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Warner Bros. hires writer, not LeBron James or director, for 'Space Jam 2'

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Warner Bros. has hired a writer for Space Jam 2, that could one day star LeBron James, but there has been no agreement yet for the Cavs star to appear in the sequel to the 1996 hit film. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Warner Bros. hired a writer to work on a script for Space Jam 2, likely starring LeBron James, but the project is still early in development.

A source close to the mega Hollywood studio confirmed Monday that Warner hired Andrew Dodge, who wrote the script for the 2013 comedy Bad Words starring Jason Bateman, to build out a script for the highly anticipated sequel to the 1996 hit, Space Jam.

The sequel would presumably star James, the Cavaliers' superstar, who's been linked to Space Jam 2 since his own media company signed a content development agreement with Warner Bros. last summer.

A report Monday by The Hollywood Reporter said Fast & Furious 6 and Star Trek Beyond director Justin Lin was co-writing Space Jam 2 with Dodge and Alfredo Botello, who wrote Hollywood Adventures.

The report said James would star in the movie and that Lin hoped to direct and produce the film as well, but multiple sources close to James and the studio said that neither the director nor James' participation in the film had been finalized.

Warner Bros. filed for new Space Jam trademarks, a potential signal for new merchandise for a follow-up to the original film about a basketball star - in that case, Michael Jordan - playing against a cast of intergalactic monsters and Looney Tunes cartoon stars that grossed more than $230 million worldwide.

In March, Jamal Henderson, president of James' Hollywood production company, SpringHill Entertainment, which is now located on Warner Bros.' lot, told cleveland.com that Space Jam 2 was on James' radar.

SEE: The LeBron-Warner deal not just about Space Jam 2

"It'd be crazy not to say that it's something on the radar, it's super on the radar, but it's not something we have any news on," he said. "There's no sort of start on it."

It's not a project James could seriously even consider until after the Cavs' season is over, those close to him said, and it's unknown whether he would participate in the 2016 Olympics in August - which would further complicate any sort of production schedule.

As for the Dodge-Lin connection, the two are already working on multiple projects together, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Dodge is writing a TV drama for HBO that Lin is producing, and the two are working on an unnamed police comedy film, according the Hollywood news site.

So if Lin is not yet working on with Warner Bros. on Space Jam 2, his relationship with Dodge could be his way in. 


Cleveland Browns depth chart: How the roster looks following 2016 NFL Draft

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Here's a best guess at the depth chart following the team's draft.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Atlanta Hawks NBA Playoffs 2016 Game 1: Live chat and updates

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Get the latest updates and analysis on the Cleveland Cavaliers Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers will open their Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.

Follow along in the comments section as Chris Haynes, Joe Vardon and Chris Fedor bring you observations and analysis throughout the game.

Make sure to follow Haynes, Vardon and Fedor on Twitter.

Scoring Summary:

End of 3rd Quarter - Cavs lead Hawks, 74-70. LeBron James leads all scorers with 20 points on 9-of-15 from the field. Kevin Love has added 13 while Kyrie Irving has chipped in with 12. The Hawks are led by speedy point guard Dennis Schroder, who has 20 points. 

End of 2nd Quarter - Cavs lead Hawks, 51-41. LeBron James leads all scorers with 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Kyrie Irving has added 12 points while Richard Jefferson has poured in eight off the bench. The Hawks are led by Dennis Schroder, who has 12 points off the bench. Kent Bazemore is also in double figures, as he has 11 points. 

End of 1st Quarter - Cavs lead Hawks, 30-19. Kyrie Irving leads the way with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting. LeBron James has added nine points. The Hawks are led by Kent Bazemore, who has scored eight points. 

Game 1: Cavs (0-0) vs. Hawks (0-0)

Tip off: 7 p.m. at Quicken Loans Arena.

TV/radio: TNT; WTAM 1100, 87.7 FM (ESP)

Cavs probable starting lineup: Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith, LeBron James, Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson.

Hawks probable starting lineup: Jeff Teague, Kyle Korver, Kent Bazemore, Paul Millsap and Al Horford.

FREQUENTLY REFRESH this page to get the latest updates. If you're viewing this on a mobile app, click here to get updates and comment.

