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NFL owners approve player safety rules amendments; extend definition of 'defenseless' receiver

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Receiver who has not had time to protect himself or has not clearly become a runner even if both feet are on the ground is considered defenseless; a specific tackle is now subject to fines.

mohamed-massaquoi-james-harrison.jpgThe Browns' Mohamed Massaquoi (11) took a hit on this play from the Steelers' partially air-bound James Harrison - the type of illegal hit the NFL wants to protect receivers from.

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana -- NFL owners have approved rules amendments for player safety that include eliminating a player launching himself into a defenseless opponent.

The 32 owners have voted unanimously to enhance the protection of defenseless players. Anyone who leaves both feet before contact to spring forward and upward into an opponent and delivers a blow to the helmet with any part of his helmet will draw a 15-yard penalty.

Such tackles also will be subject to fines.

The definition of a defenseless receiver has been extended. Now, a receiver who has not had time to protect himself or has not clearly become a runner even if both feet are on the ground is considered defenseless.


 


Tia Norfleet aims to become the first black woman to race in NASCAR

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Tia Norfleet hopes to become the first black woman in NASCAR.

Tia Norfleet hopes to become the first black woman to race in NASCAR.


Norfleet, 24, has been successful at drag racing and on the shorter tracks circuit known as the NASCAR late models, where she recorded two top-15 finishes, though she has not yet qualified for the longer distance tracks such as Daytona and Talladega, writes Jordan Schultz of The Huffington Post.




"Around the age of 14 is when I really, really knew that this was what I wanted to do for a living; this was my passion," she told me during a phone interview.


"My finest memory of my racing experience would be when I was about 5. I had a little Corvette car, and my dad put two car batteries in it. I literally drove that car until the wheels fell off. Ever since then, I've just been so enthused about racing, [or] any kind of motor sport."



Norfleet's father, Bobby, is a former race driver. The two remain close. The have plenty of activities away from the track.


 



The Norfleets are committed to an array of programs, including and not limited to entrepreneurship for at-risk youth, United Nations World Food Programme, the American Kidney Program, and Driven to Read, which teaches kids the importance of reading and its kinship to racing. All in all, the two will make anywhere from 80 to 100 community appearances annually.



"We will make time for any program that's positive," Bobby says.


 

NFL cancels rookie symposium

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NFL cancels rookie symposium.

philtaylor.jpgRookies, like Cleveland Browns first-pick Phil Taylor, will miss out on the rookie symposium this year.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The NFL has canceled next month's rookie symposium, the first league event called off because of the lockout.

League spokesman Greg Aiello said Tuesday the decision was made because of "the uncertainty of the labor issues we are facing and the logistical challenges of conducting the symposium."

"The symposium is a large, complex event involving many professionals and others," he added. "In fairness, we could not continue to keep their commitment on hold."

The symposium, which was to begin in Canton, Ohio, on June 26, instructs rookies in money management and life skills and allows them to meet current and former players.

Teams and their draftees have not been allowed to communicate since the NFL gained a stay in court upholding the lockout. The league's appeal of an injunction lifting it will be heard in U.S. District Court beginning June 3.

"Obviously I'm disappointed because I think the symposium is a valuable learning and bonding experience," player agent David Canter said. One of his clients, linebacker Doug Hogue, was drafted by Detroit.

"Canceling the symposium is part of the issue related to the inability of the owners to put forth a deal that can get done in time so we can get back to football and the business of football," Canter said. "It's all very upsetting and sad for all parties involved."

Agent Ben Dogra, who along with partner Tom Condon represents five first-round draft choices this year, didn't expect the symposium to take place.

"The truth is, how can you cancel an event that isn't supposed to happen anyway since there is a lockout," Dogra said. "The NFL is closed for business. Thus, to hold a rookie symposium wouldn't make any logical sense."

 

 

Holmgrens setting a good example - Browns Comment of the Day

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"The Holmgrens are quality humans. It does not matter how much you make. We all have time. Some have more, some have less. It's what we do with the time that we have that makes a difference. The Holmgrens have chosen to invest some of their time to help others. No matter what our income level is, we can all do the same." - TriceUp

kathy holmgren.jpgView full sizeKathy Holmgren, along with her husband Mike, has long been involved in local, national and international causes to aid the needy.

In response to the story P.M. Cleveland Browns links: Mike Holmgren and wife Kathy help people away from football, cleveland.com reader TriceUp is impressed with the Holmgrens giving back. This reader writes,

"The Holmgrens are quality humans. It does not matter how much you make. We all have time. Some have more, some have less. It's what we do with the time that we have that makes a difference. The Holmgrens have chosen to invest some of their time to help others. No matter what our income level is, we can all do the same."

To respond to TriceUp's comment, go here.

For more comments of the day, go to blog.cleveland.com/comments-of-the-day.

P.M. Cleveland Indians links: Did Tribe win or Boston lose? Depends whom you ask

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Indians win again, besting Boston, one of the teams in the "junkyard" of baseball, the AL East, says Boston writer.

rob-drake-manny-acta-chuck-crow.JPGView full sizeManny Acta got an early top-of-the-eighth trip to the clubhouse courtesy of umpire Rob Drake after arguing that pitcher Justin Masterson did in fact toe the bag before Red Sox runner Jacoby Ellsbury got to first. The fired-up Indians went on to win the game with their last at-bat, in the bottom half of the inning.


