How does playing golf from sunup to sundown on the longest day of the year sound? Still reading? Then consider entering The Plain Dealer's Summer Solstice Golf Challenge.

View full sizeScott Shaw / The Plain DealerThe sixth hole on the Red Course at Bob-O-Link Golf Course in Avon could be the site of some forgettable shots come June 21. Four Plain Dealer staffers -- and four readers who win a contest -- will attempt to play golf from sunup to sundown on Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. Enter the contest to join The Plain Dealer's Summer Solstice Golf Challenge by emailing summergolf@plaind.com, and see details below.

How does playing golf from sunup to sundown on the longest day of the year sound? Still reading? Then consider entering The Plain Dealer's Summer Solstice Golf Challenge. Four Plain Dealer staffers will be writing a feature about attempting to play golf for more than 16 hours on Summer Solstice -- Tuesday, June 21 -- and we're looking for four Plain Dealer readers to join the group.

The details: Four contest winners will play golf with The Plain Dealer's Bud Shaw, Tim Rogers, Chuck Yarborough and Kristen Davis, and will be part of the feature story. All greens fees will be covered by The Plain Dealer. Golf will be played from sunup to sundown -- roughly 5:15 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. -- at Avon's Bob-O-Link and Avon Lake's Sweetbriar, which each have 36 holes.

How to enter contest: Send an email to summergolf@plaind.com with your name, city, phone number, average 18-hole score, handicap if you have one and -- most importantly --why you want to be selected. The four winners will be chosen at the end of May.

How did the Browns do on draft night? What did Terry think of Alex White's first start? Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto answered those questions and more in his weekly podcast.

View full sizeAPPhil Taylor is part of the Browns' latest draft class.

How did the Browns do on draft night? What did Terry think of Alex White's first start? 

Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto answered those questions and more in his weekly podcast.

Among other topics discussed:

• How many good drafts is this team away from being where they want to be?

• How many starters do the Browns need out of this draft?

• When Travis Hafner is healthy again, do you expect him to pick up where he left off?

• Do you get the sense that Matt LaPorta is starting to settle in?

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

Be sure to also like Terry Pluto on Facebook.

The Cleveland Indians and Minnesota Twins will play a day-night doubleheader on July 18 to make up their rained out game from last month.

Chuck CrowCleveland Indians' Fausto Carmona gets a hug from manager Manny Acta.

Former Bulls star Horace Grant and Bulls fans unhappy with play of ex-Cavalier Boozer during the playoffs.

Associated PressBulls power forward Carlos Boozer (5) gets tangled up with Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0).

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Surprise, surprise. Presented not only tens of millions of dollars last summer to play basketball, but also now with, arguably, his best chance to win a championship, Carlos Boozer's shortcomings are again revealed.

Yes, the Chicago Bulls' forward is playing with a sore toe -- some making that excuse for him as he struggled during the Bulls' unimpressive first-round playoff series win over the Indiana Pacers, and now as Chicago and the Atlanta Hawks are tied, 1-1, in a conference semifinal series.

But, we also know these things:

(1) Boozer played lousy defense at power forward with the Cleveland Cavaliers when he was here his first two NBA seasons.

(2) After betraying the Cavaliers and joining the Utah Jazz, Boozer drew the wrath of that team's front office and coach Jerry Sloan with his apathetic defense.

Boozer, who looks especially ridiculous when he does the wide-open mouthed roar that he, unfortunately, helped popularize to celebrate a good play, seemed more interested in statistics than anything else as a Cavalier.

Boozer would seldom rotate on defense, seldom go out and defend his man 12 feet from the basket -- instead, he'd simply park near the hoop in hopes of boosting his rebound total.

Horace Grant was a very good power forward for the Bulls during their championship seasons. In fact, after (1) Michael Jordan (2) Cavs injuries (3) Scottie Pippen, Grant was maybe as big a reason as any other why the Bulls defeated the Cavaliers in five playoff series between 1988 and 1994.

Melissa Isaacson writes for ESPN Chicago that Grant is not happy with Boozer's play:

Former Chicago Bulls power forward Horace Grant, from his home in California, has been like any other fan watching the team in the playoffs.

And like many other Bulls fans, he has not been pleased with what he has seen from Carlos Boozer.

"It will be a long time before I could be a head coach, because I don't care how much money you get paid," Grant said. "If you're not producing more or if I feel you're hurting the team, especially in the playoffs, I'd bench you.

"If Boozer is having an off-game scoring, he has to do other things. You have to rebound and you've got to play defense."

Jon Greenberg writes for ESPN Chicago that Bulls fans cheer Taj Gibson when he goes onto the floor to replace Boozer.

It's Boo season in Chicago, and Joakim Noah, for one, knows they're not chanting "Booz!"

"Sometimes our home crowd is a tough game to play," Noah said pointedly after the Chicago Bulls' 86-73 win over the Atlanta Hawks that tied the Eastern Conference semifinals at 1-1. "We've got a lot of love for our crowd, but through tough times, we got to stick together. I've been in that position before, my rookie year, where I've been booed. It's tough to be booed in your home crowd."

Nick Friedel, for ESPN Chicago, writes that Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau and Chicago's players, though, are supporting Boozer:

Boozer's teammates are confident he will bounce back.

"Carlos will get his rhythm," Bulls forward Luol Deng said. "Carlos is out there, he's playing hurt. If it was regular season, all this talk wouldn't be happening, but he's given us a lot going out there with the bad toe. And it's tough. It's tough. It's one of those injuries that sounds, when you just say a toe, it doesn't sound like much, but it's an annoying injury.

"I know he'll get his rhythm, but I thought last night he was diving on the floor. He was hustling. For us, he was really playing well. I know that fans and [media] want to see more, but as long as we win that was enough."

Perhaps Tiffany Yehle's life will slow down a bit come Mother's Day. But it seems unlikely.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerTwinsburg softball coach Tiffany Yehle, in her first season leading the Tigers, has her team atop the NOC River Division and a No. 2 seed at next week's sectional tournament.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Perhaps Tiffany (McCoy) Yehle's life will slow down a bit come Mother's Day.

