The Indians are giving ownership fewer reasons to roll the dice at the trade deadline, sports columnist Bud Shaw writes.

View full sizePaul Bereswill / Associated PressWith Matt LaPorta and the Cleveland Indians unable to score runs -- and prevent opponents from doing so easily -- is there really a good reason to deal off prospects for veteran help this season? That's what Bud Shaw wants to know.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- On May 23, when the Indians' stock hit its most recent high, they led the division by seven games. Since then, they've looked like the worst investment since the vacation timeshare.

That's the basic question for General Manager Chris Antonetti and the Dolans. Are the Indians a pretty sure thing or a desperate roll of the dice to make the postseason? Five shutout losses in the last 17 games might make that sound like a trick question. Playoffs? Playoffs?

If the answer is not convincingly affirmative that this team could play in October and be realistically expected to do something once they get there, management would be foolish to sell off any top prospects on the if-come.

Nobody wants to hear anything that could be remotely translated as "Wait till next year." Remember, though, when this season began many wanted to see Lonnie Chisenhall at third base regardless of the team's chances, or, better yet, because of the team's chances.

Chisenhall was a civic cause. Anyone now want to give him up for two or three months of Vladimir Guerrero?

The way things are developing (or not), adding to the roster could well be a moot point by late July. This latest version of the Indians can't hit enough to suggest that another right-handed bat -- Guerrero, Michael Cuddyer -- could make much of a difference. What we have seen in the first few months of the season is not a large enough sample to rule out a turnaround for two guys who absolutely must hit for the Indians to be an October threat -- Shin-Soo Choo and Carlos Santana. However, that point is quickly approaching.

Not to single those two out. Matt LaPorta's 10 weeks in the lineup may not be alarming, but it's not especially promising, either. Since we've seen so much more from Michael Brantley, let's agree to call it worrisome. It's fair to ask, "Is 15-18 homers and a .250 average going to be all there is with LaPorta?"

You wonder if management doesn't already have serious doubts about the first-place pedigree of this bunch. Replacing Orlando Cabrera with Cord Phelps is an atypical move for a team in first place, especially when the decision cuts the playing time of a player the Indians consistently applaud for his veteran presence.

Cabrera has a knack of playing for teams that go to the postseason, then don't invite him back. Whatever that's about, watching Cabrera play all those consecutive games on artificial turf made him look 46, not 36.

The loss of Alex White didn't cost the Indians a fifth starter. He pitched more like a No. 3 on a team whose alleged ace, Fausto Carmona, looks like he needs a month in Columbus to get himself straight.

The Indians are building something. The last month says the hard-hat zone is going to extend beyond this year.

Would there be a backlash if ownership doesn't do something dramatic to improve the roster in 2011? It's hard to imagine a more negative environment than existed around the club and the Dolans when the season began. How could it be any worse after one more non-playoff season?

Attendance improved for a simple reason in May. People liked the product. They saw some hope in its long-term possibilities.

The only way the Dolans waste an opportunity with fans is if they're sitting atop the division in late July and still don't improve their roster. With the direction they're currently heading, that won't be an issue.

If this keeps up, the embers of another fire sale might be stoked instead of adding talent for the stretch run.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain Dealer"We're not in a position to go out and make wholesale changes," Indians General Manager Chris Antonetti said Sunday. "We want to get these guys back to where they've been productive in the past and then assess where we have needs and where we could complement the club."

NEW YORK -- If this keeps up, the embers of another fire sale might be stoked instead of adding talent for the stretch run.

GM Chris Antonetti, in the Bronx to see the Indians lose their third straight game to the Yankees, talked about adding and subtracting to the roster before Sunday's 9-1 loss.

"What matters is our competitive position," said Antonetti. "That's going to be one of the driving factors in determining what, if anything, we do over the next couple of months."

After a great start, the Indians have lost 14 of their last 18 games. Before doing anything radical, Antonetti is trying to be patient.

"I'm confident that the group of guys here will begin to play better and perform more like they did at the beginning of the season than we have over the last 20 games," he said.

The trading non-waiver trading deadline is July 31. When the Indians were 30-15 with a seven-game lead in the AL Central on May 23, it looked liked they'd be a buyer come trade time. That is not the case right now.

"We need the guys who are here to continue to get back to the point of being productive to their abilities," said Antonetti. "That's where it starts for us. We're not in a position to go out and make wholesale changes. We want to get these guys back to where they've been productive in the past and then assess where we have needs and where we could complement the club."

Clear head: Shin-Soo Choo said he's in a better frame of mind.

"You don't see it on the field, but my mind is much better," he said. "I've stopped looking at the Internet and reading fan reaction. I've stopped reading the newspaper. My focus is on my team and my game."

Choo, the Indians' best player for the last two years, has struggled offensively. His arrest on charges of DUI on May 2 compounded the problem. He's hitting .234 (54-for-231) with 26 runs, nine doubles, five homers and 23 RBI in 61 games. After 61 games last season, Choo was hitting .291 (69-for-237) with 12 doubles, eight homers and 32 RBI.

Suspension? Manager Manny Acta says he'd be upset if Mitch Talbot is suspended for hitting Alex Rodriguez in Saturday's 4-0 loss.

"I don't think I'd be happy," said Acta. "I didn't agree with it the first time. They should have enough sense to know that [the ejection] was uncalled for and that I'd be losing one of our starters."

The Indians could get word from MLB as soon as Monday. Depending on the umpire's report, Fausto Carmona could be looking at a fine or suspension as well for hitting Mark Teixeira in Friday's game. Carmona, unlike Talbot, was not ejected.

Talbot said he'd appeal a suspension if it came to that. He'll probably be fined regardless.

Testing, testing: The Indians will make arrangements for Travis Hafner's rehab assignment after he takes batting practice Monday. Hafner, recovering from a strained oblique, took BP with the Tribe on Sunday without incident.

Mr. 2,000: Orlando Cabrera's 2,000th hit came on a bad-hop single off Derek Jeter's glove in the second inning Sunday.

"I'd be lying to you if I said I wasn't thinking about it," said Cabrera. "I was thinking about it a lot. The guys have been thinking about it, too. So I hope we can move on now and start winning."

Cabrera's first hit was a RBI single for Montreal on Sept. 11, 1997. Pinch-hitting for Mike Lansing, Cabrera singled off Rick Reed in the eighth inning in a 9-5 loss to the Mets.