Cleveland, Ohio -- Asdrubal Cabrera and Michael Brantley should be driving cars with manual transmissions. Why? Because they're both so dang good in the clutch.

Hey, YOU try coming up with new superlatives for this Indians team every day. It's not easy, but it sure is fun. Almost as much fun as it is to go to the sites of those who cover the teams the Tribe is beating. We all know that preseason predictions by all the "experts" had the Indians hunkered down in the AL cellar, trying to avoid the Minnesota or Chicago or Detroit storms wreaking havoc on the division.

Check out this post-mortem from the Boston Globe's website:

The Red Sox were a team in disarray when they left Cleveland April 7. A season of great expectations had started with six consecutive losses, three of them coming against an Indians team supposedly in its latest stage of rebuilding.

The Sox returned to Progressive Field last night as contenders, having clawed their way to within a half-game of first place. But as far as the Indians were concerned, the visitors were simply more fodder.

For the second time in three nights, the Sox missed a chance to move into first place as both the Rays and Yankees lost. It’s hard to say what is a bigger surprise — that Cleveland has the best record in baseball at 30-15 or that the American League East has turned into a junkyard of mediocre teams.
Really, isn't that sort of typical? Can't give the Tribe credit for being good. No, gotta couch it in terms of how bad everyone else who matters -- i.e., the AL East -- is.

Look, we're not 100 percent sure just how long this ride is gonna last. It could over tomorrow (not that we think it will be). But at least let Tribe fans enjoy what's shaping up as a miraculously fun season.

Around the horn
* -- The Boston-based site nesn.com hinted that walking Asdrubal Cabrera might've been the better decision.

* -- SI.com credits the trades that brought Asdrubal Cabrera and others to the Indians as the reason the team's elevation into the cream of the baseball crop.

* -- Manny Acta's first ejection of the season -- he was tossed after arguing that pitcher Justin Masterson beat Jacoby Ellsbury to first -- gets some credit for the win in Zac Wassink's blog for yahoo.com.

* -- Gamingtoday.com calls the Indians the best story in baseball.

* -- Chris Assenheimer of the Chronicle-Telegram dubs the Indians the Windians after last night's come-from-behind win.

* -- Washington Nationals blogger Joe Drugan, who writes a piece called DCapitol Baseball, says Nats fans should be happy for their fired ex-manager, Cleveland skipper Manny Acta.

From The Plain Dealer
Paul Hoynes' game story in today's paper goes into a little more detail about Acta's premature exit:

The end came for Masterson and Acta in the eighth. Acta was ejected by first-base umpire Rob Drake for arguing after Jacoby Ellsbury was called safe at first. Drake said Masterson didn't touch first taking Matt LaPorta's flip on Ellsbury's grounder.

Masterson said he touched the bag. Acta, ejected for the first time this year, said he was upset because Drake wouldn't listen to him.

"He didn't want to hear what I had to say," said Acta. "I thought that was disrespectful. Masterson said he touched the bag. We looked at the video and he did."

As Acta left the field, the crowd chanted "Manny, Manny, Manny."

Said Masterson, "It was good to see Manny come out and have our backs."
If Grady Sizemore comes off the disabled list at the end of this week, as he's eligible to do, the success of Michael Brantley, Travis Buck and others gives Acta a lot of options, Hoynsie says in his Indians Insider column.

Columnist Bill Livingston noted that Tribe second baseman has a history of winning ... and breaking curses.
 





 



Fans need to have patience with Carlos Santana - Indians Comment of the Day

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"Have some patience. It usually takes a while for these young guys to settle in and adjust to the Majors. Santana started hot last year and is now adjusting to the new "book" on him. He's on pace to reach 20-25 dingers and 80+ RBI in spite of his batting average. He could also walk 100+ times! It was just last year that many here thought Michael Brantley was a light-hitting bust and look how that's turning out." - sickofmajortom

carlos-santana-swing.jpgView full sizeCarlos Santana has struggled this season, but is still on a good pace in a number of statistical categories.

In response to the story Carlos Santana gets a night off to recharge: Indians Chatter, cleveland.com reader sickofmajortom wants fans to be patient with Santana. This reader writes,

"Have some patience. It usually takes a while for these young guys to settle in and adjust to the Majors. Santana started hot last year and is now adjusting to the new "book" on him. He's on pace to reach 20-25 dingers and 80+ RBI in spite of his batting average. He could also walk 100+ times! It was just last year that many here thought Michael Brantley was a light-hitting bust and look how that's turning out."

To respond to sickofmajortom's comment, go here.

For more comments of the day, go to blog.cleveland.com/comments-of-the-day.

Fans should conduct themselves with some level of decency - Comment of the Day

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"I've been to sporting events with my young son during which obnoxious people were yelling and using tremendously foul language. I've been known to use 'colorful metaphors' quite often - but not yelling them in public with kids and families around. Can we at least agree that there is some limit to what should or shouldn't be said in public? It's not a matter of 'sticks and stones' or thin skin, but just a little decency." - vette78man

cavaliers fans 2.JPGView full sizeCavaliers fans react during a play at Quicken Loans Arena.

In response to the story Joakim Noah's slur was wrong, but so was the fan who goaded him, cleveland.com reader vette78man thinks there is a line that fans shouldn't cross, no matter how much they've paid. This reader writes,

"I've been to sporting events with my young son during which obnoxious people were yelling and using tremendously foul language. I've been known to use 'colorful metaphors' quite often - but not yelling them in public with kids and families around. Can we at least agree that there is some limit to what should or shouldn't be said in public? It's not a matter of 'sticks and stones' or thin skin, but just a little decency."

