Tiger Woods limped off the golf course and into a future that is murkier than ever Thursday when he withdrew with leg injuries after his worst nine holes at The Players Championship.

AP PhotoTiger Woods shot a 42 on the front 9 at the TPC Sawgrass before withdrawing from the tournament.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Tiger Woods limped off the golf course and into a future that is murkier than ever Thursday when he withdrew with leg injuries after his worst nine holes at The Players Championship.

"I'm having a hard time walking," he said.

Woods shot a 42 on the front nine of the TPC Sawgrass, including a triple bogey on the fourth hole when he didn't clear a water hazard 30 yards in front of him. He constantly walked some 20 yards behind his playing partner, holding his golf club for support, limping noticeably after each hole.

After taking a bogey on the par-5 ninth, he handed his scorecard to PGA champion Martin Kaymer, then walked back to inform Matt Kuchar that he was leaving early from The Players for the second straight year.

"Tiger looked like he was in pain today," Kuchar said. "You could tell he was walking quite slowly, quite gingerly. He was just last to get to his ball every time."

It was his first competition since the Masters, where Woods said he hurt his left knee and Achilles while hitting from the pine straw beneath Eisenhower tree on the 17th hole in the third round. Woods was briefly tied for the lead the next day and finished tied for fourth.

He described it as a "minor injury" when he skipped last week to give his leg time to heal, and said he was "surprised" that it acted up on him at The Players.

"The treatment's been good," he said. "It's been getting better. But it just wasn't enough."

From the opening tee shot, he looked as bad as he ever has.

"The knee acted up and then the Achilles followed after that, and then the calf started cramping up," Woods said. "Everything started getting tight, so it's just a whole chain reaction."

Swing coach Sean Foley, who was with Woods on the range Thursday morning, had been with another client when he got to the ninth hole and noticed Woods walking well behind Kaymer and Kuchar.

"That's all I know. I haven't talked to him," Foley said.

Asked how he was on the range, Foley said Woods looked "fantastic."

"This week I've been quite happy that he had that layoff and still looked quite a bit like the weekend at Augusta," Foley said. "I don't know. I don't think it's so much his swing as the walking, you know? It's the whole thing. You get out of bed, you knows?"

The first hole could not have gone any worse for Woods.

He pulled his opening tee shot into the pine trees, leaving him a stance in the pine straw. Then he came up short of the green, his ball perched at the bottom of a steep bank that force another awkward stance.

"The pine straw didn't help because my foot slipped, my left foot slipped," Woods said. "It obviously would have probably felt better if it would have held."

The rest of his nine holes was not much better, especially at No. 4. He said his knee "grabbed me" on a tee shot that sailed well left into the mounds, and he put his approach into the water. Then came a shocker of a shot - after taking a drop, his short pitch to a back pin hit the bulkhead and went back into the water. He had to make a 20-foot putt for triple bogey.

Even more remarkable - Woods didn't hit a single green from his five tee shots that found the fairway.

"Nobody really knows how much pain he was in," Kaymer said. "Of course, we hope that he gets well soon, that he gets out here again. It would have been nice to play another 27 with him. And he shot 6 over, but hopefully he can recover soon so he can play great golf again."

The 42 was three shots higher than his previous worst 9-hole score at the TPC Sawgrass. His worst 9-hole score on the PGA Tour was a 43 on four occasions, the most recent on the back nine at Quail Hollow last year when he missed the cut.

This is the second straight year Woods has withdrawn in the middle of the round at The Players. He stopped on the seventh hole of the final round last year with what turned out to be a neck injury.

Woods is 35 and already has had four operations on his left knee. He said doctors told him he could play this week. He said he practiced for the first time since the Masters on Monday, and played golf for the first time on Tuesday - nine holes on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"The more rest I get, the better it would be, obviously," Woods said. "It's a big event. I wanted to come back for it and play, and unfortunately I wasn't able to finish."

Woods said the two shots into the water on the fourth was more related to a bad swing than his leg, although the rest of the round it was clear something was wrong. From the middle of fairways, he came up well to the left on the fifth and the seventh holes, and another time came up some 15 yards short of his target on the sixth.

Woods got into his white Mercedes and left the TPC Sawgrass, not knowing what his next move would be.

"I just finished nine holes," he said. "Give me a few days to see what the docs say, and we'll take a look at it."

That pursuit of the 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus looks further away with each setback. Woods remains at 14 from his U.S. Open title at Torrey Pines in 2008, which he won before having reconstructive surgery on his left knee.

Asked if he had any worries, Woods replied, "I know I have, but it's just a matter of what we're going to do about it."

The Miami Heat beat the Boston Celtics to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals last night, but by the reaction of LeBron James and his teammates, you would think they just won the NBA Championship. So, was the Heat's celebration appropriate?

LeBron James, right, hugs Celtics head coach Doc Rivers. (AP Photo)

Tampa Bay Rays defeat Cleveland Indians, 7-4, this afternoon at Progressive Field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Less than 24 hours after their lengthy home winning streak ended with a thud, the Indians turned to sizzling Justin Masterson to recalibrate the compass Thursday afternoon.

 Masterson was not up to the task.

 The Tampa Bay Rays scored four in the second inning en route to a 7-4 victory at Progressive Field.

 The Indians (23-13) dropped the final two of a three-game series. Their 14-game home winning streak was snapped Wednesday night at the left arm of David Price, the Rays prevailing, 8-2.

 Asdrubal Cabrera homered and tripled for the Tribe, which had not lost a series at home since going 1-2 against the White Sox to open the season.

 Tampa Bay (22-15) continues to recover nicely from an 0-6 start. On the road, the Rays are a major-league-best 13-5.

 Rays righty James Shields was terrific in improving to 4-1. He allowed two runs in seven innings, but the Tribe can take solace in having caused his earned-run average to rise from 2.01 to 2.08.

 Masterson gave up the five runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked four and struck out six.

 In his first seven starts, Masterson was 5-0 with a 2.11 ERA. He had gone at least six innings each time.

 The Rays' lineup featured seven left-handed batters. Lefties entered with a .316 average against Masterson; righties were at .156.

 Rays left-handed batters accounted for all the hits against Masterson.

 Masterson retired the side in order on 10 pitches in the first, then had all sorts of trouble in the second.

 Evan Longoria led off with a walk. Matt Joyce, who entered as the American League's leading hitter at .358, singled to center. Casey Kotchman singled against the right-field wall; Shin-Soo Choo got a bad jump.

Elliot Johnson grounded into a 5-2 fielder's choice. Reid Brignac hit a two-run double down the left-field line -- his first extra-base hit in 105 at-bats.

After Kelly Shoppach struck out, Sam Fuld smacked a two-run single to center. It came on a full-count pitch.

Fuld was caught stealing to end the half-inning. Masterson threw 36 pitches.

Masterson had not given up more than three earned runs in any of his previous  starts this season.

The Rays made it 5-0 in the sixth. Joyce drew a one-out walk and raced to third on Kotchman's single. Johnson dropped a safety squeeze, Joyce scoring when first baseman Matt LaPorta's shovel to catcher Carlos Santana had no shot.

Masterson struck out Brignac but walked Shoppach. Tribe manager Manny Acta signaled for Chad Durbin, who retired Fuld on a fly to left.

Asdrubal Cabrera led off the Tribe sixth with a homer to right. Choo singled. Santana sent a pitch high into the breeze blowing out to right that Ben Zobrist caught at the wall. After Travis Hafner flied to center, Orlando Cabrera doubled to center to drive in Choo. Shelley Duncan, in an 0-for-17 slide, was at the plate when Shields picked off Cabrera at second.

The Indians pulled within 5-3 in the eighth, but the Rays scored twice in the ninth on a two-run double by Longoria.

The Tribe scored once in its half of the ninth.

Browns quarterback Colt McCoy feels great about the work the players got in during their second "camp'' at Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea.

Cleveland Plain DealerColt McCoy just wrapped up the second "Camp Colt'' in Berea.

CLEVELAND -- Browns quarterback Colt McCoy said the second player-organized camp, which wrapped up today at Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, has given the offensive players a good head start on the new West Coast scheme.

 "The West Coast offense takes time to learn and develop, but we're way ahead of the game by doing this,'' said McCoy after working out at B-W's Finnie Stadium. "You need coaches around while you're learning it, but aside from that, I feel really comfortable coaching it and talking about it.''