"This means a lot to me," said Cabrera. "I never in my career thought 'I'm going to get there.' To get to that point makes me very happy that I'm still playing and was able to get to that number."

Free at last: Tony Sipp pitched a scoreless seventh inning Sunday. "It feels good to get the monkey off my back," said Sipp.

Last year, Sipp gave up six runs on five hits in two appearances covering one-third of an inning at Yankee Stadium. It took much of the season to recover.

"Somebody told me I had a 162.2 ERA at Yankee Stadium," said Sipp. "It felt good to get more than one out here."

Finally: The Indians, taking advantage of Freddy Garcia's slow delivery, stole five base Sunday. Asdrubal Cabrera and Choo had two each. Orlando Cabrera had one. It was the Tribe's most steals in a game since they had six Sept. 21, 2000 in the first game of a doubleheader against Boston. ... Choo's double in the fourth broke a 0-for-24 slump at the new Yankee Stadium. In was the longest hitless streak by a visiting or home player, according to Elias, in the three-year history of the ballpark. ... The Yankees placed Bartolo Colon on the disabled list Sunday. He strained his left hamstring covering first base Saturday.

Jeanmar Gomez pitches another strong game to win for Columbus.

MINOR LEAGUE REPORT

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Indians 3, Pelicans 2 Casey Frawley’s 2-out single in the bottom of the 23rd inning gave Kinston the win over Myrtle Beach (S.C.) in the marathon Carolina League game in North Carolina. 2B Frawley (.212) was 1-for-10 with six strikeouts before he drove in C Roberto Perez (.259), who lined a leadoff single, with the game-winner. Seven Pelicans’ pitchers combined to strike out 32 Indians. Perez scored all three Kinston runs, going 4-for-9 with a solo homer and a double. LH reliever Chris Jones (2-0, 3.96) pitched three scoreless innings for the win. Indians LH reliever Francisco Jimenez pitched five scoreless, two-hit innings (12th through 16th), with eight strikeouts and two walks.

Notes: RH reliever Kyle Landis pitched two scoreless innings. With Kinston, Landis is 1-0 with one save in six games, striking out 14, walking none and allowing one hit in 10 innings....RH relievers Jose Flores and Tyler Sturdevant pitched two scoreless innings each, and RH reliever Joey Mahalic pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings....RH starter Brett Brach gave up one run on three hits and two walks in six innings, with three strikeouts....RH closer Preston Guilmet, who is 0-0 with 14 saves and a 1.48 ERA, got his first blown save of the season, allowing the Pelicans a ninth-inning run that tied the game, 2-2, and forced extra innings....3B Justin Toole (.294) was 3-for-8, and his sacrifice bunt in the 23rd moved Perez to second base. Perez then went to third on a groundout by 1B Chase Burnette (.225), bringing Frawley to the plate with two outs....Kinston had 14 hits, Myrtle Beach 12....The Indians follow the 23-inning game with a doubleheader at Kinston on Monday at 4:30 p.m. against the Salem Red Sox.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Clippers 10, Bisons 4 RH starter Jeanmar Gomez (6-1, 2.28) allowed one run on five hits in six innings for the win, and LF Shelley Duncan (.167) and 1B Jared Goedert (.250) slugged three-run home runs as the Clippers extended their winning streak to six games in the International League contest at Buffalo, N.Y. Columbus catcher Luke Carlin (.248) drove a solo homer and 2B Jason Kipnis (.295) tripled home one run and singled in another.

Notes: Gomez, who struck out five and walked three, is 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA in 36 innings over his last five games, allowing 25 hits (one homer) while striking out 25 and walking 13....Kipnis is 8-for-13 (.615) with two homers, a triple, five RBI and five runs in his last three games....RF Chad Huffman (.273) is 10-for-21 (.476) with three doubles and two homers during his current six-game hitting streak.

AA Akron Aeros

Aeros 5, Senators 4 RH Paolo Espino (3-0, 2.91), normally used in long relief and making his second start of the season, allowed two runs on six hits in six innings to get the Eastern League win for Akron in Harrisburg, Pa. Espino fanned four and walked one. RH Cory Burns pitched a perfect ninth inning, with two strikeouts, for his 16th save. RF Nick Weglarz (.190) and catcher Chun-Hsiu Chen (.284) both had RBI doubles as eight Aeros combined for 10 hits.

Notes: Espino has struck out 56 and walked 10 in 52 2/3 innings. He is 2-0 as a starter, with a 2.45 ERA in 11 innings. His other start was on May 21. As a reliever, Espino is 1-0 with one save and a 3.02 ERA in 41 1/3 innings....Burns has struck out 36 and walked six in 25 innings....RH reliever Matt Langwell, who is 2-1 with three saves and a 1.23 ERA, pitched a scoreless inning. He has not been scored upon in his last eight outings, pitching 11 1/3 innings with 11 strikeouts, no walks and allowing eight hits....[mpe: We used McBride’s hitting as a note in today’s paper:  ]OF-1B Matt McBride (.280) was 2-for-3 with an RBI as the DH. McBride is batting .324 (47-for-145) with 10 homers, 10 doubles, three triples and 36 RBI in his last 38 games.

A Lake County Captains

Snappers 7, Captains 2 RH Michael Goodnight (5-4, 2.45) allowed three runs on two hits and four walks in the first three innings to take the Midwest League loss for the Captains at Beloit (Wisc.). SS Ronny Rodriguez (.213) slugged a two-run, ninth-inning homer for the Captains.

Notes: Goodnight was 3-0 with an 0.91 ERA in his five previous games, fanning 30, walking 11 and giving up 16 hits in 29 2/3 innings.

The Mavericks won four of the series' last five games to stun the Eastern champions.

View full sizeTom Fox / Dallas Morning NewsTyson Chandler drove home a dunk over Miami's Chris Bosh during the first quarter of Sunday night's Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

MIAMI -- For Dirk Nowitzki, the resume is complete. He's an NBA champion.

For LeBron James, the agonizing wait continues for at least one more year.

Avenging what happened five years ago in perfect turnabout style, the Dallas Mavericks won their first NBA title by winning Game 6 of these finals in Miami, 105-95, on Sunday night -- celebrating on the Heat's home floor, just as Dwyane Wade and his team did to them in the 2006 title series.

Jason Terry scored 27 points, Nowitzki added 21 as the Mavericks won four of the series' last five games.

