Former Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt decided to coach in Turkey rather than be an assistant with an NBA team.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I was really surprised to hear that former Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt had signed a contract to be the coach of Darussafaka Dogus of the Turkish League.

I did some research and learned it's one of four teams in the Istanbul area, and the Turkish pro basketball league has a lot of rich owners interested in building top Euroleague teams.

Darussafaka played its first season in the Euroleague. Its ownership is very interested in winning big right now, and has a lot of cash.

Blatt signed a two-year deal worth at least $3.5 million. That would probably make him the highest-paid coach in the Euroleague.

"David views this as a tremendous opportunity to build a team and put his signature on it," said Mark Bartelstein, CEO of Priority Sports & Entertainment.

Priority's Rick Smith was the main agent who negotiated the deal for Blatt.

The Cavs fired Blatt at midseason. He had a 30-11 record, best in the Eastern Conference. He was replaced by Tyronn Lue, his top assistant.

At the time, Blatt indicated he wanted to stay in the NBA.

He interviewed for head coaching jobs with Houston, Sacramento and the New York Knicks. He was not offered any of those jobs.

I heard some NBA teams were interested in Blatt as an assistant.

"That's true," said Bartelstein. "David could have stayed in the NBA, but he wants to be a head coach."

Bartelstein talked about Blatt's accomplishments in the 1 1/2 seasons with the Cavs.

"He took an injury ravaged team to The Finals and went six games with Golden State," he said. "He had players hurt early this season -- Kyrie (Irving) and Iman (Shumpert) -- and he was still 30-11. Kevin Love was coming off shoulder surgery.

"In his mind, going back to being an assistant didn't make a lot of sense. Look at what David did with the Cavs."

STILL FOND OF LUE

Blatt has never blamed Lue for his being fired. Several times, Blatt told me that Lue "is going to be a terrific NBA head coach very soon."

That was when he was still with the Cavs.

"David is happy for Ty's success," said Bartelstein. "He likes the people on the coaching staff. There is no ill-will toward Ty Lue at all. There is a sense of pride in what Ty has done since he took over."

NBA FUTURE VERY CLOUDY

I believe Blatt still has a desire to be a head coach in the NBA, but this move won't help make that happen.

Blatt was the first coach to ever come straight from the Euroleague to the NBA when the Cavs hired him in the summer of 2014. At that point, he had been hired as an assistant to Steve Kerr, who just become Golden State's head coach.

The Cavs asked Kerr permission to interview Blatt. It was granted and Blatt impressed the Cavs enough for them to make him the head coach.

I won't go through all the reasons behind the firing, other than there was a disconnect between the players and Blatt. It was not just LeBron James. Cavs general manager David Griffin was the strongest voice wanting to change to Lue.

The NBA was not a comfort zone for Blatt. He was unknown to most players, and he was working in a league that chews up coaches.

Blatt going back to the Euroleague so quickly takes him off the NBA market. If he had stayed as an NBA assistant, he probably would have received a chance to be a head coach somewhere soon.

The NBA loves to fire coaches. From the end of the 2014-15 season until now, there have been 11 coaching changes in the 30-team league.

That's right, 11 in one calendar year. But being in Turkey, Blatt becomes a long shot candidate when new openings occur.

WHY GO BACK TO  EUROPE?

"David is a builder," said Bartelstein. "He loves to take on challenges."

Blatt's international career demonstrates that. He rebuilt the Russian National team. He coached Macccabi Tel Aviv to the 2014 Euroleague title, a huge upset. He also has coached in Italy, Greece and Turkey. His last stop in Turkey was with Efes Pilsen in 2007-08.

Blatt takes over a team that was 20-10 in the Turkish Super League. That is one of the best leagues in Europe.

Darussafaka Dogus also played in the Euroleague for the first time in franchise history and had a 9-15 record. The goal of hiring Blatt is to make the franchise a Euroleague power.

The roster he inherits includes two former Cavaliers -- Luke Harangody and Semih Erden. Other USA players are Reggie Redding, Scott Wilbekin and Jamon Gordon.

In Europe, the coach has enormous power to pick his roster. Blatt is expected to attract high-level players to the franchise. His success with the Cavs added even more glitter to his sparkling reputation as a coach in the Euroleague.

"If you think about it, David was hired to help build the Cavs," said Bartelstein.

The Cavs brought Blatt to town before LeBron James made his decision to return. At that point, they were preparing to draft Andrew Wiggins. They had Kyrie Irving, Antony Bennett, Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters as young players on the roster.

When James returned, that changed everything and immediately put Blatt on the spot.

I've long thought Blatt would have been better served being Kerr's assistant for a season or two so he could learn the NBA without being under the head coaching pressure.

He is 57. The international game is his first basketball language. I also believe he's far more comfortable having the control coaches have overseas.

His track record is he'll do exactly what is expected in Turkey -- he'll turn that team into a serious contender, and do it quickly.

It's hard to believe, but the Cleveland Indians outfield has been reasonably productive despite all the problems.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- To the Cleveland Indians, losing Marlon Byrd is a very big deal.

Byrd tested positive for the human growth hormone Impamorelin. The former Tribe outfielder's statement said it came from a "tainted supplement."

That same "tainted supplement" led to an 80-game suspension last season for Braves pitcher Andrew McKirahan. He came back this spring, injured his elbow and has had the second Tommy John surgery of his career.

Byrd flunked a steroid test in 2012, and was suspended for 50 games.

He cheated, and he got caught. His new suspension is 162 games, pretty much ending the career of the 38-year-old outfielder.

Here's the problem for the Tribe: No one on the active roster can come close to replacing Byrd.

I'm not counting Michael Brantley, still recovering from shoulder surgery. He is an All-Star when healthy. After two comeback attempts that ended quickly, Brantley is out. He is making some progress, but not facing any pitching.

Byrd was batting .270 (.778 OPS) with 5 HR and 19 RBI. He was belting lefties at a .368 clip. He was part of the reason the Tribe had an 8-7 record vs. lefties this season.

Byrd had been regularly tested for steroids since being suspended in 2012. Not sure what he was thinking after passing them for three years, but he blew a chance to revive his career.

There were question marks about Byrd heading into spring training. That's why no one offered him a guaranteed contract. The Tribe signed him in the middle of training camp to a $1 million, non-guaranteed deal.

It was a good gamble ... for six weeks.

In terms of money, they lost little and received a short-term return. But as manager Terry Francona said when the suspension was announced, "It's like a kick in the stomach.

ABOUT THE TRIBE OUTFIELD

Among Tribe outfielders, Rajai Davis has five homers. The rest of the outfielders have only four homers combined: Lonnie Chisenhall, Jose Ramirez, Tyler Naquin, Michael Martinez and Brantley.

Most of time, the Tribe outfield will look like this: Ramirez (LF), Davis (CF) and Chisenhall (RF). Naquin will also play a lot.

I hear Brantley is still several weeks away from returning to action.

Here are some surprising facts about the Tribe outfield:

1. In the American League, the Tribe outfield ranks third in batting average (.278), seventh in RBI (81) and eighth in OPS (.757).

