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Ohio State Comment of the Day: Lofty expectations for Turner

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"The Eastern Conference now has its own version of Brandon Roy. Turner's game is a mirror image of Roy. Good get for the Sixers." - NJBuckeye

turnerpopmc.jpgView full sizeEvan Turner was picked by the 76ers last night.

In response to the story Philadelphia hoping Ohio State's Evan Turner will reignite 76ers, cleveland.com reader NJBuckeye has a lofty comparison for the former Buckeye guard. This reader writes,

"The Eastern Conference now has its own version of Brandon Roy. Turner's game is a mirror image of Roy. Good get for the Sixers."

To respond to NJBuckeye's comment, go here.

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

How do you rate the Cleveland Browns' off-season? Answer our poll

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The front office has changed and so have the quarterbacks. A lot of player movement with veterans coming and going. Eric Mangini still on the sidelines. What do you think?

eric-mangini-mike-holmgren2.jpgBrowns fans will soon begin to learn if the duo of coach Eric Mangini and president Mike Holmgren will be effective.
The Cleveland Browns' long offseason is almost over, as training camp approaches.

Not that the Browns have sat around idly, basking in the glory of their 4-game winning streak at the end of 2009 that left them with a 5-11 record.



Mike Holmgren is on board as the team's new president. He decided to keep Eric Mangini as coach and retain most of Mangini's staff. Holmgren hired Tom Heckert as general manager.



The new regime decided to rid the Browns of their holdover quarterbacks and acquire veterans Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace, and draft Colt McCoy.





The Browns tabbed cornerback Joe Haden with the first pick in the draft. They brought in numerous veterans who had been with winning teams.



Our poll asks for your opinion of the Browns' offseason.




Art Modell's Hall of Fame quest; Eric Mangini's reputation; and the Cavaliers' run at a title

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Cleveland bloggers discuss Art Modell as he turned 85 this week, Eric Mangini's reputation nationally, Mo Williams' future and whether the Cavaliers' front office got it right going all-in for a title.

bernie-kosar-art-modell.JPGView full sizeBernie Kosar shakes hands with Art Modell after Kosar signed a contract with the Browns in 1985.

Browns

Cleveland Frowns: "So says another Modell enabler in the Baltimore press who pushes the line without going an inch to explain how Modell was betrayed, or why it was that he had no choice but take a half-a-billion-plus and move the Browns out of Cleveland. Because as unfair as it might seem to [Baltimore Sun columnist Kevin] Cowherd, it really couldn't be simpler. Just as Modell technically had 'a right' to rip the heart and soul of tens of millions of people and an entire region by moving the Browns, he has no right to enshrinement in the Hall of Fame. Keeping him out is the only way Browns fans can have any justice for what happened, and it's an especially powerful way we can ensure that something like it never happens again." » Read more

Cleveland Reboot: "To say that Mangini was the ill-informed national media's whipping boy was an understatement along the lines of claiming Brandon McDonald as the worst tackling defensive back in the history of the league. But then again, hyperbole is quite the selling point. Anyway, a year removed from Mangini's tumultuous first season, one in which he essentially ran the franchise, things appear to be a bit smoother." » Read more

Cavaliers

Cavs: the blog: "Basically, all I really want to say in the weeks before this does or doesn't actually happen is that it's nobody's fault. The front office had two good chances to win a championship, and it went for them. In this league, there's no excuse for not going all-out when the opportunity to win a title is there. All the cap space and patience in the world wouldn't have gotten them a Bosh/Rose/Noah combination, because they didn't have the draft picks. The options available to the front office were to go for the good chance the Cavs could win a championship with a team thrown together around LeBron or go for the slim chance of building an NBA 2K team around LeBron. The choice they made likely won't pan out, but that doesn't mean it was the wrong one." » Read more

Cavs HQ: "I'm glad Mo Williams wants to stay in Cleveland. But you cannot convince me that the Cavs couldn't have gotten the exact same production out of Daniel Gibson that they got from Mo in the Playoffs. If the Cavs can improve other areas of need - defense, size, leadership - then they have to consider a trade of Williams." » Read more

Cleveland-area golf course ratings: Read reviews and rate courses before hitting the links

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Rate your favorite -- and not so favorite -- local courses and take a look at the reviews written by other golfers.

briardalegreens.jpgView full sizeThe 12th hole at Briardale Greens in Euclid.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Check out several online local golf features this year.

