on pace for a season very similar to 1991's team, which lost 105 games.

Mark Grudzielanek.jpgView full sizeThe Indians' Mark Grudzielanek has not struck out in 44 straight plate appearances, the longest streak in the American League this season.Clubhouse confidential: The Indians, with little starting pitching depth in the high minors, had no interest in former Tigers starter Dontrelle Willis, whom Detroit designated for assignment Saturday. The Tigers during Tuesday's game with the Indians traded Willis to Arizona.

Aaron Laffey was just sent to Class AAA Columbus to get stretched out as a starter. Hector Rondon is expected to be shut down for several more weeks with a right forearm problem. Carlos Carrasco has been inconsistent, and Jeanmar Gomez has struggled.

Josh Tomlin is 5-1 with a 2.23 ERA in 10 games, including seven starts, but his stuff is marginal. He might get to the big leagues with the Tribe, but he'll have to be near perfect to stay.

Bad vibes: After 50 games, the 1991 Indians were 21-29. That team went on to set a franchise record with 105 losses. This year's edition of the Indians is 19-31 after 50 games, including Tuesday night's win. They are on pace to lose 102 games.

Stat of the day: Tribe second baseman Mark Grudzielanek, according to Elias Sports Bureau, has not struck out in 44 straight plate appearances. It's the longest streak in the AL this year. Grudzielanek was 2-for-4 on Tuesday night with one RBI and no strikeouts. He's batting .291. 

LeBron James rumor mill: There will be no NBA free-agent summit

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•Hold the presses: There is not going to be a free-agent summit after all. CNBC's Darren Rovell spoke to agents for Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Amar'e Stoudemire, who put the kibosh on the most anticipated summit conference since Potsdam. Rovell reports that agent Henry Thomas, who represents Wade and Bosh, actually told that to Ira Winderman of the...

•Hold the presses: There is not going to be a free-agent summit after all.

CNBC's Darren Rovell spoke to agents for Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Amar'e Stoudemire, who put the kibosh on the most anticipated summit conference since Potsdam.

Rovell reports that agent Henry Thomas, who represents Wade and Bosh, actually told that to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel last week, but other news outlets have been slow to pick it up.

"Dwyane never made reference to a summit," Thomas told Rovell on Tuesday. "He said that he'd have conversations with some of these guys, and that still will happen. But there's no summit of any kind planned where they'll all be in the same location. . . . The way it was first characterized and the way it continues to be characterized -- as if the only thing left to determine is a date and a location -- is not the reality."

Happy Walters, the agent for Stoudemire, told Rovell, "The idea that they're all in this together and they're going to say, "OK, you go here and I go there," that's not happening."

NBA spokesman Mike Bass told Rovell the league has a rule that prohibits players from tampering with other players but acknowledges there's no way to regulate that.

"We therefore reserve discipline only for the most egregious player tampering cases," Bass told Rovell.

•James talked to NBA TV's Ahmad Rashad in an interview earlier this postseason that will be shown on NBA TV today at 4:30 p.m. and will re-air at 6:30 p.m.

Is there any chance free-agent news could overshadow The NBA Finals?

NBA TV personnel say no.

"I think most of our shows will be LeBron-free," NBA TV host Matt Weiner said in a conference call with reporters on Tuesday. "Obviously, the news of the day will dictate whether there's a mention of LeBron or any of the other high-profile free agents. I can't see any scenario where news or a rumor or a consideration of a pending free agent would trump any game of The NBA Finals."

•Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has some advice for James.

"The only thing I would tell LeBron is take your time," Abdul-Jabbar said in an interview with AOL FanHouse's Chris Tomasson. "There's a lot to think about. I would just tell him to take his time.

"It's going to be a tough choice for him, because they certainly want him to stay in Ohio, and he'll be wooed now by other teams. He's got to figure out what makes sense personally and then professionally. There's two factors to it: where he's going to be comfortable, and where the team is going to factor [in terms of winning]. [Ohio is] home for him. You know he's got to be comfortable there. He's lived there his whole life, all of his professional career. It's really up to him. Maybe he wants to be in Orlando or Miami and forget about winter. Who knows?"

•OK, she sent an e-mail to the New York Post, but we're going to assume the same would hold true for Cleveland.

Lakers vice president Jeanie Buss, daughter of Lakers owner Jerry Buss and girlfriend of Lakers coach Phil Jackson, says she would not stand in Jackson's way if he desired to move east.

"I am hoping the Lakers win and everything stays status quo, but the one thing I do know is that I am not going to stand in Phil's way if he wants to go to another team," she wrote. "I don't control him -- if I did I would have a ring on my finger -- but I am not going to threaten to break up with him if he takes another job. Our relationship is solid no matter where he works. There are plenty examples of wives that don't move to the city their spouse is coaching. I hear [Celtics coach] Doc Rivers' family is still in Orlando. So that will not make a difference."

Jackson has left the door open to retiring, moving or staying, although the Lakers reportedly want him to take a pay cut of up to $7 million for next season.