Leicester wins English title for 1st time in 132-year history

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Leicester was playing in the second tier only two years ago, came close to be relegated again last year and started this season as 5,000-1 outsiders for the title.

LONDON -- Leicester secured an incredible first Premier League title without playing on Monday after second-place Tottenham drew 2-2 at Chelsea in one of the biggest-ever triumphs by an underdog in sports.

Leicester was playing in the second tier only two years ago, came close to be relegated again last year and started this season as 5,000-1 outsiders for the title.

Now for the first time in their 132-year history Leicester is champion of England after establishing an insurmountable seven-point lead over Tottenham with two games remaining.

The Foxes missed a chance to seal the title on Sunday when they were held by Manchester United but deposed champion Chelsea ensured the party wasn't delayed any longer. Some Leicester players were gathered at the house of 22-goal top scorer Jamie Vardy as Tottenham was playing Chelsea, and defender Christian Fuchs tweeted a video of players celebrating.

Tottenham had to win at Chelsea to keep its bid for a first title since 1961 alive and led 2-0 thanks to goals from striker Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, before Chelsea staged a second-half fight back to draw in a fiery London derby where tempers frayed and tackles flew in from everywhere.

Center half Gary Cahill pulled a goal back for Chelsea early in the second half, and with Tottenham clinging on, the equalizing goal was scored by Eden Hazard.

Hazard's goal was almost a year to the day since his strike won the title for Chelsea, which is 29 points behindLeicester. Chelsea's collapse has been as astonishing as Leicester's surge to the top of the standings it was bottom of last April.

Leicester will collect the trophy on Saturday when it hosts Everton at the King Power Stadium.

English soccer has not had a maiden champion of the top flight since Nottingham Forest in 1978. And for the last 20 years the Premier League trophy has never left London or Manchester, with Arsenal, Chelsea, United and City sharing the trophy between them.

Unlike that title-winning quartet or 1995 champion Blackburn, Leicester has achieved its success without lavish spending on its squad.

Chelsea's draw also ensured Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri became a league title winner for the first time in his career, 12 years after the 64-year-old Italian was fired by the Blues.

"Let's do it for Ranieri," read one Chelsea fan's banner at Stamford Bridge where the trophy was presented to Chelsea last May.

LeBron James, Draymond Green tracked through NBA playoffs by Uninterrupted camera crews

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LeBron James and Draymond Green are allowing cameras to follow them for the playoffs for James' on-line platform for athletes, Uninterrupted. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- LeBron James and Draymond Green will be tracked by cinematographers throughout the rest of the NBA playoffs for new on-line video series called "Trophies" for Uninterrupted.

James and Green actually allowed the same access for camera crews for their respective runs to the Finals last season -- won by Green's Warriors over James' Cavaliers -- but this time the footage is being packaged for a specific webcast by James' on-line platform for athletes.

"Trophies" is up with its first video from Green Monday, following the Warriors' Game 1 win in their Western semifinal series against Portland. A camera crew will follow James for Monday's East semifinal opener against the Atlanta Hawks.

Uninterrupted plans to post 3-5 videos from James and Green for each series. The videos can be viewed on several platforms, including Turner Sports' Bleacher Report, and uninterrupted.com.

Cleveland Cavaliers Tyronn Lue says his team 'is ready' for Game 1 against Atlanta Hawks (video)

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Cleveland Cavaliers Tyronn Lue previewed Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals Monday night. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- After more than a week off, the Cleveland Cavaliers will open their Eastern Conference Semifinals series against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.

Prior to the game, head coach Tyronn Lue met with the media to discuss the series, which is a rematch of last year's conference finals that ended in a 4-0 sweep. 

Lue talked about his feelings heading into the series, how Atlanta is different from last season, what he expects from Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love and Atlanta's improved defense. 

Watch the video above. 

See part of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony halftime show during Game 1 of Cavaliers' Eastern Conference semifinal

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Local hip-hop group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony performed during halftime of the Cavs' playoff game vs. Atlanta. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland-based hip hop group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony performed during halftime of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals between the Cavaliers and the Atlanta Hawks.

