Eskridge released another list with two more programs on it: Oregon and Florida.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Four-star wide receiver Jermaine Eskridge of Tampa (Fla.) Jefferson released a top three, in order, that had Ohio State on top of his list, followed by Alabama and Miami (Fla.). 

A day later, Eskridge released another list with two more programs on it: Oregon and Florida. 

"After talking it over with my Mom," Eskridge wrote, "she would like to add these two programs to the list. Thank you everybody!" 

Rated the No. 7 athlete in the 2018 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite rankings, Eskridge has already amassed nearly 50 offers, so Ohio State's early positioning in his recruitment is a really good sign for the Buckeyes. 

Eskridge released a top 10 on July 1, a list that also included Notre Dame, USC, Georgia, Michigan State, Florida State, along with the five schools still standing in the 6-foot-3, 185-pound prospect's recruitment. 

Ohio State only has one verbal commitment in the 2018 class in four-star running back Brian Snead of Seffner (Fla.) Armwood, the No. 6 running back in the class in the 247Sports composite rankings. Snead committed at Ohio State's Friday Night Lights camp late last week. 

Cleveland Browns training camp opens with 14 draft picks, a new coaching staff and a reason to watch what happens. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Talking to myself as the Cleveland Browns open training camp this week:

Question: Are you really going to say you are upbeat about the Browns this season?

Answer: Upbeat?

Q: That's the question. Something you don't understand?

A: OK, here's how I see it. The Browns are going to lose a lot of games. No doubt about that. But that doesn't bother me as much as it should.

Q: If you eat nothing but stale bread and lukewarm water long enough, you start to think it's steak and lobster.

A: Is that a question?

Q: Explain why losing this season won't bother you as much as other years.

A: I'll start with Hue Jackson. I believe Browns fans will enjoy watching the new head coach and his staff in training camp. Their energy is real. Their sense of purpose and organization is impressive. I'm curious to see how it translates once preseason games begin, but the minicamps were extremely well run.

Q: You're talking practice? You're excited about practice?

A: Did Allen Iverson take over this interview? Are you so desperate, you went into his weary diatribe? 

Yes, I'm talking about practice. This team had 8 million rookies and young pros -- they better learn how to practice right.

Q: So they can practice. Why else are you interested in training camp?

A: Even if you have major doubts about him -- and I do -- the Browns trying to revive Robert Griffin III is intriguing. I want to see what happens. I'm interested to watch how Jackson uses him. Once upon a time in 2012, he was an impact QB and he's only 27 years old. He is supposed to be healthy.

Q: I can tell it's July and you've been in the sun too long.

A: I liked the Browns draft. I don't know how many of the 14 players picked will deliver, but I like having 14 rookies in camp for a team that is still trying to figure out how to build a viable NFL roster. I like how the Browns drafted four receivers.

Q: Oh, please, not the Big Volume approach to receivers ... that's the best you can do?

A: From 2010-15, the Browns drafted five receivers: Vince Mayle (2015), Travis Benjamin (2012), Josh Gordon (2012), Greg Little (2011) and Carlton Mitchell (2010). Only Benjamin is in the league right now. Gordon will get another chance when camp opens after being reinstated by commissioner Roger Goodell.

Q: Your point?

A: Look at that list: Mayle/Benjamin/Gordon/Little/Mitchell. Who'd have guessed Benjamin would turn out to be the best? Gordon is the most gifted, but he can't stay out of trouble with the league. Benjamin was drafted in the fourth round mostly as a return man.

Q: I repeat, your point?

A: If you want receivers, draft receivers. And you are liable to find them in the middle or low rounds. I like Corey Coleman. The first rounder has big play ability. Then there's Ricardo Louis, Jordan Payton and Rashard Higgins (my favorite). Odds are one can play, but who knows which one.

Q: What about Terrelle Pryor?

A: That also goes to my point about wanting to see training camp. Pryor is an NFL caliber athlete. He has the size to be a receiver. He has a coaching staff that believes he can make the switch from quarterback to receiver. It should be fun to see what happens.

Q: Doesn't this sound like a bunch reclamation projects and kids?

A: Yep, it does. Most of the draft choices were very productive in college.

Q: Are you really going to get into all their awards?

A: Coleman won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top receiver. Carl Nassib was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Emmanuel Ogbah was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Spencer Drango and Joe Schobert were first team All-Americans by ESPN. Cody Kessler set  lots of passing records at USC. Scooby Wright was injured much of 2015. In 2014, he was a first-team All-American.

Q: You sound like you're reading the media releases.

A: I don't recall a recent Browns draft class like this -- where so many players did well in the classroom and were so decorated for what they did on the field. There are 14 of these, some of them have to be able to produce in the NFL.

Q: What about Kessler?

A: He played little in the few practices I saw this spring. I want to see more. He's Jackson's guy. I want to see what impressed the coach. He should play a lot in the preseason, even though he is No. 3 behind Griffin and Josh McCown. The third-string quarterback often plays in the second half of most preseason games.

Q: So you are ready for some football?

A: I'm ready to see the Browns put a group of young players on the field with a solid coaching staff so that I can begin to believe they are headed in the right direction. I don't know if that starts now, but I'm hopeful.

The Cleveland Triathlon will celebrate its 30th anniversary on Sunday and race director Jack Caress has been there for all of them. Watch video

MIKE PETICCA
Special to The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Triathlon makes an impact from the North Coast to the West Coast.

The triathlon, which starts and finishes near the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, celebrates its 30th annual competition on Sunday, with some 700 male and female participants challenging the swimming, cycling and running courses.

It is Ohio's premier triathlon and among the best in the United States.

And its director is a California guy, Jack Caress, who still gets emotional over the Cavaliers' NBA championship and says "I like being here more than in California."

The triathlon will again be showcased during next month's Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The Cleveland Triathlon has been so well-organized and respected from its inception that in 1996, Cleveland hosted the Triathlon World Championships. Caress was in charge of the event, which was the only World Championships held in the United States until Chicago was the host city last year.

