North Carolina defensive end could be a major force for the Browns, says Mary Kay Cabot on SBTV.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, hosted by Chuck Yarborough and -- wonder of wonders -- featuring the return of co-host Branson Wright, who's been away on assignment.

Today's guest is Browns writer Mary Kay Cabot, and with the draft just 15 days away, and a plethora of big-name collegians coming in, you can guess today's topic. It all rolls off today's Starting Blocks poll: Should the Browns take a chance on a player who's been out of football for a year like, say, North Carolina's pass-rushing stud Robert Quinn?

Mary Kay talked to Quinn's defensive coordinator with the Tar Heels, Everett Withers, for an upcoming feature on the young defensive end and joked that she's about ready to draft the kid right now. Quinn was a monster as a pass rusher in his sophomore year, with 11 sacks to go along with more than 50 tackles. He was suspended last year, though, by the NCAA for accepting jewelry and hotel accommodations.

While we had Mary Kay on the line, we asked her about Quinn and six other potential first-round picks by the Browns: Da'Quan Bowers, Von Miller, Julio Jones, Patrick Peterson and Marcell Dareus. Her "Reader's Digest" synopses of their skills is as interesting as it is succinct.

Tune in Thursday when Branson and Chuck will spend a little time with columnist Bud Shaw, who will discuss the merits and magic of origami.

Yeah, right. Bud's gonna talk Tribe, tonight's season finale for the Cavs and just what the team is looking at in the upcoming lottery and draft.

WFNY's TD and Jacob Rosen discuss the trend and potential mirage that has been the 2011 Cleveland Indians.

AP Photo/Chris CarlsonASDRUBLAST! Asdrubal Cabrera has been a big factor in the Tribe's early success, but can they keep it up?

TD: So Jacob, the Tribe is off to a torrid start that nobody saw coming. The starting pitchers have been borderline spectacular. Can you imagine if this is the REAL Justin Masterson at the top of the rotation? 

Jacob: Justin Masterson with a career 15-24 record and 4.44 ERA as a starter? I'm not sold yet. Two quality starts sure are awesome, and the guy is only 26 years old, but I'm just not certain he's cut out to do this for a full season. We've continuously seen bits and pieces of his success either as a reliever or in short spurts as an innings eater, and I'm sure he'll cool down at least somewhat by late May.

I think he's due for somewhere close to a 4.00 ERA or something this season which would be much better than expected and especially improved over his 4.63 ERA from 2009 to 2010, but we shall see.

TD: Let's not forget the close to his 2010 season. Don't forget his 3.84 ERA after the break and his 18:2 K-to-walk ratio in September. I think he is starting to get it. Remember, he was once one of the Red Sox top pitching prospects behind Jon Lester. 

I said before the season that the three key guys that had to take their games to the next level were Masterson, Carlos Carrasco, and Matt LaPorta. So far, so good, but it's still early.

Jacob: That's absolutely true. Two of the best things scouts would say that are on Masterson's side right now are his size and his age. He is a 6-foot-6-inch behemoth and - as I mentioned above - he just turned 26 years old in March. 

As you said, Carrasco and Fausto Carmona are the only two pitchers to even struggle moderately in a start thus far this season. The team's 3.77 ERA for the starting pitchers is way down from 4.53 and 5.30 over the previous two seasons, respectively. Will it last all year? Definitely not, and it's only a matter of time before the regression to the mean finally hits.

TD: Carrasco will go through ups and downs - it's his first full season in the bigs so I expect that. But who's to say he can't win 13-15 games? Everyone forgets he was Kyle Drabek before Kyle Drabek became "the man" in Philly's system. 

What about this pen, Jacob? Raffy Perez, Tony Sipp, and Chris Perez haven't been touched heading into Tuesday night's game. Vinnie Pestano looks like a keeper out there as well. This is shades of the 2005 pen, this time with a power closer.

Jacob: That's very true, TD. Sipp and the Perez's have all had previously productive years in the bigs - 2007 to 2008 for Rafael Perez, 2009 for Sipp and 2010 for Chris Perez - while Pestano has certainly proven his worth recently up in Cleveland.

And remember, the Indians bullpen quietly had a 3.83 ERA last season. The upper half of the minors is stacked with even more relievers, so I suppose this is a bright spot going forward. Of course though, those four will eventually hit some at least rough patches when the going gets a little tougher.

TD: That's the thing. While it's a young group, the three key guys all have had success at this level. It's not like Pestano has to pitch the eighth as a rookie. The best part is it looks like these guys have defined their own roles within the first 10 games. They have made it easy for Manny Acta.

Speaking of the manager, has anyone pulled better strings than Acta has thus far? Every move he has made seems to have worked. I love that he is already managing to win no matter the situation. Like when he called for Raffy Perez in the 5th inning against Boston with two on and two out in a one run game. It worked, and when he was asked about it, he said he felt that was the key point in the game and you can't save your bullets in that situation.

Jacob: Actaball has been a delight, and I'm sure if any few Tribe fans can agree on that, it'd be you, Jon, DP and me. Acta is a numbers guy through and through, and we knew that from the beginning. Now that we've actually got a productive product out there on the field, everything's starting to cool and Cleveland fans are starting to learn just exactly how valuable it can be to have a sabermetrics-type guy out there as a manager.

But realistically, is this a team that will maintain this level of play for the whole year? Are we even looking at anywhere more than 80 wins? I'm not so certain there. The 2002 Indians began with an 11-1 tear and faded to a 74-88 record. I think that's about what we'll see by the end of this year, give or take about five wins, and hopefully certainly no managerial change.

TD: It's nice to watch a National League manager take advantage of the American League, station to station type counterparts. How about the off-guard Adam Everett steal in the 8th inning of a 0-0 game with Boston last Thursday? What about the subsequent squeeze play that won the game? You think "The Grinder" would have ever even considered such bold moves? Acta owned both Terry Francona and Eric Wedge last week.

I admit, I've got stars in my eyes with this start. They are doing it without Grady Sizemore and slumps from Shin-Soo Choo and Carlos Santana. But I've got to temper the enthusiasm. Everything has gone right the first week and a half. Things are bound to change. Injuries happen. But I want to enjoy this while I can. I just hope the fans show up this weekend to support this club. They deserve it the way they have played. 