The Cavaliers and Krayzie Bone teased the performance hours before the start of the game Monday.

See a portion of the group's halftime concert at the top of this post.

Browns' Kevin Griffin, VP of Fan Experience and Marketing, has left to pursue other opportunies

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Browns Vice President of Fan Experience and Marketing Kevin Griffin has left the club to pursue other opportunities.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Kevin Griffin, the Browns Vice President of Fan Experience and Marketing, has left the club to pursue other opportunities, a team spokesman told cleveland.com.

The move was announced in a meeting at the Browns facility on Monday morning.

Griffin, the nephew of Buckeyes two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin, was hired by the Browns in 2013 by former Browns President Alec Scheiner, who stepped down at the end of March.

In addition to the fan experience and marketing, Griffin was involved with the Browns' in-house media, including television, radio and website operations.

The Browns will hire someone to replace him.

 


Former 49ers star Dana Stubblefield accused of raping disabled woman

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Stubblefield could face more than 16 years in prison if convicted.

SAN JOSE, California -- Dana Stubblefield, a former NFL defensive lineman who played most of his career with the San Francisco 49ers, has been accused of raping a developmentally disabled woman.

Stubblefield was charged Monday with rape by force or violence, rape of a person incapable of giving consent, oral copulation by force or violence, oral copulation of a person incapable of giving consent and false imprisonment, according to the Los Angeles Times.

"This was a crime of violence against a vulnerable victim," Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Tim McInerny said in a statement, the Times reports. "She was looking for a job and she was unconscionably assaulted."

The San Jose Mercury News says the woman went to Stubblefield's home on April 9, 2015, to interview for a job as a baby-sitter.

Law-enforcement officials say Stubblefield, 45, who is 6-3 and weighs 310 pounds, assaulted the woman, 31, who is 5 feet tall and weighs 105 pounds.

The woman reported the alleged crime to police immediately.

Stubblefield is being held in jail on a $250,000 bond. If convicted, he could be sentenced to more than 16 years in prison. He is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday morning.

If you want to comment on this story, please go to our crime and courts comments section.

Jason Kipnis says Cleveland Indians can't dwell on trip lost by slimmest of margins

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There were reasons why the Indians have been losing games by the slimmest of margins this year.

CLEVELAND - As joyous as baseball can be when a team is winning, it can be equally as maddening when that same team is losing.

The Indians just ended a 4-5 trip against Detroit, Minneapolis and Philadelphia. At one point they were 3-0. At another they were 4-2, but all that slipped away as they lost five of the last six games.

One run decided those six games. You can't lose a baseball game by a closer score, but that one run difference can consist of so many different plays and missed opportunities.

Consider Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Phillies. The Indians were trailing, 2-0, with two out in the seventh inning. Rajai Davis singled. Philadelphia pitching had retired 11 straight batters. Davis was the Indians' first baserunner since the fourth inning.

The chances of him scoring were slim, but at least the chance existed. Right-hander David Hernandez made two pedestrian throws to first baseman Ryan Howard to keep Davis close with Lonnie Chisenhall at the plate. Davis went back to the bag standing each time.

Hernandez threw a strike to Chisenhall. Then Hernandez, with catcher Carmon Rupp signaling for him to go throw to first, gave Davis his A move and picked him off. Davis was originally called safe, but the Phillies challenged and the call on the field was overturned to end the inning.

Davis explained the difference between being picked off and getting back to the bag safely.

"I should have gone in with my left hand instead of my right hand," said Davis.

Why?

"Because Howard is a left-handed (throwing) first baseman," said Davis. "That means he can just snap the glove (on his right hand) down. If it's a right-handed throwing first baseman, he has to come all the way across his body to make the tag."

So by diving back to first with his right-arm outstretched, Davis presented an easy target for Howard. If he'd gone in with his left arm, he could have been safe.

It is a small thing, but baseball is a game made up of small plays and decision that turn into things of consequence. Make enough plays like that and it's easy to see how a team can play six straight one-run games and lose five of them.

"This would be frustrating to any team," said second baseman Jason Kipnis, after Sunday's loss. "We're not playing up to our capabilities right now. We're a better team than we're showing. We obviously let some games go that we should have won."

