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Terry Francona takes blame for Cleveland Indians' snooze fest against Kansas City

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Kansas City completed a three-game sweep of the Indians on Wednesday night. Manager Terry Francona said the Indians weren't ready to play and took the blame for that.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Following the Indians' worst performance of the season, manager Terry Francona took the blame.

"It was a tough night all the way around," said Francona. "We didn't play very well. I think that's on me. They weren't prepared to play tonight and I guarantee you that will change."

Kansas City completed a three-game sweep of the Indians on Wednesday night with a 9-4 victory at Kauffman Stadium. The Indians were charged with two errors, but there could have been at least one more.

As for the plays that weren't made that should have been made, there were too many to count.

No.1 starter Corey Kluber allowed eight runs, matching a career high. He had to pitch over errors by second baseman Jason Kipnis and third baseman Michael Martinez in the second inning. In the fifth, he couldn't protect a 2-2 tie, allowing the go-ahead run to score on a wild pitch and surrendering a three-run homer to Salvador Perez.

In the outfield, center fielder Tyler Naquin and right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall continued to have communication problems. In fact, the whole fifth inning can be traced back to a leadoff double by No.9 hitter Drew Butera that Naquin or Chisenhall probably should have caught.

Then there was the three-run sixth inning featuring four Tribe pitchers. If you're wondering why Francona insists on sticking with Bryan Shaw as his set-up guy, a couple of his alternatives were on display in the sixth and didn't do so well. Dan Otero didn't record an out while allowing one run on two hits. Jeff Manship finally wrestled the inning to the ground, but not before walking in a run.

Terry Francona stands by Bryan Shaw

The Indians, with a chance to go into Thursday's off day with a two-game lead in the AL Central, are tied with Kansas City instead. This was the last stop on a 10-game trip and their 20th game in 20 days. Frankly, they played like they were sleep deprived.

"That doesn't matter," said Francona. "We have a day off tomorrow. When you've got a game, you play. We're not the first team to play 20 (in a row) and we won't be the last. We just didn't play a very good ballgame."

The Indians went 10-10 in those 20 games. Over the last 10, played at Safeco Field, Angel Stadium and Kauffman Stadium, they went 4-6. The offense, in particular, looked weary.

The Indians were outscored, 39-34, on the trip. They hit .177 (11-for-62) with runners in scoring position and .202 (66-for-327) as a team. They were fortunate to win four games.

The Tribe came to Kansas City with a three-game lead and a 6-1 advantage over the Royals. It was a chance to extend their lead. Instead they wilted before the defending World Series champs.

"It's very disappointing," said Kipnis. "We swept them at home and they returned the favor. I thought this entire series was more on the position players. I think the pitching staff did an outstanding job.

"I think even tonight with Kluber we gave them more than 27 outs. You can't do that with a good team like the Royals. To not score more than one or two runs in the first two games, and not hit with runners in scoring position, I think it was the position players who lost this one. You can't ask much more from the pitching staff."

The Indians went 1-for-19 with runners in scoring position in the three-game sweep. They lost the first two games of the series 2-1 and 3-2.

Five takes on Tribe's 2-1 loss to Royals

When asked if he knew what Francona was talking about concerning the team not being ready to play, Kipnis said, "I'm not sure what he meant by that, to be honest. It was a tiring trip, a West Coast trip. Not to use it as an excuse, but you go from playing a struggling team like Anaheim - not to say you just show up against them -- but you can let your guard down a little.

"Then you come in here and you need to gear it back up and some guys just take longer to do that."

Salvador Perez beat Shaw, Tribe with 2-run homer

The Royals are 22-7 at Kauffman Stadium. It's the best home record in the AL.

"This is a tough place to play," said Kipnis. "They've got the fans behind them and they're chasing us. So it should have been three games that were very important to us and we didn't take care of business."

Kipnis feels the AL Central championship won't be decided until late in the year.

"I don't think it's going to be a 95-win team that comes out of here," he said. "Everybody is beating up on each other. I think the (winner) will have 90 to 92 wins. It's going to be coming down to the end."


Stephen Curry, Steve Kerr fined $25,000 for Game 6 actions

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The NBA announced Friday morning that Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry and head coach Steve Kerr were fined $25,000 each for their actions on Thursday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The NBA announced Friday morning that Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry and head coach Steve Kerr were fined $25,000 each for their actions on Thursday.

Curry received his fine for throwing his mouthpiece into the crowd after being ejected late in the Game 6 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. He was irate with the sixth foul he picked up, fouling him out of the contest.

Kerr defended his superstar in his postgame address and caught the league's attention with some critical comments towards the officials.

"He's the MVP of the league," Kerr said. "He gets six fouls called on him, three of them were absolutely ridiculous. You know, he steals the ball from Kyrie clean at one point. LeBron flops on the last one. Jason Phillips falls for that for a flop. As the MVP of the league, we're talking about these touch fouls in the NBA Finals.

"Let me be clear, we did not lose because of the officiating, they totally outplayed us and Cleveland deserved to win. But those three of the six fouls were incredibly inappropriate calls for anybody, much less the MVP of the league."

Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue was fined $25,000 for his public criticism of the referees after Game 4. What led to that fine was him saying, "[LeBron] never gets calls." Cleveland has won two straight since.

Columbus Clippers weekly: Cleveland Indians Minor League Report 2016

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Columbus Clippers catchers Guillermo Quiroz and Adam Moore continue their hot streaks at the plate: Cleveland Indians Minor League Report.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Triple-A All-Star Game between the International League and Pacific Coast League will take place on July 13 in Charlotte.

Fans can vote for their favorite players through June 24. Fans who make their picks on MiLB.com will join local media and Triple-A managers in selecting rosters for the annual game.

While the players have not been decided, the managers have. Clippers manager Chris Tremie will manage the International League and Wally Backman of the Las Vegas 51s will manage the Pacific League All-Stars.

Tremie, who guided the Clippers to the IL title last year, has been a manager in the Tribe organization since 2006. He played 14 years in the big leagues with the White Sox, Rangers, Pirates and Astros.

Still hot: Since Anthony Recker was traded to Atlanta last month, Guillermo Quiroz has hit .304 with six homers  and 15 RBI in 20 games.  

