You do NOT want to find yourself in Jimmy Kimmel's sights ... as LeBron James discovered.

It's wrong on a whole bunch of levels, but we made a "decision" to post this.

Former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett blames athletes rather than coaches and boosters for the culture that created problems in the Buckeyes' football program.

Updated at 2:06 p.m.

APMaurice Clarett

Columbus, Ohio -- Former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett blames athletes rather than coaches and fans for the culture that created problems in the Buckeyes' football program.

"There's no secret regime, there's no secret congregation of people who sit around at Ohio State who gives young guys money," Clarett said Wednesday on The Dan Patrick Show. "Anything that any player goes and gets is all based on him and who he meets in the community. The coaches and the university have no control over what the young guy's doing."

The NCAA is investigating Ohio State players who allegedly received improper benefits and special deals on cars. Five players have been suspended for the first five games this fall for trading signed jerseys, championship rings and other items for cash and discounted tattoos from a Columbus tattoo-parlor owner.

Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel was forced to resign last week for knowing about the players' involvement but not reporting it as required by his contract and NCAA rules. Star quarterback Terrelle Pryor, one of those suspended and a subject of the NCAA probe, announced Tuesday that he would not return for his senior season.

Clarett, ruled ineligible after carrying Ohio State to its first national championship in 34 years in 2002, said the university cannot control everything that players do.

"There wasn't any coach or any booster or any member in or around Ohio State who helps you get a car," Clarett said, recalling his own time on campus. "It doesn't go on. It's just guys doing what they want to. People will forever do what they want to. It's nothing more than young guys making mistakes."

Clarett questioned the foundation of big-time college football, where universities and coaches make millions off athletes yet the players get in trouble with the NCAA for accepting cash for autographs or memorabilia.

"Why are they even in that position? Why is it that a university can profit $20 million, $30 million, $40 million and these guys are in the position that they have to sell their memorabilia -- the only thing they have of value at that point?" Clarett said. "Why are they even in that position to do that, when there's enough money to go around?"

Once an elite running back recruit, Clarett seized the starting tailback job before the 2002 season opener and caught the nation's attention when he piled up 230 yards rushing in a victory over Washington State -- still the sixth-highest single-game total in school history.

Despite nagging injuries, Clarett continued to play well as Ohio State went through the season unbeaten and was selected as the Big Ten's top freshman.

In the Fiesta Bowl, which served as the Bowl Championship Series national championship, Clarett bulled over the middle in the second overtime for the winning touchdown in No. 2 Ohio State's dramatic 31-24 upset of top-ranked Miami.

Clarett, who rushed for 1,237 yards in his only season, was suspended the following summer for taking improper benefits, including cars. He never played in another college game.

He did not blame his ineligibility on boosters.

"People didn't reach out to me. I reached out to people," he said. "Just when you're traveling around the community, I reached out to people: 'Hey, I'm struggling with this. Hey, I need help with this.'"

Clarett sued the NFL to enter the draft before he had been out of high school for three years, but lost on appeal. From there, his life spiraled out of control.

He pleaded guilty in September 2006 to having a gun hidden in his SUV and holding up two people outside a Columbus bar in a separate case. He was sentenced to 71/2 years in prison, and was released in early 2010 after serving 31/2 years.

Clarett played last year for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League.

He accused Ohio State of academic fraud during the investigation spurred by his improper-benefits case in 2003. But on Wednesday, he said he had lied and manipulated the professor to get good grades.

Going to prison had altered his view of the world, Clarett said. Five years ago, he said he might have celebrated that Ohio State and Tressel were going through the NCAA problems they are now. But that isn't the way he feels.

Clarett also said he did not consider Tressel, who until a few months ago had a squeaky clean image around the country, to be a cheater or a fraud.

"You can't be a fraud for 30 years. It's impossible," he said. "People can smell a fraud in the first month, two, three, four, five months. They're going to be exposed. To do what that man has done ... it's wrong for that man to get dealt like that."

Asked where his national championship ring is, Clarett said, "That's at my mother's house. There's not one piece of memorabilia that I don't have."

Indians lose to Twins, 3-2, in 10 innings.

AP PhotoIndians second baseman Cord Phelps went 0-for-4 in his Major League debut.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It might be time for the Indians to put in a call to Jobu. Or locate hats for bats.

The Tribe needs something, anything, to ignite its struggling offense.

Cord Phelps was not the answer Wednesday afternoon. Phelps, officially recalled from Class AAA Columbus earlier in the day, went 0-for-4 in his major-league debut as the Indians lost to the Twins, 3-2, in 10 innings at Progressive Field.

The Indians are 4-11 since May 24. They still lead the AL Central at 34-26.

In their previous 20 games, the Indians went 8-12 and batted .224. They were 10-for-39 Wednesday against Carl Pavano and three relievers but scored just the two runs.

Ben Revere's RBI single with two outs in the 10th off Chris Perez won it for the Twins. He drove in Drew Butera, who had doubled. Minnesota (23-38) has won nine of 10 against Cleveland.

With two outs in the ninth, Indians third baseman Jack Hannahan homered off Twins closer Matt Capps to tie it.

Former Indian Carl Pavano had been in line for the victory. He allowed one run -- a homer by Grady Sizemore -- in seven innings. He gave up seven hits, walked one and struck out three.

Luke Hughes led off the third with a single against Tribe righty Justin Masterson. Hughes scored from second on a two-out single to center by Revere.

Masterson stranded runners at first and third in the fifth.

The Twins made it 2-0 in the sixth on a two-out double by Justin Morneau that drove in Revere from third. Morneau snapped an 0-for-16. Moments earlier, right-handed batter Michael Cuddyer had grounded to short, Revere being forced to hold.

In the Tribe's half of the inning, Sizemore homered to left. In the eighth, Sizemore was robbed of a hit by diving first baseman Hughes.

Masterson gave up the two runs on nine hits in eight innings. He walked none and struck out three.