"Tonight," Terry said, "we got vindication."

James did not. Not even close, and a year unlike any other ended they way they all have so far -- with him still waiting for an NBA title.

He scored 21 points for Miami, shook a few hands afterward, and departed before most of the Mavs tugged on their championship hats and T-shirts. Chris Bosh had 19, Mario Chalmers 18 and Dwyane Wade 17 for the Heat.

Mavs coach Rick Carlisle joined a highly elite group, those with NBA titles as both a player and a head coach. Only 10 other men are on that list, including the presumably retired-for-good Phil Jackson, one of Carlisle's mentors in K.C. Jones, and Heat President Pat Riley -- who led Miami past Dallas in 2006, and was the mastermind of what the Heat did last summer by getting James, Wade and Bosh on the same team with an eye on becoming a dynasty.

It might still happen, of course.

But even after 72 wins this season, including playoffs, the Heat lost the last game. And that means this year was a disappointment -- except to just about everyone else in the NBA, or so it would seem.

Hating the Heat became the NBA's craze this season, and the team knew it had no shortage of critics, everyone from Cleveland (where "Cavs for Mavs" shirts were popular during these finals) to Chicago (the city James and Wade both flirted with last summer) and just about every place in between lining up to take shots at Miami.

Given their newfound popularity, meet the new America's Team. Sorry, Cowboys -- your long-held moniker might have to be ceded to your city's NBA club. When it was over, Mavs owner Mark Cuban ran onto the court to hug Carlisle, then punched the air and whooped.

Dallas took control in the second half after some wild back-and-forths in the opening two quarters. Miami took its last lead of the game -- the season -- just 64 seconds into the second half, lost it 16 seconds later and chased the Mavericks the rest of the way.

They never caught them.

Jason Kidd, at 38 years old, got his first championship. Nowitzki got his at 32, Terry at 33. They were featured on the video screen in their building in Dallas during this series on what seemed like a constant loop, each posing with the NBA trophy and looking longingly at it, standing mere inches from it, as if to say "so close, yet so far away."

No more.

It's theirs.

Nowitzki sealed it with 2:27 left, hitting a jumper near the Miami bench to put Dallas up 99-89, and some fans actually began leaving. Nowitzki walked to the Mavs' side slowly, right fist clenched and aloft.

He knew it. Everyone did. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra implored his team to foul in the final minute, and even then, they couldn't catch the Mavericks.

"All those unique individual stories is what propelled us to this victory," Terry said.

About 15 minutes after the Mavericks beat the Miami Heat in Game 6, Gilbert sent a message on his Twitter page to Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.

View full sizePD fileDan Gilbert couldn't restrain himself from congratulating the Mavericks Sunday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert got in one final shot after LeBron James fell short of an NBA title.

About 15 minutes after the Dallas Mavericks defeated James and the Miami Heat in Game 6 on Sunday night, Gilbert sent a message on his Twitter page to Mavericks owner Mark Cuban -- a statement that included a jab at James.

"Congrats to Mark C.& entire Mavs org.," Gilbert wrote. "Mavs NEVER stopped & now entire franchise gets rings. Old Lesson for all: There are NO SHORTCUTS. NONE."

Last summer, after James announced he was leaving the Cavs as a free agent after seven years to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, the superstar was lambasted by Gilbert, who accused him of quitting in the playoffs the past two seasons. Gilbert also promised that karma would prevent James from winning a championship and predicted his Cavaliers would win their first title before "the self-proclaimed King" won one.

So far, Gilbert's pledge is holding up.

Gilbert wasn't the only one stung by James' decision. Cleveland fans, who haven't celebrated a major professional sports championship since the Browns won an NFL title in 1964, spent the past year coping with James' departure, which the Akron native announced in a one-hour long TV special.

Some of James' former teammates were also hurt by him leaving.

Guard Mo Williams, who was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in February, said the Mavericks' victory has helped ease some of his pain.

On his Twitter page, Williams wrote, "Dallas just healed my HEART."

James promised countless titles for the Heat after he took his talents to South Beach. Now, he trails DeShawn Stevenson, 1-0, and remains tied with Cavs mainstays such as Anderson Varejao and Daniel Gibson.

Associated PressLeBron James leaves the court after his Miami Heat lost the NBA Finals to the Dallas Mavericks.

The night after LeBron James and ESPN partnered for the tasteless special, "The Decision," James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were the stars of an outrageous, in-your-face spectacle at Miami's American Airlines Arena, the home of the Heat.

Akron native James had infamously announced he was "taking my talents to South Beach" during "The Decision," leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers. Most Cavs' fans understood it was James' right to leave. If he had done so with dignity and shown respect for the Cavaliers and their fans, there would have been disappointment, but not a feeling of betrayal.

James hadn't even told the Cavaliers of his decision. They were told on a phone call from a member of his entourage as "The Decision" show was about to begin.

Bosh announced he was leaving the Toronto Raptors to join Wade in Miami shortly before James jumped on board. Soon, stories would break that the trio had allegedly talked a couple years earlier about playing together.

Following is a video capturing just a small portion of the celebration in Miami following James and Bosh's moves. It looks even sillier after the Dallas Mavericks clinched the NBA title with their win at Miami tonight. James, after all, continued to disrespect the Cavs during the season, often implying that the team just wasn't good enough for him to win with.

Hear Wade refer to himself and his new teammates as "arguably the best trio to ever play the game of basketball."

Hear James say, "the way we're gonna challenge each other to get better in practice, once the game starts, I mean it's gonna be easy."

Best of all, hear James countup of how many championships Miami will win. No limit.

Video: Celebration in Miami after James and Bosh decided to join Wade with the Heat.

Jeff Gordon moved into a tie for third on NASCAR's Sprint Cup career victories list, winning for the 84th time when he took the checkered flag Sunday at Pocono Raceway.

Jeff Gordon leads Kurt Busch on his way to winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race in Long Pond, Pa., Sunday, June, 12, 2011. Busch finished in second. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

LONG POND, Pa. — Jeff Gordon waits like all fans to learn this week who NASCAR selects for its next Hall of Fame class.

One year, that list of all-time greats will surely include Gordon.

Gordon has put up the kind of championship totals and win numbers that few in the sport can match. Gordon feels now, when he's still winning races and a championship contender, is not the time to reflect on his career. That time will come when he's called to the Hall.

"I want to make it to that speech," Gordon said.