Adam Moore has hit .323 with two homers and 11 RBI in 27 games. Prior to the trade, the Quiroz and Moore had combined to hit .169  with two home runs and five RBI (all homers and RBI belonged to Moore).

Defense can't rest: The Clippers carry a .984 fielding percentage thanks to the solid play of Jesus Aguilar (led IL 1B in fielding last season), Erik Gonzalez (rated by Baseball America as the best defensive shortstop in the Eastern League last season) and Giovanny Urshela (led IL 3B in fielding in 2014, leads IL again this season).

Clippers update: The Clippers added right-handed pitcher Adam Plutko from Akron on Thursday. ... The Clippers seek to snap their seven-game losing streak tonight at Syracuse. Clippers lefty Ross Detwiler (0-4, 5.84) will face righty Taylor Hill. ... Listen to the game on clippersbaseball.com. 

Links:

Elyria Dairy Queen brilliantly trolls Steph Curry

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An Elyria Dairy Queen posted a sign that read "Steph Curry is softer than our ice cream" before game 6 of the NBA Finals on Thursday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A Dairy Queen in Elyria decided to let the world (or at least its customers) know exactly what it thinks of reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Steph Curry the day his Golden State Warriors took on the Cleveland Cavaliers in game 6 of the NBA Finals.

In an brilliant troll that went viral on social media late Thursday and early Friday, the store changed its sign to read "Steph Curry is softer than our ice cream."

The sign proved to be prophetic.

Curry fouled out of Thursday's game at Quicken Loans Arena with less than five minutes to go. A referee then sent him to the locker room for throwing his mouthpiece into the stands out of frustration.

Curry later apologized to a fan who was hit by the mouthpiece.

The Cavs went on to win the game 115-101.

Twitter and Facebook users shared pictures of the sign Thursday, voicing their amusement.

A few Facebook users offered suggestions for the next slogan on the Dairy Queen's sign, some of which involved Draymond Green and aren't printable on this site.

Kyrie Irving says he's 'good' for Game 7 after suffering foot injury in the third quarter Thursday

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During portions of the second half in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving appeared to be hobbled, chatting on the bench with the training staff about a left foot injury. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- During portions of the second half in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving appeared to be hobbled, chatting on the bench with the training staff about a left foot injury. 

But following the game, first with a non-working microphone, Irving laid to rest any uneasiness about his Game 7 status. 

"I'm good," Irving said when asked about his foot. "I'm good, yeah. I'm good. I'm OK."

Irving finished with 23 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks in the Cavaliers' 115-101 win against Golden State, which forced Game 7.

The injury happened in the third quarter, as Irving was running one of his many pick-and-rolls with Tristan Thompson. Warriors center Festus Ezeli stepped on Irving's left foot while attempting to keep the ultra-quick point guard from getting into the paint. Irving didn't look to have the same burst following that play. 

He scored 20 of his 23 points in the first half. He was just 1-of-6 from the field in the second half. 

"He just tweaked it a little bit, but he's going to be fine," Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue said. "His performance was great. He really got us off to a great start in that first half." 

The Cavs have two days off before Game 7, when they will get an opportunity to cap their historic comeback, a chance for Irving and the Cavs to avenge last year's Finals defeat against Golden State. 

"Don't shy away from it. It's Game 7," Irving said following the win. "All I've done over my life is watched a lot of Game 7s and seen how guys come out, seeing the sway of the game, just watch a lot of film on it. But now that I actually get to play in one and experience it, it's just I'm ready to live in it, and just hoping we come out with a win on the other end of it.

"But this is the all-time, all-time high of being part of a team when both teams have one chance to win championships, one game that's separating that, and it just doesn't stop there. So I'm excited to just get to Sunday and see what it's really like."

Tickets to outdoor Cavs watch party to go on sale at 2 p.m. Friday

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The Cavaliers are selling tickets to an outdoor watch party in the Gateway Plaza after tickets to the watch party in Quicken Loans Arena sold out.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Tickets to a watch party inside Quicken Loans Arena for game 7 of the NBA finals quickly sold out. But fans can still be close to The Q to watch the game. The Cleveland Cavaliers have decided to sell tickets to an outdoor watch party Sunday night.

The tickets are $5 each and go on sale at 2 p.m. Friday exclusively at cavs.com.

The outdoor party will take place in Gateway Plaza between Quicken Loans Arena and Progressive Field.

The sale marks the first time this season the Cavs have charged fans who want to watch the game outside the arena. The organization expects greater attendance with an NBA championship on the line.

Proceeds from the ticket sales will go to charity.

Several screens will show the decisive game between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers, which is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Sunday and will take place at Oracle Arena in Oakland.

The winner will be crowned the champions of the NBA.

Interesting facts about LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers and NBA Finals

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Here are some interesting facts about LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers and NBA Finals as the 2016 series between the Cavs and the Golden State Warriors heads to Oakland for Game 7 on Sunday. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Here are some facts about LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers and NBA Finals as the 2016 series between the Cavs and the Golden State Warriors heads to Oakland for Game 7 on Sunday.

610-610

The Cavs and the Warriors are even for total points, though no final score for a game has been closer than 11 points - Golden's State's Game 4 win.

Through six games, the combined score is 610-610.

1-0

LeBron James, playing in his seventh NBA Finals series, has a perfect 1-0 record in Game 7. His only previous Game 7 in the Finals was Miami's 2013 win over San Antonio.

2-2

The Cavaliers are 2-2 in Game 7 in the playoffs. All of these games were in conference semifinals.

The Cavs defeated the Washington Bullets in 1976 during what is known as the Miracle of Richfield. And the Cavs defeated the Boston Celtics at home in Larry Bird's last game in 1992.

Cleveland lost twice in Game 7 - at Detroit in 2006 and at Boston in 2008.

15-3

Overall, the away team has not done well in Game 7 in the Finals. The home team is 15-3 in Game 7 all-time.

This includes a six-game winning streak by the home teams - Miami over San Antonio (2013), Los Angeles over Boston (2010), San Antonio over Detroit (2005), Houston over New York (1994), Los Angeles over Detroit (1988) and Boston over Los Angeles (1984).

The last team to win on the road in Game 7 of the NBA Finals was Washington, which beat Seattle in 1978. The other two road wins were by Boston over Milwaukee (1974) and Boston over Los Angeles (1969).