Masterson (5-4, 3.18 ERA) has not won since April 26. In that eight-start span, the Indians have scored 16 runs.

Tribe catcher Lou Marson erased two runners attempting to steal second.

Marecic earned national attention at Stanford as only two-way starter for big-time college program. That wouldn't matter if he didn't have NFL-type fullback qualities.

LM Otero for The Plain DealerBrowns' draft pick Owen Marecic dives for a Stanford touchdown against Oklahoma.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Owen Marecic started at fullback and linebacker for Stanford, college football's fourth-ranked team in 2010.

Such a unique achievement -- starting on both sides of the football -- means nothing for a player's NFL prospects unless he projects as a capable professional player somewhere on the field.

The Cleveland Browns, believing that Marecic has the traits to play fullback in an NFL West Coast offense, picked him in the fourth round of April's draft.

Don Delco writes for Scout.com's Orange and Brown Report, quoting Elliott Almond, who covers Stanford for the San Jose Mercury News:

Make no mistake, Almond said, the Browns did not fall in love with Marecic because of the national attention he garnered as the only NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision two-way starter.

“He got a lot of national attention because he started both ways,” Almond said. “It was a little gimmicky. He wouldn’t have garnered that national attention otherwise. I will tell you this, the Browns didn’t draft a gimmicky player. The Browns drafted him because of his intangibles.”

As a junior, Marecic was the lead blocking back for Heisman Trophy candidate Toby Gerhart. In 2009, Gerhart rushed for 1,871 yards and 27 touchdowns on 343 carries. That offseason, Stanford was thin at linebacker and coach Jim Harbaugh found a replacement in his offensive backfield.

“Harbaugh said Owen is the most complete football player he’s every played with or coached,” Almond said. “He loved Owen. And that comes from way before all the hype. I swear he put Owen on defense because that defense was no where near what Harbaugh wanted it to be mentality wise.”

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage includes Mary Kay Cabout's story that the Browns will take a conservative approach to free agency, according to general manager Tom Heckert; Cabot's report that, according to a league source, the Browns won't pursue free agent wide receiver Plaxico Burress, who has been released from prison. 

Browns talk

The Browns' recent history at quarterback, by Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Repository.

Kentucky running back Derrick Locke wasn't drafted. Bob Evans writes for the National Football Authority that Locke would be a good complement to Browns back Peyton Hillis.

The Cleveland Browns Foundation Golf Tournament was a success, by Matt Florjancic for clevelandbrowns.com.

For the Pro Football Authority, Daniel Wolf -- citing Plain Dealer reports -- debunks Browns rumors.

From Pro Football Weekly, general manager Tom Heckert says the Browns won't trade for a quarterback.  

St. Edward tight end Sam Grant has made an oral commitment to Boston College. Grant (6-6, 240) will be a senior this fall and is to sign a national letter of intent in February. He said he also considered Syracuse and Louisville. Grant had 16 catches for 250 yards and three touchdowns last season, helping the Eagles win their...

St. Edward tight end Sam Grant - (Courtesy St. Edward High School)

St. Edward tight end Sam Grant has made an oral commitment to Boston College. Grant (6-6, 240) will be a senior this fall and is to sign a national letter of intent in February. He said he also considered Syracuse and Louisville.

Grant had 16 catches for 250 yards and three touchdowns last season, helping the Eagles win their first state championship. Recruiting web site scout.com ranks him as the 21st-best tight end recruit in the nation and rates him as a three-star recruit.

"BC has great academics, which is a must for me,'' said Grant, whose cumulative grade-point average is 3.722. "They also have a pro-style offense which was a major factor for me as a tight end. They run the West Coast offense.''

Grant, a North Royalton resident, visited Boston College in April. He said he'll major in a math or science related field.

Grant becomes the second St. Edward player to commit early. Classmate and offensive tackle Kyle Kalis has orally committed to Ohio State.

Grant also is the fifth member of the state championship team's offensive front to earn a Division I scholarship. Recent graduates Geoff Mogus (Northwestern), senior center Trent Rivera (Penn) and Brandon Jackson (West Virginia) have signed letters of intent. Incoming senior guard Tyler Orlosky, a Plain Dealer All-Star, has received numerous offers, and has not committed.

A source says owners and players will meet again "soon and often. That means in the near future, not in a month or anything like that." Sides trying to progress toward new labor contract.

Associated PressNFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith, here in a photo from earlier this spring, and some players met with the NFL and some team owners again on Wednesday.

NEW YORK – NFL owners and players met Wednesday for a second straight day in New York, with Judge Arthur Boylan joining Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA chief DeMaurice Smith.

Also on hand were five team owners and five players.

"NFL owners and players continue to be engaged in confidential discussions before Chief Magistrate Judge Boylan," the two sides said in a joint statement. "Both sides met again this week as part of ongoing court mediation. Those discussions are expected to continue."

A person familiar with the talks told The Associated Press the owners and players will meet again "soon and often. That means in the near future, not in a month or anything like that."

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks were supposed to remain confidential.

On hand at the latest talks were owners John Mara of the New York Giants, Jerry Richardson of the Carolina Panthers, Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots, Clark Hunt of the Kansas city Chiefs and Dean Spanos of the San Diego Chargers.

Representing the players were NFLPA President Kevin Mawae, Mike Vrabel, Tony Richardson, Domonique Foxworth and Jeff Saturday.

It was the second time in a week that the sides got together. Last week, they met near Chicago, then headed to the federal appeals court in St. Louis to argue the legality of the lockout, which began March 12 and remains in force.

Goodell told Buccaneers ticket holders Wednesday that "any time we're talking that's a positive because I believe both sides want to find solutions."

"I believe it's the objective of everybody involved with the NFL to play a full 2011 season," Goodell said during the conference call. "That's certainly what we're working towards, and I think the players are working towards that, too. It's for the good of the game, it's for the good of the people involved in the game, and it's absolutely good for the fans."