The Indians played seven one-run games on the nine-game trip. Asked if that had taken anything out of the team, Kipnis said, "If it does, then Monday's off day comes at a perfect time. We're coming back home in front of our fans and will be refreshed.

"Everyone will have a short memory. There is no reason to dwell on this. What's done is done. We had a good opportunity to pick up some games and didn't do it. Now we'll be refreshed on Tuesday night in front of our home crowd to play the Tigers."

The Indians have played 22 games. Half of those games have been decided by one run with the Indians going 4-7.

"When we're playing games like we are right now, everything is so magnified," said manager Terry Francona. "We talk all the time about being one run better as opposed to being one run worse than the other team. The Phillies did it (to us) the entire series."

The Phillies swept the Tribe by scores of 4-3, 4-3 and 2-1.

On the trip, the Indians actually outscored the opposition, 39-30. They scored 18 of those runs while sweeping the Tigers to start the trip. They scored just 21 runs in the last six games.

"We're a good team," said Kipnis. "We're just not hitting right now. We have a lot of time to become the team we want to be. I'm hoping we don't take too long to become it though."

Francona, like Kipnis, was glad for Monday's off day. But he knows the Indians are going to have to solve some problems.

"We have to try and figure out what it is to play with a lead and give our guys some breathing room," said Francona.

More tests: The broken right thumb of catcher Roberto Perez showed bruising and swelling when he was examined by Dr. Thomas Graham on Sunday. Perez will be re-examined later this week.

Perez broke his thumb making a diving tag at the plate Saturday night against the Phillies.

A Baseball America report that the Indians have re-signed veteran catcher Luke Carlin isn't quite right. The Indians did sign Carlin about a mong ago, but as coach at Class AA Akron, not as a catcher.

LeBron James rescued the Cavaliers' playoff streak from the Hawks: Joe Vardon's instant analysis

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LeBron James scored 25 points to go with seven rebounds and nine assists in Cleveland's Game 1 win over Atlanta in an East semifinal playoff series.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Hawks still can't beat LeBron James and the Cavaliers in the postseason.

But Game 1 of this East semifinal series had moments where it smelled like an upset.

James led the Cavs with 25 points and nine assists and Cleveland beat Atlanta 104-93 Monday to take a 1-0 lead in this best-of-seven series.

James added seven rebounds and shot 11-of-21 from the field in 40 minutes.  That makes 120 postseason games with at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists for the Cavs superstar.

Last season, of course, the Cavs swept the Hawks out of the East finals and James thoroughly dominated with averages of 30.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 9.3 assists. Cleveland also took all three from the Hawks during the 2015-16 regular season, and James averaged 27.3 points in those contests.

The final score doesn't show it, but the Cavs needed some clutch plays from James to survive this one. His spin move layup with 2:09 and ensuing foul shot put Cleveland ahead 95-88, and another spin and lay-in with 1:05 remaining forged a 9-point advantage.

 

It was after a spectacular James steal and dunk in the third quarter that the Cavs started to collapse, creating a nervous fourth quarter.

James stole a pass from Dennis Schroder (who wound up burning the Cavs for 27 points), got it back from Kyrie Irving and crushed a dunk with 3:56 remaining in the third. The Cavs were up 18 at that point. The Hawks scored the next 11 and 16 of the last 18 points to trim Cleveland's lead to four at quarter's end - mostly with James on the bench.

The Hawks took their first lead with eight minutes left and were ahead by a point when James found J.R. Smith for his fourth 3-pointer with 4:06 left. The Cavs were up 90-88 and never trailed again.

It was the Cavs' first game since April 24, having swept the Pistons out of the first round and needing to wait for the Hawks to rid themselves of Boston in six games. At this point a year ago, Cleveland trailed Chicago by a game in the second round.

"Last year was last year's situation," James said. "I don't think it has anything to do with this year. ... Obviously we've been off for quite a while but we've hungry for a game and we're happy that we're able to have it on our home floor."

James tied former Cavaliers coach Byron Scott for 14th place all time in playoff games (183). He carried much of the burden while his Big 3 teammates struggled.

Irving scored 21 points, but shot 8-of-18. Kevin Love added 17 points and 11 rebounds, but was 4-of-17 from the field.