To respond to vette78man's comment, go here.

For more comments of the day, go to blog.cleveland.com/comments-of-the-day.

Indians look to continue win streak against Red Sox tonight

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Fausto Carmona is on the mound tonight for the Tribe.

fausto-carmona-home.JPGView full sizeFausto Carmona pitched 7 innings and did not allow a run against the Red Sox when he faced them at Progressive Field on April 7th.

(AP) -- The Boston Red Sox have overcome their worst start in 66 years to return to the thick of the pennant race, but they still haven't figured out how to beat the 2011 Cleveland Indians.

The visiting Red Sox will be without Dustin Pedroia when they take their fifth crack this season at defeating the major league-best Indians on Tuesday night.

Getting swept in Cleveland from April 5-7 sent Boston to its first 0-6 start since 1945, but the Red Sox (25-22) have rebounded to win 23 of 35 since mid-April and pull within one-half game of Tampa Bay and New York for first place in a crowded AL East.

They missed an opportunity to claim the division lead with a 3-2 defeat in Monday's three-game series opener, made worse by the sight of Pedroia limping off the field in the eighth inning with a left foot injury.

Pedroia got his feet tangled up as he rounded second base on an Adrian Gonzalez single. Manager Terry Francona said his All-Star second baseman, who had a screw surgically inserted into his left foot last year, will sit out Tuesday.

"It's kind of like a stinger," Pedroia said. "It took a little while to get the feeling back in my leg. It stinks, man."

With Pedroia out, the Red Sox will hope a red-hot Josh Beckett (3-1, 1.73 ERA) is fully healed. The right-hander has a 0.39 ERA in four starts this month but his most recent one got cut short by tightness in his neck.

He dealt with the ailment for much of his six-inning stint against Detroit on Thursday. Francona decided not to risk further injury, pulling Beckett after 83 pitches in a 4-3 win.

The next day, Beckett told MLB.com he was sore but feeling better. He hasn't generally felt good in Cleveland during the regular season, going 0-3 with a 6.48 ERA in three starts there including his lone defeat of this season, a 3-1 loss April 5 in which he allowed three runs, five hits and four walks in five innings.

Beckett earned his only win at Progressive Field during the 2007 AL championship series.

Cooling off Asdrubal Cabrera might be the key to earning a victory Tuesday. The Indians shortstop is batting .364 with 20 RBIs in his last 24 games and is 8 for 9 with seven RBIs in his last two.

He had three hits Monday, including the tiebreaking double in the eighth inning, and is 4 for 10 lifetime versus Beckett.

The series-opening win was the fourth in a row overall for the Indians (30-15) and fifth straight at home, where they are a major league-best 19-4. It was also their sixth consecutive victory at Progressive Field over Boston.

"We're just going out and winning ballgames," Monday's starter Justin Masterson said. "It's a different person every night. It's been a lot of fun."

Probable Tuesday starter Fausto Carmona (3-4, 4.76) gave up eight runs in five innings of a loss to the Chicago White Sox on Thursday, but he has a 1.69 ERA his last four starts against Boston.

The right-hander, winless in his last three outings overall, allowed two hits to the Red Sox over seven innings April 7 but didn't get a decision in a 1-0 victory. Boston's Adrian Gonzalez went 0 for 3 with a walk in that game but is 11 for 18 in his last four contests.

The Red Sox haven't dropped seven in a row in Cleveland since a 12-game skid Aug. 23, 1931-Sept. 15, 1932.


Miami Heat fans sure don't like Charles Barkley

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TNT commentator draws wrath of Heat fans for calling players a "whiny bunch."

barkleyss.jpgCharles Barkley

It wasn't long ago when Cleveland sports fans were not fond of Charles Barkley.

During the Cleveland Cavaliers' playoff run when LeBron James was here, Barkley spoke his mind about the Cavaliers and James.

Fans didn't like it, and they booed Sir Charles when he was spotted at The Q.

But that changed when LeBron took his talents to South Beach. Barkley called out LeBron, Dwyane Wade and Bosh. Now Barkley is loved in Cleveland.

So now Miami has taken Cleveland's place. Heat fans are not happy with Barkley because he picked the Chicago Bulls to defeat the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Dan Le Batard of The Miami Herald writes:

The night before, Miami Heat fans surrounded his outdoor set and pelted him with loud and vulgar chants. Barkley scratched his bald head with only his middle finger. Someone threw a rolled-up T-shirt at him. Barkley’s network will move its show indoors to avoid any of this before Game 4 on Tuesday night. Everything around this team is so loud, so lopsided, so disproportionate. Heat president Pat Riley politely reprimanded Barkley in Chicago for calling Heat players a “whiny bunch.” Dwyane Wade, who stars in TV commercials with Barkley, has said he won’t be talking about Barkley’s opinion any more this postseason.

Ask the Pro: How to prevent slicing the golf ball

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This week, PGA Master Professional Bob Bourne of StoneWater Golf Club explains how to prevent slicing the ball. Watch video

 

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Local pros solve your golf problems in a weekly instruction video with Plain Dealer columnist Bud Shaw and videographer David I. Andersen.

This week, PGA Master Professional Bob Bourne of StoneWater Golf Club in Highland Heights explains how to prevent slicing the ball.