2. The only area where the outfield falls short is power, ranking 13th with 14 homers -- five belonged to Byrd.

3. Jose Ramirez has been producing Brantley-type stats in left field. Ramirez entered the weekend batting .325 (.866 OPS) with 3 HR and 20 RBI.

4. Ramirez leads the team, hitting .400 with runners in scoring position. Next is Brantley (.385), Davis (.350) and Chisenhall (.333).

5. I thought Chisenhall would be in for a miserable season based on how he performed in spring training and in April. But he went into the weekend batting .280 (.767 OPS) 1 HR and 10 RBI. His right field play isn't as spectacular as last season, but still above average.

6. The Indians know Naquin won't hit for much power. He hit his first big league homer Friday. He has only five extra base hits in 69 at bats this season. He has only 4 RBI. But they want Naquin to have more than 3 walks (compared to 22 strikeouts) in those 69 bats. He is hitting .319, and that batting shows he has real promise.

7. Can Francona keep juggling this group and squeezing out production as they wait for Brantley to return? That's a huge question.

8. For now, the Tribe is feeling no major pressure to trade for an outfielder.

WHERE IS THE HELP?

Abraham Almonte returns from his steroid suspension in 28 games. Yes, he'll bring some depth ... but he's a very marginal big league starter.

Almonte was an upgrade in center field over Michael Bourn last year. He batted .264 (.776 OPS) with 5 HR, 20 RBI and 5 triples in 196 plate appearances.

It was the first good year in the Majors for the 26-year-old. The failed drug test does put an asterisk next to it. Is that why Almonte took a step forward in 2015? Can the Indians count on him to produce at the same level? Will he be ready to play in July after having been suspended for three months?

The Indians have two Class AAA Columbus outfielders with big league experience. But Joey Butler (.239) and Collin Cowgill (.235) are doing nothing to merit promotion.

WAIT UNTIL 2017

The top prospects are with Class AA Akron.

Clint Frazier is second in the Eastern League with a .314 batting average. He has 6 HR, 22 RBI with a .933 OPS. That's very impressive for a 21-year-old in a league that is generally very tough on young hitters.

Also at Akron, Bradley Zimmer is batting only .238. But he has 9 HR, 35 RBI, 19 stolen bases with an .882 OPS. He is 23.

Zimmer is batting .286 vs. righties, but he's only 3-of-39 (.077) vs. lefties. He is a lefty batter.

Frazier and Zimmer are not big league ready yet. Next year is more reasonable. At some point, the Tribe is expected to move them up to Columbus, but at least not for a few more weeks.

For years, the Indians have been searching for outfielders to play with Brantley. It's why they spent a combined $104 million to sign veterans Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher before to 2013 season. Both fell apart after one season, then were traded to the Braves. Both have been cut by Atlanta.

The Tribe made Frazier (2013) and Zimmer (2014) first-round draft picks. They look like good selections. But it makes no sense to rush them to the Majors too soon.

ABOUT THE TRIBE

1. Can the Tribe really expect Mike Napoli to continue doing his Jim Thome imitation. Napoli has 12 HR and 40 RBI on June 4. That projects to more than 30 homers and 100 RBI. Napoli has hit 30 HR only once (2011) and never driven in 100 runs in a season. He is known to be slump-prone, and could be expected to cool off at some point.

2. Napoli has been a major asset to the Tribe, and not simply because of his power in the lineup. His leadership is strong. He plays a solid first base. The Indians have a lot of young players, and they respect Napoli.

3. Trevor Bauer is 2-2 with a 4.15 ERA since returning to the rotation. In seven starts, the most runs he has allowed is four (only once). The Indians have been pleased with how Bauer is staying out of disastrous innings.

Simon Pagenaud will be on the pole for today IndyCar 2016 Chevrolet Dual in Detroit, the first of two races this weekend. Here is the complete schedule and link to Race Control.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Simon Pagenaud led a Team Penske sweep of the top three spots for today's IndyCar 2016 Chevrolet Dual in Detroit race. Pagenaud had the top speed in qualifying at 112.926 mph. to earn the pole. He was followed by teammates Helio Castroneves and Juan Pablo Montoya.

Today's race is the first of two on the weekend. The green flag today is scheduled for 3:50 p.m. and will be shown on ABC. Race No. 2 is Sunday, also on ABC at 3:50 p.m. You can follow along live all weekend at IndyCar's Race Control.

Pagenaud is the series points leader, but Castroneves has won three times in Detroit.

VERIZON INDYCAR
CHEVROLET DUAL IN DETROIT
Site: Detroit
Schedule: Saturday, practice (10:05 a.m.), race No. 1, 3:50 p.m. (ABC); Sunday, qualifying, race No. 2 (10:45 a.m.), race No. 2, 3:50 p.m. (ABC).
Track: The Raceway at Belle Isle Park (street, 2.35 miles).
Race distances: 164.5 miles, 70 laps.
Last year: Carlos Munoz and Sebastian Bourdais took home wins, with Munoz moving up from 20th for his lone IndyCar victory.
Last week: Alexander Rossi became the first American-born rookie since 1928 to win the Indianapolis 500.
Fast facts: Helio Castroneves has a series-high three wins in Detroit, including his first career victory in 2000. ... The seventh race of the season has been a harbinger of the championship. Seven drivers who've won it since 1995 have gone to win the series title, including Scott Dixon in 2003 and 2008. ... Team Penske drivers have already won five poles in 2016.
Next race: Firestone 600, June 11, Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)

Years after his boxing career ended, he was unquestionably the world's most famous -- and beloved -- American. Which was just one part of the legacy of Muhammad Ali.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- "I know where I'm going and I know the truth, and I don't have to be what you want me to be. I'm free to be what I want."

Like many of Muhammad Ali's quotes, there's a profundity in the above statement that will live longer than the man who passed away late Friday night. Yet at the same time, Ali was wrong.

He was, to so many of us who grew up in the 1960s and 70s, exactly what we needed him to be. His quote addressed those who wanted him to be the strong, silent boxing champion who epitomized The American Way but were outraged when he wouldn't take that step forward during Vietnam. He dared to equate a civil war in Indochina with the civil strife that bubbled throughout America and has never quite been resolved. For Baby Boomers who also wondered why the draft would carry us to a war without an end, he spoke to our need to legitimize our position.

He also was the blueprint of athlete as entertainer, as provocateur, as crusader. He absorbed his critics as he did punches - and no one could take a punch like Ali. He was the prototype modern athlete, the quantum-leap specimen who transformed his sport in the fashion of Babe Ruth in baseball, Jim Brown in football, Wayne Gretzky in hockey and Michael Jordan in basketball.

He was sui generis. We needed him to be so, and he complied, even if he might have mocked such a phrase as he did others that came from his media foil, Howard Cosell. From winning the heavyweight title in 1964 to his takedown of George Foreman in 1974 to that last epic brawl in the Thrilla in Manila in 1975 and even his "comeback" title against Leon Spinks, Ali's accomplishments only enriched the legend. He was bigger than his sport, bigger than the old stereotypes, bigger than any label.