James' best play of the first half was almost certainly a pass. He was near midcourt when, in transition, he bounced a perfect pass into Richard Jefferson for a dunk with 5:27 left in the second quarter. James started the pass by pulling the ball above his own head as the Cavs started the break.

James also stole ball from Paul Millsap as time expired to end the first half, preserving a 10-point lead.

What was your least favorite Cleveland Browns draft pick?

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Which pick was the most confusing by the Browns last week? Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns selected 14 players last week in the 2016 NFL Draft. Some were hits with fans. Others weren't. We won't know for a while which ones will be hits on the field and which ones won't, but it's fun to speculate.

I asked Michael Reghi, Chris Fedor and Bud Shaw to tell me their least favorite pick. Check out their answers in the video above. Fear not, though. I also asked them which was their favorite. You can check those answers out at the link below.

Favorite Browns pick

Did Ohio State football finish with a $100 million NFL Draft class?

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Ohio State had the most selections of any school in the 2016 NFL Draft. Here's how much money those Buckeyes will make. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Urban Meyer is the third-highest paid coach in college football, so it would take a lot of zeros to impress Ohio State's head coach.

How about a one followed by followed by eight zeros?

In an interview with cleveland.com at the NFL Draft on Friday night, Meyer was told that the five players selected in the first round were projected to make a combined $87 million in their first contracts.

"Wow," Meyer said shaking his head and smiling in disbelief. That smile grew wider at the suggestion that the $87 million number was going to grow to upwards of $100 million on the final day of the draft.

The final number?

Ohio State's 2016 NFL Draft class, all 12 selections, will combine to make $117,499,008, according to numbers compiled by Forbes and Spotrac.

"Living dreams," Meyer told cleveland.com on Friday. "Every player who walks into our facility wants to be an NFL player, and now it's our job to give them the tools to be there."

See the full video interview with Meyer below.

The projected Ohio State contracts range from Joey Bosa at the top with a value of $25,873,685 to Cardale Jones with a value of $2,723,393.

The total value of Ohio State's 2016 NFL Draft contracts are more than the next two schools combined. Notre Dame is No. 2 with seven selections at $51,251,88. Alabama was No. 3 with seven selections at $39,218,233.

That means there was $168,750,896 worth of NFL talent on the field when Ohio State played Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl in January.

Ohio State already has the graphics made up. These numbers are projections, and could end up being higher. So the Buckeyes rounded up a little bit

Here are Ohio State's 12 NFL Draft selections and their projected total contracts:

Joey Bosa, first round No. 3 overall to San Diego

Bosa is projected to make $25,873,685

Ezekiel Elliott, first round No. 4 overall to Dallas

Elliott is projected to make $24,956,341

Eli Apple, first round No. 10 overall to New York Giants

Apple is projected to make $15,152,320

Taylor Decker, first round No. 16 overall to Detroit Lions

Decker is projected to make $10,966,980

Darron Lee, first round No. 20 overall to New York Jets

Lee is projected to make $10,221,648

Michael Thomas, second round No. 47 overall to New Orleans Saints

Thomas is projected to make $5,118,971

Vonn Bell, second round No. 61 overall to New Orleans Saints

Bell is projected to make $3,972,299

Adolphus Washington, third round No. 80 overall to Buffalo Bills

Washington is projected to make $3,320,585

Braxton Miller, third round No. 85 overall to Houston Texans

Miller is projected to make $3,167,742

Nick Vannett, third round No. 94 overall to Seattle Seahawks

Vannett is projected to make $3,124,659

Joshua Perry, fourth round No. 102 overall to San Diego Chargers

Perry is projected to make $2,954,084

Cardale Jones, fourth round, No. 139 overall to Buffalo Bills

Jones is projected to make $2,723,393

All-time NBA playoff scoring leaders; how far LeBron James, Tim Duncan trail Michael Jordan

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LeBron James ranks sixth all-time in NBA playoff scoring, and is within reach of catching Michael Jordan at No. 1. See the top 15 scorers in NBA playoff history.