Caress, 62, is the chairman of Triathlon Business International and owns Pacific Sports, which runs several other high-profile triathlons in, especially, California and Texas. He went to California-Irvine on a golf scholarship and has competed in about 300 triathlons and directed more than 100 others around the world.

The Cleveland Triathlon is sponsored by numerous national and local sponsors. It is annually the biggest fund-raiser for United Cerebral Palsy Center of Greater Cleveland, which fields several of its own "Team UCP" at the triathlon, featuring athletes who have cerebral palsy and some of their family members and friends.

"The fact that it is literally downtown makes it unique," Caress said of the Cleveland Triathlon. "You don't see a venue like that anywhere else. And, we use the Shoreway for the bike and run courses. I can't think of another race that has that. The finish line is at the Harbor, a really active place."

The first Cleveland Triathlon, in 1987, was called the National City Triathlon. More than 42,000 competitors, from 109 countries and all 50 states, competed in the first 29 triathlons. They have put an estimated $57 million into the Greater Cleveland economy over the years.

Caress lives in Irvine, but has owned a condominium in Shaker Heights since 1994 and spends two to three months a year there. He was introduced to Cleveland in 1983, when he was hired as a consultant for sports management giant International Management Group, which was founded in Cleveland and headquartered here at the time.

"I like the weather more here (than in Irvine)," Los Angeles-born Caress says. "Fall is beautiful when the leaves start changing colors. I love to play golf here.

"There are so many things to do. It's not as crowded here as in southern California. I like the people. There are great restaurants here."

Caress helped IMG develop the Cleveland Triathlon and other races nationally and internationally. More than 6,100 volunteers have worked on the Cleveland Triathlon over the years. Caress raves about them, speaking of people like Sgt. Harry Gant, who has retired from the Cleveland Police Department but still coordinates security and road closures for the triathlon and works with the city on other details.

The presence of United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Cleveland also sets this triathlon apart from others. "They are tremendous to work with," says Caress. "They are really great people. They are involved with everything we do. They are a true partner."

Caress saw the Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom Music Center last weekend. He often attends Indians and Cavaliers games when in town. He and sons Jake, 15, and Luke, 13, saw the Indians' 4-1 loss to the Washington Nationals on Wednesday.

The boys are in town to compete in the triathlon. Jake won the SuperSprint division in 2014 and Luke was the 12-14 age division champion last summer. The SuperSprint races have the shorter swim, cycle and run courses. The Sprint division has the intermediate lengths and the Olympic Division competitors face the longest courses. Overall, the competitors on Sunday will have an average age of 36 and be 41 percent female.

Caress, Jake and Luke watched the game telecast together in California as the Cavaliers won the championship with a 93-89 Game 7 victory at Golden State on June 19.

"You could see with 10 seconds left, and up by four points ... you start thinking, 'this is going to happen. This is going to finally happen," Caress recalls, making his excitement still apparent. "I started crying. Both of my sons started crying. I get teary-eyed now. Cleveland deserved it."

Caress' other son, Nathan, 30, called and was crying, too. Nathan, who went to Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, lives in midtown Manhattan.

It was fitting for Jack Caress that such a happily emotional moment happen with a Cleveland win. And over a California team at that -- though he still loves his home state, too.

He's given a lot of love to Cleveland, its people and its triathlon. And he's grateful for the love in return.

Browns pass-rusher Armonty Bryant could have more games tacked onto his four-game suspension for PED following a misdemeanor drug conviction.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns edge-rusher Armonty Bryant is already suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs. But he now faces further possible discipline or suspension from the league after a misdemeanor drug conviction on Wednesday.

Bryant, 26, pleaded guilty to an amended charge of attempted drug possession, a first-degree misdemeanor, in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.

He was sentenced to 68 days probation through Oct. 3, the same day his four-game suspension for PED ends.

Bryant also received a suspended 180-day jail sentence and $1,000 fine stemming from the Christmas morning arrest with former Browns defensive back De'Ante Saunders, who was charged with suspicion of drunk driving and speeding. Saunders pleaded not guilty has a pre-trial hearing Aug. 1.

Bryant pleads guilty to misdemeanor drug charge

Bryant, who was already on probation for an earlier marijuana conviction, was originally charged with felony drug possession after Adderall and Oxycodone were found in Saunders' car.

An NFL spokesperson said the matter will be reviewed under all the relevant policies. That could include the substance abuse policy for the Oxycodone and the personal conduct policy for the arrest and conviction.

The Browns had no comment Wednesday and will address it Thursday during a training camp press conference with Hue Jackson, Sashi Brown and Paul DePodesta. Brown said in March he'd let the legal process play out before making a decision on Bryant.

A seventh-round pick in 2013 out of Division II East Central University in Oklahoma, Bryant was likely already in the NFL's substance abuse program before the Christmas morning stop.

He was arrested months before the Browns drafted him for selling marijuana to an undercover police officer in an East Central University parking lot, and charged with felonious distribution of marijuana. He was suspended from his college team for three weeks.

Then, less than a week after the Browns drafted him, he was picked up for drunk driving in Oklahoma. But he buckled down and stayed out of trouble for more than two years until his misadventure with Saunders.

The arrest came during a breakout season for the fourth-year pass-rusher, who finished with a career-best 5.5 sacks last season despite coming off a torn ACL from the year before.

The Browns are short on experienced edge-rushers with 2015 sack-leader Desmond Bryant expected to miss the entire 2016 season after undergoing torn pectoral surgery two weeks ago.

Robert Griffin III will have to beat out Josh McCown and Cody Kessler for the starting job, but all indications are that he'll be the man.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Let the open quarterback competition begin.

Browns training camp begins Friday, and Hue Jackson has promised an open competition, at least in the early going. It means Robert Griffin III will have to beat out 14-year veteran Josh McCown, rookie Cody Kessler and fifth-year pro Austin Davis.

All signs are pointing to Griffin winning the job, but Jackson isn't about to hand it to him.

"Let's get into training camp and let's see where we are when the real bullets start flying, when guys are going after you trying to take you down," Jackson said in May. "That's when we'll have a better idea about our football team in general."