"The Indians' two biggest needs for the future are third base and second base. Based on our minors, it seems that those two positions are our deepest. We have three top-tier prospects (Kipnis, Chisenhall and Phelps) to fill those two positions. Many teams would love to be in our position." - jflow21

View full sizeChuck Crow | The Plain DealerJason Kipnis is one of the Indians' infield prospects waiting on the farm.

In response to the story Newest Indian Cord Phelps will platoon at second base with Orlando Cabrera -- for now, cleveland.com reader jflow21 likes the depth the Indians have on the infield in their system. This reader writes,

"The Indians' two biggest needs for the future are third base and second base. Based on our minors, it seems that those two positions are our deepest. We have three top-tier prospects (Kipnis, Chisenhall and Phelps) to fill those two positions. Many teams would love to be in our position."

Rangers take Georgia's Johnathan Taylor in 33rd round. He broke his neck in collision with friend Zach Cone, who was taken by Rangers with 37th overall pick.

AP/Athens Banner-Herald, David TulisA May 24 photo of Johnathan Taylor, who is partially paralyzed but was drafted by the Texas Rangers.

The Texas Rangers are among baseball's league leaders in feel-good stories.

There is the remarkable comeback from drug and alcohol addiction by their outfielder and American League MVP Josh Hamilton.

Their manager, Ron Washington, is one of the game's most personable skippers.

Team owner and Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan, baseball's all-time strikeout leader, is among the sport's most respected representatives.

The Rangers' camaraderie was evident last season when, out of respect for Hamilton's battle against his old habits, they held ginger ale celebrations after playoff series-clinching wins.

Millions of baseball fans enjoyed Texas' AL Championship Series win over the New York Yankees.

Now, after what the Rangers did today during the third and final day of the Major League Baseball Draft, their reputation as an appealing team should only be enhanced.

Mark Schlabach of ESPN.com writes about the Rangers' draft:

Georgia baseball player Johnathan Taylor, who was partially paralyzed after breaking his neck during a collision in a game against Florida State on March 6, was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 33rd round of the amateur baseball draft on Wednesday.

"He's a great kid and he's going through a terrible time in his life and we thought this would be something to uplift him," Kip Fagg, the Rangers' director of amateur scouting, told ESPNDallas.com's Richard Durrett. "I've seen the kid play since high school, he was a great player at Georgia."

That's not all there is to this compelling story, as Schlabach writes:

On Monday night, the Rangers selected Georgia outfielder Zach Cone with the 37th pick overall. Cone is one of Taylor's closest friends and was the player who collided with him in the outfield.

"We talk about being a franchise about family and we care about everyone in this organization, including the kids we draft," Fagg said. "Zach is family and we felt like Johnathan was a good person and someone we wanted to help."

Taylor's family is "very proud of him," his mother said in the statement.

"It's just amazing, and when he got the call, his face lit up, and we were all very excited. It was awesome news," Tandra Taylor said in the statement.

Roughriders say Pryor, who is leaving Ohio State amidst scandal, is being looked at strictly as a quarterback. Pryor could also enter next year's NFL draft or a supplemental draft this summer.

Associated PressTerrelle Pryor hours after Ohio State coach Jim Tressel resigned on May 30.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Saskatchewan Roughriders have acquired the negotiating rights to former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor and have spoken to Pryor about bringing him to the Canadian Football League.

Pryor, a three-year starter for the Buckeyes, announced on Tuesday that he is giving up his senior season while the NCAA looks into issues dealing with improper benefits and cars.

Roughriders general manager Brendan Taman told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the team has talked to Pryor's lawyer, Larry James. According to Taman, James told the Roughriders that Pryor would need until next week to consider the situation.

Taman said Pryor is being looked at by the Roughriders strictly as a quarterback. Pryor could also enter next year's NFL draft or a supplemental draft this summer.

Links to several mock drafts. Cavaliers own first and fourth overall picks.

Associated PressMost analysts expect the Cavaliers to take Duke point guard Kyrie Irving (photo) with the first pick in the NBA draft.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The NBA draft is two weeks from Thursday.

The Cleveland Cavaliers own the first and fourth overall picks. With No. 1, they'll tab Duke point guard Kyrie Irving.

Or will they? Will the conventional wisdom prevalent since the lottery ping pong balls dropped the Cavs' way prove as unreliable as LeBron James at crunch time?

An NBADraft.net mock draft, on FoxSports.com, has the Cavaliers taking Arizona forward Derrick Williams with the first pick, with the comment:

The Cavs have yet to settle on either Williams or Kyrie Irving, but it's possible they can have both. Owner Dan Gilbert has said he would love to see them grab Williams. He has a big wingspan and plays with high energy. His toughness playing through a broken pinkie and showing no ill effects was impressive. At the combine, Williams showed that he has plenty of size and strength to play in the post at the NBA level, and he retains the same great agility that made him the most unstoppable forward in college basketball this season. If Cleveland considers there to be four elite-level players available, taking Williams at No. 1 would leave their options open better than Irving.

NBADraft.net predicts that Irving will be off the board before the Cavaliers pick again at No. 4, and take:

Brandon Knight, PG, Kentucky: Knight is an absolute gym rat and a tremendous kid who will work hard on his game. It has become a point guard-dominated league and Knight has the size and speed to be a standout at the position. He may have some holes and take time to round into a complete point guard, but it's hard to argue with opting for such a strong competitor and character guy here. A clutch shooter, Knight has go to ability with his quick first step and ability to create shots. Long rated near or at the top of his class, Knight has elite-level speed and quickness for a player his size and is a prolific scorer with a killer instinct.

Mock drafts from:

HoopsWorld.com

and, DraftExpress.com

and, Yahoo! Sports

and, Insidehoops.com 

and, CBSSports.com

The departure of Terrelle Pryor doesn't help OSU clear it's name. In fact more allegations could turn the seas even choppier in Columbus, Bud Shaw writes in his Spin column.