"I want to be on that stage mixing it up with the other people when that day comes, and hopefully it does, and I want to be able to express it then because I think I'll have had the moment and the time and the appreciation to truly embrace it and understand what it means."

Gordon is pushing 40, but it's not time to write the speech quite yet.

Gordon moved into a tie for third on NASCAR's Sprint Cup career victories list, winning for the 84th time when he took the checkered flag Sunday at Pocono Raceway.

His 84 wins tie him with Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip for most in Cup history, and he tied Bill Elliott with five wins on the 2½-mile triangle track.

"There's no doubt, I'm blown away with what I've accomplished," Gordon said.

Gordon won in February at Phoenix International Raceway and has multiple victories in a season for the first time since 2007. Gordon's victory at Phoenix ended his drought at 66 races without a win. This 11-race winless stretch was just a blip compared to that miserable skid.

Gordon was accustomed to only brief winless runs. He reached double-digit victories in three straight seasons (1996-98) and seemed a lock to hit 100 victories by 35 and put himself behind only Richard Petty on the all-time list.

Petty leads with 200 wins and David Pearson is second with 105.

Gordon's won races with a mustache and a mullet, and his hair tinged with a touch of gray. He won them as the most feared driver on the planet in the '90s, then sporadically in recent years. He celebrated as a "Rainbow Warrior" and a family man.

This victory was a bit more special for Gordon, who turns 40 in August. His first order of business once he hopped out of the car was a kiss from his daughter, Ella.

Gordon's wife and two children are his greatest gift.

But the pairing he needed most was with Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Alan Gustafson. Team owner Rick Hendrick's offseason decision to shake up his organization has proved an overall success — he also placed Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the top-six at Pocono.

Gordon and Gustafson have the No. 24 Chevrolet in fantastic shape for a spot in the Chase for the championship.

"You hear the questions, 'Is he the greatest? Where does he rank?'" Gustafson said. "I can tell you, he's pretty damn good."

Gordon is known in the sport as "Four-Time" because of the Cup titles he won in 1995, 1997, 1998, and 2001. Wins have been harder to get for Gordon as his career stretches into its 20th season. He posted winless seasons in 2008 and 2010 and, even in the years he qualified for the Chase, was never a true threat to bring home the title.

"We were living at the peak of the mountain there for a number of years," Gordon said. "It was awesome. When you're there, you know you're going to get knocked off eventually. You can't always stay on top."

Johnson, once his protege and late-night running buddy, surpassed Gordon and has won the past five championships.

The race on the mountaintop belonged to Gordon.

Gordon entered the race having led a record 918 laps at Pocono Raceway. He added 39 to the total Sunday.

"When you see what he's done in his career, not just this decade, not just in the 2000s, but all the way back to the '90s, he's a true legend in this sport," Kurt Busch said.

Busch, the polesitter, was second and Kyle Busch third.

Kyle Busch's fun was short-lived. NASCAR announced his No. 18 Toyota failed postrace inspection because the left-front end was too low. His car will be taken to NASCAR's research and development center.

Johnson and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top five. Earnhardt continued his rebirth with a sixth-place finish. It capped a great day for Hendrick Motorsports — first, fourth and sixth.

Gordon first won at Pocono in 1996. He won again in 1997 and 1998, then a rain-shortened race in 2007.

He was helped Sunday when some of the early contenders fell off. Denny Hamlin, who led early and has four wins here, ran into tire woes and dropped back to 19th. Carl Edwards lost his grip on the points lead — his 40-point lead was sliced to six — when a bad engine knocked him out early. He finished 37th.

Once those two were out of contention, the 500-mile race belonged to Gordon. The Busch brothers tried to catch him, but just didn't have enough in the end.

"I'm giving it all I've got and I just can't close the gap," Kurt Busch said.

Gordon hit a rough patch after his Phoenix victory — including a 36th at Las Vegas and a 39th at Richmond — but a change in the Chase format this year put an added emphasis on wins. That stamps Gordon as a contender for that fifth title.

He's in great shape thanks to regular workouts after a creaky back a few years ago made him consider retirement. Gordon still has the fire to compete and poked fun at all the questions that made it seem like the end was near.

When all the pieces are in place, Gordon feels, "I'm as good as I've ever been."

"The things that we've talked about and believe in are starting to come true," Gordon said.

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

Harrison Frazar beat Robert Karlsson with a par on the third hole of a sudden-death playoff Sunday at the St. Jude Classic, earning a win in his 355th tour event when the Swede pushed a par-saving putt 3 feet past the hole. This win means Frazar will be playing in Maui in January and Augusta at the Masters for the first time in his career.

Harrison Frazar kisses the championship trophy after winning the St. Jude Classic golf tournament Sunday, June 12, 2011, in Memphis, Tenn. Frazar beat Robert Karlsson with a par on the third hole of a sudden-death playoff to win his first PGA Tour title. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

MEMPHIS, Tenn.  — Harrison Frazar now knows what he's going to be doing the next couple years, and his work place will be on the golf course with his clubs, not helping manage tournaments or working with the PGA Tour.

That's the difference a PGA Tour win makes.

Frazar beat Robert Karlsson with a par on the third hole of a sudden-death playoff Sunday at the St. Jude Classic, earning a win in his 355th tour event when the Swede pushed a par-saving putt 3 feet past the hole. This win means Frazar will be playing in Maui in January and Augusta at the Masters for the first time in his career.

"This probably is going to change my life," Frazar said. "It's not going to change my wife or my kids, but it's probably going to change my life and the fact that I'll be 40 in July. This will take me to 42 or 43."

Frazar, playing on tour this year with a major medical exemption, had his plans all set to end his playing career and go to work in the industry. He was tired of being away from his family too much and trying to play through a variety of injuries that required separate surgeries on his hip and shoulder last summer.

Memphis was just his fourth cut he's made in 10 events this year, though he just qualified for the upcoming U.S. Open at Congressional. His wife and three children were traveling Sunday when he won, and he hadn't talked to them before he met with reporters after the trophy presentation.

The man who might've been previously known best as Justin Leonard's college roommate at Texas also picked up the biggest paycheck of his career, taking home $1,008,000.

"It just shows you how sometimes when you let your guard down or let your expectations soften, you can free yourself up," Frazar said.