LeBron James tells Larry King that Cleveland Cavaliers have an edge: 'Larry King Live' transcript

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The star free-agent from the Cavaliers sits down the CNN interviewer on Tuesday at James' home near Akron.

larry king lebron james.jpgView full sizeCNN's Larry King interviews LeBron James at James' home near Akron during a taping of "Larry King Live."

Editor's note: LeBron James recorded an interview with CNN's Larry King at his Bath home on Tuesday. The segment, which is set to air Friday night at 9 p.m. on CNN's "Larry King Live," is part of a weeklong series of shows commemorating King's 25th year at CNN.

The complete transcript of the interview was sent to a local television station. The entire interview was posted online and obtained by The Plain Dealer, which independently verified the accuracy of the transcript.

LARRY KING, HOST: What an honor to have during our 25th anniversary week, the pleasure of being at the home of LeBron James in suburban Akron, Ohio, the place near where he grew up, at this palatial estate.

An honor to have you with us. Thank you for doing this.

LEBRON JAMES, PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL PLAYER, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: Thanks for having me, Larry

KING: What was it like to grow up near here in much lesser circumstances than here? Then have this?

JAMES: Well, first of all, this is humbling because I know where I come from and I grew up as a kid 10 minutes away from where I am living today. It was a struggle. But at the end of the day it made me become who I am today.

KING: Did you ever dream as a kid there, that someday --

JAMES: Absolutely. Every day.

As a kid, we would drive up and down 77 North -- that's our highway -- there would be office buildings on the side of the highway and I'd be like, that's what my house is going to look like when I get older. I'm going to start making my house look like this. Sometimes when I look at my house now and it's kind of bigger than some of those office buildings.

KING: So even though all of that ability, do you pinch yourself?

JAMES: I stay humble, absolutely. I mean, this is an opportunity that I don't think I could have dreamed of. But everything that I've gotten over these past two years I've embraced.

KING: When did you know you had talent? Particular talent?

JAMES: When did I know I had talent? I think it started when I first started playing sports, organized sports. I played football for a team called the East Dragons on the east side of town. We only had six regular season games. And six games I played tail back and I had 18 touchdowns in six games. That's when I knew I had some athletic ability.

KING: How about the first time on a basketball court?

JAMES: The first time on a basketball court was later on that year. Football season is always before basketball so I played in my first recreation league, I played for the Summit Lake Hornets, where I grew up playing basketball in 8-10 league. I was nine years old and we won the championship. I was one of the best players on the team back then so it was pretty fun. I was able to win a championship of football and basketball in the same year.

KING: So your high hopes were warranted?

But you had a tough childhood. Your mother's only 16 when you're born. You move a lot, 12 times between the ages of five and eight. What are your memories of those days?

JAMES: My memories of those days was -- you know, every day that you woke up, you knew it was going to be a struggle. For me, already being part of a single parent household and knowing it was just me and my mom, you'd would wake up times and hope that the next day you'd be able to be alongside your mother because she was out trying to make sure that I was taken care of. But all I cared about was her being home.

KING: In your book, "Shooting Stars," you said, you were up half the night scared and lonely and worried.

Scared about what?

JAMES: Where I grew up -- I grew up on the north side of Akron, lived in the projects. So those scared and lonely nights -- that's every night. You hear a lot of police sirens, you hear a lot of gunfire. Things that you don't want your kids to hear growing up. When you're there and you know your mother's not home, you never know if those police sirens are for her. Or if those gunshots were intended towards her. So those are the nights, almost every night, that would stand up hearing those sounds and hoping and wishing that it wasn't your parent on the other end.

KING: Didn't know your dad?

JAMES: No.

KING: Never met him?

JAMES: Never met him.

KING: Ever wonder about him?

JAMES: No, I don't think so. I don't. I think, you know, for me, to a certain age it really didn't kick in me not having a father because I always seen my mom. So I was like, I thought this is how it was, you know, until I had some friends and I was like, oh, you got a mom and you got a dad? I didn't know that was the rules.

KING: Did you ask your mom about your dad?

JAMES: No, never. Because for me, she was doing everything I could ever dream of. It was times where, you know, Christmas

would come around and my birthday would come around and I'd think, I'm going to have one or two presents, or I may not get anything because I understand the struggle. And it would be a floor full of stuff, you know, it would be bags full of stuff for my birthday. Christmas is December 25 and my birthday was December 30. So I had gifts on both days so there was no reason to even ask, mom, where's my father, where's my dad, because she was doing it all.

KING: Did you also realize how young she was?

JAMES: I didn't. I had no idea. Now that I look on it, when I look back and say, wow, my mom had me at 16, I don't know how she did it. As a kid you don't know. I know that's my mom. She may be 25, she may be 30, I don't know. But now that I look back on it, I have no idea how she did it.

KING: Do you have a lot of compassion for her?

JAMES: Absolutely. Absolutely. A lot of my drive and what I do is because of her.

KING: How did you stay away from gangs -- projects. You think projects, I know projects from New York, you think gangs and drugs.

JAMES: I didn't stay away from it.

KING: You didn't?