We Shall Overcome. It was sung in the streets as Cassius Clay destroyed the mob bully Sonny Liston in Miami Beach, as Ali tormented Floyd Patterson (who wouldn't call Ali by his Islamic name). It was sung as he had his title stripped, and as he won it back. It was as if Ali understood that his impact on America required that he must overcome - well, nearly everything.

He wasn't great because he never lost. He was great because he was never truly defeated regardless of events. He beat the draft. He beat the Anglo stereotype of his Muslim religion by eventually growing beyond its politics. He beat the financial losses created by trusting promoters who didn't honor that trust. He beat being silenced by disease by never appearing saddened by it.

He lost to Joe Frazier, then beat him twice. He lost to Ken Norton, but beat him twice, too. He lost to Spinks, then danced past him in the rematch. This wasn't ring perfection as displayed by the undefeated Rocky Marciano of the 1950s, it was something far more interesting. It was revelation, triumph, devastation and redemption in the ring, and in life.

But in the ring - call up any of his bouts from the 1960s on YouTube, just as he hinted at his prime. No athlete dazzled like Ali when he shuffled those feet and threw punches that blurred the camera. He left opponents dazed not by his power, but by his speed and athleticism. He was the champion that other athletes wanted to watch simply because they knew that he carried a talent that they could only appreciate, but never share.

In his quiet years, he beat Parkinson's Disease by the dignity in which he lived. He traveled the world as America's most famous -- and most likely most globally beloved -- representative. Once the face of Elijah Muhammad's controversial Nation of Islam, Ali -- like Malcolm X before him -- added dimensions to his worldview that transcended any one political sentiment.

From Africa to Asia to Europe he traveled. In Iraq before the first Gulf War, he visited Saddam Hussein and returned to the U.S. with 15 Americans who had been forbidden from leaving the country as tensions mounted. He became a strict pacifist who received awards around the planet.

"I've made my share of mistakes along the way," he once said, "but if I have changed even one life for the better, I haven't lived in vain."

Mike Tyson recently ridiculed Floyd Mayweather for claiming to be better than Ali. Saturday morning, Tyson displayed the depth of his respect in a farewell tweet.

"God came for his champion," Tyson tweeted early Saturday. "So long great one."

Search for Tyson's peers in every sport on Twitter - they all say the same.

In the end, he was exactly The Greatest of All Time. Exactly as we needed him to be.

Muhammad Ali was the symbol of religious injustice and the target of racial stereotypes. But he practiced a little of the latter himself.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- If Muhammad Ali were alive and young today, he could soon be under surveillance by the authorities.

The alarm over his Muslim faith would have been whipped up by the more combustible firebrands on the American political scene.

Ali, the former heavyweight boxing champion of the world, died Friday at the age of 74.

He went from brash as "Gaseous Cassius Clay" and the "Louisville Lip" to a symbol of resistance to the Vietnam War when he refused induction into the Army. In 1967, he said, memorably, "I ain't got no quarrel with no Viet Cong. No Viet Cong ever called me n - - - - r."

Ali was one of the great rebellious figures of the 1960s in sports, hailed by one segment of the population for the courage of his convictions, derided by another segment as a "draft dodger" or an "uppity" member of the race the Viet Cong would not name so crudely.

In the summer of 1968, Ali was in the midst of a three-year exile from the boxing ring while his five-year jail sentence was being successfully appealed all the way to the Supreme Court.

Outside the ring, where there were no Marquess of Queensberry Rules, the country was coming apart in the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy and the riots in the streets of Chicago at the Democratic National Convention.

Ali, who had won the heavyweight championship of the world by beating the illiterate, seemingly invincible Sonny Liston, had been stripped of his title by the government.

In a divided country, after the Supreme Court restored his right to fight for his living, Ali became, in the words he had embroidered on a satin robe, "The People's Champion."

He was part of the people's champion, so that much was true. Maybe he was the champion of the right-thinking people, at least by their lights.

I can say that now because I was certainly one of them then.

In 1971, I was a graduate student at the University of Texas, exempt from the draft on a medical deferment for a kidney infection I didn't know I had until doctors discovered it at my physical. I traveled with two friends from Austin to San Antonio to see the first of Ali's three epic fights with Joe Frazier on closed-circuit television at a theater.

I stood, stunned and shocked, amid the screaming Frazier partisans around me  when Frazier's hook knocked Ali down. The people couldn't win for losing, it seemed, and Ali lost that bout in a 15-round decision.

After the third act of their terrible trilogy, the "Thrilla in Manilla" in 1975, when Frazier's corner would not let him continue after 14 rounds, lest he be blinded, neither boxer was ever the same.

Nor was I in my feelings about Ali.

The proud man who had no quarrel with the Viet Cong because of the endemic racism in America had not balked at playing the race card for no purpose other than to sell his fights with Frazier.

He would pull a stuffed gorilla out and punch it, shouting, "Take that, go-rilla!" 

He called Frazier an "Uncle Tom' and said he was "ugly."

I knew it was mostly an act because, somewhere in those years, Ali briefly moved back to his home in Cherry Hill, N.J., a suburb of Philadelphia across the Delaware River.

Only the New Jersey public television station and I showed up to record the brief homecoming. Ali was calm and welcoming for a few minutes. Then he morphed into Shilling Ali when the filming began. He could switch on the charm and the rapid-fire, rap-like patter in a split second.

It was as if the sight of the camera lights or a reporter's notebook sent a surge of electricity through him. I have never seen anyone whose personality could fill a room, indeed, a mansion, the way he could.

The media in the 1970s were all over his gorilla stereotyping of Frazier, with the vast majority of sportswriters uncritically laughing along with Ali and at Frazier.

It was a mercenary act, almost a black-on-black hate crime, by the great emblem of black empowerment and the embodiment to so many others of courageous civil disobedience.

Today, followers of one particular political candidate rise in thousands to his baiting of Muslims and Mexicans. For months, the media did little except give him uncritical exposure.

Ali, the great ad-libber and entertainer, lived the last decades of his life in a prison of near-total silence. He suffered from Parkinson's Disease because of the head blows he took in the ring.

Boxing has been marginalized in this country because of growing concern over head trauma. 

In the selling of a would-be president, though, Ali's worst and most cynical side lives on in Donald Trump.

 

The final day of the high school softball season is here. All four OHSAA state championship games are being held at Firestone Stadium in Akron. Keystone and Walsh Jesuit pursue titles.

AKRON, Ohio -- The final day of the high school softball season is here. All four OHSAA state championship games are being held at Firestone Stadium in Akron.

Follow below in the comments section for live coverage of the championship games in Divisions I and II, which include Northeast Ohio schools Walsh Jesuit and Keystone. Come back later to cleveland.com for stories about both games. Video highlights also will be added by Sunday morning.

To review, click on any of the divisions to review their state final four brackets. Links to semifinal summaries for Divisions I and II also are included.

DIVISION I

Championship: Teays Valley (25-6) vs. Walsh Jesuit (23-5), 7 p.m.

Semifinal: Teays Valley 1, Amherst 0 (nine innings)

Semifinal: Walsh Jesuit 5, Mason 2

DIVISION II

Championship: Hebron Lakewood (28-0) vs. Keystone (28-4), 4 p.m.