From down 3-1 to winning series

Just 10 teams in NBA history have rallied from 3-1 down to win a seven-game playoff series. Golden State became the 10th team to accomplish this in beating Oklahoma City to advance to this year's NBA Finals.

Read more about these 10 teams at this link.

But it has never happened in the NBA Finals. So Cleveland has an opportunity to make history in this regard.

In the NBA Finals, teams are 0-32 after falling behind 3-1. But the Cavaliers have already joined select company in advancing to a deciding Game 7.

Only two previous teams - the 1966 Los Angeles Lakers and the 1951 New York Knicks - rallied to even the series 3-3, according to foxsports.com.

40-point club

Just 23 players have scored 40 or more points in an NBA Finals game. The Cavs' Kyrie Irving did it once (41 points in Game 5 this year) and LeBron James has now done in five times (twice in 2015 and three times in 2016).

Only Jerry West of the Los Angeles Lakers(10 times) and Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls (six times) have more 40-point games in the finals than James. The Lakers' Shaquille O'Neal, like James, did it five times.

See the complete list of NBA Finals 40-point scorers, led by Elgin Baylor's record 61 points in 1962 for the Los Angeles Lakers.

5,545 points

James in the next year or two likely will become the NBA's all-time playoff scoring leader.

James already ranks fourth with 5,545 points, trailing only Kobe Bryant (5,640), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (5,762) and Jordan (5,987). At James' current career playoff scoring pace of 28 points per game, he would need 16 more playoff games to pass Jordan.

See the all-time NBA playoff scoring leaders with a photo gallery at this link.

1,337 assists

James ranks third all-time in NBA playoff history with 1,337 assists, trailing point guards John Stockton (1,839) and Magic Johnson (2,346).

Among forwards, Larry Bird is second behind James with 1,062 assists.

1,747 rebounds

James has 1,747 rebounds in the playoffs, good for ninth all-time.

Ahead of James are Robert Parish (1,765), Wes Unseld (1,777), Karl Malone (2,062), Abdul-Jabbar (2,481), O'Neal (2,508), Tim Duncan (2,859), Wilt Chamberlain (3,913) and Bill Russell (4,104).

8,336 minutes

James has logged 8,336 playoff minutes in 198 games. Only Bryant (8,641 minutes in 220 games), Abdul-Jabbar (8,851 minutes in 237 games) and Duncan (9,370 minutes in 251 games) have played more.

Jordan ranks 12th in playoff minutes, with 7,474 in 179 games.

Dennis Manoloff previews Game 7 of the NBA Finals: Podcast

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DMan and host Dan Labbe look back on Game 6 and ahead to Game 7.

DMan Podcast: June 17, 2016

(To have this podcast delivered straight to your mobile phone or device, subscribe to our iTunes channel.)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- What was the key to the Cavaliers' success in Game 6? What will happen in Game 7?

Dennis Manoloff discussed all of that with host Dan Labbe on Friday during our weekly podcast.

Among the other topics discussed:

LeBron James' historic performance.

The Cavaliers' style of play.

DMan's Game 7 prediction.

You can download the MP3 or listen with the player above.

Be sure to follow DMan on Twitter.


Cleveland Indians, No.1 pick Will Benson close to signing $2.5 million deal

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The Indians and No.1 pick Will Benson have reportedly agreed to a $2.5 million signing bonus. The deal will be announced when the high school senior completes his physical.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Indians have reportedly come to terms with No.1 pick Will Benson. The high school senior is currently in Cleveland taking his physical.

Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com reported Friday morning that Benson agreed to a $2.5 million signing bonus. The Indians drafted Benson on June 9 with the 14th overall pick in the draft, which has a slot value of $2,973,700. The money the Indians saved should potentially help them sign other players.

Benson is a 6-6, 220-pound outfielder from The Westminster Schools in Atlanta. The left-handed hitter batted .454 (44-for-97) with 11 doubles, eight homers and 41 RBI this year. He had signed a letter of intent to play baseball at Duke University.

The Indians announced the signing of No.9 pick Hosea Nelson on Thursday. Their bonus pool for signing the 11 players they drafted in the first 10 rounds is $7,343,000.

Cavaliers Game 7 watch party tickets going for $750 on Craigslist

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Desperate to watch Game 7 of the NBA Finals with thousands of your fellow Cavaliers fans at Quicken Loans Arena?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Desperate to watch Game 7 of the NBA Finals with thousands of your fellow Cavaliers fans at Quicken Loans Arena?

Unless the Cleveland Indians are compelled by an online petition to host a watch party next door at Progressive Field, you're down to one option now that tickets to the outdoor watch party sold out in one minute.  So, if you really really want be inside The Q, try Craigslist or eBay, where a handful of tickets are being hawked by sellers looking to make a tidy profit. A group of season ticket holders posted an ad Friday afternoon, saying they're willing to part with their tickets for $750 each.

So to sum up, that's $750 for a ticket that originally cost $5 with proceeds going to charity to watch a game (albeit the biggest game in Cleveland sports history in nearly 20 years) on a huge scoreboard.

Other sellers are looking between $100-$200 for their tickets.

Tickets are also going on eBay for equally insane prices

Will any of them get that price? Demand for watch party tickets is high, as Cavs fans lined up at The Q box office and Discount Drug Mart locations early Friday morning and inundated the team web site starting at 10 a.m. only to see tickets sell out in just one minute. The team later added an outdoor watch party but tickets for that were scooped up just as quickly.

In all, 20,000 fans inside and outside The Q will be hoping to celebrate the city's first major sports championship in more than 50 years.

LeBron James' outside shot why he's even better in 2016 NBA Finals, with chance for title and or MVP

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LeBron James is playing even better in the 2016 NBA Finals than he did a year ago, and it starts with his outside shooting

CLEVELAND, Ohio - LeBron James is the only player in NBA history to lead both teams in the Finals in points, rebounds, and assists.

He's about to do it again, with perhaps a much sweeter reward.

James is having a Finals for the ages against the Golden State Warriors, and the Cavs are now even in the series with the deciding Game 7 set for Sunday in Oakland, Calif.

He's averaging 30.2 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 2.7 blocks, and 2.2 assists through six games - leading each statistical category for both teams. The asterisk, teammate Tristan Thompson is also averaging 11.3 boards.