JAMES: Because I lived in it. When I say, I didn't stay away from it, I didn't mean I was associated with gangs or I was associated with drugs. But when you live in the projects and you live in those circumstances there's nothing you can -- you can't get away from it.

But sports carried me away from being in a gang, or being associated with drugs. Sports was my way out.

KING: Did you see a lot of prejudice?

JAMES: Growing up? No, not really, because growing up you was around African-Americans every day. And there was no prejudice. We all --

KING: What about white Americans?

JAMES: I didn't -- I wasn't around white Americans until the ninth grade when I went to high school. There was no prejudice growing up.

KING: How about then?

JAMES: I don't think so. When I went to St. Vincent-St. Mary, which is a catholic school --

(CROSSTALK)

KING: Predominate catholic school?

JAMES: Yes, yes. Predominately white. I didn't see any prejudice at all. I think they accepted us for us being students, for being students and athletes and I didn't see any at all.

KING: Do you think because of the nature of the school?

JAMES: I think so. I think the nature of the school is one family. You know, when you're an eighth grader and you're going into circumstances you haven't been part of, you automatically think it may be some prejudice, but it wasn't any.

KING: When do you know, I want to play basketball for a living?

JAMES: When did I know? I think I started to get a love for the game around the middle school days. You know, we were going to an AAU tournament, me and my best friend, and my high school coach eventually, but he was our AAU coach, Coach Dru Joyce. We'd go on AAU tournaments and they was fun. The competitive nature of the game, winning and losing and dominating one team and things like that is something that just kind of gravitated towards me.

KING: We'll be right back on this historic week with this historic guy and this historic place.

LeBron James on LARRY KING LIVE. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Did you go to basketball games as a kid? Did you go see the Cavaliers play?

JAMES: No, I didn't. It wasn't affordable to go to a Cavs game. If you could catch a few on the TV, you'd be lucky.

KING: Were you a Cavs fan?

JAMES: Growing up? No I wasn't. I was a Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan fan growing up.

KING: So the president's suggestion might carry weight, right?

(LAUGHTER)

JAMES: It may, it may carry weight.

KING: So why the Bulls and not your own team?

JAMES: I was just, wow, I mean, Michael Jordan was just my inspiration. I mean, the things that he was able to do out on the basketball court, I loved. Everybody wanted to fly like Jordan, pull up and hit a game winner at the sound of the horn like Michael. You wanted to do commercials, you wanted to have his shoes. You know, everything that he did, I wanted to do.

KING: When did you first meet him?

JAMES: I met Michael Jordan, my first time, I was in the 10th grade. I went to Chicago and they played at a gym called Hoops. That was the first time I met him. It was like he was walking on water when he came towards me.

KING: Did he know who you were?

JAMES: Yes, he did. He did. And that was more gratifying and it was just very humbling that he knew who I was.

KING: He owns the team now.

JAMES: Right.

KING: Do you ever think about the possibility of playing for him?

JAMES: I've never thought about it. I do think it's great that he owns the team. You see a former player in our league and you see Mike and the things that he was able to do on the court. To see him still being successful off the court I think is awesome.

KING: What did coach Dru Joyce mean to you? He was your high school coach.

JAMES: Coach Dru Joyce was a lot. Not just because of what he helped me out with basketball but he was like a father figure on me growing up and understanding that there's more than just the game of

basketball. Even though you're playing the game of basketball and even though I'm coaching in the game of basketball, we're going to use this game to create other things. Sometimes you didn't understand exactly what he was saying, you know when you're 12, or 13, or 14. But now, at 25, I understand exactly what he was doing.

KING: Teaching you about life?

JAMES: Absolutely.

KING: Therefore was he a key significant figure?

JAMES: Very key. Very key.

KING: Was he part of your decision not to go to college?

JAMES: Yes, absolutely. He was part of my decision. My mother, my four best friends, they were part of it. They felt like, you know, it was a decision that ultimately I would make but they definitely helped me.

KING: These four best friends -- is this like your own board of --

JAMES: My board of trustees? Yes.

(LAUGHTER)

KING: They're still with you?

JAMES: Absolutely. Absolutely.

KING: What do they do?

JAMES: Well Romeo Travis is playing professional basketball in Germany. Dru Joyce is playing professional basketball, he's in Poland. Willie McGee is a grad assistant at the University of Akron U. And Sian Cotton is also working towards his school project and still trying to play professional football. Everyone is still on task .

KING: And they all advise you?

JAMES: Well, we kind of advise each other. We know we can't spend as much time together as we did in high school because everyone has their family and their own goals. But we still connect on a lot of things.

KING: What about the kids? You have two children.

JAMES: Right.

KING: Aged?

JAMES: Five and two.

KING: Boy and girl?

JAMES: Two boys.

KING: How do you like being a father?

JAMES: It's great. To have the opportunity to see my kids grows and for me to be there on a day to day basis is awesome.

KING: Are you going to get married?

JAMES: It's possible. I'm not sure.

KING: What holds you back? What do you think about?