If nothing else, she will be the rare center of attention for at least one day. Yehle, 33, is in the midst of a whirlwind spring consumed with duties as a first-year softball coach at Twinsburg, a fourth grade teacher at Holden Elementary in Kent and -- most importantly -- as a mother caring for her two young children, 4-year-old special-needs daughter Isabell Renee and 3-week-old Ella Sue, who was born healthy April 15.

"We're blessed," Yehle said of her family, which includes her husband, Eric.

Giving birth in the middle of a season and quickly returning to the field is nothing new for Yehle, who resides in Kent. She was Kent Roosevelt's coach when Isabell was born April 18, 2007, just a few hours after a game against Southeast.

Yehle was back in the dugout leading the team three days later, despite Isabell being diagnosed with Down syndrome. It was her and Eric's way to start their daughter's life as normally as possible.

Yehle's dad, Copley softball coach Glenn McCoy, was holding his new granddaughter -- all 7 pounds, 3 ounces and 18 inches of her -- when a nurse took Isabell from his arms. Yehle was cradling her daughter 30 minutes later as the family was given the news.

"My heart sank," said McCoy, his voice cracking. "When your kid loses a game or breaks up with a boyfriend, as a dad, you can fix that.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerIsabell Yehle, 4, helps her mom Tiffany feed Ella, who was born April 15.

"But this time ... this time, I couldn't make it better."

It didn't matter to Tiffany or Eric Yehle. They accepted the challenge. They knew Isabell would be a work in progress, but it's working.

Isabell is ahead of schedule and never had heart or lung problems, common stumbling blocks for Down syndrome children. The blond-hair, blue-eyed cutie was sitting up by six months and walking at 14 months after doctors predicted she "might" be walking by the time she was 2 or 3.

Tiffany and Eric taught themselves sign language online and Isabell was signing "Mommy" and "Daddy" at nine months. Her word list grew to 80 by her second birthday, and she now signs and says colors and numbers one through 10.

"Isabell recently began saying two-word sentences," Tiffany Yehle says proudly.

Just after her fourth birthday, Isabell had grown to 31 pounds and 37 inches. She gets dressed and puts on her shoes, with assistance, before boarding a bus four days a week for preschool, where she is being mainstreamed with half-days.

"She's trying to learn to tie her shoes and will one day," Yehle said. "She's very determined and we're determined to make sure she has a chance to try everything."

Isabell can hit a ball off a batting tee and has a kiddie hoop she regularly sinks basketball shots into.

"Her parents are trying to figure out if she's a lefty or righty, but I think she's going to be a righty," Twinsburg outfielder Taylor Menhart said. "They're good parents who treat us like we're their daughters, too."

Isabell also attends a weekly dance class where she participates in balance beam, tumbling, tap and ballet. She recently discovered a joy for jumping and performing somersaults by herself.

Her face-any-challenge attitude resembles mom's demeanor.

"I was completely against the [dance] class, but Tiffany insisted and it was the right decision," said Eric Yehle, a part-time bartender and graduate student at Kent State. "Isabell fit in so well, we're now talking about putting her into a junior soccer class."

The Yehles credit their strong family, which encompasses a 25-minute radius, with their ability to face all obstacles associated with having a special-needs child.

"We've been so lucky with the people who are in our lives," Tiffany said. "Fifteen people are going to attend Isabell's dance recital."

Even Tiffany Yehle's college alma mater stepped in as Akron softball players recently helped raise over $2,500 for The Up Side of Downs at the recent annual Teammates for Life camp. The Up Side of Downs provides support, education and advocacy for people with Down syndrome, their families and communities throughout Northeast Ohio.

Yehle's Twinsburg players have embraced Isabell. They purchased a T-shirt for her during the Wendy's Spring Softball Classic last month. Tiffany Yehle, who rejoined the team six days after Ella was born, has the Tigers sitting at 9-3 overall and atop the Northeast Ohio Conference River Division at 5-1. They garnered the second seed for the Division I sectional/district tournament at Akron, which starts Thursday.

Isabell attends most games and practices, and helps out during the team's pancake breakfasts.

"Isabell restacks the silverware and gets out the plates," Tigers senior pitcher Lisa Lash said.

There's always plenty of laughing when Isabell's around, especially when she's imitating her mom.

"Isabell shakes her head when coach shakes her head or she'll wave her finger at us when coach does," Twinsburg outfielder Ambur Farmer said. "She's great, really cool."

And she's loving her role of big sister to 7-pound, 12-ounce and 20-inch Ella.

"Isabell was on the bus the other day, ready to go to preschool," Eric said. "All of the sudden, the bus stopped, Isabell came running out and went into the house.

"She just had to give Ella a kiss on the cheek."

The remarkable journey of Cecil Shorts from Collinwood to Mount Union to the NFL draft.

View full sizeKaren Schiely / Akron Beacon-JournalCecil Shorts wasn't a Heisman Trophy winner, but the Mount Union receiver's athleticism and productivity made him a fourth-round selection of the Jacksonville Jaguars last weekend.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- You're Cecil Shorts, and you were determined to prove them wrong.

There would be a day like Saturday, a day when an NFL team would call out your name. You didn't know it would be Jacksonville. You had no idea it would be in the fourth round, the highest a Division III player has ever been selected in the current form of the NFL draft.

Or that you'd be the only Division III player selected this year. Or that this was only the 11th time in the last 15 years that a Division III player has been picked.

Yes, you were a star at powerhouse Mount Union. You broke most of the receiving records set by Pierre Garcon -- who has caught 114 passes over the last two years for the Indianapolis Colts.

You did everything you could to position yourself to beat the odds. But most pro scouts are suspicious of small-school stars -- even those who played for Larry Kehres, the man who has won 10 national titles at Mount.

Can Cecil Shorts really play? That question goes back to when you were a star at Collinwood High. When several mid-major Division I schools seemed interested. When you were coached by your father, Cecil Shorts II.

Your dad had dealt with recruiters before. He was certain that at least one would actually offer a scholarship.

"But they all backed off," he said. "I still can't figure out why."

The fact is that major-college recruiters love players from Ted Ginn's incredible program at Glenville. But for everyone else in the Senate, it's a struggle to prove you belong at college football's highest level.