Michael Reghi is riled up about Hue Jackson

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Reghi says it's proving time for Hue Jackson and the Browns. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Hue Jackson said to trust him when it comes to the Browns and quarterbacks, and Michael Reghi says it's easy to trust Jackson with his track record. Still, now that the draft is over, Jackson has started to reach proving time, and it starts with the next few weeks and the team's offseason program, including next week's rookie minicamp.

Check out Reghi's Riled Up segment, a weekly video on cleveland.com featuring Reghi's opinions on all things Cleveland sports.


Ezekiel Elliott gets Deion Sanders' No. 21: What number will Ohio State's draft picks wear in NFL?

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Here are the known jersey numbers of Ohio State's 2016 NFL selections.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ezekiel Elliott is ready for Prime Time.

Elliott, the former Ohio State running back, will wear No. 21 for the Dallas Cowboys. That's the same number Deion Sanders wore when he played for Dallas. It's also one digit down from Emmitt Smith, so at least Elliott won't have that pressure on him.

Elliott was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, selected by Dallas one spot after the San Diego Chargers selected Joey Bosa.

In total Ohio State had 12 draft picks, setting a new NFL Draft record with all 12 of those selections coming in the first four rounds. The Buckeyes tied their own program record with five players selected in the first round.

So Elliott will wear No. 21 in Dallas.

Here are the rest of the numbers we know so far for Buckeyes selected in the 2016 NFL Draft. We'll add more as they become available:

Ezekiel Elliott will wear No. 21 with the Dallas Cowboys

Joey Bosa will wear No. 99 with the San Diego Chargers

Taylor Decker will keep his No. 68 with the Detroit Lions

Cardale Jones will wear No. 7 with the Buffalo Bills

Braxton Miller will wear No. 13 for the Houston Texans

Michael Thomas will wear No. 13 for the New Orleans Saints

Nick Vannett will keep his No. 81 with the Seattle Seahawks

Starting lineups, Game 23: Cleveland Indians vs. Detroit Tigers

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Michael Brantley will play at Progressive Field for the first time in 2016 on Tuesday evening. Here are the lineups and the pitching matchup for the series opener between the Indians and Tigers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Michael Brantley will play at Progressive Field for the first time in 2016 on Tuesday evening. Here are the lineups and the pitching matchup for the series opener between the Indians and Tigers.

Pitching matchup: RHP Josh Tomlin (3-0, 3.18 ERA) vs. RHP Justin Verlander (2-2, 5.46 ERA)

Lineups

Indians

1. DH Carlos Santana

2. 2B Jason Kipnis

3. SS Francisco Lindor

4. LF Michael Brantley

5. 1B Mike Napoli

6. C Yan Gomes

7. RF Marlon Byrd

8. 3B Jose Ramirez

9. CF Tyler Naquin

Tigers

1. 2B Ian Kinsler

2. RF J.D. Martinez

3. 1B Miguel Cabrera

4. DH Victor Martinez

5. LF Justin Upton

6. 3B Nick Castellanos

7. C James McCann

8. CF Anthony Gose

9. SS Jose Iglesias

Olympian Meb Keflezighi to be honored at Akron Marathon

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Olympian Mebrahtom "Meb" Keflezighi will be honored at the Akron Marathon and spend race weekend in September meeting with runners, organizers said Tuesday.

AKRON, Ohio - Olympian Mebrahtom "Meb" Keflezighi will be honored at the Akron Marathon and spend race weekend in September meeting with runners, organizers said Tuesday.

Keflezighi, who turns 41 this week, is an Eritrean-born American long distance runner who is heading to his fourth Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in August. He will be the oldest American runner to compete in the Olympics.

Keflezighi won the silver medal in the 2004 Olympics and finished in fourth place in the 2012  Olympics.

And he is the only person ever to win the New York Marathon, the Boston Marathon and an Olympic medal. He won the 2009 ING New York City Marathon and in 2014 became the first American male to win the Boston Marathon since 1983.

Keflezighi and his family came to America in 1987 to escape the fighting in East Africa. He won four NCAA titles while at UCLA.

His career includes a number of titles in distance races. He held the U.S. record in the 10,000 meters (27:13.98) from 2001-10.