JAMES: First of all, I think, you know, I love my kids. My girlfriend, she's great. But I think when you think of marriage you understand you have to take your time. You can't pull the trigger. When it's right for you and you feel like it's the right situation, then you should be able to do it. But you don't want to rush into it.

KING: Does she press you?

JAMES: No. She doesn't pressure me.

KING: How do you deal with, frankly, LeBron, and we must be frank, the temptations of life?

JAMES: By understanding that when I wake up everyday and I go out in public everyday, I'm not just representing LeBron James, Sr. I understand that my last name is a responsibility for my two boys, my family, my mother, rest in peace, my grandmother, a lot of people. That's what keeps me humble and that's what keeps me away from temptation because I understand that it's not always and it's not just about LeBron James.

KING: It's always around you, isn't it?

JAMES: Absolutely. Temptation is around everybody.

KING: You go to some city, pretty girls.

JAMES: It's not even always girls, though. It could be girls, it could be other situations, it could be money. Certain money is not always good money. It could be just being at the wrong place at the wrong time. I mean, if you have your priorities in check then for the most part it's easy.

KING: People are always after you for something. Are you weary?

JAMES: Am I weary? I think -- of course. There are always people always asking you for something. But I feel like I have a foundation, I have a supporting cast where it doesn't bother me too much. Now in the position I'm in, I understand, I could see people who's here from me and people who's here for the intangibles or the things like that.

KING: So you know?

JAMES: I have a good feeling. I learned that from my mom. I'm a good judge of character.

KING: We have not forgotten. There is, of course, the obvious, where is he going to go? How does he deal with something like that, this ripe, still young man?

What's next? Don't go away.

(COMMERICAL BREAK)

KING: Before we get to some future things, they played last night so we don't know who won the first game, but who do you like in this Lakers/Celtics series?

JAMES: I mean, me being an Eastern Conference guy, I like Boston. I mean, I played against those guys and lost to them in the second round. Just the caliber of players they've got, the winner that they've got, I think they have a great opportunity to win.

KING: Do you think they can win?

JAMES: I think they can.

KING: How did you lose to them?

JAMES: Their team was just, I think, a little bit better than ours. And they took advantage of some of our weaknesses. You know, when you have Paul Pierce and Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, you kind of forget about Rajon Rondo. And that's exactly happened at times. You know, he kind of controls the whole ship that goes on in Boston. And they did a good job. I mean we're a really good team, but they were better than us in this year.

KING: Even though you had the better record all year?

JAMES: Even though we had the better record.

KING:

Is that frustrating?

JAMES: Absolutely. It was definitely frustrating for me knowing the competitor I am and knowing why I work out in the off season and know what I do and the things that I do on the regular season. You never want your season to end in May.

KING: When you have, for you, what is a bad game -- and there was one game people thought that, you know, you were bad, for others would be good.

What does that do to you?

JAMES: It makes me more focused. It just -- it continues to humble me, honestly. You know, when I have a bad game, it continues to humble me and know that, you know, still have work to do and you still have a lot of people to impress, you know.

But at the same time, I know my game and I understand that me going out there and doing the things that I can do on the basketball court, one game is not going to define who you are.

KING: Do you learn from losing?

JAMES: Absolutely. I think more importantly, I learn from winning, because it's -- it's much easier to point out things when you lose. But I think the alternate competitors can point out a lot of things when you win.

KING: OK. You are at a -- you're at a point I don't think any basketball player in recent memory has ever been at. You're the -- arguably, the most famous player in the game, you and Kobe. But you are a free agent and that's exactly what it means. It didn't used to be that way in sports. Sports people were chattel. You were owned by your team for...

JAMES: Right.

KING: -- you're totally free. They can't make you an offer until July 1st.

JAMES: Right.

KING: But you can think about it now, because the money is going to be -- all things equal, it's going to be about the same.

JAMES: Right.

KING: So in your head, is there places you'd like to go?

I'm not going to ask you to commit.

JAMES: Right. I think...

KING: But if you want to commit, you could do that here.

JAMES: Well, I mean, to me, I think my ultimate -- my ultimate goal is winning championships and -- and I understand that me going down as one of the greats will not happen until I, you know, win a championship. So for me, the team that I decided to go toward (INAUDIBLE) in Cleveland, that ultimately has -- has the best chance for me to win a championship not one year, but multiple years. But for me to continue to get better and help that team win, I think, ultimately, would be my decision. I'm going to do what's best for me and my family.

KING: So can we say it will not be a poor team, a team of players who you do not calculate would be there to win championships, because you can't play forever?

JAMES: No, I cannot play forever. And that is absolutely right. But the team that I go to or -- or, you know, whatever the case may be, will have an opportunity to win championships in multiple years and not just because of LeBron James.

KING: So it has to be a good team?

JAMES: Absolutely.

KING: All right.

Do you lean at all toward the place you know the best?

I mean do they have an edge going in...

JAMES: Oh, absolutely.

KING: -- your home team?

JAMES: Absolutely. Because, you know, this city, these fans, I mean, have given me a lot in these seven years. And, you know, for me, it's comfortable. So I've got a lot of memories here. And -- and so it does have an edge.