At the end of mandatory minicamp in June, Jackson still wasn't ready to name Griffin his man.

"No, it's still a ways away in my mind, but I feel good about where we are and I feel good about the process that we've been in for those guys,'' said Jackson.

So, while Griffin will likely be named the starter soon, camp opens with at least a little drama at the quarterback position.

Here's a look:

Robert Griffin III

Griffin improved as spring practices went along, and by the end, punctuated the off-season with a long bomb to Terrelle Pryor.

"He looks natural to me,'' Jackson said at the end of minicamp. "He's checking the ball down, throwing the ball down the field, throwing the ball into tight spaces. He's improved. We've all seen that. Let's be honest. He has. He's just getting better every day. So he's got to continue to chase that, and if he does, we'll see where he can get to. He's talented, but there's still work to be done."

During the break, Griffin trained in Los Angeles with quarterback guru Tom House, who's worked with Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Andy Dalton, Carson Palmer and Blake Bortles.

Griffin should take the field Friday with better accuracy, efficiency and mechanics. What's more, he proved to be coachable in the previous minicamps by showing a willingness to throw the ball away and slide.

The problem is, he's gone 5-15 in his last 20 starts and was demoted by the Redskins last season to third team quarterback behind Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy. If Hue Jackson and top offensive assistant Pep Hamilton can return him to his Pro Bowl form of 2012, the Browns will be set at quarterback for the foreseeable future.

For that to happen, he'll need a quicker release, better field vision and improved pocket presence.

Browns training camp 2016: What visitors need to know

Josh McCown

At times, McCown looked more ready in spring practices than Griffin to start and win a game. He knows the offensive line and already has good timing with some of the receivers. Last season, he finished 14th in the NFL with a 93.3 quarterback rating.

Problem is, the Browns aren't likely to build around a quarterback who turned 37 this month. Why are the Browns keeping him around? Are they concerned Griffin won't be able to cut it? That he'll get hurt? For McCown's mentorship ability?

"Josh is great,'' Hamilton said in May. "He has field credibility, not only just in the quarterback room, but throughout our locker room. It has always been beneficial, just in my experience, to have veteran guys around. He has been a tremendous resource, not only for our quarterbacks but for our entire team. He is competing with all of our other quarterbacks to earn the right to be the starting quarterback."

The Browns know that McCown, who's ultra-competitive and will push Griffin, can get the job done. He's also a great insurance policy if Kessler isn't ready. But the journeyman might also bring something in a trade if another team's starter goes down in preseason.

Players to watch at every position in camp

Cody Kessler

The Browns' third-round pick out of USC served as the third-team quarterback during minicamp practices and made strides. During the break he also worked with House and his longtime quarterback coach Steve Calhoun. But it's unlikely he'll leapfrog Griffin and McCown in camp.

Still, Jackson is enamored by Kessler's accuracy and football acumen, and believes he has starting potential.

"Accuracy (is what I'm looking for),'' Jackson said after drafting Kessler when some experts considered it a reach. "He has pinpoint accuracy. He can throw the ball straight to the guy he's throwing it to, and if you can't, you can't play in the NFL.''

And remember Sashi Brown's warning on draft weekend: "I do think Cody is a guy that I would not want to sleep on at all if I wanted to be the starting quarterback of the Browns. He's going to come in serious, ready to work. Robert has four years of NFL experience, is tremendously athletic and serious about becoming a starting quarterback in this league. There's no reason he can't, but this is going to be a competition.''

Austin Davis

The fifth-year pro has a chance to stick around if the Browns trade or release McCown. Otherwise, he'll likely be the odd man out. The Browns signed him to a two-year extension through 2017 worth more than $4 million, but only $600,000 was guaranteed. Davis, 0-2 for the Browns with a 59.1 rating in those starts, worked as the fourth-teamer in spring practices, which probably doesn't bode well for his future.

The Browns also have the option of keeping only two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster and using Terrelle Pryor as their third. He's working as a receiver in camp, but can play quarterback in a pinch.

The RubberDucks managed to score five runs with just five hits off three Richmond pitchers.

AKRON, Ohio -- A rally from a 5-0 deficit fell short Wednesday as Richmond sent the RubberDucks to their sixth straight loss, with the Flying Squirrels winning, 6-5, at Canal Park.

The RubberDucks managed to score five runs with just five hits off three Richmond pitchers.

Akron right-handed starter Nick Pasquale (1-4, 4.31 ERA) took a shutout into the sixth inning, where he ran into troubles. C.J. Hinojosa singled and Ryder Jones walked to put runners on first and second, but Pasquale looked like he might escape after getting the next two hitters out.

However, he walked Chris Shaw to load the bases and was replaced by right-handed reliever Louis Head.

Head struggled, giving up a two-run single to Brandon Bednar, then walking the next two batters to bring in another run. Steven Duggar's single brought in two more runs to make it 5-0.

Akron responded with four runs in the seventh, with a double from Daniel Salters bringing in two runs and a single from Greg Allen bringing in two more to close the gap to 5-4.

Duggar hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth to give Richmond a 6-4 lead, a key run as the RubberDucks' Nellie Rodriguez hit a solo homer in the bottom of the inning to make it 6-5.

Chase Johnson closed out the game in the ninth for the Squirrels, setting down Akron batters in order, striking out two.

Go here to see a box score from the game.

Ohio Stadium hosted Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in an international soccer match on Wednesday night. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Paris Saint-Germain beat Real Madrid, 3-1, on Wednesday night during an international soccer match at Ohio Stadium. Here are 7 thoughts on Ohio Stadium did as a soccer venue, and how the night differed from an Ohio State home football game.

1. Ohio State football fans are passionate. Real Madrid fans are crazy.

The 86,641 fans in attendance -- the largest soccer crowd ever in Ohio -- created an electric environment not unlike something you'd find for a typical Buckeye home football game. It was after the game when things started getting nuts.

Multiple fans started running onto the field. Some of them just for fun, others for a chance to get near their favorite soccer players. I witnessed one fan jump down from the stands, run up the tunnel in the south end zone and get within an arm's length of Real Madrid defender Marcelo.