If James were to edge Thompson in rebounds and everything else holds (barring an unforeseen clunker from James in Game 7, no one's going to catch him in any other category), he'd of course become the first player to ever lead both teams in all items.

James authored arguably one of the greatest individual efforts in the 2015 NBA Finals, when he was the top scorer (35.8 ppg), rebounder (13.3 rpg) and assist man (8.8 apg) on both the Cavs and Warriors. But it was Golden State that clinched the series in Game 6, at The Q, and Andre Iguodala who was named Finals MVP.

James is in strong position - as strong as he could hope for, given the circumstances - to change all of that. And it's because, somehow, he's having a better Finals than he did a year ago.

Shotchart_1466185402348.pngLeBron James' shot chart for the 2016 Finals. 

The difference between then and now rests largely with James' outside shooting. He's shooting well in this series overall, 73-of-142 (51.4 percent) from the field and 12-of-30 (40 percent) from 3-point range.

In last year's Finals, when the Cavs were decimated by injury and James turned himself into a high-volume shooter, he chucked a career high 196 shots in the six games and made 39.8 percent. (Yes, James has taken an astounding 54 fewer shots through six games in this year's Finals over last season).

Kyrie Irving is on the court with James now and is averaging 27.3 points for the series, so James is essentially making a little more out of fewer opportunities.

Again, it comes down to James' dramatic improvement over last Finals shooting from the outside. James has knocked down 10-of-16 shots (62.5 percent) from 20-24 feet, and 9-of-21 (42.9 percent) from 25-29 feet - (the 3-point line is roughly 24 feet from the hoop).

Last year, James was a brutal 4-of-16 (4-of-16) from 20-24 feet and 8-of-28 (28.6 percent) from 25-29 feet.

With a lack of support around him, the Warriors' plan to defend James in 2015 was to make sure he shoots, just not near the rim. James is actually worse shooting mid-range jumpers in the 2016 Finals - 2-of-7 (28.6 percent) from 10-to-14 feet and 2-of-14 (14.3 percent) from 15-to-19 feet - but the Warriors are failing to make him shoot those shots more often. He took 51 shots from those two areas on the court in the 2015 Finals. 

Shotchart_1466185531013.pngLeBron James' shot chart for the 2015 Finals. 

When James gets to the rim (shoots inside of 5 feet), he's finishing at a slightly lower percentage than in 2015 (63.4 percent now to 66.1 percent a year ago), but he's taken 12 more shots from close range than in the previous Finals.

"He's a fantastic player, brilliant player," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after Game 6. "He's so athletic and strong, and tonight he was hitting his jump shot."

James put up 82 points in the last two games - 41 apiece, both in do-or-die, win-or-go-home situations. Let that one sink in for a moment.

There is of course a case to be made for his Finals MVP candidacy, win or lose. Should he win the award but the Cavs lose the game Sunday, he'd become the first since Jerry West in 1969 to be named MVP in a series loss.

But if you consider the course of this series, what has transpired since the Cavs fell behind 2-0 and then 3-1, either Stephen Curry or Klay Thompson is probably going to have to outduel James to beat the Cavs. If either of them did it, in a Game 7 to win a second-consecutive Finals, they'd probably take home Finals MVP, too.

At minimum, the stage is set Sunday for that kind of showdown. For Game 7 isn't just an elimination game for the Cavs - James is the NBA's all-time leading scorer in such games - but it's also a closeout opportunity.

And James is one of the league's great, historical closers. He's averaging 27.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 6.8 assists in games where his team has a chance to clinch the series. James is 26-9 in those games, and has won his last seven.

Now, he's enjoying arguably one of the greatest individual Finals in history.

" I mean, he's had two great games to keep his team alive," said Curry, who is averaging a Warriors-best 23.5 points in the Finals. "You know, that's what he's supposed to do. I'm out there trying to do the same for my team."

Chris Fedor previews Game 7 of the NBA Finals: Podcast

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Fedor and host Dan Labbe look ahead to Sunday night.

NBA Finals Podcast: June 17, 2016

(To have this podcast delivered straight to your mobile phone or device, subscribe to our iTunes channel.)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers and Warriors will play one game for the championship on Sunday night. Chris Fedor and I looked ahead to that game during our NBA Finals podcast.

Among the topics discussed:

LeBron James' historic performance.

The Oracle Arena effect.

The Cavaliers' role players.

Fedor's prediction.

You can download the MP3 or listen with the player above.

Outdoor Cavs watch party tickets sold out in about a minute

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Tickets to the outdoor watch party for game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors sold out in less than a minute.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Tickets to an outdoor watch party for game 7 of the NBA finals sold out in about a minute Friday afternoon.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are hosting two watch parties for the road contest between the Cavs and the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, one inside Quicken Loans Arena, and another just outside of it in Gateway Plaza.

Tickets to the indoor party went on sale at 10 a.m. Friday but were gone in about 60 seconds.

Tickets to the outdoor party went on sale at 2 p.m. and were gone in around the same amount of time.

A particularly enthusiastic Cavs fan started a change.org petition Friday afternoon asking the Indians to open the 35,000-seat Progressive Field for a third watch party location Sunday night.

Change.org petition to open Progressive Field

More than 2,600 people had signed it as of 3 p.m. Friday.

The Cavs organization expects around 20,000 people to attend both parties and proceeds from tickets -- which cost $5 each -- will be donated to charity.

The winner of game 7, which is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Sunday, will be crowned NBA champion.

Cleveland Cavaliers finding that playing Warriors' brand of physical can be fun in NBA Finals: DMan's video

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LeBron James was off-the-charts good in Games 5-6, and the Cleveland Cavaliers have ramped up their physical play. Those are among the reasons the NBA Finals is headed to Game 7.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cinesport called with a simple question:

How have the Cleveland Cavaliers come from 3-1 down to even the NBA Finals? (In case you haven't heard, Game 7 is Sunday night in Oakland, Calif.)

The answer came in two parts.

Stephen Curry's mouth guard is on Twitter, and it was totally fine with being thrown into the crowd

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Stephen Curry's mouth guard has a Twitter account, because of course it does.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The $25,000 fine Stephen Curry received after throwing his mouth guard into the crowd in Game 6 of the NBA Finals wasn't all bad. After all, it gave the mouth guard a sense of worth.