 The camp was a three-day session at Baldwin-Wallace that included film study, weightlifting and on-field drills. About a dozen or so offensive players attended, including quarterback Jake Delhomme, receivers Mohamed Massaquoi, Brian Robiskie, Josh Cribbs, Carlton Mitchell and Jordan Norwood, and tight ends Ben Watson and rookie Jordan Cameron.

 Cornerback Joe Haden also made a cameo appearance today.

 "We got a lot of good work in, we really did,'' said McCoy, who hosted the first camp last month at the University of Texas. "We watched a lot of tape, did a lot of inside study work. We were out here on the field for a couple of hours every day. We went to the Indians game (Wednesday night) and had a good time, but it's a work trip, not a fun trip.''

 That's one of the reasons McCoy declined interview requests for the first two days.

 "We appreciate all the respect and everyone just letting us work,'' he said.

 Robiskie, who also attended the first session, said they've been beneficial.

 "Anytime you can get with the guys you're playing with, spend time with those guys, with the quarterbacks and receivers, it's going to be good,'' said Robiskie. "It's better than guys being on their own. It's been hard (with the lockout). Anytime we can get together and try to get that team feel back, it's a good thing.''

 Robiskie said he's picking up the West Coast offense.

 "We're just trying to hear the language of it, we're hearing the calls as they would come in the huddle and we're familiarizing ourselves with it and hopefully we can just keep it going,'' said Robiskie. "We'll wrap it up and see what happens with this lockout and proceed accordingly.''

 McCoy said the sessions are important regardless of the NFL lockout and that he'd like to do them every year. He declined to reveal what the players have planned next.

 "This kind of stuff away from the facility, away from coaches, this stuff is good,'' said McCoy. "With everybody living everywhere right now, for everybody to be committed to coming back into town, it was good. The weather worked out perfect for us and everything was great.''

 McCoy said it was great to have fellow quarterback Jake Delhomme around, especially because he's well-versed in the West Coast offense. It also gave the veteran players a chance to work with some of the younger guys, including Cameron.

 "It's a really good group of guys,'' said McCoy.

 He said the sessions have helped the players get primed for the season despite the lockout.

 "There's just a lot of excitement in the air in general right now,'' said McCoy. "We've got new coaches, a new system, and we've got a lot of new faces upstairs leading the Browns. So all of us want to carry our load and we all understand that 5-11 is not good and that's not what we're looking for and that's not acceptable. That's why we're doing this.''

The Buckeyes were already scheduled to play at Miami at night, giving them three primetime games so far for 2011.

APOhio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor, among others, is scheduled to return from his five-game suspension at Nebraska, and that game on Oct. 8 was announced today as an 8 p.m. start.

COLUMBUS - The scheduled return of five suspended Ohio State players and coach Jim Tressel will take place in prime time, with the announcement today that the Buckeyes' visit to Nebraska on Oct. 8 will be played at 8 p.m.

Also, Ohio State's grudge match with Wisconsin, the only team to beat the Buckeyes last season, will also be played at 8 p.m. in Ohio Stadium on Oct. 29.

These announcements of the primetime Big Ten games on ABC and ESPN follow the previous news that Ohio State's visit to Miami in the third game of the season on Sept. 17 will be played at either 7:30 or 8 p.m.

So that's three primetime games for Ohio State this season, and though no other gametimes have been announced yet, that should be it for the late starts at home. Typically, Ohio State prefers not to play night games at Ohio Stadium. The Big Ten Network has yet to announce its primetime schedule, so there's always the chance a road game, like at Purdue on Nov. 12, could be at night.

The other Big Ten games announced as night games today were:

* UNLV at Wisconsin on Thursday, Sept. 1 to open the season

* Notre Dame at Michigan on Sept. 10 in the first night game in the history of Michigan Stadium

* Notre Dame at Purdue and Nebraska at Wisconsin on Oct. 1

* Wisconsin at Michigan State on Oct. 22

The biggest announcement is about the Buckeyes and Cornhuskers, though. In its first season in the Big Ten, Nebraska hosting Ohio State in the sixth game of the year was already a schedule highlight. Throw in the fact that OSU quarterback Terrelle Pryor, receiver DeVier Posey, left tackle Mike Adams, running back Dan Herron and defensive end Solomon Thomas are eligible to return from their suspensions for the Nebraska game, as is Tressel, and the game was taken to a new level.

So the fact that it was grabbed for a national telecast on either ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 is no surprise. But now we know that this is the game that everyone in the nation will be watching.

The Buckeyes played three night games last season, at home against Marshall to open the year on Thursday night, and at Wisconsin and at Minnesota.

No surprise as 13-time Grand Slam singles champ has been off tour more than 10 months -- sidelined by foot operations and blood clots in her lung. She returned to practice last month.

Associated PressSerena Williams will not play in the French Open as she continues to work her way back from health problems.

PARIS, France -- Serena Williams pulled out of the French Open on Thursday, a decision that was expected because the 13-time Grand Slam singles champion has been off the tour for more than 10 months.

Williams, who won the 2002 French Open, hasn't competed since early July, sidelined by two foot operations and blood clots in her lung. She returned to practice last month.

Her older sister Venus — a seven-time major singles champion — is also in doubt for the clay-court French Open, which starts May 22. Tournament organizers said Thursday they have not heard from Venus, who hasn't played since January because of a hip injury.

The French Open will be the third consecutive Grand Slam tournament missed by Serena.

Shortly after winning her fourth singles championship at Wimbledon last summer, she cut her foot on glass at a restaurant in Germany, an injury that led to two operations. The second surgery was in October, and she said she spent 10 weeks in a cast and 10 weeks in a walking boot.

The 29-year-old American was diagnosed in February with blood clots in her lung. After that, she said she needed treatment for a hematoma — a gathering of blood under the skin — on her stomach.

Neither Williams sister has said when she might return to the tour. Both ranked as high as No. 1 in the past, Serena is 17th this week, while Venus is 19th.

Serena was replaced in the draw for Roland Garros by Junri Namigata of Japan, the tournament said Thursday.

Two-time French Open runner-up Dinara Safina of Russia and Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland also have withdrawn. Safina has back problems; Bacsinszky has a left ankle injury. They will be replaced by in the field by Anne Keothavong of Britain and Anna Tatishvili of Georgia.

David Nalbandian of Argentina is out of the men's tournament because of a virus, replaced by Daniel Brands of Germany.

French players Arnaud Clement, the 2001 Australian Open runner-up; Vincent Millot, Benoit Paire, Edouard Roger-Vasselin, Guillaume Rufin and Maxime Texeira received wild cards for the men's draw, along with Tim Smyczek of the United States and Bernard Tomic of Australia.

Wild cards for the women's draw were given to French players Iryna Bremond, Stephanie Foretz-Gacon, Kristina Mladenovic, Pauline Parmentier and Caroline Garcia, along with Irina Falconi of the U.S. and Casey Dellacqua of Australia.

Like Ohio State, the NCAA also needs to change its ways, writes Rob Oller of the Columbus Dispatch.

(Marvin Fong / The Plain Dealer)Ohio State football head coach Jim Tressel.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are among several colleges who have recently been in the news for doing things that college programs shouldn't do.

Coach Jim Tressel's not coming clean on several of his players trading Buckeyes memorabilia for discounted tattoos led to suspensions by the NCAA. More punishment is likely on the way.

Rob Oller, columnist at The Columbus Dispatch, writes how NCAA officials must also realize they are part of the problem that is quickly become common in college sports.

The NCAA can educate athletes about the dangers of getting too cozy with supposed friends of the program, but celebrity worshippers are relentless in their pursuit of brushes with greatness. And let's be honest, most athletes enjoy being pursued.

So the NCAA can and should create more deterrents to cheating, but it also needs to understand it created some of the problems it seeks to solve. You can't market March Madness without also advertising the athletes who star in it.

  View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerSlider helps the crowd spell O-H-I-O during a sunny weekday game at Progressive Field It finally happened in Cleveland: A first-place team played weekday baseball in balmy sunshine. Everything went right Thursday, May 12, at Progressive Field except the score, a 7-4 loss to Tampa Rays. Since it was just the Indians' fourth loss...

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerSlider helps the crowd spell O-H-I-O during a sunny weekday game at Progressive Field

It finally happened in Cleveland: A first-place team played weekday baseball in balmy sunshine.

Everything went right Thursday, May 12, at Progressive Field except the score, a 7-4 loss to Tampa Rays.

Since it was just the Indians' fourth loss in 18 home games during a generally chilly, soggy spring, most of the 18,107 fans at the noontime game remained upbeat. They predicted plenty of wins, warmth and crowds ahead.