View full sizeMarvin Fong / The Plain DealerTerrelle Pryor may be leaving Columbus and the Buckeyes, but Bud Shaw is pretty certain his "presence" will be lingering over the Ohio State athletic program for years to come.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Terrelle Pryor's departure is good for Ohio State in the same way a last-minute rearrangement of the deck chairs would've been good for the Titanic.

Things are looking better for a few minutes ... just before everything slides sideways into the deep, dark abyss.

Jim Tressel was tossed overboard. That second splash was his former prized recruit. One was a forced resignation. The other? I'm not sure anyone in charge tried to talk Pryor out of leaving, or insisted Pryor first talk to his academic advisor to make sure he was making the right move for him.

They should've, right? After all, at Ohio State University, it is all about the kids. That was Tressel's motivation, remember. So, surely in honor of those values, Gordon Gee and Gene Smith reached out to Pryor at a time of great personal conflict. That is the Ohio State Way after all.

The exits of Tressel and Pryor will spare interim coach Luke Fickell and the remaining players the drum beat for the return to normalcy during the first five games next season. Big deal. "Normalcy" at OSU ain't what it used to be.

Their departures probably won't affect the more critical issue of how hard the NCAA comes down on the Buckeyes. You could make the argument that Ohio State's compliance department failed worse than its counterpart at USC. The NCAA handed USC football a postseason ban and the loss of 10 scholarships a year for the next three years. Thirty scholarships isn't the death penalty, but it's reason for a bedside vigil for a program hoping to return to its hale and hearty self.

You can certainly make that argument and more if the latest allegations surrounding Pryor prove true.

A former friend told ESPN's "Outside the Lines" that Pryor received between $20,000 and $40,000 to autograph mini-helmets and other Buckeyes gear during his Ohio State career. Allegations coming from "former" friends can be at least as agenda-driven as the opinions of "ex" spouses. So those allegations could be false; though, really now, anybody want to bet against it?

View full sizeMarvin Fong / The Plain DealerOhio State maintained a defensive posture in protecting its superstar quarterback and its hugely successful head coach until the last few days -- in which both Terrelle Pryor and Jim Tressel have left the football program. Now, their value as scapegoats may be OSU's main defense in the Buckeyes' effort to avoid the NCAA's crosshairs.

The OSU administration blindly believed Tressel could do no wrong to the point that when he admitted doing wrong (sort of) they recommended a two-game wrist slap. Gee joked about being worried that Tressel would fire him, instead of Tressel being concerned about losing his job.

Then the face-saving attempt to show that Tressel wanted the same suspension as his players -- how convenient -- made OSU's initial "boy are we mad" (wink, wink) reaction to Tressel playing ineligible players for an entire season look even more ridiculous.

The Plain Dealer's Doug Lesmerises pointed out Wednesday that in hammering USC, the NCAA ruled the school had a responsibility to monitor a superstar talent such as Reggie Bush. Why would Pryor be any different? Bush was long gone when the NCAA hit USC. And even longer gone when the NCAA vetoed USC's appeal.

The autograph-for-pay issue is one Ohio State has tried to monitor for years. Buckeyes who were finished playing cashed in on it.

If Pryor and other active Buckeyes became part of it, it's O-H-UH-O for the program, its athletic director and maybe even its comedian president.

SPINOFFS

When Tressel was first hired, he told OSU fans they would be "proud of our young people in the classroom, in the community and most especially in 310 days in Ann Arbor, Mich., on the football field."

Last week, Tressel told fans who assembled outside his home that the Buckeyes would "kick [Michigan's butts]" next season. Of the three possible venues for kicking butt -- classroom, community and football field -- I think he meant on the football field or maybe at the tattoo parlor...

Famous Last Words II: Pryor saying he was coming to Columbus to get Coach Tressel "over the hump." Did he mean barrel?...

Since the BCS stripped USC of its 2004 title, some people at Auburn, which finished undefeated the same season, think it should be crowned national champs. Easy there, Tigers. You might want to wait until the NCAA's statute of limitations expires on the career of Cam Newton before you lobby for vacated titles being handed down...

Michigan fans are taking great delight in the scandal at OSU. Given the rivalry, it's understandable. Given the fact that UM desperately recruited Pryor, too, it's selective amnesia...

LeBron James scored a career playoff-low eight points in Game 4 Tuesday. That led Dallas' DeShawn Stevenson to say James "checked out" late in the game. Ridiculous. We know better. Compared to Game 5 against Boston, James looked like he'd downed 22 Mountain Dews at halftime...

I don't want to say the OSU story is getting stranger and stranger by the day. But clearly we have entered an alternate universe when Bobby Knight argues against personal responsibility by blaming the NCAA for a bad rule and Maurice Clarett rips the players for looking for handouts...

HE SAID IT

"Any time that there is a mistake, or any time that there is an issue that flares up, and we go back through and scrub everything very, very carefully. We want to make certain that we're asking all the right questions." -- OSU president Gordon Gee.

Sure, now that the NCAA is the foreman on this hazmat cleaning job.

View full sizeAP photoHe's made plenty of sweet music, and never passes to support his New Orleans hometown.

HE TWEETED IT

"Shocker, White Sox pick another good athlete black kid. How about picking a good baseball player." -- Oney Guillen, son of White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, after Chicago selected 20-year-old Keenyn Walker with its first pick in the 2011 amateur draft.

Later, Oney said his tweet had nothing to do with race, just because, you know, he brought it up.

SEPARATED AT BIRTH

Troy Aikman and Harry Connick, Jr. -- L. Parrett, Cleveland Heights

Pittsburgh Penguins' Marc-Andre Fleury and speedskater Apolo Ohno. -- Lindsay Lieber

View full sizeAP photoFew passed any more accurately as this QB legend managed to rival Captain Comeback himself in Dallas.