Yes, you did all the right things in high school. Good grades. Strong character. Solid family. Star quarterback.

But when signing day came, there was nothing for you to sign.

Almost angry

View full sizeMount Union photo"Cecil proves that you can come from any high school and go to any college and accomplish a lot if you have the talent, the character and the work ethic," says Mount Union football coach Larry Kehres.

Mount Union had an assistant coach named Jason Candle, who was in charge of recruiting the Cleveland area. He believed Mount Union was right for you, especially after being rejected by the larger schools.

Candle told Larry Kehres. The head coach loved your highlight tape, loved talking to you and your dad. He also believed you could be a quarterback at Mount, a position you wanted to play.

When talking about how you ended up at Mount, Kehres tells how Candle convinced him to attend a Senate track meet and watched you win event after event, everything from the 800 to the hurdles.

Is that why you went to Mount? Of course not. But the two football coaches at the track meet sent this message, "The best Division III football program wants you."

You had some offers from Division II schools, which could give you some financial aid for football. There's no aid for financial aid for athletics at Division III. You qualified for some scholarships thanks to your grade-point average and other issues.

But as your father said, "We had to bite the financial bullet if we went to Mount."

Unlike nearly everyone else in this NFL draft, you enter the league owing thousands of dollars in student loans.

Now, you say, "It was worth it."

Now, you say, "Coach Kehres is a great man."

Now, you say, "Mount may be the reason I'm in the NFL."

Now, you thank assistant coaches Zac Bruney, Vince Kehres and Jason Candle.

But when you walked on to the campus in Alliance, you said, there was "a chip on my shoulder."

Your father said, "Cecil was almost angry. He wanted to prove a lot of people wrong."

Nearly a quarterback

As a freshman, you quarterbacked Mount's junior varsity team.

"Cecil would have been outstanding as a quarterback for us," said Bruney, a former Mount QB who was your position coach.

But three games into your freshman season, you suffered a high ankle sprain. No more football. It seemed everything was conspiring against you from the moment those big-college coaches turned their backs. For a moment, you considered transferring. But to where? And why?

These coaches believed in you, and you liked the small-school setting. So this became your redshirt season.

Besides, your mother, Priscilla kept saying, "You are in school to get a degree. It's not all about football."

So you stayed. The next season, you began to play more wide receiver. Mount had a quarterback named Greg Micheli, who would become the Division III Player of the Year. The team was winning a national title,

There was Garcon, who was attracting NFL scouts. In 2007, you were a backup to Micheli, completing 16 of 24 passes. But the coaches were working you as a receiver, setting you up to replace Garcon.

Kehres now says, "I have to be the only Division III coach in history with two NFL receivers on same team and not win a title."

That was in 2007, Garcon's final season. It was your first as a receiver, and you caught only 12 passes. As for Kehres, those 10 national titles along with only 23 losses in 25 years shows he has a clue what to do with talent.

When you saw Garcon drafted in the sixth round by the Colts in 2008, you realized the door was opening. Maybe it was just a crack, but there was a sliver of light -- the NFL can find you.

A success story

In the next three seasons, you dominated Division III football, scoring touchdowns in every manner -- receiving, rushing, kickoff returns, punt returns. Kehres was tempted to return you to quarterback after Micheli graduated. But those same scouts who watched Garcon were coming back to see another Purple Raider receiver.

In the 2009 playoffs, Mount's starting quarterback was injured. Kehres turned to you -- and you delivered with three rushing touchdowns as the team advanced to the Division III title game.

Quarterback coach Bruney says you "would have been an outstanding quarterback" for Mount. Kehres praises your passing skills, adding "The only reason I didn't move Cecil full time to quarterback is because he had a pro future as a receiver."

Kehres and Bruney told scouts, "Cecil is the most popular guy on the team. He's just a good person, not stuck on himself. He'd do anything on our team to help us win."

They praised you for running track, for taking part on life on campus.

"Lots of people say that about their players," said Kehres. "Every word is true with Cecil."

For a while, you thought New England would draft you. The Patriots sent more coaches and spent more time with you than any other team. The Browns had some interest. So did Jacksonville.

Your goal was to be drafted higher than Garcon. Not to disparage him, but to bring more attention to Mount and Division III. Your father is telling everyone how you're the highest draft pick in Division III history.

On to the NFL

Early this week, you sat in Kehres' office and promised to finish your degree. You need one more semester after dropping out in January to train for the NFL combine. Garcon did the same thing -- and came back over the next two years to graduate.

The coaches challenged you to do the same. Your mother and father demand the same. You say you won't let them down.

Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio has said you will immediately compete for a spot in the receiving rotation, possibly in the slot. Kehres said NFL coaches liked that you can play inside or outside as a receiver.

Now 6-foot and 202 pounds, you "no longer are the skinny kid who showed up here five years ago," said Kehres. You needed the five years at Mount to mature physically and learn a new position.

Jacksonville General Manager Gene Smith had an easy answer for those who asked why he'd pick a Division III product so high: "We scout the player, not the school."

But you say the school -- Mount's football tradition and tremendous coaching -- along with Garcon's success is among the reasons you were picked in the fourth round.

Kehres simply says, "Cecil proves that you can come from any high school and go to any college and accomplish a lot if you have the talent, the character and the work ethic. And Cecil is a polite young man, too."

That should make you feel just as good as anything said on draft day.

Indians right fielder Shin-Soo Choo was granted a continuance on Thursday, when he was scheduled to appear in Mayor's Court in Sheffield Lake for a DUI charge.

View full sizeMarcio Jose Sanchez / Associated PressMichael Brantley showed off his speed in tracking down Daric Barton's long fly ball to deep center field in the eighth inning of Thursday's game in Oakland.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Shin-Soo Choo was scheduled to appear in the Mayor's Court in Sheffield Lake on Thursday, but his attorney requested a continuance. The date of his next court date has not been set.

Choo was arrested on DUI charges Monday morning.

The maximum penalties for a first-time DUI violation include a $1,000 fine, six-month suspension of driver's license, six points applied to the person's driver's license, a three-day mandatory jail sentence or entrance into a intervention program.