When he saw the fan, Marcelo took off sprinting up the tunnel and into the locker room. The fan was subdued by a stadium security guard.

You have to understand that these fans are immensely passionate, and are seeing these players very likely for the first and only time in their lives. That doesn't excuse the behavior, but it stood in stark contrast to fan/player interaction at a college football game.

2. Man buns. There were more on the field and off than you'd ever find at an Ohio State football game.

3. Grass in Ohio Stadium. This game was never going to be played on the artificial turf field the Buckeyes use on Saturdays. Neither of these international soccer powers would have cleared that.

So a temporary grass surface was installed at Ohio Stadium, much to the delight of Buckeye fans who wish Ohio State played its home games on a natural surface. The Buckeyes will play on three grass fields this season: at Oklahoma, at Penn State and at Michigan State.

Grass. In Ohio Stadium pic.twitter.com/59V8trEHQs

-- Bill Landis (@BillLandis25) July 28, 2016

4. You can get away with wearing blue for a soccer game in Ohio Stadium. Many of the Paris Saint-Germain fans wore blue jerseys, while Real Madrid fans wore white, purple and black. Yes, black jerseys in Ohio Stadium. And nobody was freaking out about it.

5. What do you do with the football goalposts when your hosting a soccer game? You store them under the south stands.

Here's where they store the football goalposts when they're playing soccer at Ohio Stadium pic.twitter.com/8lMfMkMeRT

-- Bill Landis (@BillLandis25) July 28, 2016

6. Cheering in the press box is something frowned upon at Ohio Stadium and at sporting events all over the country. Doing so can get a media member stripped of his/her credential.

The rules are a little less strict in international soccer. Here's the reaction to Paris Saint-Germain's third goal of the game.

Press box goal celebrations, not a faux pas in international soccer pic.twitter.com/2VoexNGdqz

-- Bill Landis (@BillLandis25) July 28, 2016

7. The announced crowd 86,641 was a good number. Imagine if that kind of crowd showed up for a Buckeye football game. When you have 100,000 show up for a glorified practice, anything under six figures isn't going to cut it.

But the crowd on Wednesday night was a good one for a soccer game. A great one, actually.

!![?]Tonight's Attendance!![?]

[?] [?] 86,641

Largest soccer crowd in Ohio history! #ICC2016 #TheShoe pic.twitter.com/vm5T0FoHii

-- Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) July 28, 2016

It showed that Ohio Stadium is a perfect fit for something like this. And if the logistics of installing the proper field aren't that difficult, then we could be seeing more games like this in The Shoe.

Watch the video below for a feel for what Ohio Stadium was like as a soccer venue.

The Indians, with Monday's trade deadline approach, continue to converse with several teams to try and strengthen their hold on first place in the AL Central.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Monday's trade deadline is approaching and the Indians continue to churn the waters in search of help for their offense and bullpen.

It's believed their talks with Milwaukee concerning catcher Jonathan Lucroy and some of their late-inning relievers have gained momentum, but a deal is not imminent. The Brewers continue to talk to several other teams about the same players.

It appears Milwaukee is trying to package Lucroy and a reliever such as left-hander Will Smith. The Brewers are looking for at least two top prospects, with an emphasis on pitching, and a couple of other players for such a package.

Milwaukee GM David Stearns worked for the Indians in 2012.

The Indians have also been linked to Tampa Bay's Steve Pearce and Minnesota's Eduardo Nunez. The Indians negotiated with Pearce, 33, before the start of this season when he was a free agent. Pearce and Nunez, 29, are utility players, who have swung the bat well this year.

The Tribe was one of the last teams standing in its pursuit of closer Aroldis Chapman, but the Yankees sent him to the Cubs. The Indians reportedly made a strong offer for Chapman, but the Yankees preferred the four-player return they received from the Cubs.

A trade that would bring Lucroy to the Indians makes sense in terms of immediate help. Starting catcher Yan Gomes is out for the next six to eight weeks with a separated right shoulder. Roberto Perez, just off the disabled list from a broken right thumb, is 1-for-22. Chris Gimenez, acquired from Texas when Perez was injured on April 30, is hitting .204 (19-for-93).

Tribe's Gomes sidelined with separated shoulder

Lucroy, 30, is hitting .301 (99-for-329) with 13 homers, 50 RBI and a .849 OPS. The Brewers hold a club option on him for 2017 worth $5.25 million.

Smith is 1-3 with a 3.72 ERA. He's done a nice job against righties (.158), but lefties are hitting .303 against him. Closer Jeremy Jeffress (2-2, 2.13, 23 saves) and set-up man Tyler Thornburg (4-4, 2.21) could be in the conversation as well.

When the Indians signed free agent position players Mike Napoli, Rajai Davis and Juan Uribe last offseason, they also negotiated with Pearce. This year he's hitting .313 (62-for-198) with 10 homers, 29 RBI and a .916 OPS. Pearce is hitting .337 (20-for-53) against lefties and .290 (42-for-145) vs. righties.

He's played 27 games at first, 14 at second and two at third for the Rays this season.

Nunez went to the All-Star game this season for the Twins. He's hitting .298 (108-for-386) with 12 homers and 46 RBI. He's stolen 26 bases in 32 attempts and has scored 48 runs.

He has played 49 games at shortstop and 33 games at third.

The 2016 PGA Championship begins Thursday boasting one of the strongest fields ever. Here are the live leaderboard, TV schedule, tee times and more.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The PGA Championship is the last of the four majors on the calendar, and it is not nearly as hyped as The Masters, U.S. Open or British Open.

No matter. The PGA Championship is just as valuable as the other three on the all-important resume. A major is a major is a major. History does not care about the breakdown.

The 98th PGA Championship unfolds this week at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J. For groupings/tee times, click here.

TNT and CBS are sharing the broadcast duties, with TNT televising Thursday from 1-7 p.m. You can also follow along throughout the tournament for scores and updates on our live leaderboard (below).