Semifinal: Lakewood 4, Archbishop Hoban 1

Semifinal: Keystone 18, Hamilton Ross 0

DIVISION III

Championship: Canfield South Range (30-3) vs. Wheelersburg (26-2), 1 p.m.

DIVISION IV

Championship: Convoy Crestview (25-4) vs. Strasburg-Franklin (25-6), 10 a.m.

Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com). Or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.

Defiance repeated as state champs with a 3-2 win in eight innings. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Austin Taylor's two-out, bases-loaded single in extra innings pushed Defiance past Hamilton Badin 3-2 on Saturday morning, as the Bulldogs repeated their Division II state baseball title.

The Bulldogs (29-2) loaded the bases on a hit batter, a sacrifice bunt, another hit batter and an infield single. After a foul popup to first base gave Hamilton Badin a second out and a chance to escape, Taylor delivered the title with a line drive to center, with winning pitcher Shay Smiddy sliding across home plate to start the celebration.

"I was a little nervous, but I was confident," said Taylor, a junior. "That's the spot everyone dreams about. I think everyone would want to be in that spot, and I was happy I was."

Defiance had taken a 2-1 lead on a two-out line drive in the bottom of the sixth, as catch Jacob Jimenez delivered an RBI single to left field.

But Hamilton Badin (22-12) rallied in the top of the seventh on a double by Ross Mulcare and a game-tying single by Mitchell Raley. The Rams then had runners on first and second with one out before a strikeout-em-out, throw-em-out double play to end the inning.

The Bulldogs escaped and an inning later ended it.

Smiddy picked up the win, allowing one run in three innings of relief after starting pitcher Abram Smith went five innings and allowed just two hits and one run. 

Check out all the highlights

Two of the greatest athletes, Muhammad Ali and Jim Brown, had a special bond. Brown talks about his memories of Ali, who died Friday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Humor is not one of the traits that the often-serious Jim Brown routinely displays.

But there was one man who had the ability to crack a smile on Brown's stoic face.

"I was with [Muhammad Ali] during his hearing before the boxing governing body that would eventually strip him of his title," said Brown in an interview with The Plain Dealer on Saturday. "Before the hearing, Ali turns to me and says, 'Don't go acting like an Uncle Tom.' "I told him, 'Negro please, you're talking to Jim Brown.'"

Ali, Brown's long-time friend, died Friday at 74 in a Phoenix-area hospital where he had been for several days for respiratory treatment. Ali, a three-time heavyweight champion, is considered by many as the greatest heavyweight of all time.

Brown, Pro Football Hall of Fame running back with the Cleveland Browns, heard the news of Ali's death late Friday night.

"This is [the passing of] an American hero," Brown said. "He pushed the buttons. He stood up for what he believed. He was a great champion, a great American and a great friend."

Jim Brown and Muhammad Ali at an event in Louisville two years ago.AP 

Brown last saw Ali last fall in Louisville at the Muhammad Ali Center. It was a gathering of sorts of several men who participated in the iconic meeting in Cleveland in June of 1967 that was later named the Ali Summit, where some of the top black athletes met with Ali and announced their support of his stance as a conscientious objector of the Vietnam War.

"He'd been sick a long time," Brown said. "I just always hoped he wasn't suffering. When we were in Louisville a few months ago, his wife Lonnie was doing a tremendous job with him. It was different seeing him [with Parkinson's] because we're so used to the bravado of Ali and the intelligence. We're used to the physicality and the quickness and everything associated with him. But I'll always think of Lonnie and the job she did."

Brown and many of the top black athletes in the 1960s did a great job in their support of Ali following their meeting with the champ on June 4, 1967.

About a month before the Cleveland gathering, Ali refused to step forward for induction into the U.S. Army in Houston. That set off a firestorm of criticism of the loquacious champion.

John Wooten, Brown's former teammate with the Browns, received a call from Brown and was asked to gather the likes of legends Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (formerly Lew Alcindor) and soon-to-be mayor Carl Stokes, among others, to meet with Ali.

"I met with Ali the night before and told him what was happening," Brown said. "He was jolly and happy that the guys would listen to him, and he assured me his reason was his religion that did not endorse war.

Ali convinced the group the following day about the seriousness of his conviction in a five-hour meeting. Brown was surprised on how Ali handled the pressure.

"He cracked a lot of jokes," Brown said. "He had a great sense of humor, especially in times of seriousness. His quickness of his mind and his ability to take any type of situation and make it a light situation. When other people would be nervous, he had the ability to find humor in everything."

That humor is one of many fond memories Brown will have of his friend, and especially Ali's life-long mission of representing equality and justice in all human beings.

"He could not stand discrimination," Brown said. "He always spoke his mind and very few people would do that. Ali was very rare in that capacity - almost fearless."

Some Hey, Hoynsie readers give their opinions on why the Indians rank last in the big leagues in attendance. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Do you have a question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? Submit it here or Tweet him at @hoynsie.

Hey, Hoynsie: Don't you think that the Indians, last in the majors in attendance, would be teaching their ushers some tolerance and customer service? We were one of the chosen few who attended Monday's game against Texas and watched in amazement all evening as the ushers ejected one person after another from the lower third base sections. Yes, people should sit in the ticket they paid for. But when there are 30,000 empty seats, should management really care where people sit or should they be grateful that those folks paid some amount of money for a ticket and encourage them to come back? - David Feigenbaum, Aurora.

Hey, David: I think the Tribe's attendance problems run deeper than ushers doing the jobs they're paid to do.

Hey, Hoynsie: Your most recent rant of the week was about the Tribe's lousy attendance.  One of the reasons you cited was that "no one likes the owner."  I follow the Indians closely and don't understand just what Paul Dolan has done to alienate fans.  Owners in markets like Cleveland have to be smart with how they spend their money.  Progressive Field is still a damn nice park to view a MLB game.  Terry Francona is an outstanding manager and the Indians farm system seems to produce some good talent.  So what is the beef with Dolan really about? - Tim Corbett, Ladera Ranch, Calif.

Hey, Tim: When Larry and Paul Dolan purchased the Indians, they were coming to the end of one of the best eras in franchise history. The team was old and expensive and the Dolans knew it would eventually have to be torn down and rebuilt.

The trouble is they've never been able to duplicate the team's success from 1995 through 2001. Fair or not, I think that's what fans hold against them.

Hey, Hoynsie: Last week you accurately gave some reasons for the small crowds coming out to see the Indians at Progressive Field. Here is another: big screen, high definition televisions. They're near the bathroom and refrigerator and the temperature is always just right inside your own house. In other words there are thousands of folks, like me, who watch every inning of every game. We buy merchandise and support our team (but don't go to the park).

By the way, the Dolans should be thanked for keeping the Indians in Cleveland. They're not cheap, they're good people - John, Parma.

Hey, John: There's nothing like going to the ballpark, but it's hard to resist a sofa and a big screen TV to watch the Tribe on a chilly April night.