We know this because the mouth guard said as much on its Twitter account.

And before you shake your head and ask what the world is coming to because somebody rushed out Thursday night to create an account for a mouth guard, you should know this: the account has been around since 2013.

Some highlights:


Cavs have frustrated the Warriors, now look to finish them -- Bud Shaw's Spinoffs

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The Cleveland Cavaliers frustrated the Warriors in a Game 6 win that evened the series. The Warriors didn't exactly handle it with class -- Bud Shaw's Spinoffs

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Ayesha Curry, wife of Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry, in separate social media posts during the NBA Finals first wondered if refs can get fined and then Thursday declared that the NBA rigged Game 6.

 Curry's Warriors won Game 6 last year to take the NBA title, but apparently she didn't think the league was in the rigging game back then.

It's not unusual for fans - or members of players' families in this case - to get so emotionally involved they see conspiracy at work.

No league hears that as often as the NBA, which can't even hold a draft lottery without somebody suspecting it's steering the top players to big markets.

You know like LeBron James and Kyrie Irving to Cleveland?

Some people simply go off the deep end when it comes to these old, baseless accusations.

The definition of the deep end:

When you claim that games are being rigged to benefit a Cleveland team.

When there's such a rich history that says otherwise.

* I don't know which player would win a game of one-on-one -- Golden State's Harrison Barnes or the Cavs' Iman Shumpert -- I just know nobody would pay to see it.

* The Warriors didn't like some of the officiating decisions, obviously. But they lost this game because they scored 11 points in the first quarter and trailed by more thna 20.

I don't believe the league or the refs stipulated that Barnes (0-for-8) must end up with the ball in his hands with the shot clock running down.

* The Currys had a tough night. Steph Curry was fined $25,000 for throwing his mouthpiece while disputing a foul call.

NBA security checked the credentials of Ayesha Curry's father thinking he might be an infamous ticket-scammer named David Aminzadeh.

Ayesha Curry mentioned the incident as a way of apologizing for getting carried away "in the heat of the moment."

You know things are getting out of hand on the Golden State side when Draymond Green is considered the cool head.

* Before the series started, I picked the Cavs to win in seven.

That's my way of saying if they capture the title, I'm open to accepting congratulations, or a playoff share.

* A Cavs team that had lost six of seven to Golden State must beat the Warriors a third straight time to win the NBA title, twice away from home.

And somehow that seems like a reasonable bet.

* Green said he thought the Warriors would've won if he'd played Game 5.

That might have been part of his mea culpa to teammates for getting suspended. But it sure looked like the Cavs took offense to that notion.

I was surprised to see Curry throw his mouthpiece late in the fourth quarter because I thought all the Warriors, not just him, had spit the bit in the first 12 minutes of the game.

* Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz got stuck inside a locked bathroom in New Jersey.

He took to Twitter to thank his rescuers.

Altogether now: "Draymond?"

* Suddenly, Brandon Weeden getting caught under the American flag doesn't seem so bad.

Just kidding. Yes it does.

* Rex Ryan says of his Buffalo Bills, "I told our players today to 'win July.' We won the offseason. I would challenge any team. I think we've won the offseason."

He does know "winning the offseason" is used mostly to mock teams that don't win the season, right?

* Disgraced former ref Tim Donaghy said he thought Green's suspension for Game 5 was suspicious.

"I think when you look at the overt acts that Green has committed before, they were definitely more severe than this act, and yet he's going to end up with a flagrant foul and suspension because of it," Donaghy told Sports Illustrated.

"In the past, I believe it was disregarded because [the Warriors] were down in the series. Here, they're up in the series, so I think it's a situation where, with that, it gives Cleveland a better chance of prolonging the series."

How the league handled Green's suspension might be confusing. But as long as they didn't try to fix the outcome of a game it gives them a lot more credibility than a ref who did.

* Of course, "More Credible Than Tim Donaghy" isn't much of a slogan for any sports league or business.

* Tom Izzo, who coached Green at Michigan State,  defends his former pupil.

"I think that everybody who sustains greatness has an edge to them," Izzo told ESPN. "Draymond had an edge (in college). I'd trade everything but my family to have him back."

Izzo previously likened Green to Bobby Knight.

Which makes Green instantly more likeable?

* Stephen Colbert did a bit on Steph Curry's new kicks, the Curry 2 Low.

The best of that:

 "Damn, Steph Curry, these shoes look like they're putting themselves through nursing school."

"These shoes look like a golf cart had sex with a jar of mayonnaise."

"These shoes are so bland, you should've called them Air Josh Grobans."

* One last NBA Finals note:

Steve Kerr said he was fine with Curry throwing his mouthpiece.

 "He had every right to be upset," Kerr said. "He's the MVP of the league. He gets six fouls called on him, three of them were absolutely ridiculous.

 "He steals the ball from Kyrie (Irving) clean at one point. LeBron (James) flops on the last one. [Referee] Jason Phillips falls for that -- for a flop. As the MVP of the league, we're talking about these touch fouls in the NBA Finals."

Imagine a ref falling for a flop.

By someone other than Anderson Varejao.

* Assuming no player can expect to get favorable treatment all the time, does being the unanimous league MVP mean all the refs should give you most of the calls?

Or most of the refs should give you all the calls?

* Until that gets worked out, how about refs call what they think they saw, regardless of whether you're Steph Curry or Dahntay Jones.

Cleveland Indians veteran outfielder Rajai Davis still burning rubber at 35

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Outfielder Rajai Davis came off the Tribe's just completed 10-day trip ranked second in the American League with 17 steals. The Indians overall were second in steals in the AL as well.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Rajai Davis used to be a switch-hitter. He stopped for the simplest of reasons.

"I was either going to stop switch-hitting and move up," said Davis. "Or not stop and get released. I was on the verge of going out the door."

Fortunately, Davis did not take the same approach to the speed aspect of his game. The Indians versatile outfielder is 35 and still burning rubber.

Davis enters Friday's series against the White Sox at Progressive Field second in the American League with 17 steals. Houston's Jose Altuve leads with 18.

There is efficiency with his speed as well. Davis has been caught just three times in 20 attempts this season for an 85 percent success rate. In his career, he has been successful in 76 percent (339-for-446) of his steal attempts.