"If they take their current record into June and July, this place will be packed,' said Tony LaVigna, a Parma fireman who had the day off.

"The combination of good weather and a winning team will do it every time," said lawyer William Rosner, who dashed from his nearby office for a couple of innings.

Indians spokesman Bob DiBiasio praised the attendance. "Eighteen thousand on a Thursday afternoon--that's a good crowd."

The Indians have played more home games early this season than last, rarely in good weather. Still, the average attendance has outpaced last year's for the same number of games. .

Many fans took advantage of a $15 "lunch and three innings" promotion Thursday, but stayed all day, and never mind work or school.

"I just told them I was going to be with my son," said Chris Koler. He surprised his son Alex by pulling him from St. Adalbert Elementary School in North Royalton to celebrate the boy's 10th birthday at the ballpark.

Traditional daytime baseball tends to draw fans with early bedtimes. Many school children began the day with a pre-game weather program led by WKYC-TV's Betsy Kling.

"This beats school," said MarrioBoose of Cleveland's Watterson-Lake Elementary School.

Adults said fans seem to drink less and behave better by day, making the park friendlier to children.

Some early showers gave way to mostly sunny skies and a ballpark temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Indians employees fought the rare glare by giving many children free eye-block patches.

Third baseman, one of the Indians' top prospects, is hitting .325 the last three weeks and is producing runs.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerThird baseman Lonnie Chisenhall with the Indians in spring training.

MINOR LEAGUE REPORT

AAA Columbus Clippers

Knights 10, Clippers 7 Columbus trailed, 8-0, after Charlotte scored seven runs in the bottom of the fifth inning of Thursday's International League game in N.C. Clippers RH starter Joe Martinez (2-1, 5.14) took the loss, allowing two runs in four innings. Clippers LH reliever Eric Berger was charged with six runs (five earned) in the fifth inning. Columbus LF-CF Josh Rodriguez (.154) slugged his first home run of the season, a two-run clout, and 3B Lonnie Chisenhall (.278) drove a solo homer, his third. RF-LF Jerad Head (.379) doubled twice and singled and 1B Wes Hodges (.246) singled, doubled and walked.

Notes: OF Jerad Head (.379) is batting .432 (16-for-37) in his last 10 games with four doubles, one homer, six RBI and nine runs....CF Ezequiel Carrera (.328) is hitting .410 (16-for-39) in his last 10 games, with two doubles, one homer, eight RBI, 12 runs, six walks and six stolen bases in as many tries....1B Wes Hodges (.246) is 11-for-27 (.407) in his last seven games, with three doubles, one homer and six RBI....3B Lonnie Chisenhall (.278), a 2008 first-round Indians’ draft pick, is 25-for-77 (.325) since April 21. Chisenhall, a 22-year-old left-handed hitter, has nine doubles, one triple and three homers this season, with 22 RBI, 25 runs, 14 walks and 24 strikeouts....RH starter Zach McAllister has made six starts and won them all, with a 3.00 ERA. He has fanned 29, walked six and allowed 36 hits (two homers) in 39 innings....RH reliever Zach Putnam (2-0, five saves, 2.29) has pitched 19 2/3 innings in 12 games. He’s struck out 16, walked four and yielded 13 hits.

AA Akron Aeros

Tonight: Akron (15-18) at Bowie (17-16), 7:05. Aeros pitcher to be determined vs. Baysox RH Zach Clark (3-1, 3.58).

Notes: Going into Thursday night’s game, 1B Matt McBride (.265) was 13-for-31 (.419) with five homers, one double, eight RBI and eight runs in his last eight games....LF Tim Fedroff (.330) was on a seven-game hitting streak, going 13-for-29 (.448) with three doubles and seven RBI....RH reliever Chen Lee (1-1, 2.84) had struck out 27, walked five and given up 13 hits in 19 innings....RH closer Cory Burns (0-2, 10 saves, 4.85) was perfect in his two-inning save during the Aeros’ 4-1 win at Erie on Wednesday night. It was a bounce-back effort from his four previous games, when he was 0-2 with a save, giving up six runs on eight hits in 3 1/3 innings. Burns has struck out 24 and walked one in 13 innings this season.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Tonight: Kinston (13-18) at Myrtle Beach (20-12), 7:05. Indians LH Drew Pomeranz (1-0, 1.27) vs. Pelicans LH Robert Erlin (2-1, 2.25).

Notes: Going into Thursday night’s game, Indians’ relief pitchers had not allowed an earned run in their last 39 innings. They had given up three unearned runs during the span....Indians batters had scored one run and hit .139 in the last three games, all losses....RH reliever Preston Guilmet (0-0, five saves, 0.00) had pitched 11 1/3 scoreless innings with 13 strikeouts, no walks and six hits allowed....RH reliever Tyler Sturdevant was 2-1 with a 1.00 ERA, fanning 16, walking five and allowing 14 hits in 18 innings....RH reliever Adam Miller, a Cleveland first-round pick in the 2003 draft who, until April 30, had not pitched in an official game since 2008 because of finger ailments, had two scoreless, one-inning outings going into Thursday night’s game, fanning two while giving up one hit and two walks. Miller, considered one of baseball’s premier pitching prospects before his finger injuries, allowed four runs (three earned) in one inning in his April 30 game....LH Drew Pomeranz (1-0), the Indians’ first-round draft pick last season, went into his start on Thursday night second in the Carolina League with a 1.27 ERA and third in strikeouts with 42. He had struck out 13.33 batters per every nine innings. Pomeranz had allowed just 16 hits (one homer) in 28 1/3 innings, with 10 walks. Opponents were hitting .162 against him....RH Brett Brach (3-2, 1.63) has fanned 19, walked 11 and held opponents to a .181 batting average in 27 2/3 innings. Including his six scoreless, two-hit innings for a win for Akron, Brach is 4-2 with a 1.34 ERA. He has struck out 23, walked 12, allowed one homers and held opponents to a .170 batting average in 33 2/3 innings....LH Giovanni Soto, who will turn 20 on May 18, is 1-3 with a 2.67 ERA in six starts. In 27 innings, he’s fanned 26, walked nine and held opponents to a .202 batting average.

A Lake County Captains

Tonight: Lake County (16-18) at Dayton (17-17), 7:00. Captains RH Steven Wright (0-0, 2.75) vs. Dragons LH Tanner Robles (2-3, 5.73).

Notes: Going into Thursday night’s game, SS Tyler Cannon led the Midwest League in batting average (.370) and on-base percentage (.460), and was second in slugging percentage (.620)....LF Anthony Gallas was fifth in batting average (.348) and led the league with 15 doubles....1B Jesus Aguilar (.244) was tied for third with seven home runs and tied for third with 25 RBI....CF Carlos Moncrief (.260) wass third with 20 walks....Catcher Alex Monsalve (.307) was on a six-game hitting streak, going 9-for-24 (.375) with two doubles and a homer....RH reliever Nikolas Sarianides (2-1, one save, 2.50) had struck out 17 and walked two, allowing 13 hits, in 18 innings....RH reliever Clayton Ehlert (0-1, seven saves, 2.38) had fanned 10, walked one and given up eight hits in 11 1/3 innings....RH reliever Dale Dickerson (0-0, 2.19) had pitched in 12 games, fanning nine while giving up seven hits and four walks in 12 1/3 innings....LH Mike Rayl (4-0, 2.29) was tied for third in the league with his four wins, and tied for seventh with 39 strikeouts. Rayl has pitched 35 1/3 innings in seven starts, walking nine and holding opponents to one homer and a .181 batting average.

Tribe lost 56 more games than it won the last two years. WSJ looks at the strategy that's making a turnaround possible.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerOutfielder Michael Brantley, here stealing second base against the Red Sox, is one of the young players acquired via trade who are now helping the Indians.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians lost 56 more games than they won in the 2009 and 2010 seasons, combined.

This season, the Tribe has 10 more wins than losses, despite losing their last two games to the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Wall Street Journal stresses that the season is still young. Yet, the WSJ is impressed that the Indians, so far, have been able to turn things around.

Darren Everson looks at what the Cleveland organization has done to, hopefully, return to at least contention status in the American League Central.