Hey, Hoynsie: Why in the world is Carlos Santana playing regularly? The Indians sent down Tyler Naquin and he was hitting pretty good at the bottom of the order. Carlos has hit in the middle of the order for a number of years and never lived up to his billing as a great hitter. He's never hit for average and except for one year has not hit for power. - Jeff, Willowick.

Hey, Jeff: Santana has not hit for average as you point out, but last year he led the Indians in homers (19) and RBI (85). In five full seasons, Santana has averaged 22 homers and 80 RBI a year. Twice he's hit 27 homers in a year.

Santana has a high onbase percentage and is always among the league leaders in walks. It's one of the reasons manager Terry Francona has moved him into the leadoff spot against right-handers.

Overall, I think Santana has been a solid player for the Indians.

Hey, Hoynsie: Attended the KC-Indians game Friday night and the Indians intentionally walked Eric Hosmer in the first inning. Wow! Are any records kept on how often this occurs? I am sure it happened with Barry Bonds, but otherwise don't remember it happening before. - Brad Glazer, University Heights.

Hey, Brad: Not sure what the stats are on it, but it happens probably more than you think. I remember former Indians manager Manny Acta doing it to Detroit's Miguel Cabrera.

Here's the situation you were talking about. There were two out, first base was open after Lorenzo Cain took second on a wild pitch by Tribe starter Danny Salazar. Eric Hosmer, a left-handed hitter, was at the plate. Hosmer came into the game hitting .348 (8-for-23) with two homers and six RBI against the right-handed Salazar. After first base opened up because of the wild pitch, I imagine manager Terry Francona felt Salazar was better suited to walk Hosmer and face DH Kendrys Morales.

The switch-hitting Morales, who was also batting left-handed, came into the game hitting .214 (3-for-14) against Salazar. The strategy worked as Morales struck out to end the inning.

Hey, Hoynsie: With Chris Gimenez as Trevor Bauer's personal catcher, what will the Indians do when Roberto Perez returns from his injury? - Peter Appenheimer, Bay Village.

Hey, Peter: Gimenez has played well in Perez's absence, but I'm not sure what will happen when Perez is ready to play again. I do know there will be plenty of time to make a decision.

Perez fractured his right thumb on April 30. He underwent surgery and the Indians said he'd miss eight to 12 weeks. He probably won't be back until sometime after the All-Star break.

Hey, Hoynsie: How much bubble gum does Terry Francona chew in a nine-inning game? - Mark Schroeder, Middleville, Mich.

Hey, Mark: Last time I asked it ranged from 80 to 90 pieces a game.

Hey, Hoynsie: How much longer do Indians' fans have to put up with Yan Gomes? He hit .231 last year, .174 this year. The Tribe should move Jose Ramirez to third base, trade Juan Uribe for a good left-handed reliever and call up Tyler Naquin. That would make them a better team. - Dennis Wright, Findlay.

Hey, Dennis: Take it easy on Gomes. His batting average needs a boost, but he's third on the Tribe with 27 RBI and tied for third in homers with seven. He's also hitting .325 (13-for-40) with runners in scoring position.

As for your other suggestions, somebody must have been listening because Naquin and lefty Tom Gorzelanny were promoted from Class AAA Columbus on Wednesday.

Hey, Hoynsie: A few years ago, Lonnie Chisenhall lit it up, batting near .400. At that time he was not an everyday player, but when he hit his way into the lineup he became the same old Lonnie.  Is there any statistical info available that suggests Lonnie just thrives on spot duty as opposed to everyday duty? - D. Vorisek, Billings, Mont.

Hey, D: Terry Francona, since he became manager, has used Chisenhall mostly in so-called spot duty. He's faced mostly right-handers and select lefties. When he rejoined the Indians in late July last year and moved to right field, he was platooning with Ryan Raburn and did well, hitting .288 (45-for-156) with three homers and 25 RBI in 54 games.

This year Chisenhall is once again playing mostly against righties, but in the wake of Marlon Byrd's suspension, he could see more action against lefties. Chisenhall is hitting .280 overall and .385 (5-for-13) against lefties.

The Lake Erie Monsters scored early then held on for a 5-3 victory over the Hershey Bears in Game 2 of the Calder Cup Finals, giving the Monsters a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

By MARK HOSTUTLER
Special to The Plain Dealer

Updated with team reaction from locker room

HERSHEY, Pa. -- Now that's an omen the city of Cleveland can appreciate.

Deep in the bowels of the Giant Center, hours before his team took the ice to warm up for its 5-3 victory in Game 2 of the Calder Cup Finals, Lake Erie coach Jared Bednar sat down with his staff for a pregame meal in a press lounge.

On the television mounted on the wall before him, a replay of the Big Ten ice-hockey championship game from late March was airing on the Big Ten Network. Bednar periodically glanced at the screen, but he didn't stay long enough to see Zach Werenski, now his starting defenseman at the tender age of 18, score the game-winning goal for the Wolverines.

Bednar would see enough of the phenom, who joined the Monsters in April, later that evening against the Hershey Bears.

Three minutes after the puck dropped, Werenski serendipitously scored his fifth goal of the AHL playoffs, and the Monsters narrowly avoided giving up a three-goal lead in the third period to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Game 3 is Monday night at Quicken Loans Arena.

With the next three games at home, the Monsters are well on their way to giving Cleveland what it has been pining for in the last year or 50: a championship trophy.

"I was done eating by then, but my assistant coaches saw it [Werenski's game-winner for Michigan]," said Bednar. "We made a joke about it before the game; hopefully he could do something like that tonight."

In a breathtaking sequence initiated by Sonny Milano taking the puck the length of the ice, seemingly at Mach speed, Werenski wristed a shot past Hershey goalie Justin Peters to give Lake Erie a lead they (barely) never surrendered.

"He's such a young guy, and what he provides our team since he came in, it's power play, it's penalty kill, it's even strength," said Bednar. "He's got a bright future."

"If you would've told me when I signed that I'd be playing in the Calder Cup Finals right now, I wouldn't believe you," said Werenski. "Some of the guys here have been playing for 10, 12 years, and they've never made it this far. For me to get this chance in my first two months of professional hockey is special."

Right winger Oliver Bjorkstrand gave the Monsters a 2-0 lead when he scored the first of his two goals on a two-on-one early in the second period.

Goalie Anton Forsberg (27 saves), who yielded his first goal when Hershey had a two-man advantage, remained undefeated in the postseason.

The Monsters are now 13-2 in the playoffs and 22-4 in their last 26 games overall.

After Zach Sill scored to awaken the Bears and their fans from their slumber, Lukas Sedlak quickly put them back to sleep, as his team-leading ninth goal of the postseason gave Lake Erie a 3-1 lead.

With three seconds left on a power play at the dawn of the third period, Bjorkstrand pounced on a rebound for another goal.

But the winners of the Atlantic Division and Western Conference responded like the champions they are.

Midway through the third, Tyler Lewington beat Forsberg on his glove side, then Liam O'Brien scored less than two minutes later to draw the Bears to within 4-3 with 8:09 left in the contest.

But Lake Erie's back line, led by Werenski, stood tall to preserve the victory.

"We've been there before," Bjorkstrand said about watching a big lead dwindle. "We knew not to freak out. We're a four-line team that has a lot of character."