In the steroid era, the stolen base was overshadowed by power. It drove elite thieves such as Kenny Lofton to distraction. Since MLB and the players association instituted steroid testing, and the distorted power numbers have faded from the game, the stolen base has gradually regained ground.

"I think the stolen base is actually up more," said manager Terry Francona. "If you talk to the statistical guys, they'll say the threshold for being safe is less than it was three or four years ago because runs are a little bit harder to get. So the stolen base is back to gaining more importance statistically, not just in the course of a game."

MLB's interpretation of the stolen base has never really mattered to Davis. He runs for a living, stealing 339 bases in the big leagues and 251 in the minors.

Tribe signs Rajai Davis to one-year deal

As for its impact on a game, Davis doesn't need a stat head to tell him that his presence on base changes the tempo of the game.

"Pitchers are focused on me," said Davis. "That means they're not focusing on the hitter. You can't focus on two things and be extremely successful."

The Pirates drafted Davis in the 38th round of the 2001 draft. Davis, with a natural right-handed swing, had been switch-hitting since he was kid. He loved it, but after hitting .083 (1-for-12) at Williamsport and .262 (22-for-84) for the Gulf Coast League Pirates, it was decision time.

Davis became a right-handed hitter only and in 2002 batted .384 (86-for-224) in the Gulf Coast League. It was another four years until he made his big league debut with the Pirates and his journey had just begun.

Former Tiger Rajai Davis joins the enemy

The Pirates traded him to San Francisco in 2007. He hit .282 (40-for-142) with 17 steals in 51 games for the Giants, but they waived him in 2008 after he broke camp with the club and struggled. Oakland claimed him and Davis finally got a chance to establish himself.

"They gave me an opportunity and I took advantage of it," said Davis.

He has since played for Toronto, Detroit and now the Indians. The ability to run has stayed with him. Davis stole 50 bases in 2010 for the A's, 46 for Toronto in 2012 and 36 for Detroit in 2014.

"He always has his legs ready to go from the first pitch of the game," said Francona, "and he's maintained his speed. As we've seen when guys get into the mid-30s, that can be the one that that goes and they're not the same player. But Rajai has done a really good job."

Francona didn't say Michael Bourn's name, but he didn't have to.

Davis credits his speed to a lifestyle "conducive to doing the right thing when everyone is watching and when no one is watching' and MAT (Muscle Activation Technique), a training program he learned from former Detroit teammate Ian Kinsler.

"I live a pretty slow life," said Davis, hitting .250 (52-for-208) with 32 runs, seven homers and 26 RBI this season. "I don't drink. I've never taken a sip. And I never intend to. I think that prolongs the body and helps me do what I really want to do."

He asked Kinsler about MAT after watching him play 161 games, score 100 runs and drive in 92 as the Tigers second baseman/leadoff hitter in 2014.

"He sat out one game the whole year and was always in the mix of everything," said Davis. "I asked him about it and he told me. I do it all year long. The key is getting a good trainer. They're all over the nation."

The big leagues are full of players with speed, talent, and good training techniques. But how does one explain Davis' success rate when it comes to stealing bases?

"You learn by going," said Davis. "You know what your limits are. You know what you can't do."

Then there are times when you just let it rip.

"You've got to take a risk," said Davis. "The pitcher has to make a good pitch. The catcher has to catch it under pressure and then the second baseman has to catch it with me sliding in there. It's going to be a bang-bang play."

Davis paused and added one more thing.

"And you've got replay," he said with a laugh. "Replay has helped me out more than it's hurt me."

Maybe, just maybe, it has something to do with Davis' first name - Rajai.

"My mom gave it to me," said Davis. "She had a dream and it was revealed to her by the Holy Spirit. She saw the letters. Later I came to find out what it meant. It means victorious king.

"It's a name that once I learned the meaning of it, it just meant a little bit more to me. I believe I have a higher purpose here and I'm walking through that purpose and what my destiny will be here on earth."

With Game 7 win, Cleveland Cavaliers could provide perfect ending to city's championship drought

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A Game 7 is sacred, hallowed in its own right. LeBron James even called Game 7 "the two best words." Add in a dash of desperation from a free-falling Golden State squad, a pinch of pressure on James to deliver that long-desired title and a spoonful of championship-drought storylines and you have a recipe for a classic.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Shortly after 1 a.m. in the bowels of Quicken Loans Arena after Game 6, Cavaliers general manager David Griffin approached four strangers, clad in black, Cleveland T-shirts and shorts.

He didn't know the men, but he shook hands with and gave a hug to each of the four and thanked them for their support.

"One more," a beaming Griffin said, repeatedly, before he walked through a narrow hallway and exited the arena.

The roster Griffin assembled is positioned within arm's length of the Larry O'Brien trophy. The Cavs are the third team in league history to force a Game 7 after trailing, 3-1, in the NBA Finals.

There has been conversation about whether these Warriors could topple Michael Jordan's Bulls or Magic Johnson's Lakers. What about a Cleveland team that dismisses that Warriors team and terminates a long-suffering town's 52-year title drought?

That team would be in a league of its own.

Win or lose, Sunday night promises history. We're guaranteed either the defining chapter in a redesigned Cleveland sports storybook, or another painful few pages in the exhaustive summary of the past 52 years of trophy-less season finales.

What better way to conquer a much-ballyhooed curse than for the Cavs to become the first team in NBA lore to vanquish a 3-1 series deficit against the record-setting defending champions?

This wayward path has rarely been traveled.

Only in late October 1997 did a major, professional Cleveland sports team have an opportunity to secure a championship, with a few hours of on-field prosperity the only requirement. The Indians fell a few minutes short.

Jose Mesa won't be walking through that door on Sunday night. Maybe it will finally be time to re-evaluate the definition of the "Only in Cleveland" mantra. Maybe it will finally be time to reconsider the identity of Cleveland fandom, free from the shackles of sports suffering.

Or, maybe the sports deities will slap Cleveland with a fresh clip for the montage, a new episode to add to the collection of the town's well-documented athletic failures.

Cleveland has endured such before. If the last half-century has taught us anything, it's that we can live with the heartbreak. We just can't live without the wonderment about that moment in which some Cleveland team actually does the unthinkable.