YOU SAID IT

"Bud:

"Any truth to the rumor that the Little Sisters of the Poor have been implicated in a relics-for-tattoos scandal?" -- Moldo

Nun.

"Hey Bud:

"Was it fun while it lasted?" -- Ron

Are you talking about the Indians, or my failed attempt to raise money for charity by doing my first sit-up since high school?

"Bud:

"I think Brett Favre should run for Congress. He can cry like John Boehner, carpet-bag like Dennis Kucinich, and send pictures like Anthony Weiner. What more could one ask for from a first-time congressman?" -- Edward J. Aube, Broadview Heights

You forgot a knack for indecision and contradiction.

"Bud:

"Does Manny Acta let Pete Rose know before he adds [Shelley] Duncan, [Austin] Kearns, [Lou] Marson and [Adam] Everett to the same lineup?" -- John Ploenes

First-time "You Said It" winners receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection.

"Bud:

"If Grady Sizemore goes on the disabled list again, could Anthony Weiner take his roster spot?" -- Chas K

Repeat winners get a Sizemore coffee cup.

"Bud:

"How much would signed tests, textbooks and term papers from Terrelle Pryor be worth?" -- Joe S

Repeat winners also get graded on a curve.

In place for years, the statewide tour that sends Buckeyes to malls and memorabilia stores around Ohio has become more regulated in the last couple years.

View full sizeTerry Gilliam / Associated PressAn annual autograph night that accompanied one public football practice in August became so problematic that it was done away with by Ohio State athletic department officials.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Thousands of dollars would have been waiting for him, and all Terrelle Pryor had to do was sign his name.

That's how it works for all the stars from the Ohio State football team the moment their careers end, a lucrative and well-established autograph circuit serving as a rite of passage for every big-time Buckeye passing from the college game to the pros.

Pryor's Ohio State career ended Tuesday night, when he announced he was giving up his senior season shortly before a report from ESPN claimed that Pryor had received between $20,000 and $40,000 from a Columbus businessman and photographer for signing autographs on memorabilia that the man, Dennis Talbott, later sold.

Talbott and Pryor's lawyer, Larry James, have both denied the claims publicly. If the NCAA finds the allegations to be true, it could lead to more severe sanctions for the football program.

"The university has an active investigation with the NCAA and we will work cooperatively with them until the matter is resolved," OSU spokesperson Jim Lynch wrote in an email Wednesday when asked about Talbott. "Until then, we won't be discussing details of the case. You should rest assured that any new allegations that come to light will be addressed."

That then would include these allegations against Pryor. But by January of next year, $40,000 for autographs may have seemed like peanuts to the quarterback if he'd gone out as an OSU hero, and was then ready, able, and -- free of NCAA oversight -- allowed to sell his signature for money.

In place for years, the statewide tour that sends Buckeyes to malls and memorabilia stores around Ohio has become more regulated in the last couple years. While multiple members of the autograph and sports memorabilia community in Columbus acknowledged Wednesday that a black market does exist for autographs of current players -- which would violate NCAA rules if they are paid for those signatures while in school -- there's also a thriving scene for dealers who follow the rules.

"I think there will always be somebody that tries to buck the system," said Rob Hatch of Ohio Sports Marketing, one of two outlets licensed by Ohio State to sell photos of OSU players. "There are people that work the edge of any business. If that person's gone, there will be somebody else."

View full sizePatrick Semansky / Associated PressCries of hypocrisy may ring out that players can make money after they're done playing -- with the school getting a portion of the photo money -- but are prohibited from signing for money while in school. But it's the system in place, and one that everyone at Ohio State, from the compliance office to the coaching staff to the players, certainly understands.

But Hatch, concerned Wednesday that all those in the autograph and memorabilia business would be viewed as shady, helped create a world in which he works hand-in-hand with Ohio State. The school earns a royalty off every photo he sells, and then in a system recently established by word of mouth through the players, Hatch coordinates autograph signings around the state.

The players are paid by the hour for signing, with one player this winter making $2,500 for two hours of work. That was in a class that Hatch, rightly, said didn't include much star power, lacking a standout like Ted Ginn Jr., Beanie Wells, A.J. Hawk, or, say, Pryor.

If a solid player made 10 appearances this winter, he could have pulled in $25,000. It's not hard to imagine Pryor, if he'd exited Ohio State on a high note, earning a much higher hourly fee and, if active, making three or four times that amount, if not more. Of course, by leaving now, he's also free to sell his autograph as much as he wants.

Cries of hypocrisy may ring out that players can make money after they're done playing -- with the school getting a portion of the photo money -- but are prohibited from signing for money while in school. But it's the system in place, and one that everyone at Ohio State, from the compliance office to the coaching staff to the players, certainly understands. If there were violations committed in regards to Pryor or anyone else signing for money, the school had to be aware of the potential pitfalls.

Adjustments had been made in recent years to keep players' signatures from winding up on eBay. An autograph night that accompanied one public practice in August was done away with. At fan events, such as the alumni banquet in Cleveland, players were asked by the school to refrain from signing autographs. When they did sign after games, players were told to personalize the items to make them more difficult to sell.

Pryor, instead of signing, even started handing out player cards after games that were provided by the school, though he was apparently supposed to sign them beforehand and some fans complained after one game when they were handed cards without a signature.

"You try to protect [the players]," former coach Jim Tressel said when asked about autographs during last season. "With Terrelle, [we've] gotten a bunch of things that he's pre-signing before he gets out of the locker room rather than stop and spend an hour or two after the game. He gives out some things he's already signed.

"The thing you don't want him to do is just go bolting by 500 people. Then they say, 'Oh gosh, I've been waiting here for three hours.' It's a no-win situation with this autograph world. I don't understand what people love about autographs. We tell our guys to try to be smart."

The Plain Dealer Dennis Manoloff wraps up the Indians homestand in which they went 1-6 following a 3-2 loss to the Twins on Wednesday. Manny Acta and Justin Masterson talk about the loss and where the Indians go from here in this video from The Plain Dealer and CineSport.