Reality? I think they end up right around .500, but why can't they contend in this division? 

Jacob: Acta's been about as valuable as a manager can be in baseball, and you brought up a strong point there about his background in the NL. 

And that's right about tempering the enthusiasm, as this is almost too good of a story to be true for that long. Who knows how long the pitching can hold up, let alone major contributing veterans Orlando Cabrera and Travis Hafner? The Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers deservedly remain the main forces in the division, and I think a close second place finish with no more than 80 wins seems about the best case possible.

TD: And what about Hafner? He has looked like "Pronk" again thus far. Is there any way he is "back?" If he is, it changes the entire dynamic of this lineup. I for one can't see that happening, but a man can dream. The Orlando Cabrera signing has been nothing short of brilliant. Think he changes the team just a little bit? He's playing second like he's been there his whole career and has been protecting Hafner better than we could have imagined in the six hole. Jayson Nix, he certainly isn't and he'd be you 2B right now.

Jacob: But yet again, it's way too early in the season. One of the most basic principles of sports statistics is to consider the sample size, and that's no more prevalent than in trying to make sense of baseball numbers in April. Sometime, these things happen, and it doesn't always have to make sense, let alone relate to future performances. Hafner and Cabrera are on the back end of their decent careers, and I'm not sure how they could get any better than they've been so far.

So considering a regression to the mean is the key here. Just think about it, the Indians have a +.181 net OPS this season - the team has a .792 mark against just a .611 performance for opponents. That's unfathomable, and also clearly unsustainable.

TD: You and your stats. I'm an eye test guy. Hafner just looks much more comfortable at the plate, and healthier. Must be the hair growth. Cabrera is the perfect place holder for Jason Kipnis. This is the umpteenth year he has signed a one year deal as a stop gap guy. Everywhere he goes he wins and plays well.

OK, so how do you think this will all play out? Will the Indians hang around all year? Is this start a mirage? 

Jacob: An 8-3 start certainly means the Indians will be in position to at least hang around near the top of the AL Central through at least part of May. Where they go from there, I'm not quite sure, as I'm positive this team has a few more corresponding 2-8 stretches on the horizon by the time October rolls around. Promoting prospects like Kipnis, Lonnie Chisenhall, Alex White and potentially others could help, but also could bother some of this rhythm Acta's got with the crew right now. 

Any way you slice it I'm just not buying the longevity of this team's success. I'm sticking with somewhere between 72-80 wins by the end of the year, and somewhere between a fourth to second place finish in the division. But assuming things continue to progress and develop throughout the organization in 2011, the Indians could very well be in line to contend early than I expected, and that means 2012.

TD: The three guys you mentioned could come up and be difference makers at some point later in the season, ala Franklyn Gutierrez, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Jensen Lewis in 2007. Let's us not forget that the infamous Jason Michaels/David Dellucci platoon, Trot Nixon, and Josh Barfield were regulars until the kids (and Kenny Lofton) took the ABs. Lewis was the bridge to Raffy Left and Raffy Right. 

I am truly looking through my Wahoo red, white, and blue glasses right now, but I just cannot help but be excited by this team's hot start.

Beats the Eric Wedge Annual April swoon, doesn't it?

Jacob: You're right, and 2007 was a huge year in the status of this franchise. Will 2011 repeat that season in terms of what it means for the future? I hope not to a certain extent, because we can't get away from the fact that on paper, this team really is built to start competing in 2013. The big-time prospects need to get their feet wet and then some in order to be key cogs on a playoff contender, so I just want to make sure fans and the front office don't get too carried away because of this year's early success. Stay calm Tribe faithful, success will come, but maybe not just this soon.

Share your opinions on area golf courses - and read everyone else's thoughts - as you get ready for the golf season.

View full sizeScott Shaw / The Plain DealerA view of the seventh and eighth holes at Windmill Lakes Golf Club in Ravenna. Share your opinions on Windmill Lakes, and any other area courses, in The Plain Dealer's golf course reviews by the public.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Love or hate an area golf course? Share your opinions - and read everyone else's thoughts - in The Plain Dealer's Northeast Ohio golf course reviews by the public. The reviews are one of several interactive local golf online features from The Plain Dealer.

The others to check out while you get ready to return to the links:

• Get help with your game by emailing a question for columnist Bud Shaw's Ask the Pro instruction video, which features a rotating panel of local golf professionals. The video series will resume May 4. However, we're looking for your questions now. And while you wait for the weather to warm up, gear up for the season by watching the archived videos from 2010.

• The Plain Dealer's Golf Course Guide. Most of the listings have been updated for 2011, and the others are in the process of being refreshed. And be sure to pick up a copy of the Golf Course Guide in a special section appearing inside the May 15 Plain Dealer.
• The weekly Shotgun Start local golf page will return on Wednesdays beginning May 4. Get your local golf questions answered in reporter Tim Rogers' Hey, T.R.! column, which will return May 4.
• Several aces have already been reported for 2011. Check out holes-in-one by area golfers dating back to 2010 and where the shots were made with our Super Shooters listing.
  

Former Cleveland Indians minor leaguer hits the lotto.

AP

Joel Torres, who played minor league baseball with the Cleveland Indians (Arizona League), no longer plays baseball but he came up a big winner recently.

Torres won a $1 million jackpot in a scratch-off lottery game.

In The New York Post:

Torres yesterday collected his $660,300 lump sum payment at the Garden City, LI, State Lottery office. He bought the ticket while staying at his mom's house in Queens.

Torres bought the ticket at a food store on Linden Boulevard in Elmont, LI, on Feb. 24.

"My dream, since I was a kid, is baseball. That's what I'm going to continue doing. I'm going to keep swinging, swinging for the fences," Torres said.

There are several reports that the NBA will cancel the Las Vegas Summer League.

APDavid Stern

Well it looks like the NBA is getting ready for a lockout.

There are several reports, including this article in The New York Daily News, that the NBA has cancelled its annual Las Vegas summer league and its annual summer internship program, according to league sources.