The field features the top 50 players in the world rankings, including No. 1 Jason Day, who won last year at Whistling Straits with a record score of -20. Others include U.S. Open champ Dustin Johnson, Masters champ Danny Willett and British Open champ Henrik Stenson.

THURSDAY'S LIVE LEADERBOARD

LINKS

• DMan's picks for the PGA Championship
• Day not at full strength entering PGA Championship
• PGA Championship features strongest field for any event since 1986
• PGA Championship crucial for Ryder Cup rosters
• Course, hole by hole

PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
Site: Springfield, N.J.
Course: Baltusrol GC (Lower Course). Yardage: 7,428. Par: 70.
Purse: $10 million (Winner: $1.8 million).
Television:

• Thursday - TNT, 1-7 p.m.
• Friday - TNT, 1-7 p.m.
• Saturday - TNT, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; CBS 2-7 p.m.
• Sunday - TNT 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; CBS 2-7 p.m.

Defending champion: Jason Day.
Last week: Jhonattan Vegas won the RBC Canadian Open.
Notes: The PGA Championship was moved up to the last weekend in July because of the Olympics. It last was played in July in 1968, when Julius Boros at age 48 became the oldest major champion at Pecan Valley in San Antonio. ... Day will try to join Tiger Woods as the only back-to-back winners of the PGA Championship in stroke play. Woods did it twice, in 1999-2000 and 2006-07. ... Always the strongest field of the year, the PGA Championship is expected to have 98 of the top 100 in the world. The exceptions are Jaco Van Zyl, who wants to prepare for the Olympics, and Ian Poulter, out the rest of the season recovering from a foot injury. ... Phil Mickelson won the PGA Championship the last time it was at Baltusrol in 2005 ... This is the ninth major hosted by Baltusrol, including the U.S. Open seven times. ... Eleven of the last 12 winners of the PGA Championship had already won earlier in the year. The exception was Jason Dufner in 2013. ... Tiger Woods withdrew while he recovers from back surgery, the first time he has missed all four majors in one year.
Next week: Travelers Championship.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)

The RICOH Women's British Open begins Thursday at Woburn Golf & Country Club in Milton Keynes, England. Here's the link to a live leaderboard, TV schedule and tee times.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Lydia Ko, whose average finish in her previous five LPGA Tour events is 2.2, headlines the field at the RICOH Women's British Open. The fourth of five women's major championships unfolds at Woburn Golf & Country Club in Milton Keynes, England.

The British Open was added to the LPGA schedule in 1994 and became a major in 2001.

Golf Channel will televise live Thursday from 4:30-7:30 a.m. and from 9 a.m. to noon. You can follow along throughout the tournament on lpga.com's leaderboard.

Celebrating Ko as a "teenage sensation'' actually does her a disservice. She is 19, yes, but she is a sensation, period. She is the No. 1-ranked women's golfer in the world.

Ko was the LPGA rookie of the year in 2014 and player of the year in 2015. Last year, she became the youngest player -- male or female -- to achieve world No. 1 (age 17).

Ko leads the LPGA Tour with four victories this season, the fourth coming two weeks ago at the Marathon Classic in Sylvania, Ohio. She owns 14 career LPGA Tour victories and has earned more than $7 million.

Ko has won two majors: 2015 Evian Championship and 2016 ANA Inspiration. In the other two majors this season, Ko placed second at the KPMG PGA Championship and third at the U.S. Open.

Ko was born in South Korea. She was raised in, and is a resident of, New Zealand.

British Open defending champion Inbee Park, ranked No. 3 in the world, will not compete because of a left-thumb injury. Park is a seven-time major winner.

Lexi Thompson is the highest-ranked American in the field (No. 4).

Click here for groupings and tee times.

RICOH WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN
Site: Milton Keynes, England.
Course: Woburn Golf & CC (Marquess Course). Yardage: 6,463. Par: 72.
Purse: $3 million (First prize: $450,000).
Television (all times EDT):

• Thursday: Golf Channel, 4:30-7:30 a.m.; 9 a.m. to noon.
• Friday: Golf Channel, 4:30-7:30 a.m.; 9 a.m. to noon.
• Saturday: Golf Channel, 9-11 a.m.; NBC, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Sunday: Golf Channel, 9-11 a.m.; NBC, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)

Cleveland sports fans wonder how competitive the Browns will be under Hue Jackson and whether the Cavs' championship really happened.

Should Olentangy Liberty and Mentor football be in the cleveland.com Ohio Super Top 25?

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Cleveland.com’s high school football coverage is expanding in 2016, and a highlight of that expansion will be a weekly statewide Top 25 ranking.

The preseason countdown to the Ohio Super 25 will begin Aug. 1, with a new team profiled each day through Aug. 25. To get you ready, we’re presenting 50 contenders for the Top 25 throughout July. Each day through July 29 we will provide a brief look at two of the 50 contenders. Today’s teams: Mentor and Olentangy Liberty.

Mentor

2015 record: 8-4 (Division I, Region 1 second round).

About the Cardinals: The experience the Cardinals lacked in 2015 has turned into a team strength for 2016. They return 16 starters (eight on both sides of the ball). QB Tadas Tatarunas had a huge sophomore season, throwing for 2,900 yards and 24 TDs. He loses his top two receivers and leading rusher, but the line will feature four returning starters. LB Ryan Bischof and SS Michael Ballentine should lead an improved defense as the Cardinals look for their seventh consecutive playoff appearance.

Olentangy Liberty

2015 record: 7-4 (Division I, Region 1 first round)

About the Patriots: Six-foot-1 junior safety Brendon White highlights this year’s group of Patriots rated four stars by 247Sports.com (eight offers including Ohio State, Michigan State and Kentucky). Leading rusher Daryian Davies (704 yards and 4 TDs) and receiver Johnny Wiseman (44 catches for 644 yards and 2 TDs) both return to help the offense. The Patriots will be without quarterback Alex Lando who led the Patriots with 1,421 passing yards and eight TDs after the regular season.