But it's a -- it's a very -- it's going to be a very interesting summer and I'm looking forward to it.

KING: You can't wait to hear?

Do you wish it were July 1st?

JAMES: I wish it was July 1st.

KING: All right. Now, there's a story circulating today -- I don't know if it's true, so I wrote it down just to make sure.

(LAUGHTER)

KING: You can tell me -- that you're going to get together, you, with Bosh and Wade and Stoudemire and Lee and Johnson and Allen and Nowitzki and all of you sort of...

(LAUGHTER)

KING: This is funny?

You're (INAUDIBLE)?

JAMES: We can be like a little committee?

KING: Yes.

JAMES: A little free agent committee.

KING: (INAUDIBLE) give a shot at it, a free agent committee. No one can stop you. You're all free agents. The league can't tell you not to do this.

JAMES: Right.

KING: What if you go there and I go here and we go here?

Is that possible?

JAMES: I don't know to that extent, but it will be fun. It will be fun to get all the free agents together and, you know, figure out a way how we can make the league better.

KING: (INAUDIBLE)...

JAMES: Figure out a way how we can make ourselves...

KING: (INAUDIBLE) do that.

JAMES: No, if -- if we could, you know, we would -- you know, if it was like baseball, we would all go to the same team.

KING: You can't do that?

JAMES: No, we can't do that.

KING: (INAUDIBLE)

JAMES: Unfortunately.

KING: (INAUDIBLE) cap?

JAMES: Exactly.

KING: But you can get together and discuss for the better of the league...

JAMES: No, we can...

KING: -- if I went here and you played there, right, you...

JAMES: Oh, I mean, and in certain situations where you may be able to pair with a -- with a good one or two guys and -- and better that franchise and guys better these franchises. But I think this is the most -- this is the most sought out summer in -- in basketball history, because of all the free agents.

KING: Are you the ringleader of the group?

JAMES: I am the ringleader.

KING: And we'll be back and we'll pick up on that.

(LAUGHTER)

KING: There's more to come.

Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: All right, let's keep going.

(OFF CAMERA REMARKS)

KING: (INAUDIBLE) in the middle of the NBA championship season, still the most talked about thing in sports today, is not who's going to be in the World Series, who will win the Stanley Cup, who is going to win the NBA championship, but where is this man and some of the other greats that are now free agents, where are they going to go?

Are you humbled by the fact that the mayor of New York City, Gotham, wants you to play there?

JAMES: Oh, absolutely.

KING: The mayor of New York.

JAMES: Absolutely. I mean and -- I mean the mayor of New York is -- he's great. I mean he's -- he's done some great things. But it is humbling, and not just from the mayor of New York, but, you know, you had a president saying...

KING: Go to Chicago.

JAMES: -- you know, go to Chicago and you have other cities and -- and other people wanting you to be a part of their city, wanting you to be part of their franchise. It's very humbling, because I work very hard at my craft and what I do. So it pays off.

KING: But you already said, it has to be a good team.

JAMES: Absolutely.

KING: OK. Now there's not a good team, though, where offers continue -- where the speculation is.

How about the Clippers, which would put you in the same city as Kobe, in the same arena as Kobe, with a team with some nice young players?

JAMES: With some really good players. And I think everyone in Clipperland is looking forward to Blade Griffin coming back...

KING: Right.

JAMES: -- and being healthy. I mean, Chris Kaman, they've got some really good players, Baron Davis. Some really nice, solid pieces that, you know, if they add a free agent here or a free agent there, it could be a really good team.

KING: And if one of these free agents was you and one was Bosh, would L.A. appeal to you?

JAMES: It's a great city. It's a great city. But at the same time, like I said, it's not always about the city. It's about winning. And I mean if you put me and Bosh on the same team, if you put me and Dwayne Wade on the same team or a lot of these -- me and Joe Johnson or -- or a lot of these guys, a lot of teams would be much better. You know, the Cavs would be much better. You know, all (INAUDIBLE)...

KING: (INAUDIBLE) your own team?

JAMES: Right. Absolutely. There are a lot of these teams that would be much better. So we'll see, you know, how it plays out.

KING: it's happened before.

Do you want a say in who the coach is?

JAMES: That's not -- no, not really. You know, I think that a lot of great coaches. You know, a lot of great coaches have been part of this league for years. But I'm not one to go into the off year and say this is who I want my coach to be. Now, there are some coaches, that, you know, if I had an opportunity to play for, I would be delighted. But I'm not as far as -- as picking a coach.

KING: Were you sad that your coach here was fired?

JAMES: Oh, absolutely. I mean -- I mean he was a great coach, five -- five great years we had together and we turned a franchise that hadn't seen a lot of things in a lot of years. We won, you know, the Eastern Conference Championship. We won, you know, the regular season wins two years in a row. We did a -- I mean a lot of great things. But ultimately, we both, myself and Mike Brown, didn't accomplish what we wanted to, and that was the NBA championship. And I think we wanted it more than anybody else.