Choo was the second Indians player to be arrested on DUI charges this year. Austin Kearns was detained in February in Jessamine County (Ky.). It was reported Wednesday that Kearns' attorneys have filed a motion to try and get the charge dismissed.

His attorneys are arguing that Kearns was stopped by an off-duty police officer from Lexington, Ky., making the arrest illegal because he was outside his jurisdiction. A sheriff's deputy from Jessamine County arrived on the scene later and made the formal arrest.

The case has been continued to May 17.

Days off: Grady Sizemore received a scheduled day off Thursday as he continues to recover from microfracture surgery on his left knee.

"He played five games and now he gets the sixth game off," said manager Manny Acta. "He'll play all three games in Anaheim."

Sizemore is hitting .305 (18-for-59) with nine doubles, four homers and nine RBI since joining the Indians on April 17. After hitting everything that moved initially, Sizemore has cooled. He's in a 1-for-14 slide.

Catcher Carlos Santana also didn't play Thursday. He went the distance in Wednesday's 3-1 loss to the A's, but suffered a cramp in his left hamstring while going first to third in the third.

"It's fine," said Santana. "No problem. It just cramped up."

Flying solo: Not much has hurt Josh Tomlin in his six starts this season. His 4-1 record and 2.43 ERA in an indication of that.

The one flaw is the seven homers he's allowed. Colby Lewis of Texas and Luke Hochevar of Kansas City are the only American League pitchers who have allowed more, with 10 each.

Tomlin has plenty of company in third place, tied with KC's Bruce Chen, Seattle's Erik Bedard, Chicago's Gavin Floyd and Detroit's Max Scherzer. Tomlin's ERA is by far the lowest among the AL's most homer-prone starters.

Six of the seven homers Tomlin has allowed have come with the bases empty. Of the 17 homers he's allowed since making his debut with the Indians, 11 have been solos.

"It's good to give them up solo," said Acta.

In baseball they say solo homers won't beat a pitcher, but don't tell Tomlin. He gave up two to David DeJesus on Wednesday night in Oakland's 3-1 victory. Tomlin allowed just three hits in 7 2/3 innings.

Acta says Tomlin is prone to the homer because he throws strikes.

Testing, testing: Mitch Talbot is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Friday at Angel Stadium before the Indians open a three-game series. How he does, and how he feels afterward, will determine when he goes to Goodyear, Ariz., for a rehab start.

Talbot has been on the disabled list with a strained right elbow since April 17. His last start was April 11 against the Angels when he threw eight scoreless innings.

While Acta said Carlos Carrasco, scheduled to make a rehab start Friday at Class AA Akron, could be back in the rotation next week, it sounds like Talbot will need a longer rehab process.

"He's been out longer than Carrasco," said Acta.

Carrasco has been on the disabled list since April 28.

Who is the top player in the NFL?

AP Photo | Mike RoemerGreen Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers (12) passes over Cleveland Browns' Ahtyba Rubin (71).

The NFL Network is running a countdown of the top 100 players, voted on by the players.

We won't find out which player is number one until July. So instead of waiting until the summer, who is the best player in the NFL?

Manny Pacquiao will make a minimum of $20 million to take on Shane Mosley in a bout that should only further cement his place among the great fighters of his time.

Cinesport video: Pacquiao-Mosley fight in Vegas on Saturday

LAS VEGAS — It was 10 years ago this summer and Oscar De La Hoya was the big attraction, as he often was on Saturday nights in this gambling town. Many of the high-rollers who came to watch De La Hoya fight Javier Castillejo hadn't even made their way to their $1,000 ringside seats at the MGM Grand hotel when a 121-pounder from the Philippines made his U.S. debut.

Manny Pacquiao had taken the fight on two weeks' notice. His chances of beating rising star Lehlohonolo Ledwaba were considered so slim that oddsmakers refused to even put a line up on it.

Pacquiao would give Ledwaba such a beating that the fight didn't last six rounds. Then he was gone, leaving the arena like the other undercard fighters to clear the way for the main event.

Manny Pacquiao, right, arrives at a news conference, Wednesday, May 4, 2011, in Las Vegas. Pacquiao will defend his WBO welterweight title against Shane Mosley on Saturday. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

Those who watched that night saw promise, sure. But no one in the arena would have believed what was to come.

A decade later, Pacquiao is the star, fighting Saturday night in the same ring where he had his coming out party. He'll make a minimum of $20 million to take on Shane Mosley in a bout that should only further cement his place among the great fighters of his time.

And he'll do it wearing yellow gloves, because there are fights that are bigger than those taking place in the ring.

"All my life I've had to fight. As a child, I had to fight just to eat," Pacquiao said. "The biggest fight in my life is not in boxing. The biggest fight in my life is how to end poverty in my country."

The yellow gloves to promote unity against poverty aren't just a symbolic gesture. Neither was getting elected to congress in the Philippines.

Pacquiao is celebrated like no other Filipino athlete. But his legacy may one day be more important for what he does outside the ring.

He hands out money to strangers for the asking. He bought land recently to build subsidized housing for the homeless. And he went directly to Philippine president Benigno Aquino III to ask for $5 million for a badly needed hospital in his Sarangani Province.

He got it, because no one other than Floyd Mayweather Jr. has ever said no to Manny Pacquiao.

"I've said it many times," promoter Bob Arum said. "The Philippines has a social safety net and they call it Manny Pacquiao."

Boxing, of course, is Pacquiao's day job, and it's one he's excelled at in recent years. He gave De La Hoya such a beating a few years back that he sent him into retirement, and he's put on a string of sensational performances against some of the biggest names around.

The only name missing is Mayweather, though Pacquiao seems tired of the topic. Mayweather hasn't fought in a year and shows little interest of getting in the ring with Pacquiao in what could be boxing's richest fight ever.

"I'm the kind of person who doesn't want to talk about someone behind his back," Pacquiao said. "He did his best in boxing. He contributed to the history of boxing. Let's talk about the fight on Saturday."