Cleveland.com Ohio Top 25 contenders

Cleveland Heights, Upper Arlington

St. Ignatius, Springboro

Week 3: Avon, Cincinnati St. Xavier, Columbus St. Francis DeSales, Dresden Tri-Valley, Dublin Coffman, Euclid, Fairfield, Kings Mills, Lancaster, Mason, Mayfield, St. Vincent-St. Mary, Steubenville and Toledo Central Catholic.

Week 2: Archbishop Hoban, Benedictine, Canton Central Catholic, Centerville, Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller, Cincinnati La Salle, Columbus Bishop Hartley, Glenville, Hilliard Davidson, Hilliard Darby, Huber Heights Wayne, Hudson, Lewis Center Olentangy, Midview, Massillon Perry, New Albany, Perrysburg, Pickerington Central, Solon, St. Edward, Toledo Whitmer, Trotwood-Madison, Westerville Central and Worthington Kilbourne.

Week 1: Benedictine, Cincinnati La Salle, Glenville, Huber Heights Wayne, Hudson, Massillon Perry, Midview, Pickerington Central, Toledo Whitmer and Worthington Kilbourne.

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Contact sports reporter Nathaniel Cline on Twitter (@nathanielcline) by email (ncline@cleveland.com) or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Dunn's dismissal was a direct shot to Ohio State's running back depth, but the Buckeyes were likely going to lean on Weber at running back this fall either way. Watch video

CHICAGO -- Mike Weber posted one of those before and after body transformation pictures, you know, just in case you weren't sure if Ohio State strength and conditioning coach Mickey Marotti's formula works. 

Urban Meyer saw it.

"A little fat kid turns into a good looking running back," Meyer said Tuesday at Big Ten Media Days. "You can tell him I said that, too."

So the coaching staff paired the redshirt freshman Weber with captains like Pat Elflein and J.T. Barrett during offseason workouts.

Meyer knew Weber's maturation process had to be quick, even before Ohio State dismissed fifth-year senior Bri'onte Dunn from the team on July 20 for violating team rules.

Weber's role on this year's team was always going to be big, even if Ohio State's coaching staff spent the spring talking up Dunn's chances to be the starter. 

"He was in the mindset that he was going to get that job during the spring and the summer," Meyer said of Weber. 

Look what a year can make [?] [?] [?] pic.twitter.com/FM2qvJhQKk

-- Mike Weber (@mikeweberjr) July 11, 2016

Of course Weber has been expecting to start. At a place like Ohio State, a position isn't earned based on seniority. It's based on who can make the most plays. 

As a true freshman last season, Weber had no chance to start. Elliott, who was drafted in the top five by the Dallas Cowboys in April, was the team's running back. There was no debate about that. 

But this spring, Weber came into drills knowing the job could be his. And though Dunn was earning a lot of praise from the coaching staff, the real inside shot to be the starter had to be the young four-star prospect, not the fifth-year senior. 

That debate is gone. Dunn is off the roster and completely out of the picture, which puts pressure on Weber's shoulders. It's not about whether he grows up, it's about having to be ready. 

"I anticipate he will be the starting tailback," Meyer said of Weber. 

Dunn's departure hurt Ohio State's running back depth.

It did nothing to change what Ohio State is expecting from Weber. 

"With a guy like Mike, who's such a critical guy, I'm very close with him," Meyer said. "That's a Cadillac position in sports, one of them, is to be the starting tailback at Ohio State. And my name's going to be on that, so I do spend a lot of time with him." 

Ohio State doesn't have other options for full-time running backs. Let's take a look: 

* Curtis Samuel: Meyer said Samuel is one of the biggest playmakers on the team and should touch the ball in between 10 and 15 times per game. Though Meyer anticipates Samuel will get carries, he's not Ohio State's every-down running back.   

* Dontre Wilson: Wilson is a small speedster who came to Ohio State with a lot of promise, but he's spent much of the past two years in the shadows as he's been dealing with a nagging ankle injury. Wilson is supposedly healthy and bulked up, but like Samuel, he's not a pure running back. 

* Antonio Williams: Though Williams, a four-star running back from North Carolina, enrolled early at Ohio State and had a good spring, he's not ready for a full-time load. Meyer anticipates he'll play some, but freshmen are freshmen. 

Weber has to produce. 

"Taking initiative, taking care of his body on his own, eating right, once you start seeing that he's doing that stuff, you see he's growing up," Elflein said of Weber. "He realizes there's a lot of people counting on him to play well this year.

"I told him that, 'You have millions of people, Buckeye Nation, counting on you to make plays every Saturday.' And he's like, 'Wow, that's a lot of pressure.' I said, 'I'm going to take care of you, we'll block up front, just run the ball.' "

Western Michigan and Bowling Green are voted to win their divisions in the annual MAC football preseason poll for 2016.

MAC Logo.The Plain Dealer 

DETROIT, Michigan -- Western Michigan and Bowling Green are picked to win their divisions in the annual Mid-American Conference preseason football poll announced Thursday morning at the start of the MAC's annual meetings at Detroit's Ford Field. Media voters, selected by each team in the conference, voted Western Michigan to win the MAC's West Division and Bowling Green in the MAC East.

WMU, with third-year coach P.J. Fleck is still 'rowing the boat' in an effort to get to the top, was the overwhelming pick in the West, getting 19 of 26 media votes, along with the nod to win the MAC Championship game, also with 19 votes.

Bowling Green, which welcomes new coach Mike Jinks, edged Ohio University for first in the MAC East, 12 votes to 10, with the Akron Zips getting the remaining four votes.

Northern Illinois picked up three first-place votes in the West with Toledo and Central Michigan each getting two. The voting for the MAC Champion was decidedly tipped to the West with WMU, Toledo (2), Northern Illinois (2) and Central Michigan (1) all getting votes, while only BG (1) and Akron (1) were selected to win it from the MAC East. The MAC title game is December 2 in Ford Field.

In the traditionally pass-happy MAC, the Broncos are favored in large part due to their running game, which averaged 204.6 yards per game last season and returns intact. However, the passing attack is there if needed with senior quarterback Zach Terrell, who threw for 3,510 yards and 29 touchdowns.