Daniel Zaar's empty-netter provided the winning margin.

"We were able to play with the lead tonight," said Bednar. "When they were down two in the middle of the game, they exposed themselves a little, as every team does, especially when they spend that kind of time in your zone.

"We were opportunistic, but that's a luxury you get when you play with the lead."

Seconds before Friday night's national anthem, an oiled-up Bears fan broke the silence in the Giant Center by berating the visitors, whom he referred to as the Lake Erie Goldfish.

Said fan only awakened the monster within the Monsters.

Sixty minutes later, the hosts' barn was again mute after the Monsters proved the appropriateness of their nickname.

• Game 2 summary

A look at how much it will cost to get into Game 2 of the 2016 NBA Finals.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Game 2 of the 2016 NBA Finals tips off on Sunday night as the Cavaliers try to tie the series in Oakland against the Golden State Warriors.

Fans looking to get into the game at Oracle Arena will need to utilize secondary ticket markets like NBATickets.com and StubHub. And they will need to pay much more than face value.

Here is a look at how much ticket prices for Game 2 cost as of 10 p.m., on Saturday, and how those prices compare to Game 1's ticket costs.

Prices listed on NBATickets.com do not include a service fee.

NBATickets.com

More than 2,700 tickets were available for resale as of Saturday night. The minimum price to get into the game will be $422 per seat.

Fans who want to sit in the lower level of Oracle Arena will need to spend $690 per seat. Only two listings have prices less than $700.

The most expensive seats in the lower deck are for second-row seats that will cost $5,264 each. But fans can also choose to save more than $500 per ticket on the next most expensive seats, which are third-row seats.

Game 2's most expensive courtside seats will cost $21,053 each. There are three separate listings with that price.

Compared to Game 1

Getting into Game 2 will cost fans almost $20 more if they go alone, but $23 less if they go with more than one person.

The minimum cost of a lower-deck seat is actually very close to Game 1's price. It cost only about $9 more to sit in the lower bowl for Game 1 than it will for Game 2.

But Game 2's costliest seats are more than $2,600 more expensive than Game 1's priciest tickets.

StubHub

With fees included, Game 2's least expensive seats will cost $518.50 per ticket. The next least expensive tickets are $542.49 each. At the other end of the price spectrum, one listing has up to three upper deck tickets going for $6,002.50 each.

If fans hope to sit in the lower deck, they will need to spend at least $902.50 per seat. But the most expensive seats in the lower bowl are going for $5,042.50 each.

The costliest seats for Game 2 are a pair of courtside seats that will cost $18,002.50 per ticket.

Compared to Game 1

Just like on NBATickets.com, it will not cost as much for fans to get into Game 2. Sunday's cheapest seats will cost about $12 less than they did for Game 1.

It will also cost almost $11 less to sit in the lower deck on Sunday than it did on Thursday.

Game 2's most expensive seats will cost less than half of what they did for Game 1. Thursday's priciest tickets cost $37,442.50 per seat.

Here are some Browns observations following the completion of OTAs.

The Browns completed their OTAs last week. They will hold veteran minicamp this week. With that in mind, here are some observations as the offseason program winds down.

On clean slates: "Clean slate" has emerged as one of the Browns offseason mantras. It has been used most recently in relation to troubled third-year cornerback Justin Gilbert.

"I told him when I first talked to him that his slate is clean," head coach Hue Jackson said of Gilbert on Wednesday. "Whatever has gone on in the past does not matter to me, and that is the way I am with all of our players. None of that matters. It is the picture that you paint now."

"Everybody has a clean slate, and you go out and work hard," defensive coordinator Ray Horton said two Wednesdays ago.

If we're being honest, the expectations for Gilbert should be low, clean slate or not. If the Browns are able to turn him into a decent kickoff return man, even in a league that continues to devalue the play, that would be an enormous win. Getting him to live up to the hype of the No. 8 pick in the 2014 draft would be an incredible bonus.

The same could be said for the Browns as they enter the 2016 season. May and June are all about optimism. The game is being played in shorts and the quotes are all about leaving the past behind and proving critics wrong.

The Browns have asked their fans for clean slates again and again since their return in 1999. Owner Jimmy Haslam himself is on to clean slate No. 3 after firing his last set of saviors. Getting a clean slate in the eyes of the fan base seems like a big ask.

Without overreacting to the aforementioned football in shorts, this time does feel different, at least for now. That's not to say that 2016 will be pleasant -- it certainly has the potential to be a long season. It's also not to say that this front office doesn't still has to prove they have a plan and it's going to work.

This coaching staff, though, does feel different. They don't settle for mistakes. They make players and units repeat drills and plays when there are errors. They are a staff full of veterans with something to prove, including Jackson, whose lone opportunity as a head coach ended in a late-season collapse, leaving him jobless after a front office shakeup.

Jackson went to Cincinnati and earned a clean slate by coaching their secondary in 2012 -- the only defensive job he's ever held. He made himself a hot coaching candidate again four years later after working his way up to offensive coordinator.

When Jackson and his staff talk about Gilbert and others getting a clean slate, they're essentially asking that the organization gets one, too. It's an organization and owner that haven't done much to deserve one.

Like Jackson said, though, "None of that matters. It is the picture that you paint now."

We'll see how willing fans are to let the painting continue if the picture doesn't look so pretty when the real bullets start flying in September.'

7 memorable quotes from Browns OTAs

On leadership: Demario Davis was one of the Browns few free agent additions this offseason. He is expected to share middle linebacker duties with Chris Kirksey. That's a key leadership position, especially considering the turnover at safety behind him, another position where a defense traditionally draws leadership.

What kind of leader is Davis, a man whom Rex Ryan once compared to Ray Lewis from a leadership standpoint?

"I don't really know if you can put it into words," Davis said on Wednesday. "I really try to lead by example. I know there are people watching me, so I try to do the right thing. I'm a firm believer that more is caught than taught. I never try to speak lessons over anybody. ... I want to act and live in a way that they can look at me and get a good example of it."

Davis is, of course, another player on the defense trying to turn around a disappointing 2015. He lost snaps with the Jets as the season went along. For now, the Browns are putting a lot of faith in the fifth-year man out of Arkansas State as they emphasize character as a key piece of this restart.

On the offensive line: I've spent some time for various reasons looking back on Bengals games last season and have passively paid attention to the offensive line. Recently I noticed that Jackson's offense seems to emphasize mobility and athleticism on the line. 

One set I'm looking forward to in particular: When Jackson splits his offensive linemen out wide and throws to a receiver behind them. The Bengals did it against the Browns last season and used it in other games, as well.

Left tackle Joe Thomas talked recently about how Jackson's offense will force defenses to defend every blade of grass. That's part of it. I wonder, too, if that's part of why the Browns seemed content to try and remake their line into a more athletic group.

The Cleveland Cavaliers hope to neutralize the Golden State Warriors' bench in Game 2 and also avoid getting 'splashed'

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In Thursday's NBA Finals Game 1 loss to the Golden State Warriors, the Cavaliers did many positive things. For instance, the big three of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love scored 66 points and the Cavs' defense held the 'Splash Brothers,' Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, to 20 points.