For the first time in nearly 20 years, Clevelanders will gather on a Sunday night, knowing that one game's result will produce a reaction representing one extreme or the other, nothing in between. Monday will bring either a sleep-deprived, nightmarish hangover or a sleep-deprived, champagne-induced hangover.

Cavs could rewrite Cleveland sports history

It all boils down to a few hours of basketball between two teams that have traded healthy right jabs for two weeks.

A Game 7 is sacred, hallowed in its own right. LeBron James even called Game 7 "the two best words." Add in a dash of desperation from a free-falling Golden State squad, a pinch of pressure on James to deliver that long-desired title and a spoonful of championship-drought storylines and you have a recipe for a classic.

The Cavs breezed through the Eastern Conference to reach this stage. A cakewalk to a championship wouldn't have mirrored the arduous journey Cleveland has completed to arrive at this point.

It should be difficult. It should be historic. It should be unforgettable.

What better way than this?

When Cleveland Cavaliers win title, there should no excuses from Golden State Warriors -- Terry Pluto

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Cleveland Cavaliers are the underdog and should be in Game 7. Yet, the excuse machine for Golden State is already operating.

OAKLAND, Calif -- Here's what I don't want to hear...

I don't want to hear about the Golden State Warriors being without Andrew Bogut (bruised knee).

Or Andre Iguodola's cranky back.

Or Draymond Green being suspended for Game 5.

Or the officials having it in for Stephen Curry ... or something.

The Warriors had a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven NBA Finals. It's a commanding position.

The Cavaliers are the underdog and should be in Game 7. Yet, the excuse machine for Golden State is already operating.

Here's the truth: If they blow this title, it's their fault. Period.

Just as there was no compassion for the Cavaliers losing the 2015 Finals in six games to the Warriors. Other than hardcore Cavs fans, no one cared the Cavs were without Kevin Love (shoulder surgery) and Kyie Irving (fractured knee cap).

Injuries are a part of the game, right? At least that was the story for the Cavs last season.

And if the Warriors lose this Game 7 at home...

If they lose to the Cavs for the second time in this series on the court where they were 39-2 in the regular season...

If they lose to the Cavs, there will be no asterisk next to the result. The Cavs would have won it, and done it in unprecedented fashion.

The Cavs won't just be champions, they will have made NBA history. Never before has a team come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA title.

No team has lost a Finals Game 7 on it's home court since the 1978 Seattle Supersonics, who were upset by the old Washington Bullets.

If the Cavs win Game 7, only one thing should be said ... they earned it.

They did it the hard way.

LEBRON LEAVING

Here's something else I don't want to hear...

LeBron James leaving this summer as a free agent.

And you will hear it.

Last Sunday, James discussed that topic at the news conference before Game 5. He stressed his return to the Cavs in the summer of 2014 was based on several things.

"There wasn't just one reason that I came back," he said. "What I'm able to do off the floor with my foundation and me being back home ... last summer, I was able to guarantee all my kids in my program college scholarships."

James was talking about his charitable LeBron James Family Foundation and its deal with the University of Akron.

"I'm able to do so many things because I'm actually there," said James. "(It's) hands on, with my foundation and the things that go on. I'm able to up lift the youth in my community and also in other communities. Even though you're able to do it from afar, if you're actually there, I think it's even more meaningful to kids that look up to you for inspiration."

In the age of free agency, you never say never about a player leaving. Who knows what he'll do in a few years, or what the Cavaliers will be like down the line.

Right now, he's staying. James is about more than just winning a title for the Cavs. He has put his time and his heart into making an impact beyond the court in Northeast Ohio.

So please, let's not start all the "LeBron's Leaving" talk when free agency opens this summer.

I expect him to sign another of those "1-and-1" maximum contracts, giving him the option to be a free agent in the summer of 2017.

But media people will speculate. It's partly because it draws attention and internet hits. And it's partly because some people just can't imagine why anyone would want to live in Northeast Ohio.

PREDICTION TIME

Common sense says the Warriors will win Game 7. Virtually everything is in their favor.

But there has been nothing common about this series.

None of the games have been close. The closest was 11 points, the Warriors 108-97 victory in Game 4.

As ESPN pointed out, after six games both teams have scored exactly 610 points. That's right, the series score is 610-610 as they play Game 7 on Sunday at 8 p.m.

I'm 61 years old. I recall listening to the Browns winning the 1964 NFL title game on the radio in a friend's basement.

In 40 years as a sports writer, the closest I've come to seeing a title in Cleveland was the 1997 World Series -- the Tribe's heartache loss to the Florida Marlins in Game 7 in Miami.

When that World Series opened, I thought the Tribe was destined to win. They had a remarkable, unlikely postseason. Destiny seemed to be their partner.

Then destiny checked out an inning too early as the Indians blew a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the ninth. They lost, 3-2, in 11 innings.

I gave the Cavs almost no chance of winning this series when it opened. And when they were down, 3-1, I was hopeless about it.

Then came James and his iron-will to bring the team to this game ... to this chance at a title.

And James is reminding everyone that he's the best player in the world, no matter that Curry was voted the regular season MVP.

In a Game 7 anywhere, anytime ... no matter the odds ... I'm going with James.

And if the Cavs do indeed win a title, there should be no excuses coming from the Warriors or their fans.

Cleveland Browns have Terry Talkin' about bottom-rated offense, can it change? -- Terry Pluto (photos)

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Cleveland Browns top three skilled players ranked the worst in NFL by ESPN's Bill Barnwell. Can that change?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Do the Cleveland Browns have the worst skilled position players in the NFL?

ESPN's Bill Barnwell thinks so. He rated all 32 teams.

Yes, the orange helmets ranked No. 32 out of 32 teams.

"The nicest thing you can say about Cleveland's woeful collection of skill-position talent is that it's relatively young and with upside," wrote Barnwell. "RG III (Robert Griffin III) is just 26 ... so it's fair to say his long-term fate as a professional quarterback remains unresolved."

When you talk about skilled position players, you have to start with the quarterback. And after watching Robert Griffin III in the minicamps and OTAs ... well ... it's hard to know to think.

Unlike some in the media, I don't think he's awful. Nor do I think coach Hue Jackson is on some hopeless quest to salvage the damaged career of a once promising prospect.

Despite the knee surgery and the other injuries, Griffin remains a physically gifted athlete. He seems to throw best off the run.