Frazar didn't realize he'd won until Karlsson's putt finally stopped without a miraculous turn back into the hole. From then on, he called it a whirlwind. All that talk about acting as if you've been there before doesn't work for someone who'd never won before.

"I don't know if I'm supposed to keep the seersucker jacket. I don't know if I'm supposed to carry the trophy. You don't know who you're supposed to talk to. I felt bad. I didn't thank the sponsors. I didn't thank FedEx. I didn't thank the volunteers. I was not quite sure really what was happening right then," Frazar said.

"The only tournament that I won in Q-school, you walked in, signed your card in the scoring trailer, and they gave you a pat on the back, 'Good job.' You walked out the door. There was nobody there."

Karlsson led after the second and third rounds, and he has shot below par on his past eight rounds here. Now the Swede has lost in a playoff at the TPC Southwind course for a second straight year, though he said he couldn't have done much more in what he called a great match.

"He played great, and I played good as well," Karlsson said. "It's one of those days where I think most of us had a lot of fun out there. Congratulate him on a great win. He played great in the last round after sort of being injured and stuff like that. He played really well."

Camilo Villegas (64) tied for third with Tim Herron, Ryuji Imada, Charles Howell and Retief Goosen. Lee Westwood, the 2010 champion here, tied for 11th.

Frazar missed a chance to win on the 72nd hole when he made his first bogey of the day. He shot a 3-under 67 to match Karlsson (68) at 13 under. He became the seventh first-time winner on tour this year and the first to win his first title in Memphis since Dicky Pride in 1994.

"I just wanted to make it interesting," Frazar joked. "I felt bad for Robert."

This final round turned into a two-man playoff almost from the opening hole with no one closer than three strokes early, a margin that expanded to six.

Frazar kept catching Karlsson atop the leaderboard, finally getting the lead when Karlsson bogeyed No. 17 after yanking a 3-wood way left off the tee. Frazar promptly gave the stroke back on the 72nd hole when his second shot landed near the green and dribbled into the water.

Karlsson stroked in an 8-foot par putt to set up his second straight playoff in Memphis.

"Felt more like 12 for me," Karlsson said. "Really, really big 8 feet. I know that's a putt to get into the playoff. So you ... pick your shot and try to hit it there. Scary thing was I had quite a big spike mark right in the way, but you can't clip it. That's the way it is. You take your spot and try to hit it as good as you can, and it went in. It was great."

In the playoff, Frazar had a 17-footer for birdie and the win on the first hole at No. 18 where he had just bogeyed. But he pushed his putt a foot past. Karlsson had an 18-foot birdie putt for the win on the par-3 11th only to just miss right, while Frazar two-putted from 45 feet.

Frazar had a nice drive on the third hole, the par-4 12th, that left him 93 yards to the pin. He hit his approach to 22 feet and two-putted.

Karlsson had to chip onto the green, and the ball sped 11 feet past the hole. Needing to hole out to extend the playoff, Karlsson missed his par putt left.<

DIVOTS: This is the ninth straight PGA event decided by a stroke or a playoff. ... This is the third time in St. Jude history that the winner has been decided in a playoff in back-to-back years. Don Whitt and Tommy Bolt won playoffs in 1959 and 1960, while Andy Bean and Gil Morgan needed extra holes to win in 1978 and 1979. ... Frazar's 71 in the opening round equals the high start by a winner on tour this year and is just the second over-par opening round by a champion this year. Rory Sabbatini opened the Honda Classic with a 1-over 71, and Bubba Watson started the Farmers Insurance Open with the same score. ... Frazar is just the sixth player to make Memphis his first win in the 54-year history of the event.

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

Here is Monday's essay by John Markowski of Concord.

View full sizeAP photoTed Williams put on a show during a July doubleheader in 1957, but the Indians fans still celebrated a sweep.

This spring, we asked readers to tell us their best memory at an Indians game. More than 600 responded. All season, The Plain Dealer will publish fan memories -- one each day the Indians are scheduled to play. Here is Monday's essay by John Markowski of Concord:

Growing old, I look back and think of the many events that helped shape my life: my father's return from the World War II, playing baseball in my youth, returning whole from Vietnam, marriage, children and now grandchildren.

One of these events that will always be special to me was when my father took me to see my first game in 1957. We didn't have a lot of extra cash in those days. It was a Sunday doubleheader against Boston. I can't recall who pitched the second game for Cleveland, but I'll never forget the first.

There I sat watching the great Bob Lemon working against Ted Williams. I had their baseball cards! Like many young lads in those days, I knew each player's batting average and pitching record. I remember Williams sending a couple of homers out of Municipal Stadium that day. Wish I could remember who won that game. Dad lived to a good age of 92 and was an Indians fan until his final year. Go Tribe!

(Editor's note: On July 14, 1957, John Markowski and his father watched the Indians sweep the Red Sox by scores of 3-2 and 17-4. Ted Williams homered in the first game against Bob Lemon, and had a pinch-hit homer in the nightcap. In the second game, the Indians had 20 hits -- two doubles and 18 singles -- in scoring 17 runs.)

"At the end of the day, all the people that were rooting on me to fail, at the end of the day, they have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life that they had before they woke up today," LeBron James said. Story includes post-game video.

Miami Heat's LeBron James, left, looks at Dwyane Wade during a news conference after Game 6 of the NBA Finals basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks Sunday, June 12, 2011, in Miami. The Mavericks won 105-95 to win the series. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

MIAMI (AP) - Good thing LeBron James had that big party when he arrived here last summer.

For now, that's the only celebration he gets in Miami.

He brought his talents to South Beach to win titles, so he'd have All-Star help around him and he wouldn't have to carry the team.

Problem was, the Heat couldn't carry LeBron.

His first finals with the Heat ended Sunday night with the Dallas Mavericks' 105-95 victory in Game 6. James started strong and faltered at the finish, just the way the Heat did in this series.

James agreed the loss felt like a "personal failure" but also said "it hurts of course, but I'm not going to hang my head low."

And he said he wouldn't let it bother him that so many were so happy to see him fail.

"Absolutely not, because at the end of the day, all the people that were rooting on me to fail, at the end of the day, they have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life that they had before they woke up today," James said. "They have the same personal problems they had today. I'm going to continue to live the way I want to live and continue to do the things that I want to do with me and my family and be happy with that.

"They can get a few days or a few months or whatever the case may be on being happy about not only myself, but the Miami Heat not accomplishing their goal. But they have to get back to the real world at some point."