AP PhotoJustin Masterson

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

The Brecksville-Broadview Heights pitcher and with Lincoln-West outfielder Brian Ruiz were the lone local high school players drafted on Wednesday.

View full sizeAllison Carey / PDMike Mancuso is hoping a strong summer performance will raise his value with the Chicago White Sox, who drafted him on Wednesday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School senior pitcher Mike Mancuso is used to throwing opposing batters off-guard with his curve. But the 6-6, 240-pounder was blindsided when the Chicago White Sox took him in the 46th round (1,401 overall) of the Major League Baseball draft.

He, along with Lincoln-West senior outfielder Brian Ruiz were the lone local high school players drafted on Wednesday.

Mancuso, a Georgia recruit who has a fastball in the 91-92 mph range, was contacted by the Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers in earlier rounds, but was not selected.

"Signability was and still is the big question because we were asking for quite a bit of money," said Mancuso, without offering the exact numbers. "[Chicago's] going to follow me this summer and if I do well, they could come back with a better offer."

Mancuso compiled a 3-1 record with 1.93 ERA, 35 strikeouts and nine walks in 29 innings for the Bees this spring and will graduate with a 17-2 mark, 174 strikeouts and 1.90 ERA in 132 2/3 career innings.

Mancuso, who plays summer ball for the Midland (Cincinnati) Redskins, was surprised when Chicago drafted him.

"I'm happy it's them, though, because I've always been a big White Sox fan," said Mancuso, 18.

Ruiz, a 6-3, 180-pounder right-hander, was taken by the Indians as the seventh player in the 41st round, 1,238th overall.

Mancuso and Ruiz join five Kent State players, two Akron players and one Lake Erie College player as area draftees. Kent State players chosen were Andrew Chafin (first round/supplemental, Arizona), Kyle McMillen (fourth round, White Sox), Travis Shaw (ninth round, Boston), Kyle Hallock (10th round, Houston) and Ben Klafczynski (20th round, Cubs).

Chris Bassitt (16th round, White Sox) and Andrew Turocy (24th round, Boston) were the Akron players chosen. Lake Erie's Ryan Rua went in the 17th round to Texas.

Mavericks guard, who sometimes covers Heat's James, used to tweak James -- and usually look bad after the outcomes -- when he was with Washington and James with the Cavaliers.

Associated PressThe Mavericks' DeShawn Stevenson (left) and the Heat's LeBron James (right) during a break in the play of Tuesday night's game, won by Dallas, 86-83.

DALLAS, Texas -- Dallas Mavericks guard DeShawn Stevenson is directing some sharp words toward the Miami Heat's LeBron James on the eve of Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

Stevenson says the Heat forward "checked out" in the final minutes of Game 4 on Tuesday night, when James was held to eight points -- the lowest he managed in 90 career playoff games -- in Miami's 86-83 loss to the Mavs.

Stevenson isn't worried about the perception of his comments, either.

After Dallas practiced Wednesday, Stevenson was saying that the Heat are still getting to know each other, that James wasn't himself in Game 4 and that the two-time MVP is "talented enough that he can use anything in the paper to kind of boost his ego."

Game 5 is Thursday night. The series is tied at two wins apiece.

-- Associated Press 

A Starting Blocks poll asks readers for their opinion of James' rather passive performance during Miami's 86-83 loss at Dallas on Tuesday night.

The newest Indian will be part of a platoon at second base with Orlando Cabrera -- at least for the time being.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerCord Phelps (left) didn't get a hit in his big-league debut with the Indians on Wednesday, but he did tag out Minnesota's Danny Valencia on this second-inning steal attempt.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Newest Indian Cord Phelps will be part of a platoon at second base with struggling veteran Orlando Cabrera -- at least for the time being.

Phelps, a switch-hitter, was promoted from Class AAA Columbus on Tuesday night and officially joined the Tribe on Wednesday in time for the afternoon game. In his major-league debut, he went 0-for-4 as the second baseman and No. 7 hitter in the Tribe's 3-2 loss to the Twins in 10 innings.

Manager Manny Acta is hoping Phelps will provide a spark for an offense that has gone stale the past several weeks despite the hot bats of Michael Brantley and Asdrubal Cabrera. Phelps also can play third and short, but he was drafted as a second baseman in the third round out of Stanford in 2008.

"The kid's going to get an opportunity to play, and we're going to have to see if he'll take advantage of it," Acta said. "For now, he's going to play second base, and we're going to give him the opportunity to play the majority of times against right-handed pitching.

"Orlando's been there, done that. You can't rule out Orlando coming back and playing every day. But this kid deserved a shot based on the way he's played the last two years at Columbus."

Phelps, 24, was hitting .299 with seven homers and 40 RBI in 55 games for the Clippers. Last season, he hit .317 in 66 games in Columbus after being promoted from Class AA Akron.

Cabrera, signed as a free agent in February, hit .283 in April. But he managed just .230 in May and is .143 (3-for-21) in June. Cabrera is hitting .246 overall, 228 against righties. He has 1,999 career hits.

"Orlando understands what's going on," Acta said. "He took [the news] well, as well as he could. He was very professional. Obviously, he's disappointed, because that's human nature. He's a competitor, he knows how important he is to our ball club, and he's always been an everyday player.

"Nobody's saying he's not going to be an everyday player again. This is not a done deal. Orlando's still going to get playing time against left-handers and some right-handed pitchers, too."

Just to be clear, Acta said: "It's very early. This is not a slam dunk."

Phelps learned he was coming to Cleveland after the Clippers' 5-1 victory over Rochester on Tuesday night in Columbus. He arrived in town about 2 a.m. and checked into a hotel.

Phelps grounded to second, struck out swinging, grounded to second and flied to left. Twins second baseman Matt Tolbert made quality plays against him.