Bowling Green was picked No. 1 in the East despite having a new coach and only 12 returning starters. None of them are offensive skill players, but practically the entire offensive line is back to protect whoever emerges to generate points.

Kent State continues its rebuilding program under fourth-year coach Paul Haynes. The Golden Flashes remain unsettled at quarterback and on the offensive line, so it's no surprise they were picked last in the MAC East. They also have a gauntlet schedule playing six of the seven teams that received votes to win their divisions.

Akron was picked as a MAC contender in great measure due to the return of veteran quarterback Thomas Woodson (2,202 yards passing, 16 TD), and a much softer schedule. Akron starts MAC play with Kent and Miami, then plays only four of the seven teams expected to contend for division titles, and three of those are at home.

Here is the MAC Preseason poll, with first-place votes in parenthesis:

MAC East

1. Bowling Green (12) 136
2. Ohio University (10) 134
3. Akron (4) 107
4. Buffalo 75
5. Miami 52
6. Kent State 42

MAC West

1. Western Michigan (19) 144
2. Toledo (2) 113
3. Northern Illinois (3) 112
4. Central Michigan (2) 98
5. Ball State 44
6. Eastern Michigan 35

MAC Champion -- WMU (19); Toledo (2); NIU (2); CMU (1); BG (1), Akron (1).

Get updates as the Browns braintrust meets with the media on Thursday.

BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns are set to open training camp. The full squad reports to the team's practice facility today and it kicks off with a press conference featuring Sashi Brown, Paul DePodesta and Hue Jackson. 

Cleveland.com Browns reporters Mary Kay Cabot, Dan Labbe and Scott Patsko will be there. Follow along with live updates in the Twitter widget below and also in  the comments. We'll have complete camp coverage at cleveland.com/browns.

Follow Mary Kay, Dan and Scott on Twitter by clicking on their names.

Tweets from https://twitter.com/dan_labbe/lists/browns-updates

Watch the press conference courtesy of the Cleveland Browns.

Talk all things Cleveland sports with us at 12:30 p.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The MLB trade deadline is in a few days and the Indians are at the center of numerous rumors. The Browns will open training camp on Friday, with head coach Hue Jackson, Sashi Brown and Paul DePodesta scheduled to meet with the media for a preview. Bud Shaw and I will talk all of that on Thursday's Sports Insider.

Indians reporter Zack Meisel will chat about which players the Indians should be targeting and the most likely moves at the deadline. Dan Labbe will give his expectations for the Browns. 

Watch the full show above and join us live every Thursday.

Get ready for the 2016 Cleveland Browns season, which begins at training camp in Berea Friday, July 29. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's Browns season again. The football team takes the practice field Friday, to start training camp in Berea.

The full squad reports on Thursday, and Friday practice is open to the public. Training camp runs through Aug. 15.

On Aug. 6, the browns will play their Orange and Brown scrimmage for the second straight year at Ohio Stadium on the Ohio State University campus in Columbus.

This has been an interesting off-season thanks to the leadership of Coach Hue Jackson, and people are excited to see what unfolds out of it.

Watch more: Cleveland Browns training camp battles to watch

"The last couple of years, we've been on the fence of deciding to be buyers or sellers, if we're in it or not," Kipnis said. "It's fun to be on this side, where it's clear that we're buyers."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The clock is ticking toward Monday's trade deadline. Second baseman Jason Kipnis wonders whether the Indians will land a some reinforcements before it's too late.

At this time of year, players scour trade rumors with frequency, too.

"We know stuff probably won't happen until the weekend," Kipnis told cleveland.com. "It's fun. It [takes you] back to playing fantasy baseball when you're younger. It's interesting, the business side, that we can guess and anticipate.

"It makes it another fun part of this run."

In recent years, the trade deadline has placed the Indians in a painstaking position. The last two seasons, the club has shipped away its veteran pieces in late July.

This time, the Indians are buyers. No one knows precisely how much shopping they will do, but the annual July garage sale is taking a hiatus in 2016. For once, the deadline brings curiosity instead of trepidation.

"The last couple of years, we've been on the fence of deciding to be buyers or sellers, if we're in it or not," Kipnis said. "It's fun to be on this side, where it's clear that we're buyers."

Look back at past Indians deadline deals

But what if the front office's trip to the trade market doesn't result in a substantial purchase? In 2013, the Indians, at 59-48, sat only a couple games in back of first-place Detroit at the deadline. Lefty reliever Marc Rzepczynski represented their only deadline addition.

At this juncture, the Indians have needs at catcher, third base, the outfield and in the bullpen. Still, this group has carried the club to a 57-42 start, one good enough to attain a 4 1/2-game advantage in the American League Central.

"You can get lucky in a game," Kipnis said. "You can get lucky in a series. It's hard to be lucky through a 162-game schedule. We're in first place. We've been in first place for a while. We're proving that we're a good team. We're proving that this team can get us to where we need to go and where we want to be.

"With the trade deadline coming up, you're not looking to change the dynamic of the team. You're looking to fill in some holes."

Meisel: Indians needs becoming more glaring

The Indians' deal for Ubaldo Jimenez didn't pay dividends until 2013.Chuck Crow/The Plain Dealer 

Five years ago, the Indians -- barely hanging on in the AL Central race -- dealt second baseman Orlando Cabrera to San Francisco to clear a spot for Kipnis to play daily. The next day, they completed a trade in which they obtained pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez.

At the time, it seemed like a significant splash, as the club yielded a pair of first-round draft selections to land the right-hander. Ultimately, Jimenez didn't provide the proper lift until late in the 2013 campaign.

So while players scan social media for the latest buzz, they know that, though it's preferable to be buyers in July, no trade will guarantee the Indians a ticket to the postseason.

"We've tried to reinforce to guys around the clubhouse that, 'Hey, the Andrew Millers, the Jonathan Lucroys, they aren't going to come in here and win the World Series for us,'" Kipnis said. "We still need to keep playing. We need to realize that the guys who are already in here are going to be the deciding factors.