In October 2015, Runner's World Magazine named Keflezighi "The Most Influential Person in Running" noting that his "universal appeal only begins with his racing." 

He will receive the 2016 Akron Marathon Ambassador Award presented by Westfield Bank at an invitation-only reception on Sept. 22. The award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions and lasting impacts to the sport of running.

He will appear the following day at the Health & Fitness Expo presented by Summa Health and SummaCare, where he'll meet with runners and sign autographs.

Registration for all three Akron Children's Hospital Akron Marathon Race Series events opened in January with incentives geared toward running multiple events. More than 900 people have signed up to run the entire series. Registration is available at AkronMarathon.org.

The 2016 race dates are:

  • June 25 (National Interstate 8k & 1 Mile)
  • Aug. 13 (Goodyear Half Marathon & 10k)
  • Sept. 24 (FirstEnergy Akron Marathon, Half Marathon, Team Relay & Kids Fun Run).
The dates were developed to help guide runners through a typical training schedule.

Eagles need Wentz to save the day; Browns look smart in the meantime -- Bud Shaw's Sports Spin

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The Eagles executive VP of Football Operations Howie Roseman wanted to beat his NFC East rivals in the quarterback chase. The Browns' end of the trade looks like the smarter path.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - A man nicknamed "Philly Jesus" attracted a crowd at an Apple store in the city of Brotherly Love Monday.

I feel the need to say here that it was not Carson Wentz. Just a guy eventually arrested for "defiant trespassing" after police agreed with the store manager that the man's cross was blocking the aisle.

Pursuits of franchise quarterbacks in the NFL draft haven't reached that level of crazy. Yet. Still, what the Eagles gave the Browns to draft Wentz suggests they expect him to show them the way for the next 10 years.

To get within poker-chip throwing distance of the Browns, the Eagles first moved to No. 8 from No. 13. The Dolphins eased that pain somewhat for the Eagles by taking back two players, Kiko Alonso and Byron Maxwell, instead of more draft picks.

Still, that's two big moves to acquire a quarterback from North Dakota State who broke his wrist during the season -- especially bold with Sam Bradford under contract for two seasons. Bradford now wants out and is boycotting the off-season program.

Who knows how good Wentz will become?

What we can say for sure is the most intriguing Browns-Eagles comparison won't be the opener in September. It will be measuring Wentz's career against what the Browns received in return.

I'll take the Browns in this one.

The move from No. 8 to No. 15 makes them the favorites, not simply for the players they drafted in 2016 - though they got quality and quantity -- but also for the future.

Next season they'll have two firsts, two seconds and a third. That's more able bodies, or more ammunition to chase a quarterback if they are so inclined and Robert Griffin III gives them cause.

We suspect the Browns identified trading down as their smartest option all along, and that Chief of Strategy Paul DePodesta steered that decision. Until recently we hadn't heard the Eagles explain their thinking.

Howie Roseman, the Eagles VP of Football Operations, did so in an interview with 97.5 The Fanatic in which he said the Eagles felt strongly there was a clear line between the Top 10 prospects and the rest in this draft. That precipitated the initial move to No. 8.

"Once you get to the eighth pick," Roseman said, via NJ.com, "you're looking at it differently. Now you're in striking distance to get one of these guys. You're thinking to yourself 'who knows when we're going to be back in this spot.'

Browns looking to add quality and quantity

"We've been there once since 2000 and when we were there, there was no quarterback that we were going to take with that spot. So, you can get back there, but there's no guarantee there's going to be a quarterback worth taking."

Interestingly, Roseman said he looked at the NFC East. Saw aging quarterbacks in Dallas and New York and Kirk Cousins on a one-year deal in Washington. Philly's rivals could potentially be looking for QBs in the 2017 or 2018 draft.

He says he saw Tom Brady in New England, Carson Palmer in Arizona.

"When we looked at this, we said 'holy cow' there might be 10 or 15 teams in the next two years looking for a quarterback," Roseman said. "Where are they getting them from? For us, it made too much sense to not do this."

If Wentz becomes Ben Roethlisberger, the Eagles won't look back. But that doesn't guarantee the Browns will rue the day they made the deal.