He is being tossed into a new system with a demanding coach. No matter what Griffin says, his confidence has to be iffy after going from a star in 2012 with Washington to not playing a single snap with that team in 2015.

In two workouts that I watched, veteran Josh McCown looked better than Griffin. I wasn't surprised because McCown can easily learn a new offense. He'll be 37 on July 4. He's been with seven different teams and lots of coordinators and offenses. Little will seem new to him.

That's not true for Griffin, who had two head coaches and two different offenses in his four years with Washington.

ABOUT THE RECEIVERS

But Barnwell's rankings go beyond the quarterback.

"(Corey) Coleman, the first of five receivers the Browns drafted this year, seems to be the one decision Cleveland made during draft week that everyone agrees upon," he wrote. "While (Gary Barnidge) Barnidge is already 30, he quietly produced a stretch of Rob Gronkowski-esque play last season despite some of the league's worst quarterback play."

Actually, the Browns drafted FOUR receivers, not five. But after refusing to draft a receiver for a few years, it felt like five.

If you want to add converted quarterback Terrelle Pryor to the list of Rashard Higgins, Jordan Payton, Ricardo Louis and Coleman -- well, you have five.

And Coleman has been very impressive, as I wrote last weekend.

Barnidge had a breakout season with 79 catches (52 for first downs) and 9 TD's. As usual, the Browns played three quarterbacks. So Barnwell is correct about Barnidge having an impressive season.

The Browns have veteran receivers Andrew Hawkins and Taylor Gabriel along with Pryor and the rookies. I wouldn't be surprised if Darius Jennings and/or Marlon Moore are given some snaps during the regular season.

Hawkins has looked good in camp, but it's worth remembering he's coming back from multiple concussions.

On paper, there is little reason for excitement about the receivers. Most are very young.

ABOUT THE RUNNING GAME

Barnwell said nothing about the Browns running game. That is what could be a pleasant surprise as Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson do have talent.

Jackson will maximize Johnson's pass-catching ability coming out of the backfield. He caught 61 passes last season.

Crowell led the team with 708 yards rushing (3.8 average).

Like many rookie offensive coordinators, John DeFilippo loved to throw the ball. He rarely made a commitment to the run with his play calling.

Jackson's record as a play-caller is being dedicated to running the ball. In his four NFL seasons calling plays, his teams have always been in the top 10 in rushing attempts.

Jackson brought in Terrell Watson, a running back he had on the Cincinnati practice squad. He could be someone who is a bonus.

If the Browns want to help Griffin, they need a running game.

"What's most amazing, perhaps, is that the Browns have significantly upgraded their skill-position talent from a year ago," wrote Barnwell. "And they are still last."

But with so many young players and a coach with a clue about offense, it's not hard to believe they will at least climb out of basement at some point this season.

ABOUT TRAINING CAMP

Jackson promises to a tough training camp, at least compared how to most NFL camps are run today.

Last season, it seemed the Browns seldom had serious all-out football drills in pads under former coach Mike Pettine.

Yet, they had an incredible number of players on exercise bikes because of hamstring injuries. There were practices where players stood in line to get on the bikes -- because there weren't enough bikes available.

At one point, the following players were not practicing in training camp due to hamstring or other "soft tissue" injuries: Joe Haden, Dwayne Bowe, Terrelle Pryor, Duke Johnson, K'Waun Williams, Pierre Desir, Justin Gilbert and Tashaun Gipson.

I know there were others, but a quick internet search revealed those names.

All those pulled muscles, etc., and it was a very light training camp in terms of hitting.

Which brings us to Jackson's plans.

"We're going to build our team through playing football and good teams play football -- real football," said Jackson. "They line up and they go after each other. They come out and they do it again the next day."

Jackson doesn't want his players to pound on each other every day. He's an NFL lifer. He knows you can destroy a team physically with the wrong kind of training camp. He will have veteran days off for older players such as Joe Thomas.

He also says the Browns "sports science guys" were "kind of mad at me" because he has scheduled so many practices in full pads. They want to protect the team from injuries.

But Jackson had 14 draft picks and probably will have 20 rookies in camp this summer. And many other players are early in their careers.

As he said, they need to play real football. Many of his players are clueless about what it takes to play in the NFL.

I look back at last season, and the Browns camp was so soft. But they also had so many players who were hurt. The team was not physically prepared to open the season.

There are no guarantees about Jackson's approach being more effective, but it appears to make more sense than what happened last season.

ABOUT CAMERON ERVING

This comment from Jackson really makes sense when applied to Cameron Erving: "I don't know any other way to get better playing football other than to play football the way you truly play football."

As a rookie, one of the problems for Erving was the coaching staff tried to teach him every spot on the offensive line. He played some left tackle at Florida State, then moved to center. He actually started his college career on the defensive line.

So the old coaching staff thought he could adapt to the NFL and help out at all positions on the offensive line. He was a mess.

Making it worse, offensive line coach Andy Moeller left the team because of personal problems right before the season opened. That added to Erving's confusion.

The main reason he was the No. 19 pick in the 2015 draft was to be a center, as the Browns anticipated Alex Mack leaving via free agency after the 2015 season. That has happened.

But another issue was when Erving did play some guard, he was manhandled. He clearly wasn't ready for the speed or the fierce contact that is the part of an NFL game.

Suppose the Browns had hit more in training camp and played more what Jackson calls "real football." Would that have helped Erving?

Maybe not.

But this season with veteran line coach Hal Hunter will use Erving exclusively at center. A training camp involving some hitting should give Erving a chance to prove he can be a starter.

In these minicamps and OTAs with no pads or hitting, you can't tell much about a player such as Erving. The coaches all say nice things about him so far. But the test is coming when they play "real football."

ABOUT CHAMPIONSHIPS

I received this email from Bill Glass, a member of the 1964 championship Browns. Glass has devoted nearly 50 years of his life to prison ministry.

Terry:

Cleveland has not been in a major pro championship since 1964. The Cavs have revived a glimmer of hope that is a long overdue.

The dry spell will come to an end. Since I was part of that 1964 team, I'd like to see it happen again. We certainly are due after over a half a century has passed.

The dog pound and the every day fan deserve it. Cleveland is really a great sports town and are past due to win some kind of sports championship.

I'm tired of going back to Cleveland and hearing them say, "your team was the last team to win any championship."

 

 


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