Need help with your game? Explain your problem to golf@plaind.com in an email. We will select one each week. All the videos dating back to 2010 are archived.

Could Jim Thome be in the Indians' future? - Comment of the Day

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"Is there any way possible we acquire Jim Thome at the trade deadline for a push through the playoffs and he gets his 600th home run in a Cleveland uniform? I would absolutely love that, and I know I'm not the only one. Obviously he doesn't play every day, but he could give the DH/1B a rest every so often. That would be a great side story to an already great story!" - BrownInPhilly

Jim ThomeView full sizeJim Thome and the Twins are both having tough seasons, but could he spark the Indians' interest at the trade deadline?

In response to the story Cleveland Indians rally in eighth (again) to defeat Boston Red Sox, 3-2, cleveland.com reader BrownInPhilly is wondering if the Indians could get Jim Thome. This reader writes,

"Is there any way possible we acquire Jim Thome at the trade deadline for a push through the playoffs and he gets his 600th home run in a Cleveland uniform? I would absolutely love that, and I know I'm not the only one. Obviously he doesn't play every day, but he could give the DH/1B a rest every so often. That would be a great side story to an already great story!"

To respond to BrownInPhilly's comment, go here.

For more comments of the day, go to blog.cleveland.com/comments-of-the-day.

Mitch Talbot is ready to pitch: Cleveland Indians daily briefing

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Mitch Talbot hasn't pitched since April 11. He'll come off the disabled list to start against Boston on Wednesday.

talbot-angels-vert-mct.jpgMitch Talbot is excited to rejoin the Indians rotation Wednesday when they play Boston.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The last time Mitch Talbot pitched for the Indians was April 11 against Los Angeles at Angel Stadium.

He pitched eight scoreless innings, combining with Vinnie Pestano on a five-hitter in a 4-0 victory. Talbot's right elbow started aching after the game and he's been on the rehab merry-go-round ever since.

The merry-go-round stops Wednesday when the Indians play Boston in a 12:05 p.m. game at Progressive Field.

"I'm ready," said Talbot. "It's been so long that it feels like I'm making my first start of the season."

The Indians will have to make a move to activate Talbot. They're carrying eight relievers at the moment with Josh Judy or Frank Herrmann the leading candidates to get optioned to Class AAA Columbus to make room for Talbot.

The Tribe's rotation is 19-10 with a 3.60 ERA. Indians starters rank seventh in the AL in ERA and have walked the second fewest batters in the league.

"If you go back to last year and watch us the last month and a half of the season, the starters were pretty solid," said Talbot. "We knew it was there. It was just a matter of getting out there and taking care of business."

Tonight's lineups:

Red Sox (25-22): CF Jacoby Ellsbury (L), SS Jed Lowrie (S), 1B Adrian Gonzalez (L), 3B Kevin Youkilis (L), DH David Ortiz, RF J.D. Drew (L), C Jason Varitek (S), LF Carl Crawford (L), C Jarrod Saltalamacchia (S), RHP Josh Beckett (3-1, 1.73).

Indians (30-15): CF Michael Brantley (L), SS Asdrubal Cabrera (S), RF Shin-Soo Choo (L), C Carlos Santana (S), DH Travis Buck (L), 2B Orlando Cabrera (R), 1B Matt LaPorta (R), 3B Jack Hannahan (L), CF Ezequiel Carrera (L), RHP Fausto Carmona (3-4, 4.76).

Him vs. me: Ortiz is hitting .313 (5-for-16) with one homer and five RBI against Carmona. Shin-Soo Choo is hitting .313 (5-for-16) with a homer and five RBI against Beckett.

Left vs. right: Lefties are hitting .239 (34-for-142) with three homers and righties are hitting .255 (26-for-102) with four homers against Carmona. The Red Sox have five lefties and three switch hitters in the lineup

Lefties are hitting .181 (19-for-105) with one homer and righties are hitting .179 (17-for-95) with two homers against Beckett. The Indians have five left-handed and two switch-hitters in the lineup.

Quote of the day: "There is a special sensation in getting good wood on the ball and driving a double down the left-field line as the crowd in the ballpark rises to its feet and cheers. But, I also remember how much fun I had as a skinny barefoot kid hitting a tennis ball with a broomstick on a quiet, dusty street in Panama," Hall of Famer Rod Carew.
 
Umpires: H Rob Drake, 1B David Rackley, 2B Bruce Dreckman, 3B Paul Emmel.

Next: Mitch Tomlin is expected to come off the disabled list on Wednesday to face Boston's Jon Lester at 12:05 p.m. STO and WTAM will carry the game.

From small ball to the big fly, Manny Acta has the Cleveland Indians embracing all winning strategies: Bill Livingston

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The lost art of bunting has been rediscovered by Manny Acta's Indians.

ecarrera-bunt-rbi-reds-vert-cc.jpgView full sizeWhether it's the surprise bunt by Ezequiel Carrera to beat the Reds last Friday or the more mundane sacrifice to set up runs, Manny Acta's Indians have embraced all ways of getting their offense moving --- which is working just fine in the AL Central standings.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Bunting is a lost art in baseball. At times, it is also a reviled one.

"You have to convince the guys they can do it," said Indians manager Manny Acta. "Sometimes, it makes them feel like less of a man."

Acta's predecessor, Eric Wedge, had an unreasonable bias against the bunt in all aspects but the sacrifice. "That's not real baseball," he said of squeeze bunts and other surprise short-ball plays.