In preparing for a lockout, the NBA is also not sending any teams abroad for training camp, and did not schedule any preseason games in Europe for this fall.

Owners and players have not held formal negotiations since mid-February, but are expected to resume talks this month. The collective bargaining agreement expires June 30.

How will the Indians bounce back from their first loss in nine games? Where will Grady Sizemore bat when he's healthy? Plain Dealer Indians beat writer Paul Hoynes answered those questions and more in his weekly podcast.

View full sizeAP Photo | Orlin WagnerGrady Sizemore will play center field when he returns to the Indians, but where will he hit in the lineup?

How will the Indians bounce back from their first loss in nine games? Where will Grady Sizemore bat when he's healthy?

Plain Dealer Indians beat writer Paul Hoynes answered those questions and more in his weekly podcast.

Among other topics discussed:

• Who's the odd man out in the bullpen when Joe Smith returns?

• What about when Sizemore returns?

• How do you expect Fausto Carmona to handle putting up good numbers but not having wins to show for it?

• Will this good start have any immediate impact on attendance at Progressive Field?

You can download the mp3 or listen with the player to the right.

Tressel said Kenny Guiton had the best practice on Tuesday, though he changes his mind almost every day.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Jim Tressel would love it if one of the four quarterbacks looking to replace the suspended Terrelle Pryor for the first five games of the 2011 season jumped up and seized the job this spring. That hasn't happened yet.

Through eight of the 15 spring practices, the four quarterbacks in the mix - senior Joe Bauserman, redshirt sophomore Kenny Guiton, redshirt freshman Taylor Graham and true freshman Braxton Miller - remain bunched. Speaking for about 12 minutes on a Big Ten conference call today, the first time Tressel has addressed a group of reporters since the day before spring practice started, he said Guiton had the best day of practice Tuesday, but that doesn't mean a lot at the moment.

"I kind of vacillate every day," Tressel said. "We don't have a game tomorrow, so we don't have to make that decision. What we're trying to do is evaluate that consistency over time. I think it is critical that by the end of 15 practices that we do start thinking about some sort of pecking order."

That's important because dividing up the practice snaps for the 29 preseason practices will be more difficult with Pryor back in the mix. Right now, Pryor is sidelined while recovering from foot surgery, so there are only four quarterbacks taking part in practice, not five. But Tressel said he expects Pryor to start running around on his foot again on May 1, and by the preseason he should be 100 percent. And though Pryor can't play for the first five games of the season, he'll still be a part of practice.

So though Tressel said preseason practice is about twice as important as spring practice, the other four quarterbacks are jockeying for position. They can't win the job, but they can put themselves in better position to win it in August.

"I hope you couldn't lose the quarterback battle in the spring, but maybe you could," Tressel said.
 
* NEWSOME LIMITED: Jon Newsome, who figured to be in the mix to start at strongside linebacker, hasn't participated in much of the practice time that reporters have been able to watch, and Tressel confirmed today that Newsome's reps have been limited. It's not because he's injured, but because he's in Tressel's doghouse.

"I've been known to have a doghouse, and Jonathan is in and out of it simply because we're not 100 percent sure he's been doing everything he needs to do to the best of his abilities," Tressel said. "I don't expect him to be in it long, but sometimes we have do what we think will help a young person learn."

Ex-slugger is charged with 3 counts of lying to grand jury in 2003 and a count of obstruction. Prosecutors say Bonds lied when he denied knowingly taking steroids and human growth hormone.

APBarry Bonds continues to wait for a verdict in his perjury trial.

SAN FRANCISCO, California -- Jurors have resumed deliberating in the Barry Bonds perjury trial.

The eight women and four men returned for a fourth day of deliberations shortly after 8:30 a.m. Pacific time Wednesday. The panel spent most of the court day on Tuesday behind closed doors but failed to reach a verdict.

Bonds is charged with three counts of lying to a grand jury in 2003 and one count of obstruction.

Prosecutors allege that Bonds lied when he denied knowingly taking steroids and human growth hormone. A third count of making a false statement charges that Bonds lied when he said that no one other than his doctor ever injected him with anything.

The fourth count is obstruction of justice, which alleges that MLB's all-time home runs leader hindered the grand jury's sports doping investigation by lying. It lists the statements in the first three counts along with four other answers Bonds gave to prosecutors as unlawful.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Browns President Mike Holmgren and general manager Tom Heckert will conduct a conference call with Browns season ticket holders Thursday to discuss the upcoming season.

J. Scott Applewhite / APRoger Goodell will answer questions from Browns season ticket holders on Thursday.

CLEVELAND -- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Browns President Mike Holmgren and general manager Tom Heckert will conduct a conference call with Browns season ticket holders, club level members, suite holders and corporate partners on Thursday too discuss the upcoming season.

 Goodell, who will also begin court-ordered mediation on Thursday regarding the collective bargaining agreement, will not be permitted to discuss anything taking place in mediation, but can address CBA-related issues, according to NFL Senior Vice President of Public Relations Greg Aiello.

 The conference call, hosted by Mike Snyder of WTAM AM/1100 and the Browns Radio Network, will last about an hour with each of the participants answering questions for about 20 minutes.

 “We are pleased to provide our season ticket holders, club level members, suite holders and corporate partners the opportunity to participate in this exclusive teleconference,” Chris Gallagher, vice president of ticket sales and service, told clevelandbrowns.com. “Fans are sure to enjoy hearing directly from Commissioner Goodell, Mike Holmgren and Tom Heckert as they field questions and share thoughts on the upcoming season.''

In addition to questions about the season and the lockout, Heckert and Holmgren are sure to field questions about the NFL Draft, which is April 28-30. The Browns, who have the No. 6 overall pick, are in the process of hosting most of the big-name prospects to help finalize their board.

Latest scenario has the Browns taking Alabama receive Julio Jones, although Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert likely will be on the board.

View full sizeMichael Conroy l Associated PressAlabama wide receiver Julio Jones.