Everson writes:

As a forensic exercise, The Wall Street Journal retraced all 206 of the Indians' noteworthy transactions since that Game 7 loss to the Red Sox. Forty-four of those were deals with other clubs, the third-most of any team over that span. These deals show, quite clearly, how well the Indians fared in dealing veterans like Mark DeRosa and CC Sabathia for prospects. It also showed what an elaborate dart-throwing exercise running a baseball team can be: other moves, like spending $6 million for Masahide Kobayashi, landed well off the mark.

Cleveland's Hits
The Indians' philosophy on retooling the roster comes from a 2002 study the front office did on rebuilding efforts across the majors. The team found that it generally took teams at least eight years to get back to a 90-win level (in other words, an eternity). "We didn't want to go through an 8-to-11-year process," general manager Chris Antonetti said. So Cleveland focused on acquiring youngsters who are at or near the major-league level, as opposed to hyped prospects who needed time.

Of course, as is true for all teams, not every Indians' decison has reaped benefits, although a couple remain in the "maybe" category.

Everson writes:

Kerry Wood was a $10 million closer on two 90-loss teams. The 2009 Cliff Lee deal with Philadelphia (for Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald, Lou Marson and Jason Knapp) hasn't yielded a superstar to match. Kobayashi, a Japanese reliever, was so ineffective the Indians released him in 2009 with two months left on his contract.

The draft has also been a soft spot. Jeremy Sowers, a former No. 6-overall pick, has a 5.18 career ERA and is out with an injury. Cleveland had five picks in the first three rounds of the 2005 draft and six more in 2006, but none of those players is on the major-league roster.

Two officers sneak into the game and end up helping to escort Barker off the field after his perfect game.

View full sizeAP fileLen Barker during his perfect game on May 15, 1981.

This spring, we asked readers to tell us their best memory at an Indians game. More than 600 of you responded. The five finalists and winner were featured during the week leading up to Opening Day. All season long, The Plain Dealer will publish other fan memories -- one each day the Indians are scheduled to play. Here is today's essay by Rick Ferrara of Cleveland.

I shared this day with the 7,000-plus fans who trekked to Cleveland Municipal Stadium on a gloomy, wet evening in May to watch the Indians take on the Toronto Blue Jays. There is just one difference between me and all the others . . . I had no business being there.

It's May 15, 1981. I'm a Cleveland SWAT officer on duty with my partner Jim Churko, a fellow Indians fan who shares my passion for the game. The only thing that ever comes between us and watching our team is family or work. Tonight, we are working. Unable to see the game in person, Jim and I count on Nev Chandler to bring the game to life on [radio station] WWWE AM/1100.

At 8 p.m., the Tribe is winning as Jim and I break for dinner. Walking into the diner, my eyes find the TV screen before [I find] a chair. Mesmerized, I order without a menu. My mind is finally registering what is unfolding before my eyes. Tonight, baseball history is in the making [as] Indians pitcher Lenny Barker is on his way to pitching a perfect game.

"You realize what we have to do, don't you?" Jim says. My reply is to the waiter: "Check, please!"

Within five minutes, we enter Municipal Stadium via the employee entrance and sneak into third-base seats, 15th row. Jim and I know we stick out like two sore, blue thumbs in our uniforms, but the rush of the game makes it worth the risk. In the eighth inning, things are going strong for Lenny but take a turn for us as a Cleveland police sergeant walks assertively in our direction. Busted.

No! The sergeant demands our assistance for crowd control! We are instructed to enter the playing field, our hearts pounding with excitement and pride. It's the top of the ninth and the Jays are at-bat.

Two up, two down! The stadium is at just 10 percent capacity, but the roar of the fans sounds like every seat is filled as Lenny makes the final pitch. It's hit to center field and caught by Rick Manning. Moments later, Rick Ferrara and Jim Churko, two on-duty SWAT officers who sneaked into the stadium, proudly escort Lenny Barker off the field after he has pitched the 10th perfect game in baseball history.

This is my most unforgettable day of Cleveland Indians baseball!

Toms goes 25 holes before making a bogey Friday and counters with enough good shots for a one-shot lead over Nick Watney going into what figures to be another wild weekend on the TPC Sawgrass.

Cinesport video

For more Cinesport video on cleveland.com, go here.

View full sizeJon M. Fletcher l Florida Times UnionLouis Oosthuizen, center, being held by Noel Zelnik, left, Michael Bradley's caddie, and golfer Michael Bradley, tries to fish out Bradley's driver after it slipped out of his hand and landed in the water during his tee shot on the seventh hole during the second round of The Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

Doug Ferguson / Associated Press

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — David Toms has gone five years without winning, and 10 years since his lone major at the PGA Championship. Now he has to fend off a host of players who have won big events a lot more recently.

Toms went 25 holes before making a bogey Friday and countered with enough good shots for a 4-under 68, giving him a one-shot lead over Nick Watney going into what figures to be another wild weekend on the TPC Sawgrass.

Watney won a World Golf Championship two months ago at Doral, punctuated by a birdie on the tough closing hole. Despite missing four birdie putts inside 12 feet on his last seven holes, he got into the final group.

Luke Donald, the World Golf Championship winner at Arizona in February, became the first player since 2004 to make it around Sawgrass without a bogey for the first 36 holes. He birdied the island-green 17th and shot 67 to finish two shots behind.

Also two shots behind:

• U.S. Open champion and Ryder Cup star Graeme McDowell, who is back on track after a dismal April.

• Former U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover, riding high after his win last week at Quail Hollow.

• Steve Stricker, who has won two FedEx Cup playoff events and has become a regular among the top 10 in the world.

The favorite?

"Whoever plays the best on the weekend," Glover said, as good of an answer as anyone can provide.

View full sizeAPDavid Toms just misses an eagle putt on the 16th hole during the second round.

Toms quite trying to be perfect on a course that looks like it demands no less. It led to nearly perfect play over two days at The Players, and pole position going into the weekend.

Toms doesn't have a great record at TPC Sawgrass. In 18 previous attempts, he has missed the cut 10 times and only once has finished in the top 10. He just couldn't figure out the right angle into the greens, and always believed it had to be just right.

"It seemed early in my career around here I was always trying to play the perfect shot," he said. "I think the last few years, I've just learned to try to play my game, my shot ... rather than trying to hit the perfect shot on the golf course."

Watney did his best to catch him.

He started the back nine with back-to-back birdies, then gave himself a chance on every hole. Watney missed four birdie putts inside 12 feet over his last seven holes, settling for 71 after opening with a 64. His emotions showed what this place can do for you.

"I'm not exactly happy," Watney said, before ending his remarks with, "I'm excited where I am."

Toms was at 10-under 134, leading a quality list of contenders at the biggest event of golf's strongest tour.

Looming particularly large was Donald, the Englishman who can go to No. 1 in the world with a victory. He has only been out of the top 10 once since last September. Perhaps even more impressive this week is that Donald hasn't made a bogey all week.

"I think it's an accomplishment anywhere," Donald said. "This is a tough course. There is a lot of danger lurking. It is pretty easy to slip up around this course. So it's pretty satisfying to go without making a bogey 36 holes.

Four major champions are among the top 10 -- one of them is Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III, a two-time winner of The Players who was three back going into the weekend. All but Toms among the top six have won tournaments in the last year.

Even with Tiger Woods long departed after withdrawing Thursday, there was no shortage of drama.

A fan offered to be lifted down into the lake off the 18th tee to retrieve Michael Bradley's driver when it came out of his hands. Mark Wilson called a two-shot penalty on himself for a double-hit -- even though video evidence was inconclusive -- which caused him to miss the cut. Jonathan Byrd challenged a bad time he received, and had Rory Sabbatini argue on his behalf.

The cut came at even-par 144, and even that featured some tough moments. Ernie Els, inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame on Monday, was in front of the par-5 ninth in two, flubbed a chip and missed a 4-foot putt to make bogey and miss the cut by one.

Then there was the scorecard of Phil Mickelson -- a 31 on the front to get within two shots of the lead, a 40 on the back to settle for a 71 and linger eight shots out of the lead.

For all the putts he missed, Watney got a pair of good breaks. On the par-5 11th, his ball was headed into deep rough short of the green when he noticed it slightly plugged and covered with mud. It was determined to be in his pitch mark, so he was able to take a drop and wipe the golf ball clean, then chipped up to 4 feet for birdie.

"I would have lot a lot of money had I bet on a ball plugging today," he said. "It was a great break and I took advantage of it."

He was in deep rough on the 15th, but the ball landed in a divot, leaving him a clean shot that he could spin. This time, though, he missed a 7-footer. And in a mental blunder, Watney was over his 6-foot birdie putt on the 16th to tie for the lead when he heard the cheer for Bubba Watson making a long birdie on the island-green 17th. He pulled back the putter and missed it badly to the left.