The stat that killed the Cavs was bench points. The Warrior subs, led by Shaun LIvingston's 20 points, outscored the Cavs' bench, 45-10.

Even if coach Tyronn Lue finds a way to fix the bench disparity in Game 2, it's unlikely that the Cavs will be fortunate enough to once again avoid getting 'splashed.'

Crowquill, by Plain Dealer artist Ted Crow, appears three times a week on cleveland.com.

"He surprised us again," Tomlin said. "You never know what he's going to pull off. He's a special player. I'll keep saying it: He's fun to watch."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Before they retreated to their normal positions, Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez shared a laugh and slapped hands.

They executed their plan to perfection.

Lindor, the shortstop, shifted toward second base and Ramirez, the third baseman, played near the shortstop position as Kendrys Morales battled Tribe reliever Dan Otero in the ninth inning of Saturday's game. Prior to the encounter, Lindor and Ramirez discussed the possibility of flipping the ball to each other on a grounder up the middle. Morales obliged, as he smacked a sharp grounder to the right of second base.

Lindor snagged the baseball on a back-handed stop as he plunged to his chest on the outfield grass. With his momentum carrying him away from first, Lindor had no choice.

"As soon as it was hit," Lindor said, "I knew I was going to give it to him."

Lindor plucked the ball from his glove with his right hand and completed an underhand toss to Ramirez, who was charging toward him. Ramirez threw the ball to first to record the out.

"That's unbelievable. That's instincts," said Josh Tomlin, who logged 6 1/3 strong innings. "That's not something you learn or you teach or anything like that. It's just the instincts that he has in the game. It's unreal."

Carlos Santana squeezed the baseball at first base for the out. He then fired the ball back to Ramirez. The diminutive infielder flipped it to Lindor, who nodded at his teammate in approval before the two slapped hands.

"That was fun to watch," said Tribe manager Terry Francona. "Not only was it Frankie being athletic, but Jose being heads up. That was fun to watch. You can see their enthusiasm behind it, which makes it even better."

Lindor also collected two doubles and a home run at the plate. He notched his 10th three-hit game of the season, which is tied for the most in the majors.

"He surprised us again," Tomlin said. "You never know what he's going to pull off. He's a special player. I'll keep saying it: He's fun to watch."

Game 2 is set for a 8 p.m. start Sunday at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - A 13-of-15 shooting night from a pair of Golden State guards was bad enough in Game 1.

Worse yet, it was not Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

Backups Shaun Livingston and Leandro Barbosa combined for 31 points Thursday night to give the Warriors a 1-0 series lead in the NBA Finals vs. the Cavaliers. Curry and Thompson combined for just 20 points.

Game 2 is set for a 8 p.m. start today at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. Broadcasts are slated for ABC on TV, plus WTAM 1100-AM and LA MEGA 87.7-FM (Spanish) on the radio. Fox Sports Ohio will carry pregame and postgame shows.

This guide supplies you with stories and stats leading up to the game.

THE SERIES (Golden State leads, 1-0)

Game 1: Golden State 104, Cleveland 89

Game 2: Cleveland at Golden State, 8 p.m. Sunday  (TV: ABC, Radio: WTAM 1100-AM, LA MEGA 87.7-FM)

Game 3: Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m. Wednesday, June 8

Game 4: Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m. Friday, June 10

Game 5, if necessary: Cleveland at Golden State, 9 p.m. Monday, June 13

Game 6, if necessary: Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m. Thursday, June 16

Game 7, if necessary: Cleveland at Golden State, 8 p.m. Sunday, June 19

GAME 2 PROJECTED LINEUPS (with playoff averages) 

Warriors starters: PG Stephen Curry (25.4 points, 6.1 assists, 5.8 rebounds, 33.7 minutes), SG Klay Thompson (25.2 points, 34.8 minutes), SF Harrison Barnes (9.1 points, 30.6 minutes), PF Draymond Green (15.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 2.0 blocks, 37.8 minutes), C Andrew Bogut (5.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, 17.8 minutes).

Warriors key reserves: SF Andre Iguodala (8.9 points, 31.3 minutes), PG Shaun Livingston (8.8 points, 21.8 minutes), SG Leandro Barbosa (5.1 points, 10.4 minutes), C Festus Ezeli (4.8 points, 9.0 minutes), C Marreese Speights (6.7 points, 9.4 minutes).

Cavaliers starters: PG Kyrie Irving (24.4 points, 5.0 assists, 35.9 minutes), SG J.R. Smith (11.4 points, 33.7 minutes), SF LeBron James (24.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 2.2 steals, 38.1 minutes), PF Kevin Love (17.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, 32.8 minutes), C Tristan Thompson (5.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, 28.5 minutes).

Cavaliers key reserves: SG Iman Shumpert (3.5 points, 17.1 minutes), PF Channing Frye (8.1 points, 15.1 minutes), SF Richard Jefferson (5.1 points, 15.0 minutes), PG Matthew Dellavedova (4.3 points, 13.7 minutes).

LOOKING AHEAD

Here are stories from cleveland.com and other newspapers and websites covering the NBA Finals.

Jerry West defends LeBron on Finals record

Confidence for Game 2 rooted in Lue's directive to James

Pluto: Cavaliers will win Game 2

Warriors: If Cavs play faster, it 'would be perfect for us'

Haynes: Time for Cavaliers to show they're different

Livingston: How Iguodala is stripping Cavaliers' mojo

AWAY FROM THE COURT

Report: Gund to sell 15 percent of Cavaliers

WHAT ELSE IS BEING WRITTEN

* Twenty-three thoughts on turnovers, bench play and the fourth quarter of Game 1 from Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.

* How the Warriors won Game 1 is bad news for the Cavaliers, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo's The Vertical. Chris Mannix asks, do the Cavaliers have a prayer?

* The Warriors increased ticket prices for this year's Finals. The Cavaliers weren't happy, writes ESPN's Darren Rovell, with paying $1,300 a piece for the location Golden State offered them.

* Steve Kerr showed the damage behind by a shattered whiteboard, writes Ron Kroichick of the San Francisco Chronicle. The Warriors coach also keeps his reserves fresh and ready to go, Kroichick writes.

* The San Francisco Chronicle's Kevin Lynch provides 10 observations from Game 1.

Fedor's five observations

* Game 1 set a ratings record for ABC.

GAME 1 IN REVIEW

Warriors' bench leads way, 104-89

Cavaliers, LeBron still in better place despite blowout

Iguodala proved to be Game 1 difference maker

How the backup guards ignited Golden State

Pluto: Iffy defense, lousy ball movement and little trust in bench

ESPN on ABC broadcast takeaways

LeBron calls for better 'ingredients' in Game 2

Livingston: Must Cavs cope with another June swoon from J.R.?

Shaw: Past comes back to haunt Cavaliers

What was said after Game 1

Seven stats that explained Game 1

AROUND THE LEAGUE

* Muhammad Ali, 74, died Friday. His influence spanned beyond boxing, and ESPN's J.A. Adande explored how it still rumbles through the NBA.