One wonders how real was the monster mash baseball of muscle-bound lummoxes in the years before testing for steroids began. The greatest records in the game were cheapened and tainted, but, as the commercial said, "Chicks dig the long ball."

The sacrifice bunt, because everyone knows it is coming, is probably harder to execute than a bunt that is intended to be a hit. Many of the new metrics in baseball argue that the sac bunt is overrated because with it a team gives up one-third of its outs in an inning to move a player one base closer to home.

On the "push" bunt, to the opposite side of the field, or the drag bunt, to the "pull" side, the element of surprise is in the batter's favor. The drag bunt, dribbled down the first-base line by a left-hander and the third by a righty, is almost impossible to stop if the infielders are playing back and the ball gets past the pitcher. The batter drops the bunt while already on the move.

Just the threat of a bunt by a speedy contact hitter can force infielders to creep closer to the plate, reducing the angles they can take to ball if the batter swings away.

On the great Indians teams of the 1990s, Kenny Lofton, Omar Vizquel and Roberto Alomar were all good bunters. No one thought the ploy weakened their competitive fiber. But the lure of the three-run homer was greater in a power lineup.

In the old days, when players policed the game and umpires issued far fewer warnings for brushback pitches, the bunt could be a macho play. A well-executed drag bunt down the first-base line might allow a vengeful batter to trample the offending pitcher as he bent to field the ball.

As for Acta, he is an adaptable man who tailors his offense to his players' talents. He did not bunt much in two seasons and part of a third as Washington Nationals manager. He had the same station-to-station, slow team there as Wedge did during most of his Indians tenure. But Acta was not doctrinally opposed to the surprise bunt, and certainly not for the testosterone-fueled reasons of Wedge.

"This year, we have the game and speed in order to do it," Acta said.

The Indians have brought the bunt for a base hit out of hiding this season. They beat the Red Sox early in the season with a suicide squeeze, executed by Asdrubal Cabrera, the man of an hourglass full of big moments this season. The squeeze was an effective play by manager Ozzie Guillen's Chicago White Sox in their world championship season of 2005.

Like Acta, Guillen is a Latin, familiar with winter baseball in the Caribbean. "That is how you play in winter ball," Acta said.

The Indians also beat Cincinnati last Friday on rookie Ezequiel Carrera's drag bunt on the first pitch of his first at-bat in the big leagues. Leadoff man Michael Brantley tacked on another drag bunt for a hit before the Reds series was over.

The grotesque obsession of some players with their image is the problem. They put an unfair connotation on the play. This is not confined to baseball.

The physics of basketball demonstrate that an underhand free throw produces a softer shot with a higher arc, making the ball more likely to go in, than an overhand shot. Yet because it is sneeringly called a "granny" shot, manly players persist in their sub-50 percent efforts with the set-shot approach. Shaquille O'Neal, Chris Dudley and Jerome Lane, former Cavalier bricklayers all, are ready examples.

There is less of a stigma to "bunting," in the form of laying up, on par-5 holes in golf. Weight training, technology and ego, however, encourage the Roy McAvoy gamble from "Tin Cup." As for the risk of going for the green, McAvoy said, "Greatness courts failure."

That much is true. But with offense down in baseball and the value of every base increasing, smartness courts finesse. The people devoted to macho posturing should get over themselves.

Follow Bill Livingston on Facebook and on Twitter @LivyPD

Brunswick Hills' Jim Karr eager for Senior PGA competition: NE Ohio Golf Insider

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Former Strongsville High Star one of several local pros in senior field this week.

valhalla-08ryder-horiz-ap.jpgView full sizeA popular site for many major golf events, Kentucky's Valhalla Golf Club is hosting this week's Senior PGA Championship.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jim Karr's game is alive and well and he is playing Valhalla Golf Club this week in the 72rd annual Senior PGA Championship.

"Tell the people in Strongsville all is well," Karr said during a phone interview prior to the first major of his career at the renowned Louisville, Ky., layout.

Karr, 51, qualified for the Senior PGA by finishing 12th in the Senior Club Pro Championship in October, shooting a 3-under 285 at Toscana Country Club in Palm Springs. The former standout at Strongsville High and pro at Brunswick Hills Golf Course believes he is the first Strongsville grad to play in a major.

For the past 14 years, Karr has been a teaching pro at Palm Beach Country Club. After graduating from Strongsville in 1978, he played at Florida Southern, the same school that produced Rocco Mediate and Lee Janzen. He is one of 35 club pros in the 165-player field at Valhalla.

He will be paired for the first two rounds with former Ryder Cup member Mark Hayes and Jerry Bruner, a Californian who made a name for himself by playing on the European Senior Tour. His first tee time is 2:40 p.m.

"This has been special," Karr said of the week. "It's cool to walk out of the clubhouse and see guys like Fuzzy Zoeller, Jay Haas, John Cook and Loren Roberts."

Hale Irwin won the last Senior PGA to be played at Valhalla in 2004. Michael Allen won the event when it was played at Canterbury in 2009.

Louisville sluggers: Walden pro Mitch Camp, Congress Lake's Tom Atchison and Findlay Country Club's Tom Herzan also are competing at Valhalla.

Atchison is paired with Steve Pate and Scotland's Andrew Oldcorn. Camp will play with John Morse, a former PGA Tour winner from Michigan, and Rod Spittle, a former player at Ohio State. Herzan will play with Morris Hatalsky and Ken Green, the former Tour pro who lost the lower part of his right leg in a recreational vehicle accident in 2009.