No matter. He's one shot behind, confident of adding to a World Golf Championship he won earlier this year at Doral.

Watson, meanwhile, shot a 66 to easily make the cut, and Sergio Garcia rallied for a 68 to make it to the weekend.

So did McDowell, which didn't used to be big news.

His U.S. Open victory last summer at Pebble Beach set up a dream year for McDowell. He won the decisive singles match in the Ryder Cup to lead Europe to another win, then ended the season by coming from four shots behind to beat Tiger Woods in the Chevron World Challenge in a playoff.

Fortunes can change quickly in this game, and so can the confidence. McDowell missed three of his last four cuts on the PGA Tour before The Players, and he was starting to wonder what was going wrong.

"You go through a spell like I've just gone through where I just couldn't piece anything together, you have crazy thoughts. 'Will I ever win again? Will I ever be in contention again? Am I done? Am I finished?' It's just the craziness of this sport," he said. "You never know what's around the corner."

That much still holds true going into the weekend.

Also, Brian Heere drives in both runs in a 2-1 Lake County Captains win at Eastlake.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Indians 9, Clippers 5 Travis Buck clubbed a three-run home run in the top of the ninth inning, but Columbus' rally fell short in an International League game at Indianapolis. Former Tribe pitcher David Huff (3-2) started and was battered immediately. In 4 innings, the left-hander gave up 12 hits and seven runs (four earned). Indianapolis collected 16 hits for the night.

Notes: Buck was hitting. 357 by games' end. He was 2-for-5 for the night, and for the season has 20 hits in 56 at-bats. He has two home runs and 11 walks this season. His on-base percentage is .462.

AA Akron Aeros

Aeros 4, Baysox 0 Right-handed pitchers Austin Adams (4-2) and Paolo Espino combined to throw a three-hit shutout as Akron won at Bowie, Md., in an Eastern League game. Adams pitched five innings, giving up one hit, walking five and striking out six. Espino worked four innings of relief for his first save.'

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Keys 4, Indians 2 Frederick, Md., scored three runs in the top of the third on five consecutive hits and held on to beat Kinston, N.C., in a Carolina League game. Clayton Cook (2-3) was the starting and losing pitcher. He went seven innings and gave up nine hits and three runs, all earned. Shortstop Casey Frawley slugged his second home run of the season for the K-Tribe, a solo shot in the eighth inning.

A Lake County Captains

Captains 2, Whitecaps 1 Brian Heere singled in both Captains runs, and Lake County beat West Michigan at Classic Park in Eastlake. The Captains snapped a three-game losing streak. Captains starter Mike Goodnight (3-3) gave up a home run in the seventh. The 6-4 right-hander pitched a career-high 6 innings, allowing a run on three hits.

Notes: Tonight is the first of nine Saturday Fireworks nights at Classic Park. . . . Right fielder Anthony Gallas doubled and walked in three plate appearances, and is hitting .356.

WESTLAKE, Ohio — Kaila and Jade Barber combined for six event championships and led the Midpark Meteors to their second Southwestern Conference track crown in the past three years on Friday at Westlake. After falling short to Brecksville-Broadview Heights a year ago, the Meteors defeated the Bees and the rest of the conference with 123 points.

Midpark's Kaila Barber competes in the long jump Friday during the Southwestern Conference championships at Westlake High School. - (Lonnie Timmons III l PD)

WESTLAKE, Ohio — Kaila and Jade Barber combined for six event championships and led the Midpark Meteors to their second Southwestern Conference track crown in the past three years on Friday at Westlake.

After falling short to Brecksville-Broadview Heights a year ago, the Meteors defeated the Bees and the rest of the conference with 123 points.

"When you have a couple Division I athletes that anchor so many things, they help pull everything together, so it's been a blessing to have them," said Midpark coach Rick Mack of the Barber twins who will compete for Notre Dame next season.

"They kind of set the table, and everyone else has kind of done their part. Our field-event people scored 51 points, and everybody found a way to contribute. They set the tone, and everybody fills in. It's a total team effort."

Jade Barber won the first running event of the evening with a time of 14.94 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles. After a challenge from Avon Lake junior Kristen Winkel, Barber hit her stride at the midway point of the race and earned the victory by more than a half-second.

"To know that I helped do this, it makes me feel like a team player," Jade said.

Later in the meet, Barber took the lead in the 400-meter run on the event's final turn, but had to adjust her stride to regain the advantage from Brecksville junior Veronica Thompson. Barber won the event by just over a tenth of a second.

"If I win right away, it makes me feel like I can win my other events," Barber said. "Pretty much, I think I'm going to do well. It was a rough start for me because I wasn't able to get up to full speed until the middle of the race. I got beat up by the hurdles. I have bruises to show."

Kaila Barber followed her sister's victory with one of her own.

She sailed through the field in the 100-meter dash, successfully defending her event championship in 12.12 seconds, more than a half-second in front of the second-place finisher Meghan Drews of North Olmsted. In winning Friday's 100-meter dash, Barber became the conference's first four-time champion in the event.

"After I finished, it was like a relief to be done," said Kaila Barber, the winningest female athlete in SWC meet history. "I get so nervous before I run. Sometimes, it doesn't feel like it's worth it because I'm so nervous it makes me sick. I didn't really pay attention to all [the records]. It just kind of happened out of nowhere. I'm happy I got it. It feels good."

While the Barber twins ruled the girls division, Berea junior Donovan Robertson won four individual boys events for the second consecutive year. He won the 110-meter high hurdles and the 100-meter dash, as well as the 200 meters and 300 hurdles.

Robertson won the 100 hurdles and 100 about 10 minutes apart, as they were the first two events.

"I've been having trouble in the couple races, but I tried to put it aside and just do everything I could," Robertson said. "It's tough, but it's fun. It's exhausting, both mentally and physically.

"It wasn't my cleanest race," he said about the 300 hurdles. "Avon Lake's got athletes and I was glad to have them pushing me to make sure I could secure my spot."

Avon Lake's 126 points were enough to help the Shoremen successfully defend their boys championship. They have won four SWC team championships, dating back to their first title run in 2000.

"We knew we had a great team this year, so this was our focus, to get back to this point and get the championship back," said Shoremen coach Rob Rocco.

"We have great throwers and a great distance team. That's the backbone of our team, but we knew the other teams in the conference had great distance teams. This team knows that they can count on each other. Every little bit helps, and it sure helped tonight."

Matt Florjancic is a freelance writer in Broadview Heights.

The stable of elite runners for Sunday's races is on par with past years. As usual, all but two of the 19 elite runners will compete in the 10K. As usual, runners from Kenya top the list. Watch video

View full sizeGus Chan l Plain Dealer file photoMost of the elite runners will compete in the 10-kilometer race on Sunday in Cleveland. Last year, Philip Lagat, 27, of Kenya won the men's 10K with a time of 29:05.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Attracting world-class runners adds credibility and more media attention than an event might otherwise get. It also pushes the pace.

"If they're running well," said John Tope, elite athlete recruiter for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon, "they kind of pull the entire field through the race a little bit faster. So I think you can get some better times out of it."

The stable of elite runners for Sunday's races is on par with past years, he said. As usual, all but two of the 19 elite runners will compete in the 10K. As usual, runners from Kenya top the list.

"On the women's side, probably the two or three hottest runners are the top three," he said.

That would be Kenyans Everlyne Lagat and Risper Gesabwa, and American Allison Grace-Morgan.

Lagat placed seventh and Gesabwa eighth in the 12K Lilac Bloomsday Run in Spokane, Wash., earlier this month. Grace-Morgan, of Lexington, Ky., was 14th.

"It's a very difficult course," Tope said, "and [Lagat] faltered near the end but pretty much pushed the pace for the whole race."

The men's 10K features familiar names: Kenyans Festus Langat, who finished second by three seconds in last year's Cleveland 10K, and Aron Rono, who finished third. Fellow countrymen Richard Kandie, Julius Kiptoo, Sammy Rotich and Moses Waweru are names to watch, too.

Kandie, in particular, has been running well. In March, he won the 10K Azalea Trail Run in Mobile, Ala., and finished third in the Shamrock 8K in Virginia Beach, Va., then followed that up last month with a second-place finish in the 4-mile Trolley Run in Kansas City, Mo.