"You've got to earn it," Phelps said of chasing his first major-league hit. "I was a little nervous at the start, but that's to be expected. Overall, I felt pretty good. It was exciting."

Phelps was in a 5-for-27 slide at the time of the promotion.

"It's one of those things that happens with the ups and downs of baseball," he said.

Phelps has played predominantly shortstop for the Clippers this season because Jason Kipnis is at second and Lonnie Chisenhall is at third. Phelps also has played second and third and been the designated hitter.

Among the first to greet Phelps in the clubhouse were Indians General Manager Chris Antonetti and Orlando Cabrera.

Actavision: For the second straight game, Acta opted for Carlos Santana at first base and Lou Marson at catcher. Regular first baseman Matt LaPorta did not play Tuesday and was the designated hitter Wednesday.

"[Tuesday], I liked the matchup better with Marson against a left-handed pitcher [Francisco Liriano] and gave the day off to Matty," Acta said. "[Wednesday], the day after a night game, I wanted to have Marson out there again and continue to have LaPorta and Santana in the lineup.

LaPorta and Santana said before the game that they are fine physically.

"Wherever the manager wants me to play, I'll play," Santana said.

Marson went 2-for-4, both hits coming off right-handers (starter Carl Pavano and reliever Matt Capps). Marson entered at 1-for-33 against righties. Marson's seventh-inning single off Pavano snapped an 0-for-23 overall and was his first hit since May 7.

It's over: The third and final day of the Major League Baseball draft wrapped Wednesday with rounds 31-50.

"The third day is still an important day," Indians amateur-scouting director Brad Grant said. "We take those rounds very seriously. Late in the draft, we went for some college power arms and some position players with upside."

The Indians selected Lincoln-West outfielder Brian Ruiz in the 41st round. Ruiz (6-3, 180) bats right and throws right. He is 18.

"We liked his athleticism and his ability to hit and play center field," Grant said. "We've watched him a lot."

Tim Thomas made 38 saves in his third shutout of the playoffs, RICH Peverley scored two goals after replacing injured Nathan Horton on Boston's top line, and the Bruins emphatically evened the finals at two games apiece with a 4-0 victory over the foundering Vancouver Canucks in Game 4.

Boston Bruins' goaltender Tim Thomas, celebrates his shutout with teammate Johnny Boychuk at the end of of game 4 of NHL Stanley Cup Final hockey against the Vancouver Canucks at the TD Garden in Boston on Wednesday, June 8, 2011. The Bruins won the game 4-0 and the series is now tied at 2-2. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward)

BOSTON - The tattered, kitschy Bruins jacket has been moving around the Boston locker room for the past few months, going to the most valuable player in every victory.

It belonged to Nathan Horton when he went down with a serious concussion two days earlier in the Stanley Cup finals. He showed up in the Bruins' locker room Wednesday night, delighting his teammates by putting the jacket on Rich Peverley.

That strange, old jacket bought on eBay has become the Bruins' most valuable trophy.

After two dominant games in Boston, the Bruins are halfway to winning a bigger, shinier prize.

Tim Thomas made 38 saves in his third shutout of the playoffs, Peverley scored two goals after replacing Horton on Boston's top line, and the Bruins emphatically evened the finals at two games apiece with a 4-0 victory [box score] over the foundering Vancouver Canucks in Game 4.

The Bruins rolled through Game 4 on an emotional high that began with a stirring pregame tribute to Horton, who will miss the rest of the series after a late hit in Game 3 from Vancouver defenseman Aaron Rome, who was suspended for four games.

"When I personally got to see him in the locker room, I was incredibly happy," Thomas said. "It gave me a big boost. He was there to pass the jacket on. The team would have been happy leaving it with Horty for the rest of the series, but he wanted to give it away and keep the tradition going. ... Watching him going down, we want to finish what we started for him."

Michael Ryder and Brad Marchand also scored and the Bruins chased Roberto Luongo early in the third period after Vancouver's star goalie allowed his 12th goal in less than two brutal games in Boston.

"It's always easier to be at home," Marchand said. "We feed off the energy, off our fans. They just bring out the best in us. ... Just seems everyone is so focused right now."

The finals are now a best-of-three, with Game 5 in Vancouver on Friday night.

Game 6 is Monday night back in Boston. After outscoring Vancouver 12-1 in the last two games, the Bruins are halfway to their first NHL title since 1972 - but they'll have to win at least once on the West Coast.

Boston opened its first finals trip in 21 years with two deflating one-goal losses last week in Vancouver, but the Bruins have wrested all momentum from the suddenly shaky Canucks with two thoroughly dominant wins.

Luongo gave up four goals on 20 shots before Cory Schneider replaced him, ending yet another shaky defensive performance for the Presidents' Trophy-winning Canucks, who were inexplicably passionless in Boston.

"We have two out of three with home-ice advantage, and that's what we've worked for all season," Luongo said. "We need to get playing the way we did in the first two games."

Vancouver needed just one win in Boston to earn the chance to win the franchise's first championship on home ice. Instead, the Canucks headed home with huge questions about their mental toughness, defense and goaltending.

"It's not for lack of effort, not for lack of trying to win," Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault said. "Give the other team credit. They're playing a smart game, and right now they've been able to shut us down offensively the last two games."

Thomas was flawless yet again in a playoff run that's turning into the defining achievement of his winding career. He has allowed just five goals in four games in his first Stanley Cup finals, with Vancouver's vaunted Sedin twins - the NHL's last two scoring champions - failing to beat him.

Despite the NHL's warning to these teams about keeping their competition between the whistles, the third period featured another handful of skirmishes. Thomas delighted Boston's fans when he slashed Vancouver agitator Alex Burrows with 1:51 to play, precipitating another brawl.

"I thought I'd give him a little love tap," Thomas said. "Let them know that I know what you're doing, but I'm not going to let you do it forever. That's all that was. A typical battle."

The Bruins are winning most of them, partially on motivation from Horton's injury.