In 1973, the Bengals drafted 15th and the Browns 16th. I recall the story of the Browns openly chortling when the Bengals selected receiver Isaac Curtis from San Diego State in the first round. The Browns loved receiver Steve Holden of Arizona State and took him next. We know how that turned out.

I bring this up because a similar scenario could be playing out April 28. The Bengals pick fourth and the Browns sixth. The Bengals probably will have their choice of receivers A.J. Green of Georgia and Julio Jones of Alabama.

Based on new informa tion, I now have the Bengals passing on quarterback Blaine Gabbert at No. 4 and choosing a receiver in our mock draft 8.0.

This very real scenario presents the possibility of Gabbert falling to the Browns at No. 6. They couldn't ask for better trade bait. But if nobody bites, what do they do then?

My best guess is they take Jones, the "cleanest" player on the board.

1. Carolina, Cam Newton, quarterback, Auburn, 1 last week.

Comment: In a normal off-season, they would begin contract talks.

2. Denver, Marcell Dareus, defensive tackle, Alabama, 2.

Comment: Not Ndamukong Suh, but better than 2010 No. 3 Gerald McCoy.

3. Buffalo, Von Miller, linebacker, Texas A&M, 5.

Comment: If Panthers get cold feet, Bills would snag Newton.

4. Cincinnati, A.J. Green, receiver, Georgia, 6.

Comment: They may not be 100 percent sold on him.

5. Arizona, Patrick Peterson, cornerback, LSU, 5.

Comment: Ken Whisenhunt prefers a QB in free agency.

6. Browns, Julio Jones, receiver, Alabama, 10.

Comment: They hope to field trade calls.

7. San Francisco, Blaine Gabbert, quarterback, Missouri, 4.

Comment: Unless Jim Harbaugh is waiting for Andrew Luck.

8. Tennessee, Nick Fairley, defensive tackle, Auburn, 8.

Comment: They could trade down to position selves for their QB.

9. Dallas, Tyron Smith, offensive tackle, USC, 9.

Comment: Will weigh two defensive possibilities here, too.

10. Washington, Jake Locker, quarterback, Washington, --.

Comment: Mike Shanahan can't resist.

Dropped out: Robert Quinn, defensive end, North Carolina.

Gymnastics joins other successful KSU programs like wrestling, field hockey, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's golf and baseball that have all advanced to NCAA Championships in recent years.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Kent State women's gymnastics coach Brice Biggin has received a lot of glad hands and backslaps for leading the Golden Flashes into this weekend's 12-team NCAA Championships at the Wolstein Center.

But none was as welcome as the one earlier this week from longtime KSU golf coach Herb Page.

"Herb came up to me the other day and said, 'You're with the rest of us now,' " a beaming Biggin said. "Coming from Herb, who is the coach of coaches at Kent, that was special. That means a lot."

Gymnastics joins other successful KSU programs like wrestling, field hockey, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's golf and baseball that have all advanced to NCAA Championships in recent years.

Biggin spoke Thursday from the floor of the Wolstein Center, where he and his team are the clear underdog beside favorites Alabama, UCLA and Oklahoma. Opposing coaches searched him out to say congratulations and to wish him good luck, understanding it is no small feat for a program like Kent to stand with the sport's elite.

When asked how many of the 12 teams at the championships his Golden Flashes had competed against this season, Biggin did not have to ponder the question long.

"One. Michigan," he said.

But that does not mean the competition hasn't noticed the Golden Flashes.

Several coaches mentioned Kent State as they spoke about the upcoming championships -- much of it unsolicited.

"Being the new person, you're always wondering, 'Do they believe in us? Do they think we're good enough? Do they think we should be here?' " Biggin said.

"But the amount of support we have had from the other coaches, coaches who have probably never seen us before, coaches from great programs like UCLA and Alabama, those two in particular called us very early and said how excited they were for us and what it means for our sport. It's nice to have the backing of your peers."

The favorites remain defending champion and No. 2 seed UCLA, top seed Alabama and No. 3 Oklahoma.

The four teams that have won all of the previous 29 gymnastics titles are in Cleveland, led by Georgia (10 titles) and Utah (nine). UCLA and Alabama are the others. KSU is the only first-time entry in the field.

"It has been surreal, a whirlwind," said Biggin, a 20-year coaching veteran. "Co-hosting this event has added to the pressure, to make sure the championships come off in the right way. The fact it has never been held in this area is big in itself, but to have the opportunity to bring a team here as well, the first time in history, there's just a lot of things we've had to do that we have never done before."

All that's left now is the competition, which begins today with the first semifinals at noon.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: ealexander@plaind.com, 216-999-4253

Some Cavaliers fans might still be angry with LeBron James, but it doesn't look like there's enough ill will to fill downtown restaurants and bars like getting into the NBA playoffs used to do.

Chuck Crow l The Plain DealerFans burn a LeBron James jersey last summer after the basketball star announces he will leave the Cavaliers for the Miami Heat. Tempers have died down since then.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It looks like we're getting over it.

Though some fans may still harbor some anger toward LeBron James for his decision to leave the Cavaliers for the Miami Heat, many who could benefit from stoking that anger say we're moving on.

"I think we already had our fun with that," said Corey May, managing partner of the Barley House restaurant and bar in downtown. He added that fans enjoyed trashing their LeBron jerseys and booing him at games. We've gotten it out of our systems now, he said.

"What's in the past is in the past now," May said.

Calls by at least one national commentator for parties to boo the Heat are falling on deaf ears.

"Every round until Miami gets knocked out, [Cleveland fans] get to root passionately/spitefully/irrationally for The Playoff Team That's Playing LeBron," ESPN writer Bill Simmons said in a column early this month. "Why not open [the Q] for Miami playoff games and have 'Miami Hate' viewing parties?"

Not interested say the Cavaliers and the entertainment companies that ring the basketball arena.

Economic development groups estimate that downtown bars, restaurants and hotels raked in millions of dollars over the past five years as fans filled the area for playoff games. With the Cavaliers missing the post season for the first time since 2005, businesses stand to lose some revenue.

There don't seem to be enough angry fans to fill a bar to boo LeBron.