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

Miami simply couldn't overcome James' poor fourth quarters in most of the series. He had only 11 points in the final periods of the first five games, a major reason the Mavericks kept finding ways to rally late in games they trailed much of the way.

He had seven in the final quarter of this one to finish with 21, but he had gone too long without impacting the game after scoring nine of Miami's first 14 points.

"Sometimes you got it, sometimes you don't, and that was this case in this series," said James, calling Dallas an underrated defensive team that kept him out of the paint.

And while they celebrated in Dallas, there was surely a big bash going on in Ohio, James' home state. Fans there were stunned and shunned when he decided to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the hurt turned to rage when he opted to do it in the heavily criticized TV show called "The Decision," which included the much-mocked announcement that he was taking his talents to South Beach.

And make no mistake, it's a load of talent. James just couldn't figure out how to use it in this series.

"Any time you feel like you get to the top of the mountain and you fall off, there's definitely a personal failure," James said.

He claimed confusion over how to be most effective when superstar buddy Dwyane Wade was playing well. He said he wasn't tired from playing too many minutes, that nothing was wrong with his shot.

But something was amiss, because the two-time league MVP, largely considered the most talented player in the NBA, was at best the third-best player in this series behind Dirk Nowitzki and Wade.

The Mavericks showed no fear of James. Jason Terry wondered aloud if James, a first-team All-NBA defender, could guard him for seven games after James shut Terry out in the fourth quarters of Games 1 and 3.

Turns out, James couldn't. Terry finally broke free in the fourth quarter of the pivotal Game 5 and led the Mavs with 27 points in the clincher.

DeShawn Stevenson claimed it appeared James "checked out" down the stretch in Game 4.

James had become perhaps the league's most-scrutinized player since last July, with the way he left the Cavs rubbing so many the wrong way. But it was rare for him to receive such criticism for what happened on the court as he did during this series.

He never got to play with another great player in Cleveland, where he eventually felt he would never be able to win a title. His lone finals appearance had ended in a sweep, and he'd never really come close again despite the Cavs' regular-season success.

So while there was ridicule over the way he did it, there was understanding why he left Cleveland, why he felt he needed better players around him.

But it also meant nothing but a title would do for James' critics, something he seemed to understand when he noted after Game 5 that he had a triple-double but it was viewed by many as a bad performance, because he did so little in the fourth quarter.

"The Greater Man upstairs know when it's my time," James tweeted. "Right now isn't the time."

And one of his biggest critics, Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, fired a quick shot on Twitter, congratulating the Mavs and noting that "There are NO SHORTCUTS. NONE."

When it was over, James walked over to Wade for a hug, then shook hands with some Mavericks players. Nothing quite like the spectacle he found in this arena last summer, when the Heat hosted a pep rally to celebrate winning the free agency championship by adding James and Chris Bosh.

And that's the only crown the King gets to wear from now.

In 2010, the Pirates managed their 18th consecutive losing season, the most ever for any professional sports franchise in these United States. Over the past generation, waiting for the Pirates to win has been like waiting for a toxic dump site to sprout tulips. It’s the overriding reason I have not moved to Pittsburgh.

Break up the Bucs! Don't look now, the Pirates are flirting with the .500 mark.

As a young boy — yes, I once was a young boy, there are photographs — I adopted the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Pirates as my favorite teams. This was a curious decision, considering I had no ties to Pittsburgh and had never been to Pittsburgh.

Yet Roberto Clemente and Franco Harris were two of my adolescent sporting idols.

To this day, I still have never been to Pittsburgh, but I still root for the Steelers and the Pirates.

The Steelers thing has gone about as well as a fan-team relationship can go: six Super Bowl rings and eight Super Bowl appearances in a 37-season period.

The Pirates thing? Well, there was that 10-game winning streak in 2004, though the team finished with a losing record.

In fact, in 2010, the Pirates managed their 18th consecutive losing season, the most ever for any professional sports franchise in these United States.

Over the past generation, waiting for the Pirates to win has been like waiting for a toxic dump site to sprout tulips.

It’s the overriding reason I have not moved to Pittsburgh.

(I fled my hometown of Washington, D.C., when that sporting landscape became spiritually bankrupt. First the Senators were taken away in 1971, leaving my teen years to wandering 7-Elevens in search of the perfect Slim Jim. Then the Redskins were bought by Daniel Snyder in 1999, rendering my all- time favored franchise unable to sustain life.)

When the Braves’ Sid Bream beat Barry Bonds’ throw to the plate in 1992, leaving Pittsburgh one game short of the World Series, who knew that would be the last gasp for the Pirates over parts of two millennia?

I think it’s important for baseball fans of all ages to see, in stark black-and-white, the extent of the Pirates’ malaise. So here are their records, season by season, from 1993 to 2010:

75-87*, 53-61 (strike year), 58-86, 73-89, 79-83, 69-93, 78-83, 69-93, 62-100, 72-89, 75-87, 72-89*, 67-95, 67-95, 68-94, 67-95, 62-99 and 57-105.

(* Years in which the Pirates were sub-.500 and Couch Slouch went through a divorce.)

In all of the 20th century, the Pirates — a proud franchise with five World Series titles and nine National League pennants — still only won 100 games in a season twice. Already in the 21st century, the Pirates have lost 100 games in a season twice.

Heck, I was in college the most recent time the Pirates got to the World Series (and won it), in 1979 — this was so long ago, the University of Maryland still was graduating basketball players every few years or so.

During the most recent golden age of Pirates baseball, “We Are Family” would blare through the loudspeakers at home games. Now it’s, “We Don’t Sign Free Agents.”

The late 20th century was bad, but the 21st century has been worse. Since 2005, the Pirates haven’t had a record better than 68-94.

In 2000, then-owner Kevin McClatchy predicted the Pirates would win 90 games; they finished 69-93. The next season, the Pirates lost 100 games — and McClatchy raised ticket prices.

In 2003, first baseman Randall Simon was fined $432.10 for disorderly conduct after clubbing a racing sausage with a bat at Miller Park in Milwaukee.

In 2005, pitcher Oliver Perez went on the disabled list with a broken left big toe after kicking a laundry cart in the clubhouse.

(This ends the “ Pirates highlights portion” of the column.)

Needless to say, 18 straight losing years and penny-pinching management — this season, Pittsburgh has the third-lowest player payroll in MLB — somewhat lowered expectations for most Pirates fans.