So it's unfortunate. I wish him the best and I think he's going to have a great coaching career in (INAUDIBLE).

KING: Do you think Brown will wind up somewhere?

JAMES: I think he can. He's a really good coach. He prepares his team well. And if you just look at the team that we've had and you look at the -- the wins that we've had, he's proven himself.

KING: Have any of your -- Cavalier teammates asked you to stay?

(LAUGHTER)

JAMES: Of course.

KING: They have?

JAMES: Of course.

KING: How about this city?

You know the -- listen, listen, these are economic times and you are in the unique position of being very economically important to Cleveland. You sell tickets. You do more than that. You support people in this city. You're very generous in getting involved with kids.

Do you take that into consideration?

You've got a lot on your shoulders.

JAMES: Well, I think as far as saving the city economically, I can't get too involved in that. I can't let that be a decision of mine or what I do with my future.

But as far as what I do in the community, that has a lot to do with it, because what I do in the city of Akron and what I do in the city of Cleveland means a lot to myself. And, you know, if our -- if I don't do these things that I do on the community,

locally, I will feel -- I will feel bad because I feel like, you know, any time when I was growing up, if I had ever got an opportunity to make it, I will always give back.

KING: OK. So I'm not going to put words in your mouth. All things being equal, is Cleveland sort of sentimentally the favorite?

JAMES: Oh, absolutely. And it's a -- it's a Cleveland-Akron team, because I grew up in Akron. I mean Akron is less than 30 miles south of Cleveland. So, absolutely. My whole family is here. You know, when I played high school basketball, where I grew up, in the projects, a lot of -- a lot of things mean home for me here. And -- and it's not just about the basketball court.

KING: How about Savannah and the kids?

What say do they have -- well, the kids don't have a say in that.

JAMES: Well, the kids got all the say. Let's...

(LAUGHTER)

JAMES: I mean, I think they -- they're going to support what decision I make. You know, of course, they have a say, but, you know, they feel like, to this point, I've been able to might -- make the right decision in my career and they're going to support whatever I do.

KING: Are you looking forward to making the decision?

You're -- is there going to be a relief when this...

JAMES: Well...

KING: -- kind of pressure -- and it is a pressure -- a happy pressure -- is over?

JAMES: Oh, absolutely, it's a happy pressure. To be -- to be in control, I think, you know...

KING: That's what you are.

JAMES: You know, absolutely. I mean we all, at some point, want to be in control of our...

KING: Destiny.

JAMES: -- our destiny. Exactly. So I'm looking forward to it. I really am. And just to be where I'm going to play in the fall. It's going to be -- it's going to be fun.

KING: You know all the cities.

JAMES: I know them all.

KING: You've played in all of them?

JAMES: All of them.

(LAUGHTER)

KING: You've crossed out some in your mind. I -- that's obvious. No bad team.

JAMES: Right.

KING: So they're gone.

JAMES: Yes.

KING: More with LeBron James. We'll invest -- we'll instigate, also, what's it like to mature early?

What's it like to go from high school to the pros?

After this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We're back with LeBron James, the most talked about figure in sports in years in the United States.

You haven't made a decision yet, is that correct?

JAMES: Correct.

KING: OK. Would you say, all things being equal, you're close?

JAMES: I'm far from close.

KING: Far from close?

JAMES: Yes. I don't -- I don't -- honestly, I haven't -- because July is still a month away, less than a month away. So I haven't -- I haven't began to, you know -- I've thought about it, but I haven't began to strategize exactly.

KING: A couple of other things in that area.

Will talks with these other players be helpful?

JAMES: Absolutely, because you definitely want to be a part of a team that can give the best opportunity to win. But a team consists of individuals and, you know, there's a lot of individuals that can help myself win and I can -- and I can help a lot of these other guys win, too. So that has a lot to do with it.

KING: So that's an important sit-down?

JAMES: Oh, absolutely.

KING: Yes. That's -- that's going to be interesting. No cameras there, huh?

JAMES: No. No. We might invite you. We might.

KING: All right, I...

(LAUGHTER)

KING: If you let me come, I guarantee you anonymity. I will not say a thing.

JAMES: Oh, yes?

KING: Just observe. And when it's all over, I might come back and interview you all as a group.

JAMES: Wow!

KING: How you (INAUDIBLE).

JAMES: You've got to get more chairs out here, too.

KING: Yes (INAUDIBLE) how you went, where and why. We'll do -- because you're the leader.

JAMES: Yes.

KING: So we'll do it where you want to do it.

JAMES: Oh, yes. So we'll figure it out.

(CROSSTALK)

KING: It isn't the money, though, is it?

I mean the money is all -- it's got to be the same money...

JAMES: Well, the money is going to be there. The money is going to come. I mean it's not -- it's not -- it's not about the money. I mean I think right now, if I stopped playing the game of basketball, I'm set. My family is set...

KING: For life?

JAMES: For life. So it's not about the money. It's all about winning for me.

KING: What was it like -- by the way, is -- one other thing.