Others who could make a splash in the 10K: twins Tara and Kara Storage of Beavercreek near Dayton; and 1st Lt. Kenneth Foster, of the U.S. Army's World Class Athlete Program, who placed fifth in the Azalea Trail Run.

Unlike most sports, competing with elite runners allows athletes to see how they stack up against the best.

"You can line up on Sunday morning, and you're going to know exactly how you fare against the very best elites of the race," Tope said, "and there are very few sports you can do that with. You can wonder what it's like to play against Peyton Hillis of the Cleveland Browns, but you're never going to find out."

Not that anyone built like a long-distance runner would ever want to.

Bigger purse: When the full and half-marathon sold out, race directors sweetened the pot. If the winner of the men's marathon breaks 2:20 and the women's marathon winner breaks 2:40, they'll each earn an additional $3,000 above the winner's take of $1,000.

The course records are 2:10:29 for the men, set in 2000, and 2:30:15 for the women, set in 1998. Helping hands: After passing Team Hoyt in the Boston Marathon a handful of times, Jim Rowell finally decided to ask Barry Winovich if he'd like to do something similar. Team Hoyt is a father-son pairing in which Dick Hoyt pushes his wheelchair-bound son, Rick, who has cerebral palsy, so that he can compete in marathons and triathlons across the country.

Winovich has been suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's Disease) since 2006, is now in a wheelchair, and wanted to raise money and awareness for the disease that has robbed him of his ability to walk, speak and move his arms.

The natural result was Team Brightside, which will compete in Sunday's Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon. Winovich will ride in a special running wheelchair, pushed along the 26.2-mile course by four friends -- Rowell, Jim Henry, Colin Cooper and Josh Rush. Winovich's 16-year-old daughter, Katie, will hand out water at the marathon finish line with 10 of her friends, and his 9-year-old son, Will, intends to push his father the final distance across the finish line.

Winovich joked via email that he has "eaten as much as I can; I'm going to make the runners work!" In reality, his four partners have all pushed him 3-4 miles to get the feel of the chair, which he likens to a "giant baby jogging stroller."

Winovich hopes to raise about $25,000 toward research for ALS with his run, and bring attention to the disease that has changed his life. He says Will has only really known him with the disease, and that his 14-year-old son, Charlie, misses not being able to play catch with his father. His children have had to grow up too quickly, he says.

Still, he tries to look on the positive side of how his life is made easier with technological advancements such as power wheelchairs and the Internet.

"Try to remember there is probably someone worse off than you," he advises ALS patients struggling with their disease. "Try to do something positive with ALS. It will make you feel better."

Plain Dealer reporter Jodie Valade contributed to this report.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: blubinger@plaind.com, 216-999-5531

The Bainbridge Township resident, 71, gets ready to run his 34th Cleveland Marathon on Sunday.

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When the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon steps off Sunday morning, Francis "Bud" McNellie of Bainbridge Township will be somewhere in the pack of bouncing heads for the 34th time. Since Cleveland first staged a marathon, he's run them all.

"My dad died of a heart attack at 73," he said. "I was thinking, if I can run a marathon when I'm 73, that's been kind of a goal in the back of my mind all these years."

McNellie, who turns 72 on June 17, was a longtime football player, football coach and teacher. The stress of putting out proverbial fires as a school administrator raised his blood pressure. When his doctor told him he needed an exercise program, he picked up running -- well, running halfway around the high school track and walking the other half, at first. Then half a track became three miles, and three miles became a half-marathon, and a half-marathon became a full marathon when Cleveland launched its event.

"I got to about the 20-mile mark," he said, "I felt like I couldn't pick up my legs."

He did, though, finishing in 3:56. And he's been picking up his legs ever since, although two years ago, he fell at the 15-mile mark and bashed his head. Luckily, it happened in front of paramedics. They wanted to call an ambulance, but he refused, finished and was taken to the hospital afterward.

As McNellie anticipated his 34th, he offered some insight into what the experience has been like:

Your best time?

2:58 in 1985 for the full marathon.

Q. What's your training strategy?

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This year, I've been doing about 55 miles a week. Every Sunday for about the last couple months, I run a 15-mile course. On Monday, I run about six miles. Then Tuesday, I run eight to 10 miles, and I try to run hills hard. Then Wednesday, I take off. I have a weightlifting bench in my garage. That's all I do on Wednesday. On Thursday, I do a long run, around 10 miles. The last two weeks before a marathon, you really cut back. Last week, I probably did about 35 miles, and this week I'll do maybe 25 miles, if that. The old adage for marathoners is the last two weeks you can run too much, but you can't rest enough.

Favorite Cleveland Marathon memory?

My favorite one was breaking three hours. That's a goal for every serious runner. That's kind of a magic number. I only did it that one time. Right now, if I'm around four hours, at my age, I can't train hard enough.

Your pre-race ritual?

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Nothing special.

Your pre-race meal?

I usually have a couple of those little frozen waffles and a cup of coffee. I don't have much. The few nights before, I try to load up on pasta and a lot of liquids.

Goal for this year's race?

Just to finish. I'd really like to be around 4 hours. I don't know if I can or not. I'm not that much into the time anymore, just to finish.

-- Bill Lubinger

New Browns defensive coordinator Dick Jauron says the team has a lot of work to do on defense. They need more players and they need to get them working, but the NFL lockout has frozen all activities.

David Duprey l Associated PressFormer Bills head coach Dick Jauron knows he has a lot of work to do as Browns defensive coordinator, including supervising the switch from a 3-4 to a 4-3 defense, along with quickly indoctrinating the team's draft picks whenever football activities resume in the NFL.

"We have work to do," new defensive coordinator Dick Jauron said. "I suspect that's why we're all here [meeting without players]. There's work to be done. We're looking forward to try and get it done. Hopefully, we'll have a chance soon."

The switch to the West Coast offense -- supervised by the Browns' first offensive-minded head coach in 12 years and with all that entails -- has overshadowed the seismic switch in the defensive system.

The changes involved in moving from a 3-4 alignment to the traditional 4-3 are more complex than simply subtracting a linebacker and replacing him with a fourth lineman. There will be a culture shock suffered by returning players not versed in the scheme.

Just the difference in coordinators will throw them -- going from gregarious, fun-lovin', back-pattin' Rob Ryan to the subdued, Yale-educated Jauron. Jauron has to undo six years of the Browns stocking linemen for the 3-4. Now the team needs two speedy defensive ends and two tackles -- one to stay at home and the other to provide some inside pass rush.

"We knew there'd be a lot of change, a real lot of change," Jauron said. "Certainly, the 4-3 is different than the 3-4. So up front, we knew we'd have to get personnel that fit our scheme, just like they went after personnel that fit theirs."

The draft provided two key parts, tackle Phil Taylor and end Jabaal Sheard, but there are missing pieces. And the NFL lockout, which has canceled team activities, is robbing Jauron of precious time to gauge the players on hand and where they might fit.

The offensive players have conducted two sets of their own workouts supervised by quarterback Colt McCoy, who has coach Pat Shurmur's playbook in possession. The defensive players don't have Jauron's playbook and can't do much together, anyway. Tossing a ball around isn't going to cut it for them.

When the lockout was lifted for about 24 hours before the draft, none of the defensive players showed up at Browns headquarters to receive materials from Jauron and the defensive staff.

"The difficult side for us is they don't have their stuff," Jauron said. "Most of them aren't here, obviously. And they all knew that something was going to happen [to reinstitute the lockout two days later], so they weren't about to fly back in from where they were.

"They certainly can do their drills and their drops and their footwork. If we had a year or two with them, clearly they could work on terminology and different things like that. It's just the way it is. We have to deal with it. Other teams have to deal with it. And we will."

In his first extensive interview since being hired Jan. 21, Jauron talked about the job in rebuilding the Browns' defense.

The big draft trade:

Jauron said Taylor was the player targeted after the big trade from No. 6 to No. 27 with Atlanta. The Browns had to give up their third-round pick to Kansas City to move back up to No. 21 to select Taylor. Jauron fell short of affirming that nabbing Taylor was essential for the first trade to work.

"We're glad we did. I guess that's the way I'd put it," Jauron said. "He's a player we'd talked about going in. I know Tom [Heckert] and Mike [Holmgren] really liked him. So that was kind of the plan. The rest is kind of revisionist history. If we didn't, what would have happened? I think we'd still have a good draft, but it would have been disappointing for us at the moment, because that's a guy we had targeted."