Before the game, Bobby Orr - the Hall of Fame defenseman and Boston icon - wore his own No. 4 jersey as he waved a flag bearing Horton's No. 18, drawing thunderous cheers while standing in the lower bowl under a spotlight. Hundreds of Canucks fans in blue jerseys joined in the cheers for Horton, who scored the winning goals in both of Boston's Game 7 victories during these playoffs.

With the victory secure in the final minutes, the entire building loudly chanted Horton's name.

Peverley, a Bruins newcomer after a late-season trade from Atlanta, lined up with David Krejci and Milan Lucic. The hardworking forward isn't known for his scoring touch, but came through twice in the new role.

Boston went ahead midway through the first period after Krejci alertly tapped a loose puck in the neutral zone ahead to Peverley, who blew past Raffi Torres and scored just his second goal in 19 games.

The Canucks are a mess on defense after losing top blueliner Dan Hamhuis to an injury in Game 1 before Rome's suspension. Keith Ballard struggled as Rome's replacement, making a brutal turnover on Boston's third goal, but Vancouver played generally shoddy team defense in front of Luongo, who hasn't shaken his reputation for struggling in big games - even with an Olympic gold medal around his neck.

Vancouver's power play, the NHL's best in the regular season, also has lost its mojo, going 0 for 6 in Game 4 to drop to 1 for 22 in the series. The Sedin twins are the NHL's past two scoring champions, but they've barely made an impact on this series under Boston's steady defensive pressure.

Perhaps the top-seeded Canucks' only good news out of Boston is that the home team is dominating this series - and they've got two more potential home games.

The Canucks have been routed before in this postseason, losing consecutive games to Chicago by a combined 12-2 after taking a 3-0 lead in that first-round series.

Vancouver narrowly won the first two games last week, moving halfway to the franchise's first championship and Canada's first Cup since 1993. Boston halted Vancouver's roll with an 8-1 victory Monday marred by Horton's injury and numerous scuffles in the third period.

Vancouver soundly outshot Boston over the first 30 minutes of Game 4, yet the Canucks had few solid scoring chances. Most of the shots went straight at Thomas, whose much-evaluated positional game was close to perfect, particularly on an early point-blank chance for Maxim Lapierre.

After Peverley's early goal, Ryder scored midway through the second period on an innocuous shot that somehow fluttered past Luongo. The puck might have deflected off the stick of defenseman Sami Salo, who played Ryder much too softly.

Boston took control 1:18 later during 4-on-4 play when Patrice Bergeron forced Ballard's turnover behind the Canucks' net and chipped it in front to Marchand, who easily scored over Luongo's left shoulder. The Boston crowd serenaded Vancouver with chants of "Luonnnngo! Luonnnngo!"

Luongo finally left after Peverley scored again early in the third period, with the Boston fans roaring as Cory Schneider replaced him.

The Bruins have never played this deep into June in franchise history, and summer temperatures in the 80s made the Canucks worry about the quality of the Boston ice. Vancouver has much bigger worries heading home.

NOTES: Bruins rookie Tyler Seguin was back in the lineup in Horton's absence, earning an assist on Ryder's goal. ... Vancouver captain Henrik Sedin took his first shot of the series in the opening seconds of Game 4. The pass-first playmaker, last season's MVP, didn't have a shot in the first three games. ... Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper attended the game, socializing with Orr beforehand. Canadian actress Rachel McAdams and two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash also were in the crowd. Nash, an avid Canucks fan, cheered on his brother-in-law, Vancouver C Manny Malhotra. ... The Bruins improved to 10-1 when scoring first in the postseason.

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What should Terrelle Pryor do?

(Marvin Fong / The Plain Dealer)Former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor.

Former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor will certainly have some options when it comes to his professional career.

Pryor recently announced through his lawyer that he will not return to Ohio State for his senior year. So now that Pryor is gone, what should he do?

Should Pryor play in the UFL, CFL wait on the NFL's Supplemental Draft? Or should Pryor sent out a year, continue to heal from his foot surgery, and work with a QB coach?

Former John Adams track star Willie Brown, now running for the Akron Zips, finished second in his heat in the 800-meter race at the NCAA Track & Field Championships in Des Moines Wednesday and can earn All-American honors with a top eight finish in the finals Friday.

View full sizeTracy Boulian,
The Plain DealerAkron Zip Willie Brown, pictured during his days at Cleveland's John Adams, can earn All-American honors with a top-eight finish in the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Friday.

Des Moines -- Former John Adams track star Willie Brown, who now runs for the University of Akron, broke his own school record for the Zips in finishing second in the men's 800 meter race at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Drake Stadium here Wednesday.

The Akron Beacon-Journal carried this account:

Brown, the reigning Mid-American Conference Champion and school record-holder in both the indoor and outdoor 800, finished second in Wednesday's semifinal with a time of 1 minute, 45.91 seconds. His previous top time was 1:48.13. UC Irvine's Charles Jock finished first in 1:45.77.

Brown's 800 time also qualifies him for the USA Championships later this year and next year's Olympic Trials.

The men's 800 final is set for 8:20 p.m. Friday.

"I'm getting the feeling that maybe, just maybe, they can hammer out a deal soon. Maybe it's soaking in to both sides that they don't want to screw up this cash cow. In the end, this may be viewed as a cakewalk compared to the NBA agreement." - tribefever32

View full sizeWally Santana | Associated PressDavid Stern and the league's owners are trying to reshape the game's salary structure in the next CBA.

In response to the story NFL lockout 2011: Owners and players meet for second straight day, cleveland.com reader tribefever32 thinks this NFL labor situation is nothing compared to what we'll see with the NBA. This reader writes,

"I'm getting the feeling that maybe, just maybe, they can hammer out a deal soon. Maybe it's soaking in to both sides that they don't want to screw up this cash cow. In the end, this may be viewed as a cakewalk compared to the NBA agreement."