On deck: The Cleveland Women's Golf Association, celebrating its 88th year of existence, will conduct its first tournament of the year Thursday at Acacia with the first of five team events. This is the 46th year a team competition has been held. The five-player team from Kirtland Country Club won the title for the first time last year. Mayfield, Avon Oaks, Shaker Heights and Lake Forest will host the other four team events in the series.

Briardale Greens renovations: Briardale Greens in Euclid recently opened its renovated driving range, featuring a synthetic grass tee line -- as well as natural grass tees -- multiple tee heights and immediate feedback on shots. For more information, go to briardalegreens.com.

Player agents troubled by cancellation of NFL's rookie orientation sessions

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The annual rookie symposium is the first league event canceled because of the NFL lockout.

buffalo-notrespass-sign-nfl-horiz-ap.jpgView full sizeThe NFL's announcement to cancel the rookie symposium is another troubling development of the ongoing lockout, according to two agents for Browns draft picks.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The agent for the Browns' first-round pick Phil Taylor is miffed that the NFL canceled its annual rookie symposium Tuesday and that the league is withholding other services during the lockout designed specifically for the players' well-being.

The symposium, which is the first official casualty of the lockout, was set to begin June 26th in Canton. It's designed to help ease the players' transition to the NFL by educating them about money, life skills and situations they may face. They also meet current and former players.

"It's not just the rookie symposium -- which is a tremendous benefit to the young players in terms of education about the league, but there are other issues too," said agent Peter Schaffer. "If the NFL says it cares about its players, it can't be convenient concern -- it has to be all the time."

Schaffer said that in addition to the symposium, the NFL should be allowing trainers to be present at the players-only workouts being held around the league, such as the ones being organized by Browns quarterback Colt McCoy. He said the league should also continue to pay for counseling for players in the substance abuse program.

"They should allow the trainers to be at the workouts so nobody gets hurt, so that there's proper hydration, and proper equipment," said Schaffer. "The league has also stopped paying for counseling and drug treatment during the lockout. If you determine someone needs help, then let's continue to get them the counseling they need to make them better people."

Schaffer contends the symposium should've been held despite the lockout, which stipulates that the teams and players have no contact.

"They're not dealing with the team, it's the league," he said. "And it's not about football, it's about life. If there's an issue as to whether the union would use that against the NFL, work out a deal with the NFLPA to allow it because it's about the betterment of people, not players. The symposium is about how to make good decisions and avoid bad situations."

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told the Associated Press Tuesday that the symposium was canceled due to "the uncertainty of the labor issues we are facing and the logistical challenges of conducting [it]. The symposium is a large, complex event involving many professionals and others. In fairness, we could not continue to keep their commitment on hold."

Andy Ross of Octagon, the agent for Browns' second-round pick Greg Little, agreed that the lack of a symposium "is a shame. It's a very beneficial event for all rookies. It's a way to talk to them about things they're going to face as their life changes in the NFL, and it's an opportunity missed."

Ross said he hopes this year's rookies will be invited to next year's symposium. In the meantime, Octagon will continue to educate its players about money management and other personal matters.

"We already provide that service, and it's reinforced through the symposium," he said.

Ross said last week that he would advise Little not to participate in future players-only camps because of the injury risk. Schaffer said he hasn't yet discussed it with Taylor. Both agents said their clients are training every day to be ready when the lockout ends.

No Kolb: The Browns will not pursue a trade for Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb when the NFL opens for business, a league source said.


Big Ten earns unanimous passing grade in NCAA's Academic Progress Rate

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The Big Ten avoided any penalties for low APR scores, while two MAC basketball teams were hit, as was national champion Connecticut.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Two years after losing two scholarships as a penalty, Ohio State's basketball program continued to show improvement in the NCAA's Academic Progress Rate, with the numbers for 2009-10 released on Tuesday.

Every OSU program, along with every athletic team in the Big Ten, reached the benchmark needed to avoid penalties, while two MAC programs were penalized for low scores, with the Toledo men's basketball team losing two scholarships and Ohio losing one.

Search for APR results on the official NCAA site

The APR is the way the NCAA measures the graduation progress of the athletes on a team in real time, with a score of 925 over a running four-year period needed to avoid potential sanctions. That works out to about a 50 percent graduation rate.

The most notable program socked with penalties on Tuesday was men's basketball national champion Connecticut, which will be docked two scholarships next season for an APR score of 893. UConn was already losing one scholarship because of NCAA violations, so the Huskies will be down to 10 scholarship players next season instead of the usual 13.

Teams can also be commended for high APR scores, and, for example, Ohio State's football team was one of five OSU teams so recognized when the high scores were announced last week. Overall, Ohio State's four-year APR score of 985 in football ranked second in the Big Ten behind Northwestern and was a 60-point improvement over the first APR scores from five years ago. Among BCS schools, Ohio State football ranked fourth behind Northwestern, Duke and Rutgers.

The OSU men's basketball APR was 952, an improvement from a low of 902 four years ago. That ranked the Buckeyes ninth in the Big Ten.

The high scores don't matter nearly as much as the low scores, however. The point is to avoid penalties. Overall, the number of programs penalized was 103 teams at 67 schools, down from 137 teams last year and 177 teams two years ago.

Eight teams were hit with the most serious APR penalties, a ban from postseason play. Three were football teams -- Idaho State, Jackson State and Southern -- and the other five were men's basketball teams -- Cal State-Northridge, Chicago State, Grambling, Louisiana-Monroe and Southern.