The problem is, you can't talk about Saturday's fight without talking about Mayweather. Part of the reason for that is that Mayweather dominated Mosley in winning a decision last May and Pacquiao's performance against the same foe will be used as a measurement for who would hold the upper hand should the two eventually meet.

Assuming they ever meet, that is. Mayweather has legal issues and he also seems to have issues with the fact there's a fighter out there would have a legitimate chance of handing him his first professional defeat.

"If he (Mayweather) doesn't participate in an event pretty soon he's going to become totally irrelevant," Arum said.

Right now, though, Pacquiao is just thinking about Mosley, who may give him a better fight than most boxing fans expect. Yes, he's 39 in a young man's sport and, yes, he looked bad in his last two fights. But Mosley still has the speed to match up with Pacquiao and he's never been knocked out in his career.

Pacquiao warned at Wednesday's final prefight press conference that Mosley is dangerous. But he didn't seem especially fearful as the two boxers posed chin-to-chin for photographers and Pacquiao tried unsuccessfully to stop from bursting out laughing.

When they finished, Pacquiao walked over to the edge of the stage in the showroom at the MGM, leaned over and shook hands with Mosley's father, Jack, and several other friends and family members. In his suit he looked more politician than fighter, someone pressing the flesh for their votes rather than preparing to beat up on their guy.

He's done remarkable things as a fighter since making his debut here a decade ago, made more money than he ever thought imaginable. The best thing about Pacquiao, though, may be how he's grown in stature as a man.

____

Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg(at)ap.org or at http://twitter.com/TimDahlberg

Farm-raised rainbow trout and catfish will be poured into two local lakes for next weekend’s Spring Children’s Fishing Derbies. The pan-size trout will provide some great fishing for the youngsters, as well as for older anglers after the derbies.

Dale Omori, The Plain DealerThe Cleveland Metroparks hosts the spring derbies at Wallace Lake in Berea on May 14 and at the Ohio & Erie Canal in Cuyahoga Heights on May 15.

Farm-raised rainbow trout and catfish will be poured into two local lakes for next weekend’s Spring Children’s Fishing Derbies. The pan-size trout will provide some great fishing for the youngsters, as well as for older anglers after the derbies.

The Cleveland Metroparks hosts the spring derbies at Wallace Lake in Berea on May 14 and at the Ohio & Erie Canal in Cuyahoga Heights on May 15.

Rainbow trout and catfish will be released this week for the youth events, and both lakes will be closed until the derbies are held.

Young anglers are divided by age for morning and afternoon sessions for the derbies. Youngsters 4 to 8 years old can dangle a line in the water from 9 a.m. to noon. The 9-to-15 set is allowed to fish from 1 to 4 p.m. It’s free to fish, and there will be expert anglers — wearing orange vests — on site to give parents and kids fishing tips and help them take home a trout or two.

The daily bag limit for trout is five at the Ohio & Erie Canal and two at Wallace Lake.

“The children’s derbies wouldn’t be a success without the volunteer help we receive from the Ohio Central Basin Steelheaders, Fireland Fly Fishers, Cleveland Fishing Association, Rodmaker’s Shop in Strongsville and Jason Dillinger of Pulse Jigs,” said Mike Durkalec, the aquatic biologist for the Cleveland Metroparks. “The volunteers help teach the kids to fish, and provide the prizes that are so popular.”

Live bait, including red worms, corn and live grubs, is provided. Parents should bring a rod and reel for each child — although some loaner fishing tackle is available — and a cooler to take home their catch.

For information, call Youth Outdoors at 216-206-1010.

Fish for free: Saturday and Sunday are Fish for Free Days in Ohio. A state fishing license is not needed to fish any waters around the Buckeye state, a special weekend designed to lure new fishermen to the sport.

Bass League opens: The Buckeye Division of the Walmart Bass Fishing League opens Saturday at Mosquito Reservoir. The Buckeye Division is one of 24 divisions held around the country.

For more information, visit flwoutdoors.com.

Walleye tournaments: It took only four walleye weighing 18.92 pounds for Aaron Humbert of Republic, Ohio, and Dave Knieriemen of Fremont to win the Lake Erie Walleye Trail event on Saturday. That was only slightly better than the winning total of five walleye weighing 17.70 pounds caught by Bill and Linda Greczyn in the New Eastern Walleye Circuit tournament on Saturday at Mosquito Reservoir. Overall, the Mosquito tournament anglers caught more walleye than were weighed at the Lake Erie event.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: degan@plaind.com, 216-999-5158

The Cleveland Indians get back on the winning track.

Chuck Crow/The Plain DealerManager Manny Acta

The hottest team in baseball has not only been hot on the road, but especially at home. And MLB.com reporter Cash Kruth dares to ask if the Cleveland Indians can lend their secret of home success to the Anaheim Angels.

The Tribe began a three-game series with the Angels tonight.

The Angels have won two in a row, but they return to Anaheim for Friday's three-game series-opener 6-7 at Angel Stadium. The main culprit behind their struggles has been their offense, which has batted only .212 at home, compared to .300 on the road. They also have hit only five home runs in Anaheim (25 on the road) and average only 2.7 runs per game at home (5.4 on the road).

Despite the Angels' struggles at home, the Angels have had some home success against the Tribe.

The Angels took two of three against over the Tribe on April 11-13.

That was then, and this is now. Angels manager Mike Scioscia knows the Indians are getting better and better.

"They catch the ball well and have a nice nucleus of young players and veterans now," Scioscia said. "[Ex-Angel shortstop] Orlando Cabrera is a nice presence on that team. He's good for their kids. The shortstop [Asdrubal] Cabrera is coming into his own, and [Grady] Sizemore is back."

 

Running  game

Credit the base running and the stolen bases to some of the Tribe's success so far this season. In fact, most fans probably equate effective base-running with stolen bases. Most major-league managers would beg to differ, writes Sheldon Ocker of Ohio.com.

Manager Manny Acta believes the Indians' attack gets a boost from its base-running skills, even though the team's stolen-base total is in the middle of the pack among American League clubs. There are other ways to be aggressive running the bases.

''You see us doing it this year, but it really started last year,'' he said. ''It took awhile for guys to buy into it, because a lot of these players are young and were afraid to make mistakes.''