"It's fun. It's nice. Guys are waiting around to see if anything's going to happen. But at the same time, the feeling is that we've shown to everyone and to ourselves that we can be a very good team and we need to keep doing that."

The Browns are opening another edition of training camp under another new regime. Will this year be different?

BEREA, Ohio -- Remember Johnny Manziel's neon shoes? It was his footwear of choice during his second training camp practice two years ago. It came up on my Timehop, an app that reminds you of past, sometimes regrettable social media posts, a few days ago. 

Things have changed dramatically around here since then. The GM who drafted Manziel and the coach who could never get him under control -- maybe that coach doesn't exist outside of the fictional Eric Taylor from "Friday Night Lights" -- are gone. So is Manziel. (As an aside, so is Tom Reed. I'll be attempting to fill his shoes this season.)  

Even the slogans have changed. Plastered on the wall throughout the Browns' renovated locker room, meeting and training areas is the slogan that replaced "Play Like a Brown." "Expect to Win" is the new mantra.

The phrase "culture change" has been thrown around ad nauseam in these parts since the first time a coach got fired post-1999. It's getting thrown around again by the team's newest new regime. No one could blame the fans if all of this is met with a collective eye roll. What is it LeBron James said about nothing being given? The Browns have been given chances time and again by their fans and they'll get another one thanks to the contagious energy of Hue Jackson and his coaching staff.  

Cleveland is a city, though, that knows what a championship feels like. It's a city whose expectations have changed. Maybe the 2016 edition of the Browns will get a pass from fans. Maybe not, if the Indians add another banner to the city's collection. Regardless, this might be the last chance at a pass this organization gets.

"I think the fans should have high expectations for us every time we go out," Vice President of Football Operations Sashi Brown said. "We have those same high expectations regardless of whether the Cavs or Indians are doing great. I think (Indians General Manager) Chris (Antonetti) and his team are doing an outstanding job as well. Hopefully they win another World Series and put some more pressure on us, if you want to think about it that way." 

The more things change, of course, the more we still have quarterback competitions and talk of clean slates and a camp that will be long on platitudes. That's just how it is, but there is, at least, hope.

This training camp won't reach chanting Super Bowl levels -- at least chants not dripping with snark. There will be optimism, though. There should be. I think the Browns really do have something in Jackson, and that's a start.

It will all run head-on into the regular season at some point, though. Training camp creates mirages that can disappear when the calendar turns to September. The rebuilding plan isn't a short one. It can't be after what happened the last two seasons.

For now, it's time for a new training camp with another new coaching staff. It's time to start moving forward.

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Naz Bohannon and Daesean Brooks sparked Lorain to an Earl Boykins Summer League boys basketball crown, just days before football practice is set to begin for them.

WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS, Ohio – Lorain seniors Naz Bohannon and Daesean Brooks have a short vacation.

Football practice begins Monday.

Both are big-play targets for the Titans on the field. On the court, their efforts energized Lorain’s boys basketball team to a championship Thursday in the Earl Boykins Summer League at the Word in Warrensville Heights. Bohannon had 18 points and 12 rebounds as Lorain beat Central Catholic, 68-46.

See highlights with reaction from Bohannon and Brooks at the bottom. Click here for league results. See the next video for top plays and vote on who dazzled the most during the semifinals and finals.

The 18-team summer league included two regional champions from last season, Garfield Heights and St. Vincent-St. Mary, plus two more district title winners in Lorain and Lutheran East. After watching the above video, here is a description of the included players.

Daesean Brooks, Lorain: The senior displayed athleticism in the games leading up to Lorain’s final vs. Central Catholic. In the final, he extended his offensive game with the 3-pointer.

Jack Korsok, Mentor: The Cardinals reached the semifinals with the help of Korsok’s 3-point shooting that was on display during an 86-65 loss to the Titans.

Miryne Thomas, Central Catholic: One of many returning players for Jordan Duke’s Ironmen, Thomas is picking up Division I college interest. Here’s why: He’s 6-foot-7 with a jumper to match his inside presence.

Tyler Golphin, Central Catholic: The senior guard is another returning player who helped the Ironmen reach the finals. They beat upset-minded Warrensville Heights, 62-54, during Thursday’s semifinals.

Allen Sims, Mentor: A 6-3 senior for the Cardinals, Sims should help the Cardinals contend in the Greater Cleveland Conference this winter.

Joseph Vallery, Warrensville Heights: A point guard, Vallery is one of the Tigers’ most experienced perimeter players. He will be a three-year starter this season.

Sha’Mar Latham, Warrensville Heights: One of Vallery’s backcourt mates, Latham displayed shooting range in the semifinals vs. Central Catholic. Warrensville Heights gained a little momentum after struggling during summer league pool play. The Tigers reached the semifinals after beating STVM via forfeit and Lake Erie League-rival Shaw.

Jalil Little, Lorain: The Titans seized momentum early in the finals vs. Central Catholic when Little knocked down a 3 after a quick pass from Bohannon. He also attacked the basket, which can be seen among the top plays.

Naz Bohannon, Lorain: Although Bohannon’s finishes didn’t make the top plays, he facilitated Little’s big shot and had his fingerprints all over the Titans’ run. See more of that in the video below.

Devone Grant, Lorain: Only a sophomore, Grant suited up for the Titans’ district championship run last season. Watch for the guard’s passing here.

Alex Heath, Central Catholic: A junior transfer, Heath helped Lutheran East reach last season’s Division IV regional finals. The point guard joins a deep backcourt this season and makes the leap to Division II competition.

Delshawn Jackson, Central Catholic: Another junior in that backcourt, Jackson’s highlight included benefitting from his new point guard.

Dale Bonner, Shaker Heights: Bonner and the Raiders lost Tuesday to Lorain in the quarterfinals, but his drive to the basket made the cut. Bonner emerged as a sophomore for coach Danny Young’s squad and is now part of a team that welcomed two transfers in the summer. Former Glenville standout Christian Guess and senior guard Maurico Tate, a senior, are now in the picture.

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.