Ball State men's basketball was also among seven teams to get a waiver on a postseason ban, but the school will face that ban in the future if its APR doesn't improve.

Boston Red Sox ride Josh Beckett's strong pitching to 4-2 victory over Cleveland Indians

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The Indians tried, but failed to rally in the ninth inning Tuesday night against Boston.

ocab-hbp-rsox-squ-cc.jpgView full sizeOrlando Cabrera hit the dirt after being struck in the helmet by a Josh Beckett pitch in the second inning Tuesday night. Cabrera bounced up and took his base, but the Indians couldn't overcome Beckett and the Red Sox in a 4-2 loss at Progressive Field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians lost Tuesday night at Progressive Field. Since when was that allowed?

Where was the late-inning rally in the rain? What about the last at-bat victory? Why didn't Chris Perez jog out of the bullpen in the ninth to give us our nightly dose of torture before earning the save?

Instead, Josh Beckett pitched into the seventh inning and Jason Varitek hit his first homer in almost a year to give Boston a 4-2 victory.

The Indians aren't used to losing, especially at home. They have the best home record in the big leagues at 19-5 and the best overall record at 30-16. But that couldn't protect them from Beckett, Varitek and themselves.

Sure, Travis Buck caused a ripple through the crowd of 23,752 when he homered in the ninth off closer Jonathan Papelbon to make it to make it a two-run game. Papelbon, however, retired Orlando Cabrera and Matt LaPorta for his ninth save of the season.

Fausto Carmona (3-5, 4.73) pitched into the ninth, but a pair of two-run innings did him in. After Ezequiel Carrera gave the Indians a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the second, Boston scored twice in the third to take a 2-1 lead.

Carmona hit Carl Crawford to start the inning. Crawford stole second, took third on a ground out and waited while Carmona walked leadoff hitter Jacoby Ellsbury. Jed Lowrie scored Crawford on a sacrifice fly and Adrian Gonzalez doubled home Ellsbury.

Beckett (4-1, 1.69) took over after that. The Indians assisted him with a bad night on the bases.

It started in the second when Carrera singled home Buck, who opened the second with an infield single. Orlando Cabrera, who was hit in the batting helmet by a Beckett pitch, tried to go from first to third on Carrera's two-out single. Ellsbury threw him out at third to end the inning.

In the third, Shin-Soo Choo singled with two outs and Varitek threw him out attempting to steal second. In the fourth, Buck reached on a fielder's choice, but was thrown out trying to steal second. In the fifth, LaPorta singled, but lost track of the outs when Carrera sent a one-out line drive to left center that Ellsbury caught. LaPorta was already around second base and an easy double-play victim.

"We didn't do a very good job taking care of our 27 outs," said manager Manny Acta. "When you face a guy like Beckett, you have to make sure that he works for every single one of those outs.

"We gave a few away on the bases. That translates, sometimes, into 15 to 20 pitches. Maybe it means you get a guy out of the game an inning earlier."

The Red Sox, who have won 12 of their last 16, made it 4-1 in the seventh on Varitek's two-run homer off the foul pole in right. David Ortiz opened the inning with a double to center that Carrera couldn't handle after breaking back and then coming in on the ball. Carmona retired J.D. Drew, but Varitek hit the first pitch he saw for his first homer since May 30, 2010.

"It was a good pitch, a sinker, but it was a little up," said Carmona, who allowed four runs on five hits in eight-plus innings. He struck out seven and walked one.

"Fausto gave us a tremendous effort," said Acta. "He gave us a chance to win."

Beckett, 4-0 in his last eight starts since losing to the Indians in his first start of the year, cooled off Asdrubal Cabrera. The Indians shortstop had eight hits in his last nine at-bats coming into the game, but he went 0-for-3 against Beckett and 0-for-1 against Rich Hill.

"We just couldn't get anything going offensively," said Acta.

Orlando Cabrera had an interesting night. Beckett knocked him down twice and Papelbon once. But the knockdown pitches were all breaking balls, so he took no offense.

"Varitek told me, 'I swear, those guys like you,'" said Cabrera with a smile.

On his base-running error, Cabrera said he thought Ellsbury was going to throw home and try and get Buck.

LaPorta said he just lost track of the outs in the fifth.

"It happens, but it's not good," said LaPorta. "Sometimes you're going to run into outs when you're trying to put pressure on the defense."

Buckeyes' Tyler Moeller bouncing back from injury, hopes to be the right fit for defense: OSU Insider

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Senior Tyler Moeller continues his comeback and plans to be on the field for the Buckeyes a lot in the fall.

moeller-tackle-marshall-squ-mf.jpgView full sizeTyler Moeller (26, tackling Marshall's Chuck Walker last September) hopes to earn playing time at both linebacker and safety this fall for the Buckeyes.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Injuries helped create questions at both the strongside linebacker spot and star position for Ohio State in the spring. Sixth-year senior Tyler Moeller, coming back from a torn pectoral muscle, could be the answer at both positions.

One of 40 football players among the 523 Ohio State student-athletes honored at the school's scholar-athlete dinner on Monday night, it was obvious that Moeller, in his dress shirt and tie, wasn't back to his usual self. But he's better.

"My body a month ago was baaaad," Moeller said. "My chest was flat ..."