"I don't think people care about him as much as he thinks people should care about him right now," said Christa Cortes, manager of the Winking Lizard Tavern next to the Q. Cheering against James would be investing too much passion in him, she said.

Had the Cavaliers not beaten the Heat last month, feelings might be a bit different. Marketing executive Dick Clough and filmmaker Allyson Sherlock both said that game seemed to be the emotional moment fans had been waiting for since James announced he would leave the team.

"I think people are over it. We got our pound of flesh when the Cavs beat the Heat," said Clough, chief executive of Clough and Associates Marketing Solutions and founder of the Northeast Ohio Communications Advocates, a trade group for advertising and marketing professionals.

Sherlock is co-director of a documentary film called "Losing LeBron." She and her partners have been tracking fan reaction in Cleveland all year. Sherlock said many fans are still upset, but there's been a noticeable change in the tone of interviews since the March game.

"The March 29 game maybe laid a little bit of that [anger] to rest," Sherlock said from Boston where she is editing footage. "It was a really big moment for fans. The experience was overwhelming." As to the idea of opening the Q for watch parties? The team isn't interested.

Cavaliers President Len Komoroski said in an email that the team is focused on its future, not cheering against a former player.

"We have focused our efforts on planning for events surrounding the NBA draft lottery and the NBA draft itself, which will both be exciting times for our organization," Komoroski said.

Restaurant and bar owner said instead of focusing on not having Cavs playoff games, they're looking at some good things happening in Cleveland sports.

"You have three other winning teams right now with the Indians, the Monsters and the Gladiators" May said. "If they keep doing well, that should make up for not being in the [NBA] playoffs this year."

With the Indians winning eight of their first 12 games, most of the hopes of downtown entertainment businesses are on baseball this year. Home attendance has been extremely poor so far, but many blame that on miserably cold weather during the Indians' early home games.

"We really expect the fans to get behind the Indians, especially when the weather gets better," said Bryan Metzger, general manager of the Harry Buffalo restaurant and bar near Progressive Field.

Indians spokesman Curtis Danburg said with warmer temperatures on their way, he expects ticket sales to increase in the coming weeks.

"There's definitely a positive buzz that's been creating by our start," Danburg said.

Clough, who has tickets to the Indians game against the Baltimore Orioles Friday, said Cleveland sports fans have better things to worry about that a former player spurned them last year.

That said, if opponents beat the Heat badly in their first few games, then maybe the Cleveland bars would fill up.

"If the Heat did poorly in the playoffs, if they got blown out in the first round or the second round, I think people would take some pleasure in that," Clough said.

Ted Ginn Jr. talks to Branson Wright about the NFL Lockout and his support of Saturday's event at Cleveland Heights High School to raise money for cancer screening.

Ted Ginn Jr. has been in the NFL since the Miami Dolphins made him the ninth-overall pick out of Ohio State in the 2007 NFL Draft.

Ginn, now with the San Francisco 49ers, has been in a waiting game like all of the players and owners when it comes to the NFL Lockout.

In this interview with Branson Wright of SBTV, Ginn talks about the labor issues that has created a divide between players and owners, pensions and health care for retired players, and why fans shouldn't take sides in this labor issue.

Forty-Niners quarterback Troy Smith, and several other celebrities will take Ginn's side from 1-5 p.m. on Saturday in a dodge ball event at Cleveland Heights High School to help raise funds for cancer screening. The event will include giveaways.

Athletes vs. Cancer is an organization launched by Los Angeles Lakers forward Matt Barnes, who lost his mother to cancer four years ago.

Ginn will host his birthday party tonight at Sushi Rock (2101 Richmond Road) from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. tonight, and he will host an event at the Xecutive Ultra Lounge (1222 Prospect) from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday.

Derrick Williams helped Arizona finish off its rebuilding project with a spectacular sophomore season, boosting his draft status in the process.

FILE - In this Jan. 27, 2010, file photo, Arizona's Derrick Williams slam-dunks the ball against UCLA in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz.  (AP Photo/Wily Low, File)

Derrick Williams helped Arizona finish off its rebuilding project with a spectacular sophomore season, boosting his draft status in the process.

Now it's time to see what he can do in the NBA.

Considered a potential lottery pick, Williams declared for the NBA draft on Wednesday and will sign with an agent, ending two impressive seasons that helped turned Arizona's program around.

"After careful consideration and with the support of my family and coach (Sean) Miller, I have decided to declare for the 2011 NBA Draft," Williams said. "I have enjoyed my two years at Arizona both on and off the court. I want to thank my teammates, who are like brothers to me, my coaches and all Wildcat fans for making my experience an unforgettable one."

Williams was well down the recruiting radar coming out of high school in Southern California, not even the highest-rated prospect in Miller's initial recruiting class.

The 6-foot-8 forward turned out to be a steal for the Wildcats, a multidimensional player who could shoot inside, finish at the rim with both hands and had a knack for making big plays late in games.

He leaves Tucson with a place among some of best to ever play at tradition-rich Arizona and with the program headed in the right direction after three chaotic seasons.

"Today is a great day for Derrick Williams and for Arizona basketball," Miller said. "Derrick is a special player and rightfully should be considered to be one of the all-time great Wildcats. As good of a player as he is, he is an even better person."

Williams was the Pac-10's freshman of the year in the 2009-10 season, which ended with the Wildcats missing the NCAA tournament for the first time in 25 years.

He worked to get Arizona back to the bracket with a skill-building offseason and was nearly unstoppable once the ball went up for real, averaging 19.5 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 59 percent to lead the Wildcats into the West Regional final in the NCAA tournament.

Williams had some of his biggest moments late in the season, swatting away a last-second shot to preserve a win against Washington, making another game-saving block in the NCAA tournament opener against Memphis, then scoring on a late three-point play to lift Arizona over Texas the next round.

He racked up the awards along the way: Pac-10 player of the year, Wooden Award finalist, second-team All-American.

Williams said he will finish the spring semester at Arizona and plans to finish his degree in the future.

"We are all excited to follow his journey to the NBA, and I have no doubt he will be very successful as an NBA player," Miller said. "We wish him all the best and know that he will be a part of our basketball family forever."