The numbers tell a success story for the Tribe.

Going into Thursday's game against the Oakland Athletics, 21 Seattle Mariners have gone first to third (or home) on a single to lead the league. The Tribe and Los Angeles Angels are tied for second with 20. The Detroit Tigers are last with seven.

The Indians also excel at going from second to the plate on a single, having done it 24 times to tie the Chicago White Sox as best in the league. The New York Yankees are last with seven.

Game Stories

Ohio.com Tribe takes series.

Cleveland.com: Indians make another comeback.

The Oakland Tribune: The A's fall to the Tribe.

MLB.com: Indians outlast A's.

Six-year-old boxer Xavier Peterson was born years after Muhammad Ali's last bout, but that hasn't stopped Peterson from imitating his favorite fighter. Watch video

APMuhammad Ali

CLEVELAND ---- Xavier Peterson, who attends Roxbury Elementary in Solon, is not your typical six-year-old.

For example, his father, Cedric, says his son doesn't listen to rap music. Xavier prefers the ballads of Keith Sweat or Luther Vandross.

"He says there's too much bad language in rap music," Cedric says. "He says slow songs are relaxing. I guess my son has an old soul."

His soul is "so old" that Xavier is such a throwback that he's also not much of a fan of mixed martial arts, despite the meteoric rise of the sport. Staying true to his old school ways, not only is Xavier a boxing fan, he's a fan of the greatest boxer of all time in Muhammad Ali.

"I'm not sure where his love of Ali started," Cedric said. "Before I brought him to gym, I showed him some Ali stuff on YouTube He hasn't stopped watching."

Xavier trains at the Cleveland Boxing Club on East 21st and Superior. He has trained at the gym three days per week for over a year. Not only is he the youngest boxer (he can't fight competitively until turns eight) but often the loudest.

"He keeps the gym going," says Boxing Club owner Omari Braxton. "We call Xavier Little Ali. And for him to know all of Ali's rhymes and moves in the ring is truly amazing. He's a lot of fun."

Not only fun, but trainer Terence Montgomery is encouraged, especially since boxing doesn't have the same lure as it did years ago.

For example, Saturday's Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley fight doesn't have the same buzz as fights back in the day.

"Xavier is good and the Ali stuff is cool," Montgomery says. "But it's really nice to see someone from his generation a fan of boxing. Hopefully, he'll continue to carry this on."

"I like the guy and view him as a positive, but he's not well-suited to our team anymore. It's a great luxury to be able to grab a guy like that off your bench, but the Cavs may not have the roster space to afford them that luxury much longer. If they draft Irving, I fear Gibson's days may be numbered. It's not that Irving can shoot like Boobie, but he does everything else you need a PG to do better than Gibson." - Sorry, but you're wrong

View full sizeGus Chan | The Plain DealerDaniel Gibson has been a fan favorite during his time in Cleveland, but it's hard to say how much longer he'll wear a Cavaliers jersey.

In response to the story CavsHQ Report Card: Daniel Gibson, cleveland.com reader Sorry, but you're wrong doesn't see Daniel Gibson in the team's future. This reader writes,

"I like the guy and view him as a positive, but he's not well-suited to our team anymore. It's a great luxury to be able to grab a guy like that off your bench, but the Cavs may not have the roster space to afford them that luxury much longer. If they draft Irving, I fear Gibson's days may be numbered. It's not that Irving can shoot like Boobie, but he does everything else you need a PG to do better than Gibson."

"Peyton Manning. He never misses a game, and what the Colts have done over time with him at the helm is ridiculous. Look at how bad that defense is. Without Peyton Manning, the Colts wouldn't be close to the playoffs. We saw the Patriots could still succeed when Tom Brady went down. The Colts know they don't even need to have a backup because Peyton won't get hurt. This past season, the Colts had no defense, no running game, and Peyton was able to single-handedly get them into the playoffs." - hdawg

View full sizeJohn Kuntz | The Plain DealerPeyton Manning.

In response to the story NFL: Who is the top player in the league? Poll, cleveland.com reader hdawg thinks the answer is easy. This reader writes,

"Peyton Manning. He never misses a game, and what the Colts have done over time with him at the helm is ridiculous. Look at how bad that defense is. Without Peyton Manning, the Colts wouldn't be close to the playoffs. We saw the Patriots could still succeed when Tom Brady went down. The Colts know they don't even need to have a backup because Peyton won't get hurt. This past season, the Colts had no defense, no running game, and Peyton was able to single-handedly get them into the playoffs."

"I wish they would have given Choo the day off. I don't think he's had one yet this year. He seems a little tired and discouraged. I know we need his glove in right, but one game here and there wouldn't hurt." - oso73

View full sizeChuck Crow | The Plain DealerShin-Soo Choo hasn't gotten much rest this season for the Indians.

In response to the story Cleveland Indians score another last-at-bat victory; beat A's in 12 innings, 4-3, cleveland.com reader oso73 thinks Shin-Soo Choo could use a break. This reader writes,

"I wish they would have given Choo the day off. I don't think he's had one yet this year. He seems a little tired and discouraged. I know we need his glove in right, but one game here and there wouldn't hurt."

Plain Dealer Browns reporter says he does not like the trend of passing on the top-end talent in a given year's draft. Watch video

Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, hosted solo by Branson Wright, as his partner, Chuck Yarborough, is still in Las Vegas hanging out with MMA fighters.

Enough of the NFL lockout. Let's talk football. Which player do you think is the best in the league right now? The NFL Network is asking players that question, but you don't need to wait to make your pick. Cast your vote in today's Starting Blocks poll.

Today's guest is Plain Dealer Browns reporter Tony Grossi, who calls in for his weekly episode where he answers fan questions from his Hey, Tony! feature.

Today's questions are about why the Browns traded out of a high first-round pick; who will play the defensive line next to Jabaal Sheard; why the Browns drafted fullback Owen Marecic out of Stanford; and whether the Browns might have interest in Philadelphia quarterback Kevin Kolb.

SBTV will return Monday with Plain Dealer reporter Dennis Manoloff talking Tribe.