That's only certain if they pinned their hopes to Robert Griffin III exclusively and for too long, and he failed. Or if they pin them to Cody Kessler and he tops off at Colt McCoy, and two years from now they've done nothing to further address the game's most important position.

The front office looks a lot smarter than that so far.

We haven't seen the final reckoning at the quarterback position in Berea. That's what will eventually determine the accounting between the Browns and the Eagles. 

Tyronn Lue credits mentor Phil Jackson for even-keeled disposition, which Cavaliers continue to admire

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Stevie Wonder's "Happy Birthday" blasted over the loud speaker at Cleveland Clinic Courts while Tyronn Lue was walking to meet with the media following the team's Tuesday film session.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- When asked to describe Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue, his players use the same words repeatedly.

Even-keeled. Unflappable. Composed. Calm.

Those are traits of a seasoned veteran, not a rookie head coach, let alone one who took over midway through the season and turned 39 on Tuesday. He was reminded of his special day as Stevie Wonder's "Happy Birthday" blasted over the loud speaker at Cleveland Clinic Courts while he was walking to meet with the media following the team's film session.

Even when asked about getting older, when a reporter pointed out the silver speckles at the front of his hairline, Lue showed his steely demeanor.

"I dyed mine gray," he said with a laugh. "It's my Barack Obama look."

In his brief tenure, Lue has shown to be wise beyond his years. His mentality, admired by his players and learned over time from one of his most influential mentors, has helped Lue to a 5-0 start in his first postseason.

"I got it from Phil Jackson," Lue said Tuesday. "I just think that when you're calm and you're not complaining and you're not rattled, that carries over to your team. I think if you react to every single call, every single shot or every single turnover, it doesn't give your team confidence. I think just being even-keeled, being poised, staying with it, being positive with the guys, I think it's the best approach. I think just playing the game myself for 11 years, I've seen how guys react to certain situations and I think it's the best way to coach guys."

That calm disposition was on display throughout the second half of Game 1 against Atlanta, as the Hawks rallied from an 18-point deficit to take the lead for the first time with eight minutes remaining. Lue didn't panic, he didn't immediately call for a timeout -- another trick he got from Jackson, but a strategy Lue admits to only using in certain situations because he doesn't have 11 NBA championships. Instead, the coach let his players battle through.

"You've got to get a sense, get a feel for how your team is playing," Lue said. "Last night, just the biggest thing for me is we kept our composure. Guys didn't get rattled. We pulled together and we found a way to get out of the hole."

After the Hawks took their first lead Monday night, Kyrie Irving answered, burying a three-pointer to put the Cavs back on top. A few minutes later, Atlanta grabbed the lead again, only to watch a play designed specifically for J.R. Smith end with one of the Cavs' 15 three-pointers spinning through the net.

That was the final lead change of the game.

Right when it looked like the series opener was slipping away, the Cavs showed the poise of a champion, the traits of their head coach, finishing on a 17-5 flurry.

"I don't know if I've ever really seen him lose his cool," Matthew Dellavedova said Tuesday. "I mean, he'll get on guys and things like that. He's very even-keeled and keeps his composure and I think as a team you can feel that and he's been doing a really good job."

It's the same message James delivered after the game, crediting Lue for a sound game plan -- one that centered on going under screens and forcing the Hawks' talented point guard tandem to make jumpers -- and his attitude on the sidelines.

"He's the same way, no matter the point in the game," James said. "He gets on us, but he's always saying, 'OK, let's move on to the next possession. Let's figure out a way we can be better next possession.' And no matter the point in the game or the score he's always the same way. It's a calm feeling when you come to the sideline no matter if you've given up a lead or not."

LeBron credits Tyronn Lue

There's a belief in the locker room, one that, for whatever reason, was lacking with Lue's predecessor, David Blatt.

Lue has a firm grip on what his players need. He will bark instructions, just like any coach, but a team that has dealt with a mountain of adversity in the last few years needs a calming voice, someone to provide the proper balance. He's bringing that. It's led to success in late-game situations, outscoring the opposition, 61-46, over the final five minutes of each game.

"I just like that our guys come together when things get tough now," Lue said. "That's the biggest thing for us. We have a great team and when things get hard, we've got to come together even more." 

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