Defensive draft picks Taylor, Sheard, cornerback Buster Skrine and safety Eric Hagg:

"As an organization, we agreed that a Phil Taylor-type player [was needed]. We like this guy, like his personality, like his size, like his toughness and his athleticism. You know our division. We're gonna have to stop the run and defend play-action and obviously rush the passer. It's a tough division, physically tough. And this is a physically tough guy with good size and good athleticism. We like his demeanor.

"Jabaal is a hard player, plays the game real fast all the time, comes to the football. He tackles people. We like that. We think it fits the defensive mentality that every team wants to put in place. So, really good picks for us.

"Buster Skrine is also a tough guy. He plays the game hard and has that great speed, a thing you can't teach. We're excited about that. Eric, he was very productive for Nebraska, just continually made plays. A smart player. You can see him in their nickel package, played the dime at times, as we describe it. So we felt really good about the draft."

Pairing Taylor and Ahtyba Rubin inside the front four, and deciding which one plays three-technique (providing an inside rush) and which one plays one-technique (over the center's shoulder):

"Ideally we'd like to play them just left and right, the tackles. Until we actually see them, we won't know that. For the most part, one of them will be a one-technique at times and one of them a three-technique. If it proves to be that one of them is significantly better at one of those skills, then we can always flop them.

"[Rubin] showed some spark [against the rush] last year. What we do know for sure is this is a tough player and he plays hard. So we love the way he played the game. So we felt he's a guy we can build upon. In the 4-3, he can definitely play inside. He can definitely play in this division and more than hold his own."

Describing the differences in the left end and right end:

"Most offenses are right-handed. Anticipating you'll get the tight end to your defensive left, that defensive end generally is a little bit bigger, a little bit stouter. The right is maybe a little better pass rusher. You'd like to have them balanced. Like to have them both have outstanding abilities. Hard to find those guys."

Finding a left end to complement Sheard:

"That's one of the issues, obviously, looking at the tape. We just really are going to have to wait. I think it's fair and behooves us to wait before we pass judgment. Obviously, we've got to make some decisions before we know these guys. But once we know them, then we can start moving them around and trying them at different spots and seeing what we have."

A little more comfort at the linebacker spots:

"No matter what your situation, you're always looking to add, if you can. The veteran guys that are there for us -- Scott [Fujita], D'Qwell [Jackson] and Chris [Gocong] . . . we know they can play, have watched them play in the NFL. In D'Qwell's case, we're hoping he's healthy and comes back healthy and we feel confident that he will. At least we have a starting point there. We know from their history and from tape here that they play hard and they're tough guys. And that's a good start there."

The secondary has a hole at free safety:

"We need to keep looking and add players when we can, when we're able to get back into this thing. And we need to get our guys in and learn about them, particularly the backup players from a year ago. T.J. [Ward], we know. Joe [Haden], we know. Sheldon [Brown], we know. Eric (Wright) had a tremendous year the year before. We've got to get him back and get to work. The rest we have to get to know and see what we have. And once business starts up again, keep looking."

Summing up the final product of a Jauron defense:

"This is not out of the ordinary in our business. We would like to have a somewhat balanced defense with pressure being maybe a little higher on the list than everything else.

"It's hard to play defense in the league. You've got to do a number of different things, try to keep them off balance as much as you can and you've got to find ways to get to that guy that runs the show on the other side of the ball. If you don't, it can be long, long afternoons.

"We'd like to be multiple enough to keep you guessing at times, mix up our calls enough to keep you guessing at times, between different kinds of pressures, different coverages that vary a little bit. It's hard to do, particularly when you want to get to the level of the best teams. That would be the goal, to keep them off balance and pressure a little more than normal to make them think pressure most of the time."

Tressel's intentions, like it or not, appear to be that he will stay with his players and continue what he sees as his mission at Ohio State.

Terry Gilliam l Associated PressJim Tressel is giving every indication he intends to fight to keep his job.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Jim Tressel has hired an ultimate NCAA insider to serve as his lawyer during his hearing before the NCAA Committee on Infractions on Aug. 12, just one indication that Ohio State's football coach is settling in to fight for his job.

Given recent events, it was fair to wonder if, rather than face what lies ahead, Tressel might decide to step away now. He already has been suspended five games and fined $250,000 by Ohio State for his NCAA violations, and Buckeyes legend Chris Spielman recently told the Lima News that he doesn't expected Tressel to coach in 2011 because he believes "there is more stuff coming out."

But nothing indicates quitting is part of Tressel's thinking right now. And Gene Marsh, the former chairman of the NCAA Committee on Infractions who has been retained by Tressel in recent weeks, agreed with that sentiment in a brief interview with The Plain Dealer on Friday.

According to conversations with others in the past week, Tressel's intentions, like it or not, are to stay with his players and continue what he sees as his mission at Ohio State.

Certainly, his OSU bosses could take away that option by taking away his job, and eventually a severe ruling from the NCAA, such as a show-cause penalty, could virtually make Tressel unemployable. But as he prepares for the annual Big Ten spring meetings in Chicago next week and his mandated NCAA rules seminar at a Florida resort in early June, Tressel continues to go about the business of his program.

Outside factors apparently haven't changed his mind-set, even as they continue to change the way many others view Ohio State. The university continues to investigate car purchases by athletes and their families, following a story in The Columbus Dispatch last week. OSU officials continue to wade through numerous public records requests from various media outlets. And Spielman's opinion carries some weight.

What's around the corner could always change the equation. Since this started in late December, when the initial NCAA violations committed by six OSU players for receiving discounted tattoos and money in exchange for merchandise were first announced, no one can be surprised if there is more "stuff."

But what has been revealed so far hasn't caused Tressel to shift from what he said before the first day of spring practice, when he stated he'd resign only if he felt it was best for his players. He didn't think that was best for them then, and he doesn't think that's best for them now.

Now, he has Marsh on his side.

Six weeks ago, Marsh told The Plain Dealer in an exclusive interview, then in his role as an expert on NCAA issues, that he felt Tressel had a chance to survive these NCAA violations because of his positive past as a coach and member of the community. Friday, Marsh made it clear he wasn't employed by Tressel then.

"That was absolutely not a part of my life," Marsh said.

A few weeks later it became part of his life when Tressel hired him, and that move became public Friday when first reported by Yahoo Sports.

Yahoo also reported that Ohio State, as a university, will have a separate lawyer at the hearing and will be represented by Chuck Smrt, who was a member of the NCAA Enforcement Staff for 17 years.

Marsh is a 1978 Ohio State graduate who was member of the infractions committee for nine years, and its chairman from 2004 to 2006. He now specializes in NCAA compliance issues with the Alabama law firm of Lightfoot, Franklin & White. He was not friendly with Tressel before and said he has attended one OSU football game in the past 25 years. But he also said Friday he had spoken at Ohio State compliance seminars in the past, and he does have a relationship with OSU Athletic Director Gene Smith from their time working on the Committee on Infractions together. He has previously represented a coach in NCAA matters, and last year he defended Michigan before the Committee on Infractions.

He's a serious guy. This is a serious situation. And Tressel seems serious about seeing it through.

It's not a Boston, New York or Chicago marathon -- and never will be -- but with participation set to peak again this weekend at more than 18,000 runners, it's clear the race is approaching the big leagues.

View full sizeThomas Ondrey l Plain Dealer fileThe number of runners participating in the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon and Half Marathon continues to grow.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Signing up for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon used to be a walk in the park.

For most of its 34 years, runners could wait until the last minute, holding out for favorable weather, fruitful training or results from another race before deciding to participate.

No longer. While registration itself is easier than ever, the days of treating the Cleveland Marathon as an afterthought are over. It's not a Boston, New York or Chicago marathon -- and never will be -- but with participation set to peak again this weekend at more than 18,000, it's clear the race is approaching the big leagues. Last year, the race weekend had 15,600 registrants.

"When you look at the numbers and their growth, it's impossible to say the race isn't successful," said Ryan Lamppa, a founder of the industry organization Running USA. "As far as I can tell, they're getting there." But whether the Cleveland Marathon is flourishing isn't nearly as interesting a question as what's prompting record numbers to rise up and grab all available slots in two of its three flagship races: the 10K (6.2 miles), half-marathon (13.1) and full marathon (26.2).

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On that subject, there's a staggering array of theories ranging from local efforts by the race itself to larger, tectonic forces transforming the sport of running. Some credit executive race director Jack Staph, while others see corroboration of national trends that have been under way nearly a decade but have only started playing out in Northeast Ohio the past few years.