Is there any one person that could be someone you would go to to say listen, I'm down to this, what advice would you give me?

Is there a person in your setting...

JAMES: Myself, I think.

KING: You're going to be...

JAMES: Ultimately, that one person is me. You know, if I -- you know, even with the discussion with the rest of the free agents, with my friends, those free agents, with my supporting cast, ultimately, it's going to -- it's going to be me. I'm going to have to sit down and say where do you want to play?

How do you going to -- what's going to be your future?

KING: By the way, that free agent meeting will be historic in the history of sports. And I'm -- I'll attend. I'll -- I'll sit in the corner.

What was it like to go from high -- how

do -- how do you explain your own maturity?

Where did this come from?

JAMES: Well, my own maturity came way before the high school to -- to the NBA move. It -- it started young, when you -- when you understand that you've got to become the man of the house very, very young -- at six and seven. You've got to start doing things that not six or seven year olds do, like 13 and 14 year old kids got to do, because you are the man of the house.

KING: So you -- you were a -- you're ahead of yourself all the time?

JAMES: A lot of people tell me that.

KING: So when you were 13, was it hard to deal with fellow 13-year-olds?

JAMES: No, it wasn't, because the group of guys that I hung around, we were all the same age, all of us. My four best friends, we were all the same age in the same grade and everything. So it wasn't hard.

But a lot of people would always tell us that, you know, we was -- you know, we was beyond our years and, you know, we was mature for our age.

KING: No -- there was no high school player to go into the pros as successful as quickly as you were. Kobe had some tough years, others.

How do you explain that?

How were you able to be so good so fast?

JAMES: Well, I think I had a great understanding for the game. And I understood how to play the game the right way. It wasn't always about just me as an individual. It was about the team aspect of the game. And I had a great respect, also, for the history of the game -- the guys who paved the way before me. I think that helped a lot. And ultimately, me having the right mind set, saying I know I'm the best high school player in the world, but once you get drafted, it's time to start back over.

And how do you make yourself be the best NBA player in the world and don't give yourself a time limit, but how do you -- how do you do that?

So I -- I just started over. I didn't go in with a cocky attitude, saying I'm the best prepped basketball players in the world so now I'm the best NBA player in the world.

No, I -- I never went in with that mind set.

KING: What about the crowds, dealing with huge arenas and all -- I mean you had a lot of attention in high school, but you were on the cover of "Sports Illustrated." But nothing like the pros.

JAMES: No, nothing. But it was a dream for me. I dreamed about those days a lot, you know, being in those arenas, 17,000 18,000 20,000; the cheers from the home court, the boos from the -- from the -- from the away court. Those were the opportunities and those were the -- the dreams that I had. And I was -- it was -- those were the reality.

KING: Do you ever feel sad you didn't go to college?

JAMES: No, I never feel sad. But I do wish I could have been part of March Madness. It's -- those are fun games and those are fun times to watch them. See, if I could have skipped the -- the whole season...

KING: But just played March Madness...

JAMES: And just played March Madness, I would have been all for it.

KING: What college would you have gone to?

JAMES: It was a -- it was a choice between Ohio State and North Carolina when I was coming out of high school.

KING: Close to -- it's two big times.

JAMES: Oh, yes. Big time schools.

KING: Ohio State, of course, the Midwest; and North Carolina, of course, with its history.

JAMES: Yes, absolutely.

KING: In what area of the game do you think you have to improve?

JAMES: What area of the game I think I have to improve?

I think, for me, going into a season, I always looked at what -- what are you going to bring to this year?

And I think right now, my biggest is, you know, shooting the ball, continue to -- to improve. And I've improved over the years, but I'm going to continue to improve just on touch and -- and in being more consistent on shooting the ball.

KING: Shoot like Kobe?

JAMES: Yes, he's really good. He's really good at shooting.

KING: Does he amaze you?

JAMES: Absolutely. You know, sometimes he doesn't even know, but I told him on an Olympic team that I -- in high school, when I was in high school and growing up, I had pictures of Kobe Bryant all on my walls, because he was like -- you know, Kobe Bryant went straight to the NBA, so he was my inspiration. I was like wow!

KING: But he wasn't as good that fast.

JAMES: Yes, but the fact that he could go straight to the NBA and -- and be in -- and be what -- with an NBA uniform, he was on my wall all -- all my wall had Michael Jordan, I had Kobe, I had Allen Iverson. But Kobe Bryant, I was like you know what, I was in high school, man, I look up to you.

You know, I told him that on a -- on the Redeem team. He kind of looked at me like I don't know if he'd believe me, but it's true.

KING: When we come back, I'll ask about the Olympics.

Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: And we have two short segments left, so I'm going to rush through some things.

What was it like to play in the Olympics?

JAMES: It was great.

KING: Win for your country.

JAMES: Yes. I mean I had the opportunity to -- when you're playing for your respective team in the NBA,

that's the -- that's the small thing of it. And -- and you hear fans say, you know, go -- go Boston, go Lakers, go this. But we -- when we won it for the -- for our country, you had a lot of those same fans come up to you and say thank you. You know, that was awesome.