Blogger accepts challenge and gets hit by an 80-mph-plus pitch from the Royals' pitching machine.

APToronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista gets nailed.

So, Kansas City Royals blogger Lee Judge of the Kansas City Star had to put his body where his mouth is.

He recently made a comment that one of the Royals should have taken a hit-by-pitch for the team and driven in a run with the bases loaded. Afterward, he was challenged by some of the Royals players to get the experience of what it feels like to get hit by a pitch. (Watch the video.)

So like a good trooper, Judge took up the challenge.

I knew what I was doing — I used to lead my team every year in getting hit by pitches. It was either a brilliant strategy to increase my on-base percentage or I was too slow to get out of the way.

They all showed up early (apparently, the way to get ballplayers to show at your charity event is by offering to get smoked by a slider while they watch.) Seitzer and Kelly Heath dialed in the two-wheeled pitching machine and tried to set it to throw an 81-mph slider, but something was wrong with the power — it kept stopping, slowing down and speeding up.

 

Is Chuck Yarborough next?

With the Indians' 21-9 start, WFNY looks into Alex White and how he can potentially be this year's Jaret Wright.

Jared Wickerham/Getty ImagesCould Alex White be the key to the Indians' 2011 rotation?

The 2011 Cleveland Indians are just over a month into the season, and they are starting to have that magical feel to them. I must say I am relishing every minute of it. You know things are good when its worth staying up until 1 a.m. to watch your Wahoos in action. That is precisely what I've been doing this season. Two west coast trips, many tired mornings after, but all seem to be well worth it.

While there are more similarities with this team to say the teams of 2005 and 2007 – young talented players playing up to their expectations, solid starting pitching, a lock-down bullpen – There is one thing that reminds me so much of 1997. Well actually, one player if we are getting specific.

Right-handed rookie starting pitcher Alex White.

Two weeks before White was on our radar screen, he was tearing up the Triple-A ranks and I tweeted "Alex White will be the 2011 version of 1997 Jaret Wright. I know, it's very early to be making the comparison (White makes his second start this weekend in Anaheim), but indulge me if you will.  Terry Pluto even broached this very topic in his latest Sunday-morning column.

We all remember Wright, the fire-balling first-round pick and son of a former Major Leaguer who was supposed to be our can't-miss kid. The Indians took him 10^th overall in the 1994 draft and watched him rise quickly through their system. As a 20-year old for A-ball Kinston in 1996, Wright struck out 109 in 101.1 innings pitched while posting an ERA of 2.50 in 19 starts. A year later, he started the season with Double-A Akron, where he made eight starts, again striking out more than a batter per inning (59K's in 54 innings). He was then summoned to Buffalo where he made seven starts and looked as dominant as ever going 4-1 with a 1.80 ERA, striking out 47 in 45 innings. At every level, he was the same – powerful, dominant, and a winner.

With the Indians on top again of a weak AL Central, but in need of another starting pitcher due to a rash of injuries (Jack McDowell and John Smiley) and inconsistency at the back end of the rotation (remember greats like Terry Clark, Jason Jacome, Jeff Juden, and Albie Lopez all made four or more starts that season), the Tribe promoted their prized prospect and turned him loose.

While he wasn't spectacular (4.38 ERA, 63K's and 35 walks in 90.1 innings), he went 8-3 in 16 starts, showing flashes of brilliance during each start. He was still a 21-year-old kid out there, but he had no fear - this became evident during the run to the World Series as then manager Mike Hargrove continued to show faith in the kid, despite his lack of experience. The truth is, he had little choice. After veterans Charles Nagy and Orel Hershiser was journeyman Chad Ogea. So Wright made the most of his chances.

Wright won both of his ALDS starts against the hated New York Yankees, including the clinching Game 5 in Cleveland. The famous picture was of him yelling into his glove after getting out of a first inning jam. Of course, Cleveland ate him up - we just loved him.

The love affair would grow even bigger after Hargrove gave him the ball for Game 7 of the World Series. Wright pitched into the seventh inning, allowing just one run (a Bobby Bonilla solo homer in the seventh) on two hits, striking out seven. Grover then turned it over to his bullpen. Paul Assenmacher, Mike Jackson, and Brian Anderson all did their jobs. Jose Mesa didn't.

Despite the fact that Wright turned out to be an injury plagued bust during the rest of his career, imagine how differently he would be viewed had Mesa closed the Marlins out in Game Seven. He be revered forever in this town as a champion. Instead, he is mostly viewed as yet another guy who never fulfilled his massive potential in Cleveland.

This brings us back to White.

The Indians 2009 first-round pick (15^th overall) came in with the same kind of hype as Wright. Since the day he was brought to the organization, all eyes have been on him as to how fast he can rise to the majors. Like Wright, he has gone through each level of the minors with relative ease.

At age 21 last season, he started in Kinston, where he made eight starts. After striking out 41 in 44 innings pitched and putting up and ERA of 2.86, the Indians promoted White to Akron. Sound familiar? As an Aero, he made 18 appearances (17 starts), and put up similar numbers.  He was 8-7 with an excellent 2.28 ERA. In two levels last season, he won 10 games with an ERA of 2.45, striking out 117 and walking 46. His power arm was on display for the scouts and the word was out; the Indians have a future stud on their hands.

The plan was to start White in Triple-A for the 2011 season and let him further develop his secondary pitches. Like he did a year earlier in Kinston and Akron, White proved dominant in Columbus. He made four starts going 1-0 with a 1.90 ERA (five earned runs in 23.2 IP) with 28 strikeouts and just five walks. Then the big club came calling.

With the injuries to both Mitch Talbot and Carlos Carrasco ravaging the rotation four weeks into the season, the first place Indians had a choice. They could go with what they knew; 4-A left hander David Huff, or they could roll the dice and show their fans they are serious about winning NOW.

They made the right decision.

White did a nice job in his first start on Saturday, pitching six innings of two run baseball. The stage was not too big for him. He has been a winner at every level he has pitched; college, A-ball, AA, and AAA. Why should the majors be any different?

Jaret Wright had the same kind of promise and was a key cog in the 1997 Indians run to the World Series. Who says Alex White can't do the same thing in 2011?   