"It's more than one story," said Tim Donovan, executive director of Ohio Canal Corridor, presenter of the soon-to-be 20-year-old Towpath Marathon.

All the rage

"Everyone's talking about it, even people you wouldn't think are runners," said Kira Wynocker, 34, of Avon Lake, who plans to run her first half-marathon Sunday. "Running has definitely become the rage."

Staph himself said he attributes this year's surge -- to 1,000 in the 5K; 4,000 in the 10K; 8,500 in the half-marathon; and 3,500 in the full marathon, plus an additional 1,000 children -- to numerous factors, including the ever-increasing popularity of the half-marathon distance and steady growth in the ranks of female runners. Where women used to comprise 40 percent of the overall field or less, they now represent 60 percent of the entrants.

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Former Olympian Anne Audain, who dominated Cleveland's 10K race for several years and now helps promote it, chalks it up to new levels of support from spectators and officials.

"I think the city's embraced it, and that's huge," she said. "When you get the citizenry behind it, that makes a big impact."

But the leading cause, Staph said, is that his and other races are becoming more sophisticated, refining their ability to attract runners and stage premiere events. Moreover, they're cooperating with each other instead of competing. Hence the simultaneously sold-out fields at this Sunday's Pittsburgh Marathon.

"The running business is becoming a true industry," he said. "We're a better operation than we used to be. We look at the runner now like a customer. We're all talking and trying to do the same thing."

Anne Bitong, executive director of the Akron Marathon, where participation has skyrocketed since 2003, praised Cleveland's responsiveness on everything from course design to signage, T-shirts and medals. "Every detail makes a difference," she said.

From his vantage point on the West Coast, Lamppa said Cleveland's recent creation and promotion of an "Experience" also are not to be underestimated. Just as the "Flying Pig" image pays off at the Cincinnati Marathon, so is Cleveland's hippie theme working wonders.

"There's something about that funky, psychedelic look that I personally am drawn towards," he said. Cleveland's found a way to brand its event, and that matters."

Running boom

But to focus on what's taking place along Lake Erie is to miss the forest for the trees. In fact, what's happening here is happening everywhere. Whether you take just one step back and look at nearby races or several steps back for the national view, signs of a running boom are obvious.

Locally, the evidence is overwhelming, with races large and small reporting record demand.

Both the Towpath and Akron marathons are heading to new heights this fall, and events such as the Fall Classic half-marathon and Hermes 10-Miler are now selling out. Even the Buckeye Trail 50K, a grueling race of 31 miles on rough terrain in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, can be tough to get into.

On top of these come new events, such as the Canton Marathon, set for its first running June 17, 2012. "We knew we already had a base," said race co-founder Stephen Mears. "We've been looking at the trend for several years now."

National statistics only amplify the message. The latest report by Running USA says marathons had more than 500,000 finishers last year, an increase of about 8 percent from 2009. In that context, it's no wonder registration for the 2011 Boston Marathon sold out in a matter of hours.

At the same time, the American Trail Running Association says off-road races are exploding in popularity. Since 2000, both the number of events and overall participation have roughly quadrupled. Into this category fall such daunting events as the Western States, Leadville and Burning River 100-milers. Last year also saw the launch of the Xterra Trail Run Ohio series.

"Even the freakish races are becoming more accepted," said Jim Chaney, a competitive local runner and founder of Chaney Event Management. In fact, he added, the odder the race is, the stronger its allure, noting huge demand for events held at night, in the mud or with participants wearing high-heel shoes.

Contributing factors

But it's easy to skim the surface of the boom, to dwell on facts and figures at the expense of key anecdotal evidence. Closer to the heart of the matter, some say, are longer-term trends related to economics, fitness, fashion and technology.

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The economic argument goes like this: as people lose jobs, homes and income, they find themselves with more time to exercise, and running and racing emerge as cheap, family-friendly options. At the same time, the mental and physical side-effects become indispensable.

"Running has stayed very high on that list of things not to cut," said Lamppa. "In general, humans want to feel good, and running provides that. There's something about it that puts a smile on your face and takes you away from workday worries. It gives you something you can control."

But economics can't explain everything. Even those who haven't suffered greatly in the downturn seem to be taking up exercise in greater numbers. Today, instead of a pursuit for the elite, the marathon stands as a typical "bucket list" item.

To explain why that might be, observers point to the rising costs of health care and health insurance, the relative affordability of running, the development of apparel and other gear tailored to women, and a popular culture that has finally come around to exercise with television shows like "The Biggest Loser."

"Everyone is more aware and focused on healthier living," said Chaney. "It's spreading organically as being accepted. You're not an oddity anymore. The seeds were planted years ago, and now it's the thing to do."

That's the case with Wynocker, who recently started running again and bought a treadmill to assist her training.

"It's given me a lot of peace of mind," she said. "Even though I don't enjoy it yet, I feel good when I'm done. . . . This is me finally stepping up and putting myself first.

"I just set the goal and decided to do it. It's a fairly easy sport to get into."

Ratcheting up the pace of growth are networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, which accentuate running's already strong social dimension by making it easier than ever for runners, clubs and event directors to stay in touch.

"We're a product of the Internet," said Donovan. "That's helped build camaraderie and community. Runners know other runners, and they talk about what race they're doing next."

Yet, there's still plenty of room to grow. Numbers-wise, the Cleveland Marathon appears to be surpassing the Columbus Marathon, but it's still some 10,000 people shy of Cincinnati's "Flying Pig," which includes relays, and other large U.S. races.

One day soon, perhaps, runners here will receive start-line corral assignments along with their bibs, a standard practice at major footraces.

Moreover, the large-scale success of the Cleveland Marathon is still fragile, as Staph readily acknowledges.

"We're taking advantage of the boom and becoming part of a bigger thing," he said. "But it doesn't fall in our lap. We've got to go out and do it. We have to create the enthusiasm."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: zlewis@plaind.com, 216-999-4632

Memphis and Oklahoma City will play one more time; also, Doc Rivers signs a new contract with Boston and Chris Paul contemplates options.

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View full sizeAP Photo | Wade PayneShane Battier celebrates with his Grizzlies' teammates during their Game 6 victory.

Randolph had 30 points and 13 rebounds, and the host Grizzlies avoided elimination by beating the Oklahoma City Thunder, 95-83, Friday night to push their Western Conference semifinal series to Game 7.

These Grizzlies are having not only the best playoff run in franchise history, but they now have won more games this postseason than any other No. 8 seed from the West.

Game 7 will be Sunday in Oklahoma City, with the winner advancing to play the well-rested Dallas Mavericks.

O.J. Mayo, who started in place of Sam Young, scored 16 points for Memphis. Former Ohio State point guard Mike Conley Jr. had 11 points and 12 assists, and Tony Allen added 10 points as the Grizzlies also improved to 5-1 on their home court in this postseason.

Memphis outscored the Thunder, 51-29, in the second half and 46-38 overall in the paint.

Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 27 points, and James Harden had 14. Kevin Durant, the NBA’s leading scorer in the regular season, was held to a postseason-low 11 points.

Randolph had been limited to just 19.8 points and 31.9 percent shooting since he scored a career-best 34 points in Game 1.

But the power forward, named to the All-NBA’s third team, scored 11 in the fourth to preserve Memphis’ lead. He scored six straight points, capped by a 12-foot fallaway jumper that sent the fans into a frenzy chanting his nickname.

Oklahoma City just couldn’t get to the basket or sink shots in the second half. The Thunder had a fast break with Westbrook driving to the basket, but he just couldn’t finish the shot. Randolph came up with the rebound, then Mayo hit a 19-footer to push the Grizzlies’ lead to 88-79 with 3:11 left.

The Thunder had their biggest lead at 54-41 just before halftime and looked ready to blow out Memphis, just as it did in Game 5 on Wednesday night in Oklahoma City.

But Shane Battier ended the first half with a 3-pointer, and the Grizzlies used that as the start of an 18-5 run into the third quarter.

Around the Association

Celtics: Coach Doc Rivers agreed to a five-year contract extension reportedly worth $35 million. “I think Doc is the best coach in the league,” Boston GM Danny Ainge said. “So it’s great for us. There’s nobody I’d rather have as my coach than Doc.”

Hornets: Point guard Chris Paul is trying to decompress by spending time with family, visiting children his foundation works with and generally avoiding thoughts of his future New Orleans. Paul has two years remaining on his contract but can opt out after next season. GM Dell Demps has said he intends to offer Paul an extension when league rules allow for that in mid-July.