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota — After more than a month off, the NFL and its locked-out players have starting talking again about how to resolve their differences and ensure there is pro football played this fall.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, left, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, right, leave the federal courthouse along with NFL outside attorney Bob Betterman, center, Thursday, April 14, 2011, in Minneapolis where the NFL and its locked-out players began court-ordered mediation. This was the first meeting between the two sides since March 11, when the old collective bargaining agreement expired, the union dissolved and the lockout began. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota — After more than a month off, the NFL and its locked-out players have starting talking again about how to resolve their differences and ensure there is pro football played this fall.

The only sign of progress or productivity, though, was the nine hours or so both sides spent in the federal courthouse on Thursday.

Sworn to secrecy about specifics of the court-ordered mediation, neither the league nor the players provided much insight about where they're at in their dispute over the division of this $9 billion business. They were set to meet again Friday morning.

Commissioner Roger Goodell, Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft were among those on hand for the closed-door session Thursday with U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan.

NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith was joined by attorneys, linebackers Ben Leber and Mike Vrabel, as well as Hall of Fame defensive end Carl Eller.

"We had a full day. It was constructive to get together," said Jeff Pash, the NFL's lead negotiator. "The chief magistrate judge is working very hard, and I give him a lot of credit for really trying to move the parties toward a solution."

Neither he nor Goodell would elaborate on the day's events.

"We pledged confidentiality," the commissioner said.

Smith was mum, too.

"We'll be back tomorrow," he said as he walked away.

So how long might this go?

"The court has indicated it wants to continue with everyone talking as long as it makes sense," said Michael Hausfeld, one of the attorneys for the players. He called Thursday's meeting "a good session."

So what about the fans, who are frustrated by the back-and-forth rhetoric with no promise of an accord before training camps are to begin in late July.

"Well, I'm a fan too," Eller said. "We would like to ease their minds. We can't tell them the outcome, but we are very interested in having a football season. A lot of things depend on it, of course. But, I'm with the fans. We want them to be happy. That's what's important to us."

It was the first time the sides have sat down to talk since March 11, when the collective bargaining agreement expired, the union was dissolved to clear the way for a court fight and the NFL wound up with its first work stoppage since the monthlong strike in 1987. With the lockout at 33 days and counting and the 2011 season in peril, Boylan is overseeing this round of mediation. Sixteen days of mediated sessions in Washington failed to secure a new labor pact.

Goodell stepped away from the session to join a teleconference with 5,300 Cleveland Browns season-ticket holders for 20 minutes. He would not characterize the negotiations, which are supposed to remain confidential, but did reiterate the importance of the sides getting together.

"I can tell you that it's a positive step when the parties are talking," he said. "We saw the March 11 proposal as responsive to issues raised by the players and there are many attractive elements in it. ... Our entire focus is on getting a deal done."

Goodell said the league hopes to release its schedule for next season within the next 10 days and plans to play "a full season." Goodell also said there are no plans to use replacement players as the league did in 1987 and that the Super Bowl in Indianapolis could be pushed back one week or the two-week gap after the conference championships could be shortened to one if necessary.

But Goodell's main message to fans was to assure them they would see the Browns play next season.

"We're going to make sure we have football, and more of it," he said.

Goodell held a similar session Wednesday with Dolphins season-ticket holders. During that call, he stressed the league's goal of keeping player costs under control and, in response to a question about financial transparency, said the NFL's disclosure has been "extraordinary." He insisted the players know "the revenue down to the penny," a reference to the union's push for the league to open the books.

"We want them to be informed," Goodell said. "We want to make sure they understand why we have the issues that we need to address."

The mediation is the first positive step in the dispute in more than a month, but the league and players still must agree on how to divide more than $9 billion in annual revenue.

U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson, who ordered the mediation, is still considering a request from the players to lift the lockout imposed by the owners. After an April 6 hearing, she said she planned to rule on the injunction request in a couple of weeks.

Players including MVP quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning filed the request along with a class-action antitrust suit against the league. The lawsuit has been combined with two other similar claims from retirees, former players and rookies-to-be.

For now, at least the two sides are talking again — even though it's under a court order.

___

AP Sports Writer Tom Withers in Cleveland contributed to this report.

Bridget Sipp, a Springfield, N.J., horse owner and the wife of thoroughbred trainer Burton Sipp, died in a house fire Monday morning while her husband was finishing up a winter of racing at Turf Paradise in Phoenix.

Thomas Ondrey / The Plain DealerThe first race post time at Thistledown has been changed to 1:50 p.m., and even later for the Kentucky Derby and Ohio Derby race cards at 2:30 p.m.

Bridget Sipp, a Springfield, N.J., horse owner and the wife of thoroughbred trainer Burton Sipp, died in a house fire Monday morning while her husband was finishing up a winter of racing at Turf Paradise in Phoenix.

Burton Sipp is one of the top trainers returning to Thistledown, which opens its season April 23, said racing secretary William Couch. Many of the horses Sipp trains were owned by his wife.

“Burton has been regularly racing at Thistledown for the past decade,” said Couch. “He’s one of our mainstays, for both the number of horses entered and wins. I hope he’ll be able to be back again this year.”

The fire started in the Sipps’ log cabin home adjacent to their Animal Kingdom pet store and zoo. Bridget Sipp reportedly ran back into the burning home to rescue her mother, not knowing she had already escaped. The fire did not threaten the zoo or pet animals.

New post at Thistledown: The first race post time at Thistledown has been changed to 1:50 p.m., and even later for the Kentucky Derby and Ohio Derby race cards. Those race programs begin at 2:30 p.m. Derby blackout: Hang on to your mint juleps. The Kentucky Derby on May 7 could be blacked out at Ohio’s seven horse racing tracks.

The glitch is revenue sharing, with Northfield Park and Thistledown featuring simulcast wagering on the Kentucky Derby card. The Ohio Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, made up of nearly 5,000 thoroughbred owners and trainers, wants Northfield Park to share its revenue on the Kentucky Derby card wagering to protect thoroughbred purses, given that both tracks will be open at the same time for the Kentucky Derby.