KING: There's nothing like that.

JAMES: Nothing like it.

KING: What about you as a businessman?

You have a $90 million shoe contract from Nike.

JAMES: It's great, right?

KING: It's better than the college (INAUDIBLE).

(LAUGHTER)

KING: Are you a good businessman?

JAMES: I would say. I would say. And me under -- I understood that -- at a young age that it's not always what's just about on the court, it's all about off the court, also. And, you know, the person that has to be in control of (INAUDIBLE), you know, is the entity. And that's myself.

KING: But you have an agent and a manager though, right?

JAMES: Yes, absolutely. I have an NBA agent. I have -- I also have a manager, too.

KING: What does Warren Buffett mean to you?

JAMES: Oh, everything.

KING: Why?

JAMES: Oh, he gives me a lot of advice.

KING: Free?

JAMES: Free advice. Absolutely. Free advice.

KING: Does he usually write?

JAMES: Oh, absolutely. And...

KING: So he'll tell you to invest in things?

JAMES: Well, he will give me -- he will give me a -- a lot of -- a lot of insight on -- on big ventures and things like that. And -- and tell me that, you know, some investments are better than others. And the ones -- the ones -- the best advice he gave me is that -- to kind of just truly follow your gut. You know, don't -- if you -- if this is a decision you're going to make, go with it and don't second-guess yourself.

KING: Do you own Berkshire shares?

JAMES: A little bit.

KING: So you're into Net Jets?

JAMES: Absolutely.

KING: Do you have your own plane or do you work with theirs?

JAMES: No. Too -- it's too -- too expensive to own your own plane. But I have -- I have a (INAUDIBLE).

KING: Net Jets was (INAUDIBLE)...

JAMES: Yes, absolutely.

KING: -- it's Buffett.

What about President Obama?

Do you like him?

JAMES: Absolutely.

KING: You supported him?

JAMES: Absolutely.

KING: Do you -- you've been -- have you talked to him since he's been in office?

JAMES: Once or twice. I have -- I had an opportunity to go and go by the White -- go by the White House. And he's a -- I think he's a great person. I mean he does a lot -- he's continuing -- he's continued to do a lot for this country and I think the first -- the first full term for him it's going to be rebuilding term. And I think, you know, and then he's going to be able to -- to in -- to put what he wants ultimately in the (INAUDIBLE).

KING: How good a player is he?

JAMES: I haven't -- I haven't had an opportunity to play against him in basketball. But I'm looking forward to it. He told he'd do it on the basketball courts on campus, so I want to go by there and play.

KING: We'll be back with our remaining moments.

Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Just a couple more things to cover and it's been a delight talking with you.

JAMES: Right.

KING: What do you think of we -- she was with us last -- this -- earlier this week.

What do you think of Lady Gaga?

JAMES: Oh, she's an unbelievable performer, unbelievable talent. And she has a great -- she has a great following.

KING: Are you going to go see her when she...

JAMES: Absolutely. Absolutely.

KING: She's coming to Cleveland.

JAMES: I'll be there.

KING: You're doing a movie?

JAMES: Yes.

KING: What is it?

JAMES: I'm doing a movie called "Ballers."

KING: "Balls?"

(LAUGHTER)

JAMES: "Ballers." Like basketballers. But it's about -- it's a comedy with me having (INAUDIBLE)...

(LAUGHTER)

KING: Well, if it's good -- no, just (INAUDIBLE). There's nothing wrong with (INAUDIBLE)...

JAMES: You know, basketballs, I get it.

KING: Yes.

JAMES: But it's me having a -- a (INAUDIBLE), you know, older guys, a 40-year-old guy, a 35-year-old guys who wish they could be LeBron James or Kobe Bryant, but they come to my camp and, you know, they have a lot of the same privileges as the NBA guys. So it's going to be fun.

KING: When are you shooting?

JAMES: I'm shooting in late August.

KING: Who else is in it?

JAMES: Well, we -- we're doing the casting now. So hopefully we can get some great -- some great people in it.

KING: Are you involved in the production, too?

JAMES: Absolutely. I'm looking forward to some people maybe -- you know, maybe, you know, Kevin James and, you know, maybe Gilford or, you know, Chris Robinson, you know, a lot of these good -- very, very good actors going on today. So...

KING: What are you going to do after basketball?

JAMES: Hopefully I could still be a part of basketball in some way.

KING: Own a team?

JAMES: It's possible. I mean I think that's great. You're still in basketball and you're also showing your business side. That would be awesome.

KING: Commissioner?

JAMES: Wow! Yes.

KING: You're smart enough.

JAMES: I (INAUDIBLE) -- all the fines that I used to get.

KING: You'd like doing that,

wouldn't you?

JAMES: Yes.

KING: Well, first, good luck with all these meetings with the agents.

JAMES: Thank you.

KING: Oh, would you do "Saturday Night Live" again?

JAMES: Absolutely. I'm looking for -- I'm waiting for the call. Lorne Michaels has got to give me a call. He's got to give me a call. I'm ready.

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