Lake Erie isn't the Walleye Capitol of the World right now, but Lake Erie fisheries supervisor Jeff Tyson wants anglers to give the big lake some time to improve.

D'ARCY EGAN/THE PLAIN DEALERWhen the walleye fishing is difficult, it always seems fishermen can count on a sheepshead, or freshwater drum, to tug on their line.

 MARBLEHEAD, OHIO
 Lake Erie isn't the Walleye Capitol of the World right now, but Lake Erie fisheries supervisor Jeff Tyson wants anglers to give the big lake some time.

"All we need is some warm, stable weather for five or six days and the walleye fishing will really improve" said Tyson.

"This has been a unique year, with a lot of rain, cold and inconsistent winds. During April, we'd have strong winds of out the east, and 12 hours later the winds were just as brisk but coming from the west."

This spring, a Lake Erie angler must have thought he was casting on Minnesota's Mille Lacs Lake, a walleye factory where winter always books a late departure. But that isn't possible. Minnesota's 2011 walleye season won't open until next Saturday.

 Lake Erie's walleye fishermen are concerned the poor walleye catches this year are an indication of less fish to catch, and just as worried nasty April weather could spoil this year's walleye hatch. Tyson is confident the estimates of a decent walleye population are valid, but says the vagaries of wind, waves and weather decide the success of this year's walleye spawning season.

Tyson and I were both cruising Lake Erie on Thursday, Tyson was with one of his Division of Wildlife crews from the Lake Erie Research Station in Sandusky. I was on my second walleye trip of the fledgling season, this time with skipper Steve Ungvarsky, Bob Dewey and Tony Novak of Marblehead. When the day was done I was still trying to round up my first walleye of the season, although a few sheepshead were willing to attack a hair-skirted jig worked along the rocky, limestone reefs.

 I felt as if I'd lost my walleye touch over winter. A cell phone survey of the charter captains out that day, whether trolling or casting for walleye, revealed their catches were meager, as well. Tyson wasn't finding much in his nets, either.

"We were trolling fine-meshed nets for larval walleye and zooplankton, which is fish food for the newly-hatched walleye," said Tyson. "We didn't find much of either, but I'm confident we will over the new few weeks. Diatoms, an algae that smells like cucumbers, should bloom soon to help sustain the young walleye."

 Tyson is concerned the strong winds could spell disaster for this year's hatch, but not the muddy waters around the Western Basin nursery for Lake Erie's walleye.

 "Walleye larvae do best in 'dark' water," said Tyson. "They feed better in that dingy water as long as it is good nursery habitat."

Tyson said northeast winds push larval walleye north of the western lake spawning reefs and into less hospitable waters. Southwest winds bring the quarter- to half-inch youngsters closer to shore and prime nursery habitat.

Novak has been on a crusade to shut down the April fishing to protect spawning walleye. This year, a mean-spirited Mother Nature did the job for him. 

"All we can do now is hope for a good hatch," said Novak, while catching a sheepshead of his own.

 There is optimism. In 2003, when there was a record walleye hatch, the region was plagued by rain and southwest winds that swept nutrients from the rivers to the near-shore walleye nursery. Tyson is reluctant to make comparisons with 2011.

 "There are too many variables in what produces a good hatch," Tyson said. "In a normal year, the peak of the walleye spawn is the first week of April. This year we had peak (walleye) egg densities in the second and third week of April."

What can fishermen do to improve walleye reproduction?

"Keep your fingers crossed," said Tyson. 
 

Lake Erie fishing rules change this week

The rules are changing for Lake Erie fishermen. 

 The daily bag limit on walleye jumped from four to six fish last Sunday, with a 15-inch size limit. The smallmouth and largemouth bass seasons are now closed on Lake Erie and its harbors. They won't open again June 25, effectively shutting down spring and early summer bass tournaments, but anglers are allowed to catch and release bass. The bass size limit is 14 inches when fishing does open again.

This year's lakewide yellow perch bag limit is 30 fish.

The steelhead trout bag limit is two per day on Lake Erie and in the Lake Erie tributaries. That increases to five steelhead trout per day on May 15. The steelhead trout size limit is 12 inches.

Columbus Dispatch reports that OSU is reviewing at least 50 car sales; that a salesman who received game passes from Ohio State athletes handled many of the deals.

The Ohio State University

(For the entire Columbus Dispatch report, by Jill Riepenhoff, Mike Wagner, and Randy Ludlow, click here)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Associated Press) -- Ohio State's director of compliance is reviewing at least 50 car sales to Buckeyes athletes and relatives to see if they met NCAA rules, The Columbus Dispatch reported Saturday.

The newspaper reported that a salesman who received game passes from Ohio State athletes handled many of the deals at two different dealerships. Ohio State has since taken the salesman, Aaron Kniffin, off the pass list.

Athletes are prevented from receiving special deals not available to other students. They are not permitted to trade autographs for discounts. Both dealerships display signed Ohio State memorabilia in their showrooms.

One car, a 2-year-old Chrysler 300 with fewer than 20,000 miles, was titled to then-sophomore defensive player Thaddeus Gibson in 2009. Documents show the purchase price as $0. Gibson said he did not know why the title showed a zero for the purchase price and said he was still paying for the car.

State law requires dealers to report accurate information about all car sales for tax purposes.

School officials have seen no evidence of players getting special treatment in vehicle sales, Douglas Archie, associate athletic director for compliance, said in a statement Saturday.

"Consistent with our standard procedures, we are nevertheless reviewing these sales to assure ourselves that our policies were adhered to," he said.

Quarterback Terrelle Pryor's mother and brother also purchased cars from the dealerships. Kniffin loaned his own car to Pryor for a three-day test drive to Pryor's home in Jeannette, Pa.

Kniffin and the owner of one of the dealerships he worked for, Jason Goss, have attended seven football games as guests of players, including the 2007 national championship game and the 2009 Fiesta Bowl.

Ohio State already has five players -- including Pryor -- serving five-game suspensions for accepting improper benefits from a tattoo parlor. The NCAA is investigating coach Jim Tressel, also suspended for five games, for knowing about the benefits but not telling superiors.