If a deal isn’t struck and the thoroughbred horsemen refuse to allow Northfield Park to simulcast the Kentucky Derby card, it would prompt a statewide blackout of the Kentucky races under the Interstate Horseracing Act. Northfield Park made a radical move this year to have only simulcast racing on Saturdays in May and June in order to allow the track to feature simulcast Triple Crown races, which include the Preakness Stakes (May 21) and Belmont Stakes (June 11).

“We don’t expect a big problem,” said General Manager Jerry Knappenberger of the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association. “Theoretically, this could lead to a blackout, but we’re negotiating with the Ohio HBPA to allow all Ohio tracks to simulcast the Triple Crown races. I’m confident we’ll get this settled.”

Fries, Izzo gone: Three new members were appointed to the Ohio State Racing Commission by Gov. John Kasich. The fiveman board that governs Ohio horse racing will soon have a new executive director after Tom Fries Jr. was asked to step down last week. Deputy Director John Izzo, the commission’s legal counsel, was removed at a special meeting Tuesday. Chief of Pari-Mutuels Bill Crawford has been named acting executive director.

The incoming OSRC members are Republicans Berkley “B.J.” Roach, of Grove City, a member of the Ohio Standardbred Development Fund; and Robert Schmitz of Bexley, who owns a standardbred farm in Grove City; and former Democratic State Rep. T. Todd Book of McDermott. William Koester of Cincinnati and Dayton’s Ted Brown will remain on the commission, with Schmitz replacing Koester as chairman.

Izzo had been suspended in February for improperly using Fries’ password to access a government computer. The Toledo Blade reported that Izzo downloaded the résumés of past executive director candidates at the request of former commission member Tom Zaino of Columbus. While the résumés were public record, Fries suspended Izzo for a month without pay for improperly using Fries’ password.

Uncle Mo has infection: Uncle Mo has a gastrointestinal infection and may be a no-go for the Kentucky Derby on May 7, the Associated Press reported. The early Derby favorite lost for the first time in the Wood Memorial on Saturday, finishing third.

Rainbow trout have been stocked all around the area recently, and more are on the way. Steelhead trout fishing is fair to good on Northeast Ohio rivers and streams. Lake Erie yellow perch fishing has been fair to good off Avon Lake and Lorain. A cold front and rain are in the forecast, which should slow fishing this weekend.

D'Arcy Egan/The Plain DealerRainbow trout have been stocked all around the area recently, and more are on the way.

Rainbow trout have been stocked all around the area recently, and more are on the way. Steelhead trout fishing is fair to good on Northeast Ohio rivers and streams. Lake Erie yellow perch fishing has been fair to good off Avon Lake and Lorain. A cold front and rain are in the forecast, which should slow fishing this weekend.

Cleveland area

Walleye fishermen are casting minnow-style plugs from shore after dark, with most of the success so far coming in the Lorain area on minnow-style plugs. Cleveland’s night bite is still very spotty.

Yellow perch fishing has been fair to good in 35 feet of water off Avon Lake and Lorain. Anglers are working crappie rigs, and perch spreaders tipped with minnows close to the bottom, reporting catching perch averaging about 10 inches.

Rivers and streams

Steelhead streams from the Vermilion River to Conneaut Creek all have good flow, and steelhead trout are scattered throughout the rivers, except for the muddy Grand River. Upstream tributaries of the Grand River are giving up some steelhead.

The best fishing on the Rocky River has been in the upstream stretches from the I-480 bridge area. The top live baits have been spawn bags and jigs tipped with live grubs, but flies are generally working better. The pink and cream sucker spawn fly has been a Rocky River favorite, as well as a white caddis and black stone flies.

If the weekend rains don’t kick up the rivers too much, steelhead fishing should remain good. A lot of the trout have moved to shallow, gravel spawning areas. Anglers casting double-fly rigs are more likely to snag the shallow trout.

Inland lakes, reservoirs

Excellent numbers of hatchery-raised trout have been released in ponds, lakes and rivers around the area. Anglers are casting small spoons and in-line spinners, and suspending PowerBait, corn, salmon eggs, ice jigs tipped with live grubs or pieces of worms under a float.

The fishing has been slow on most inland lakes because of the cool, windy weather. The larger reservoirs are murky and off-color.

Pymatuning Reservoir had been a fair spot for walleye and crappies. The crappies have been caught from bays around the north end of the lake, while the best walleye bite has been around the south end. Wading the points after dark and casting jigs tipped with twister tails or minnow-style plugs have caught some walleye at Pymatuning and Mosquito Reservoir, but the fishing has been erratic.

Western Lake Erie

Good numbers of yellow perch have been caught off the Marblehead Lighthouse and between Marblehead and Kelleys Island in 25 to 35 feet of water.

Walleye are being caught on hair-skirted jigs from the reef complex between Port Clinton and the Davis-Besse power plant. Trolling fishermen are going well with minnow-style plugs in the deeper waters adjacent to the reefs.

The Maumee River is coming down, the water temperature is up a little bit and walleye are being caught. The top technique is to use a Carolina rig made up of a barrel sinker, swivel and long fluorocarbon leader, tipping it with brightly colored floating jig heads and twister tails or plastic grubs. Pink, orange and chartreuse have been good lure colors.

The wild turkey is a very tough bird, a reason Jim Cartellone and the Northcoast Limbhangers Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation helped create a recent NWTF Sight-In-Day in North Royalton.

D'ARCY EGAN/THE PLAIN DEALERTurkey hunters should sight-in their shotguns before heading to the turkey woods during the spring season. Use a variety of different shotshell loads and choke tubes to find the combination that is most accurate.

 The wild turkey is a very tough bird, a reason Jim Cartellone and the Northcoast Limbhangers Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation helped create a recent NWTF Sight-In-Day in North Royalton.

 There are many new shotgun shell loads made specifically for bagging a gobbler, and choke tubes designed to deliver a punch when trying to kill a bird weighing as much as 20 to 25 pounds. With stout feathers that can shed a load of copper-coated lead shot, hunters should dial in the right combination to find success in the turkey woods.