Limited in the weight room while recovering from surgery on the pectoral muscle he tore against Illinois last season, after battling pec problems with it for years, Moeller was able to practice during April but not take part in any hitting or scrimmaging. So when the defense went live, he wasn't part of it. Observers had to picture him back on the field, helping to replace the defensive starters the Buckeyes lost to graduation.

Picture him on the field a lot. A one-time linebacker earlier in his career, Moeller has settled in as the star, the fifth defensive back when the Buckeyes frequently go to their nickel defense. But when Ohio State remains in its base defense, Moeller could envision himself staying on the field and performing most of the duties of the strongside linebacker.

Defensive coordinators Jim Heacock and Luke Fickell always talk about getting the best 11 players on the field, and Moeller certainly seems to be among that group.

So while the Buckeyes recently have used that strongside linebacker as almost a standup defensive end in a five-man front, they could certainly use other formations to keep Moeller on the field and play to his strengths.

He is sure he'll be ready to show those strengths again.

"I'm feeling really good," Moeller said while explaining his plan for regaining his fitness.

Previously unable to bench press, he said he's now up to 175 pounds in four sets of 10 reps. The goal is to increase by 10 pounds at a time and get to 225 by the start of preseason camp in August.

"If I can do that, I'll be better than most of the DBs," Moeller said. "So I'll be pretty happy with that."

Then he'll be ready to get back on the practice field full-time as a defensive back -- and maybe sometimes as a linebacker, too.

Seniors meet: The OSU seniors had planned to meet Tuesday to talk about summer workout plans and generally lay the groundwork for the season ahead. While the pending Aug. 12 NCAA hearing for coach Jim Tressel and the program, along with Tressel's future, remain the main topics around the program, a defense with seven starters to replace has football to consider.

"People are hungry," said senior Andrew Sweat, another honoree at the scholar-athlete banquet who will be the starter at weakside linebacker. "We've lost a lot of leadership."

But while trying to replace linebackers Ross Homan and Brian Rolle, Sweat sounded just like Homan and Rolle did in 2009 when the Buckeyes were replacing James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman. Both then and now, the talk was about the big names lost and the more anonymous group effort needed to fill in.

"There's no individuals," Sweat said. "We're doing it together, and we'll be the Silver Bullets."

"Once the summer starts," Moeller said, "that's when we'll get together and start running and we'll really get united."

Miami Heat grab 3-1 series lead over Bulls with 101-93 OT triumph

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Game 5 is Thursday in Chicago, when the Heat can wrap up their first finals trip since 2006.

james-bulls-squ-mct.jpgLeBron James and the Heat danced within a victory of eliminating C.J. Watson and the Bulls following Tuesday's overtime victory in Miami.

MIAMI -- Dwyane Wade was ailing, so LeBron James and Chris Bosh more than picked up the slack.

Then Wade found his groove at the perfect time, and the Miami Heat, the team put together solely to win championships, moved one emotional victory away from the NBA finals.

James scored 35 points, Bosh added 22 and the Heat overcame an early 11-point deficit to beat the Chicago Bulls, 101-93, on Tuesday night, taking a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

Game 5 is Thursday in Chicago, when the Heat can wrap up their first finals trip since 2006.

Wade went scoreless for nearly 33 straight minutes, before making a jumper with 2:08 left in overtime to help Miami keep the lead. After James made a contested jumper with 29 seconds remaining for a six-point lead, Wade soared to block Derrick Rose's layup from out of almost nowhere on the next Chicago possession.

Bosh scored the first four points of overtime, and the Heat -- now 8-0 at home in the playoffs -- never trailed in the extra session. James closed it with two free throws with 1.4 seconds left, his 12th and 13th of the night, all without a miss. Bosh was 10 for 11 from the line, and Miami outscored Chicago 32-17 in that department.

The Heat made their final 24 free throws.

Rose scored 23 points for the Bulls, who got 20 apiece from Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer. Chicago has lost three straight games for the first time this season.

But what this game will be remembered for was how the Heat rallied around Wade -- then watched him save his best for the very end.

The 2006 NBA finals MVP was in the arena late Monday night, trying to work on some things in one of his customary playoff after-dark sessions. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. This seemed like it would be the latter.

Whatever answer he sought, he didn't find for much of Game 4. Wade made just 5 of 16 shots from the field, lacking his usual lift at the rim. He made a pair of free throws with 1:50 left in the first half for his seventh and eighth points, and didn't score again until overtime.

Better late than never.

Chicago turned the ball over on its next two possessions, Wade turned the second of those into a layup with 1:01 left for a 95-89 lead, and the Heat soon knew they were one win away from the title round.

Mike Miller scored 12 for Miami.


Paul Hoynes talks Indians - Podcast

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How safe is Mitch Talbot's spot in the rotation? Could Grady Sizemore end up in the cleanup spot when he comes off the DL? Plain Dealer Indians beat writer Paul Hoynes answered those questions and more in his weekly podcast.

Grady SizemoreView full sizeGrady Sizemore's spot in the lineup is, as always, up for discussion.

How safe is Mitch Talbot's spot in the rotation? Could Grady Sizemore end up in the cleanup spot when he comes off the DL?

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

Among other topics discussed:

• Just how much does Alex White's injury hurt this team?

• How big was it for this team to turn that 4-0 deficit Friday night in to a three-game sweep?

• Does White's injury speed up Drew Pomeranz through the system or is he mostly unaffected by it?

• Is Asdrubal Cabrera not only an All-Star, but an early MVP candidate?

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


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