At the moment, it’s a nonlethal lineup full of .240 hitters, but somehow the Pirates have crawled to 31-33 — that’s almost .500; at least there’s some hope. Hey, I’m not asking — yet — for this team to win the pennant or a division title or a wild-card berth or even finish ahead of Tony (Stinkin’) La Russa’s dreaded St. Louis Cardinals. But would it kill these guys to go 82-80?

Ask The Slouch!

Q. What ticks you off more than ex-jocks babbling in the broadcast booth? — Sean O’Hara, Jacksonville, Fla.

A. When I go to the bank ATM to withdraw $40 in cash and the guy in front of me appears to be trying to refinance his mortgage.

Q. Do poker players have to do OTAs like pro football players? — Gary Randolph, Warrenton, Va.

A. Yes. It’s called “craps.”

Q. Which professional sport will be the first to have its championship game end one day before training camp begins? — Bruce Glover, Palm Desert, Calif.

A. Pay the man, Shirley.

Q. Did you realize you have three more rings than LeBron James? — Joe Schmidt, Strongsville

A. Pay this wise soul, too.

You, too, can enter the $1.25 Ask The Slouch Cash Giveaway. Just e-mail asktheslouch@aol.com and, if your question is used, you win$1.25 in cash!

Norman Chad is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles.

Tell the Mavericks and their fans thank you for not making Clevelanders see No. 6 holding the Larry O'Brien trophy.

View full sizeMichael Ainsworth | Dallas Morning News | MCTDirk Nowitzki, the Mavericks and their fans weren't the only ones celebrating last night.

See what cleveland.com commenters have to say about the Mavericks' Game 6 win over Miami on Sunday night.

View full sizeAP Photo | Wilfredo LeeMark Cuban and the Mavericks won the NBA championship Sunday night.

"I, for one, am quite pleased to return to the same life I had before I woke up today - a life where I have as many championship rings as LeBron James." - dalogo

"In the end. Cleveland fans simply rooted against LeQuit the way he rooted against them all the time he was in Cleveland. No one will forget the way he rooted for the Yankees against the Indians in the 2007 playoffs or the way he donned his Cowboys gear and walked the Dallas sideline against the Browns.

"LeQuit isn't just another high-priced free agent who decided on greener pastures. He's one who taunted us ... teased us ... promised us championships he knew he didn't have the heart to deliver. He went to Miami because there wasn't enough talent around him here to pick him up when he choked. Evedently there isn't enough in South Beach either." - jftciii

"I think we Clevelanders should definitely enjoy the moment and then move on. It would be bad form to continue to live in the past-and LeBron is clearly in the past. It's time to look forward to better days with the Cavs, their current roster, and leadership." - dummick

"You do have to wonder what's going on with LeBron. If he isn't the best player in the league, he's top two for sure. What in the heck is he doing in crunch time on the major stage? Is he the basketball version of A-Rod?" - Precept

"Hey LeBron, nice to see that you took the Cleveland curse with you. You choked again. Please keep that curse as a token of our appreciation!" - thenetwork

"Didn't someone say something about karma earlier in the season? I love it. Let's hope our GM and coach get it together and pick two new stars in the draft. Congratulations Dallas!" - modellsx

If you're from Cleveland or have any ties here, chances are your Twitter feed or Facebook wall were flooded with posts about LeBron James losing in the NBA Finals last night. Here's a snapshot of the reaction on Twitter of LeBron James' disappearing act in the Finals and his post-game comments about his critics.

AP"Sometimes you have it, sometimes you don't," LeBron James said.

If you're from Cleveland or have any ties here, chances are your Twitter feed or Facebook wall were flooded with posts about LeBron James losing to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals last night.

It was almost as if Cleveland had won the title.

LeBron James' performance in the NBA Finals and his comments after Game 6, however, were fodder for fans and critics alike nationally. Here's a snapshot of the reaction on Twitter from LeBron himself, Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, former Cavalier Mo Williams, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, members of the national and local sports media as well as fans.

Related link: Cleveland fans react to Mavericks winning championship over LeBron

Dallas wins. Miami loses. Cleveland fans celebrate. Watch video as we hit the streets after the Mavericks' win in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. Watch video

CLEVELAND ----There wasn't partying in the streets Sunday night,  and a parade is not scheduled this week, but Cleveland sports fans celebrated just the same last night when the Dallas Mavericks won the NBA title over the Miami Heat.

The stage was set 11 months ago when LeBron James left the Cleveland Cavaliers via free agency when he announced his decision on national television to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

The sting of that decision fueled disappointment and anger in many fans here. The season, at least for many Cleveland fans, became a quest for any team to win the title other than the Heat.

On Sunday night, cheers were heard from the bars along West Sixth street following each late basket by the Mavericks. The cheers became louder once the game was over. The victory was more than the Mavericks winning the NBA Finals. It was about the Heat losing.

The attorney who tipped off Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel has been accused of divulging confidential information from a prospective client -- a move that set off the university's scandal.

Christopher Cicero

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The attorney who tipped off Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel has been accused of divulging confidential information from a prospective client -- a move that set off the university's scandal.

The Ohio Supreme Court's Disciplinary Counsel released misconduct charges today accusing Christopher Cicero of disclosing to Tressel details about the attorney's conversations with tattoo parlor owner Eddie Rife.

The documents said Rife met with Cicero on April 2, 2010, the day after federal officials raided Rife's home in a drug raid. The agents also seized a large stash of Ohio State memorabilia, including gold pendants, jerseys, championship rings and jerseys.

"During the meeting, Rife expressed his concern that their conversation would remain confidential," the disciplinary documents said. "(Cicero) assured Rife that everything Rife told (Cicero) would remain confidential.

"Rife proceeded to tell (Cicero) all the details surrounding his involvement in criminal activity. Rife also explained to (Cicero) how he came into possession of the OSU memorabilia seized during the raid."

Right after the meeting, Cicero sent an email to Tressel, "divulging much of the information that Rife had told (him) in confidence."

A message left this morning with Cicero's office was not returned.

The disciplinary counsel said lawyers cannot divulge information gained from a prospective client. Cicero could face sanctions if he is found to have committed the misconduct. It is unclear the possible penalties.