"In the last few years, we've seen a lot of new chokes come on the market," said Cartellone, of Brunswick. "The manufacturers have created many new loads just for turkey hunting, How they perform together depends on a hunter testing them with his shotgun."

That can be expensive. The shotgun shells are so pricey you don't want to buy a few boxes to test their accuracy with your shotgun. It's impossible to know how a choke tube will perform unless you screw it into the barrel of your shotgun and punch holes in a few targets.

 "That's what NWTF Sight-In Day is all about," said Cartellone. "Working with Gander Mountain, we brought in a lot of different brands of shotgun shells so a turkey hunter could buy a few individual shotshells to find the one that works best with his shotgun. And we had a variety of choke tubes for almost any shotgun that could be tested, so you could try them before you bought one."

D'ARCY EGAN/THE PLAIN DEALERPresident Bill Suliks of the Medina County Strutters Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation is happy with accuracy of his shotgun at the NWTF Sight-In Day at the South Cuyahoga Sportsmen's Association.

 A steady flow of turkey hunters kept the shooting range busy at the South Cuyahoga Sportsmen's Association grounds.

Judging by the results, Ohio's turkeys could be in big trouble during this year's spring season on April 18 through May 15. The shooters pounded the turkey targets at 30 yards, most putting a lethal dose of pellets in the neck and head area of the targets. 

 Many hunters rely on the full choke tube that came with their shotgun. Cartellone likes a choke tube designed for turkeys that is a bit tighter, and a 3-inch shotgun shell that can reach out and tag a turkey beyond 30 yards.

 "A lot of the new choke tubes and loads are effective to 45 yards, although you always want to take a closer shot, if possible," he said. "I aim for the neck area, because it puts most of the load in the strike zone. If you aim for the head, you can lost the top half of the pattern."

 Cartellone feels a 3-inch shotgun shell performs better than a 2 3/4-inch shell, the standard for clay target shooting, and almost as well as the more potent 3 1/2-inch shell. He feels a 20-gauge shotgun, the choice for many women and youngsters, can do the job almost as well as a 12-gauge.

"I prefer No. 4-sized shot, and wouldn't go with anything smaller than No. 5 shot," Cartellone said. 

 Patience is the key for taking the best shot.

"If a turkey has no idea you're there, keep working him," said Cartellone. "The closer you can get a gobbler to your shotgun, the better your chance of success."
 

Grossenbacher has tips for spring turkey hunting

 Turkey Products Manager Josh Grossenbacher of Zink Calls in Port Clinton, Ohio is a veteran in the turkey woods. He knows how to get ready for the spring season, and what to bring along. Here are Grossenbacher's suggestions:

 ** Get written permission from the landowner. It's a must in order to be legal.

 ** Scout your hunting areas. From the roads, scan the fields with binoculars and listen for turkeys gobbling. 

 ** Practice your calls. Begin with a box call or push-button call, then move up to a slate call and a mouth call. 

 ** Be patient. Don't abandon your set-up and decoy too soon.

** Bring plenty of snacks, water and toilet paper, as well as extra gloves and face mask.

** A sealable plastic bag will protect pens, licenses, wallet, cell phone and camera.

** Tempt gobblers with a quality turkey decoy. Zink's new Avian X has been getting rave reviews, said Grossenbacher.

 ** If you bag a bird, call the check-in number (1-877-TAG-ITOH) that day before 11 p.m.

If Cam Newton is available when the Browns' turn in the NFL draft rolls around, what will Mike Holmgren, Tom Heckert, Gil Haskell and Pat Shurmur do?

View full sizeAP FileWhat should the Browns brain trust do if Auburn's Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, Cam Newton, somehow is still available when Cleveland's No. 6 pick comes around?

Cleveland, Ohio -- Most draft experts (and that pretty much means anyone with access to a computer and the Internet) say that Auburn's Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Cam Newton will be the first pick of the draft and end up wearing Carolina blue.

But prognosticators aren't always right and because of the current NFL labor situation, this is an extremely weird draft season. Teams can trade picks but not players, free agents can't sign, etc.

So, what will President Mike Holmgren, assistant Gil Haskell, General Manager (and draft guru) Tom Heckert and coach Pat Shurmur do if by some chance Carolina, Denver, Buffalo, Cincinnati and Arizona -- all of whom pick before the Browns -- pass on Newton? Twenty-six teams pick after the Browns. Of those, only half are pretty much set at the quarterback position.

Moreover, one of those set at QB is New England, which already has two first-round picks. It's not impossible to conjure up a scenario where Bill Belichick and the Browns get involved with another team for a three-way draft-choice trade.

Ladies and gentlemen, place your bets.

The Cleveland Cavaliers' past and future.

APCleveland Cavalier head coach Byron Scott should have plenty to look up to next season.

Now that the Cleveland Cavaliers season is over (at least until the NBA Draft), it's time for the end of the season analysis.

The Cavaliers were the worst team in the Eastern Conference this year, but the draft, an injury free season, and the maturity of a few players will mean a playoff berth next season.

Reporter Bob Finnan of The News-Herald does a review on a few things that happened over the season.

Remember the 26-game losing streak?

After beating the New York Knicks in overtime on Dec. 18, they didn't win again until Feb. 11. That included a 0-16 January. Along the way, they suffered a 55-point loss at the Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 11, 112-57.

The losing streak was an NBA record. It also tied the 1976-77 Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the longest losing streak in professional sports history.

Through it all, the Cavs stayed together.

So where do the Cleveland Cavaliers go from here, writes Mary Schmitt-Boyer of The Plain Dealer?

But everyone from owner Dan Gilbert to Grant and Scott has promised vast improvement next season, and that's going to involve a revamped roster. Whether it's a tweak or an overhaul remains to be seen, but here's a preliminary look at what might unfold. 

Jason Lloyd of Ohio.com also writes about the past and the future when it comes to the Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers cleaned out their belongings and said farewell to Cleveland Clinic Courts on Thursday. When they'll return, no one knows. Who will be left on this roster when the NBA resumes after a potential lockout remains unclear, too. About the only thing the Cavaliers knew for sure leaving the facility was how proud they were they survived what most everyone agreed was the most difficult season of their careers.