James hails Ali as fighter for social justice

Lue on Ali

* Jeff Hornacek says the triangle will be a part of his New York Knicks offense, writes Seth Berkman of The New York Times.

Pluto: How Blatt wound up in Turkey

* After pushing the Cavaliers to six games in the East finals and winning 56 games, Dwane Casey received a contract extension from the Toronto Raptors. The Toronto Star's Doug Smith writes about the deal and Casey's unprecedented success up north.

Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com). Or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Golden State Warriors prevailed in Game 1 Thursday with a 104-89 victory. However, this is a long series and the Cavs won't be going down without a fight. I grabbed one Lebron James quote from the video above that basically says it all. "We have to continue to see ways we can continue to help each other....

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Golden State Warriors prevailed in Game 1 Thursday with a 104-89 victory. However, this is a long series and the Cavs won't be going down without a fight.

I grabbed one Lebron James quote from the video above that basically says it all.

"We have to continue to see ways we can continue to help each other. And we will face some adversity, we will ... and we have to be able to handle that."

All the audio from the video was recorded during press conference interviews throughout the playoffs.

It has been a wet weekend at Pocono Raceway and could very well continue for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at the tri-oval. Here is the schedule, TV and live scoring link for the race.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Weather is the big story at Pocono Raceway this morning and everyone keeps checking on Mother Nature.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Axalta 'We Paint Winners' 400 is a unique race on the 2.5-mile tri-oval. Today's race is scheduled for 1 p.m. on FS1 and you can follow along live at NASCAR's Race Center.

It will be an All-Penske front row with Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano taking the green flag at the top of the Sunday grid. But Martin Truex Jr. might be the driver poised to put a big stamp on the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Coming off a dominant Coca Cola 600 performance, he now sits comfortably in NASCAR's top tier in the standings heading into this weekend at Pocono Raceway, where he recorded his lone victory in 2015 NASCAR season.

AXALTA 'WE PAINT WINNERS' 400

Site: Long Pond, Pennsylvania
Schedule: Sunday, race, 1 p.m. (FS1).
Track: Pocono Raceway (tri-oval, 2.5 miles).
Race distance: 400 miles, 160 laps.
Last year: Martin Truex Jr. captured his only win in 2015, leading 97 laps and holding off Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson.
Last week: Truex Jr. had arguably the best run of his career, leading a series-record 588 miles at Charlotte for his fourth win in Sprint Cup.
Fast facts: The previous high for miles led in a single race was set by Jim Paschal, who was first for 502.5 miles in the 1967 World 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. ... Denny Hamlin leads active drivers with four wins at Pocono, but Hamlin hasn't won there since 2010. ... Kevin Harvick, the current series leader, finished second for the third time this season last week.
Next race: Firekeepers Casino 400, June 12, Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Michigan.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)

Sebastian Bourdais won the first Dual in Detroit race on Saturday and looks for a sweep and big lift in series standings in today's second of the Detroit Duals at Belle Isle. Here is the schedule, TV and live scoring.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Sebastian Bourdais won a race at the IndyCar Detroit Duals for the second time in two years Saturday, and today he goes for a sweep on the Belle Isle road course. Race No. 2 is scheduled for 3:50 p.m., with coverage on ABC set to begin at 3:30. You can follow along live at IndyCar's Race Control.

Simon Pagenaud led a Team Penske sweep of the top three spots for Saturday's start to IndyCar 2016 Chevrolet Dual in Detroit race. But the Penske team faded over the second half of the race, even as Pagenaud, the series points leader, led the most laps. Bourdais used an early tire change and late pit strategy to earn the surprise victory.

Pagenaud teammate Helio Castroneves has won three times in Detroit and was a contender early on Saturday. Indianapolis 500 winner, rookie Alexander Rossi, was not a factor in the race.

VERIZON INDYCAR
CHEVROLET DUAL IN DETROIT
Site: Detroit
Schedule: Sunday, qualifying, 10:45 a.m.; race No. 2, 3:50 p.m., ABC.
Track: The Raceway at Belle Isle Park (street, 2.35 miles).
Race distances: 164.5 miles, 70 laps.
Last year: Carlos Munoz and Sebastian Bourdais took home wins, with Munoz moving up from 20th for his lone IndyCar victory.
Last week: Alexander Rossi became the first American-born rookie since 1928 to win the Indianapolis 500.
Fast facts: Helio Castroneves has a series-high three wins in Detroit, including his first career victory in 2000. ... The seventh race of the season has been a harbinger of the championship. Seven drivers who've won it since 1995 have gone to win the series title, including Scott Dixon in 2003 and 2008. ... Team Penske drivers have already won five poles in 2016.
Next race: Firestone 600, June 11, Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)

Here are the lineups and the pitching matchup, as the Indians attempt to sweep the Royals on Sunday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here are the lineups and the pitching matchup, as the Indians attempt to sweep the Royals on Sunday.

Pitching matchup: RHP Corey Kluber (4-6, 4.15 ERA) vs. RHP Chris Young (2-5, 5.94 ERA)

Lineups

Indians

1. 1B Carlos Santana

2. 2B Jason Kipnis

3. SS Francisco Lindor

4. DH Mike Napoli

5. RF Lonnie Chisenhall

6. LF Rajai Davis

7. C Yan Gomes

8. CF Tyler Naquin

9. 3B Juan Uribe

Royals

1. SS Alcides Escobar

2. 2B Whit Merrifield

3. 1B Eric Hosmer

4. C Salvador Perez

5. DH Kendrys Morales

6. RF Paulo Orlando

7. LF Reymond Fuentes

8. 3B Cheslor Cuthbert

9. CF Jarrod Dyson

Ohio State already has one quarterback committed for 2017, but has recruited Martell hard.

COLUMBUS, Ohio --- Ohio State's 2017 quarterback recruiting continues to get more interesting.

Tate Martell, a five-star prospect and the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2017, released his final five schools on Sunday and included the Buckeyes. Other finalists for Martell are UCLA, USC, Cal and Colorado.

Martell announced the news on his public Twitter account.

His announcement comes on the heels of Kellen Mond, the No. 4 dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2017, putting the Buckeyes in his final top three. Though the assumption is Mond, who recently decommitted from Baylor, will choose Auburn.

Martell is another story. Ohio State has been high on his list since the Buckeyes started recruiting him in earnest this spring.

But to get him, Ohio State will have to beat out three West Coast programs and Colorado for a player from California who plays his high school ball at powerhouse Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas.

Narrowing it down... FINAL 5!
*OHIO STATE
*CAL
*USC
*COLORADO
*UCLA pic.twitter.com/5EMn0lT4CY

-- Tate Martell (@TheTateMartell) June 5, 2016

Martell is currently in California competing in the Elite 11 Finals, Nike's national quarterback competition. Heading into the final day of the Elite 11, Martell was ranked No. 4 out of the 24 quarterbacks invited.

That means he's in a good spot to head to The Opening Finals next month at Nike's headquarters in Beaverton, Ore.

This new list from Martell trims down the top seven he released earlier this week. Miami and West Virginia have been dropped from contention.

Ohio State already has quarterback Danny Clark committed for 2017.

Urban Meyer's tough quarterback decision