Marvin Fong l The Plain DealerOhio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor and head coach Jim Tressel during the a game against Eastern Michigan last Fall. (Marvin Fong / The Plain Dealer)

"Hey Antonetti, that ship has sailed. You snoozed a bit too long before even thinking about some tweaks, and it may have cost you the season. People are crazy when they say you can't win or lose a season in April and May. We could've done it if we'd have kept that momentum going. The team was feeding off it. Now, it's a magic that will never be recaptured this season." - Common Sense

View full sizeChuck Crow | The Plain DealerChris Antonetti and the Indians braintrust face a tough decision about the direction of the team this season.

In response to the story Tribe GM Chris Antonetti waiting for team 'to play better' before deciding on trade moves: Indians Insider, cleveland.com reader Common Sense thinks the Indians should have been more aggresive earlier in the season. This reader writes,

"Hey Antonetti, that ship has sailed. You snoozed a bit too long before even thinking about some tweaks, and it may have cost you the season. People are crazy when they say you can't win or lose a season in April and May. We could've done it if we'd have kept that momentum going. The team was feeding off it. Now, it's a magic that will never be recaptured this season."

Who says you can't go home? Reporter Dennis Manoloff, when he's talking about LeBron James. Watch video

Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, hosted by Chuck Yarborough and Bill Lubinger. Branson Wright is off, having spent yesterday tracking down video commentary about -- oh, boo-hoo -- LeBron James and the Miami Heat's loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals Sunday night.

Longtime Cavaliers Zydrunas Ilgauskas' career could come to an end with his decision to join the Miami Heat bearing no fruit.

Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesZydrunas Ilgauskas was an afterthought with the Heat just as he was in this photograph

As the clock inched closer to triple zeros, Miami Heat head coach Eric Spoelstra knelt courtside with his chin nestled into his chest, eyes gazing down in a glassy disbelief.  Exactly two chairs to his left, a man just four years his junior, also staring into the distance, clad in a similar black suit but with pants that may have been approximately one foot longer in length.

During what should have been his career's pièce de résistance, veteran center Zydrunas Ilgauskas was relegated to street clothes and silence; his skill set apparently not sought after despite starting center Joel Anthony combining for a mere eight points through the five game series. After playing - a term we can now use loosely - in what will likely be his final season in the NBA, Ilgauskas will ride off into the sunset after a 13-year career, having been forced to watch his team play their final 12 games from the confines of a coach's chair, unable to offer even the marginal of mid-range jumpers.

A lot may be made in the coming months of LeBron James spurning Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks as the Chosen One opted to not listen to the Mavs' pitch during his infamous free agency circus.  Cuban claimed collusion just 11 months prior to being crowned champion. What may be swept under the rug is the fact that the Mavericks were one of the teams going hard at Ilgauskas after he was released by the Washington Wizards during the 2009-10 season, only to re-sign with the James-led Cavaliers. 

Who would have guessed that the trade-turned-reunion would have been the first of two failed recruiting efforts?

This is not to say that had Ilgauskas opted to take his talents to Dallas last season the Mavericks would have had room for him this time around, but the butterfly effect was undoubtedly full-speed ahead. Last year, the Mavs had Brendan Haywood and Erick Dampier fully in tow.  Still needing help down low following yet another disappointing playoff run, Cuban's staff moved Dampier and an overpaid Matt Carroll for an equally (if not more) overpaid Tyson Chandler*.  Interestingly enough, Dampier would end up in Miami taking Ilgauskas' spot in the active rotation.  Chandler would go on a career resurrection campaign, averaging 10 points, nine rebounds and a blocked shot per game for the eventual NBA Champions.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas sacrificed for Cleveland. Enduring multiple foot operations only to later become the player who would start the most games in a Cavs jersey; spending a month away from his teammates and family so that Danny Ferry could bring in Antawn Jamison; taking a back seat in the center ranks so that Shaquille O'Neal's ego could remain in check. Sitting next to Spoelstra, the casual fan would find it difficult to pin the weathered Ilgauskas as actually being the younger of the two men.

Sure, the man affectionately known as Big Z chased a ring, chased the dream.  But Ilgauskas did it during the waning days of his career, did not hold a nationally televised press conference, and thanked the city of Cleveland for all it has meant to him throughout his career.

While many are shocked at the final outcome, will focus on the shortcomings of one LeBron James and will wonder what the next steps are for Pat Riley's Heat, one man who will likely be forgotten in the tangle of turmoil is Ilgauskas.  There was obviously not a place for Ilgauskas in Cleveland; the team was moving on to a new chapter and was already contractually obligated to two 30-plus veterans in Anthony Parker and Antawn Jamison.

Fast forward nearly one year later and Ilgauskas may be left holding the bag.  Speculation among many is that Big Z has in fact laced his hightops up for the final time, retiring as one of the many to have never reached the pinnacle.

James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh should have several other opportunities to earn a championship.  A favorite narrative of the 2011 NBA Finals was that of Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd and Jason Terry doing things the "right way" and finally getting just due. And while the rest of Cleveland may take umbrage in the fact that James was denied yet another ring, now eight seasons into his career, the sun is setting on that of Ilgauskas - the one Summer of '10 free agent who actually deserved the hardware on his mantle.

--

*In the mood for some full circle? Carroll was traded to the Mavericks in 2009 along with current Cavaliers center Ryan Hollins for...DeSagana Diop.

"The Browns are not just getting young in the trenches, they are building the team through the draft because it's a winning formula. That is how Pittsburgh, Philly, Baltimore, the Colts, New England, Atlanta and Green Bay did it. For the few fans or writers who think the draft trade was about collecting bodies, it just isn't so. The Browns have both a President and GM that saw first hand with their previous organizations - Green Bay and Philly - how drafting well translates into winning on Sundays." - davielakewood

View full sizeJoshua Gunter | The Plain DealerThe Browns can't help but get better if they add talent like Joe Haden through strong drafts.

In response to the story Terry Pluto's Talkin' ... about a younger Browns roster, new faces for the Cavaliers and the need to fix Tribe's Carmona, cleveland.com reader davielakewood likes how the Browns are trying to build via the draft. This reader writes,

"The Browns are not just getting young in the trenches, they are building the team through the draft because it's a winning formula. That is how Pittsburgh, Philly, Baltimore, the Colts, New England, Atlanta and Green Bay did it. For the few fans or writers who think the draft trade was about collecting bodies, it just isn't so. The Browns have both a President and GM that saw first hand with their previous organizations - Green Bay and Philly - how drafting well translates into winning on Sundays."