Rate your favorite -- and not so favorite -- courses and take a look at the reviews written by other golfers.

Cleveland Browns have made good off-season moves, says Mary Kay Cabot (Starting Blocks TV)

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Also, Mary Kay answers user's question about what role Evan Moore will play in 2010.


brian-robiskie.jpgThe Browns will ask for more out of receiver Brian Robiskie in 2010.

Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, our Web video show about what's going on in Cleveland sports. Today's show is hosted by Mike Peticca and Bill Lubinger. Today's highlights:


• The Browns have changed quarterbacks, their general manager and team president over the last several months, and drafted the first class under the new regime. How do you rate the Browns' off-season so far? Cast your vote in the poll now posted on the Starting Blocks blog.


• Plain Dealer Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot, today's guest on SBTV, says the team has had a productive off-season, especially given the fact the Browns have brought clarity to the quarterback position with the addition of Jake Delhomme.

• Mary Kay also talks about NFL players and their off-season activities, given the recent broken arm suffered by Carolina Panthers receiver Steve Smith during a flag football game at his youth football camp. And they discuss the Browns' wide receivers and what to watch when training camp starts next month.


In the comments from Thursday's SBTV, user dbs0011 asked Mary Kay a question about Browns' tight end Evan Moore, and whether he'll have an expanded role this season. She responds during today's show.


SBTV will return Monday with Plain Dealer columnist Bud Shaw as the guest. Have a question you'd like to ask Bud? Post it in the comments below and we'll pick the best ones for Monday's show.



Starting Blocks TV for Friday, June 25

LeBron James' free agency chase has NBA in chaos, writes Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski

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Columnist claims James' power-broker friend William Wesley tells people James is "going to Chicago."

lebron-james-akron.jpgLeBron James holds an "Akron's Hometown Hero" award presented to him last Saturday near the end of "LeBron James Appreciation Day" in Akron's InfoCision Stadium.

The NBA's free agency period begins Thursday. Adrian Wojnarowski writes for Yahoo! Sports that the date is all but irrelevant: that the free-agent frenzy has already fostered a mad, rules-bending scramble among star-chasing teams, and that the driving force behind it is LeBron James and his inner circle as they have the NBA "on its knees, bowing down to the King."

James, the Cleveland Cavaliers forward and the winner of the NBA's MVP award each of the last two seasons, can become an unrestricted free agent Thursday.

Others in the free agent mix include pals of James' such as Miami's Dwyane Wade and Toronto's Chris Bosh.

Wojnarowski writes, referring to NBA power-broker and James' confidante William "World Wide Wes" Wesley:

In this twisted, bizarre and broken culture of Stern’s NBA, the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat overshadowed the draft with what passes as accomplishment now: Gutting good players off rosters, clearing cap space and praying World Wide Wes is lying to everyone else, not you.

.....To listen to World Wide Wes, LeBron will never look back on Cleveland. “He’s up out of there,” is the way he tells it to people, but LeBron’s Akron crew has to tsk-tsk such public talk because they all live in Northeast Ohio, and maybe always will. “We’re going to Chicago,” William Wesley tells people, “and Chris Bosh is coming, too.”

Many of Thursday's draft decisions and some trades have been driven with the purpose of creating salary cap space for teams in pursuit of James and other free agents. Meanwhile, writes Wojnarowski, "there isn’t a day that passes that the biggest stars, agents and teams aren’t negotiating in violation of the NBA’s make-believe rules."

Wojnarowski writes that the New Jersey Nets' new ownership gives the team that went 11-71 last season some hope of signing James. Also, Wojnarowski's feeling is that the Cavaliers, try hard as they may, have "little more than sentimentality to sell LeBron James to stay home."  

Wojnarowski is quite clear in his opinion on it all:

All hell is breaking loose, broken rules and broken promises ruling the day. Somewhere, James was smiling on Thursday night. All these kids getting a dream fulfilled, all these picks walking to the podium, and it was still all about LeBron James on draft night. On your knees, people. Bow down to the King. Bow to the chaos.

LeBron James' former Pee Wee coach recalls his youth football days: Video

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Deck remembers James as an on-field coach, instructing his teammates regardless of their position.


See Branson Wright's Starting Blocks interview with Rob Deck, who coached LeBron James during Pee Wee football seasons in Akron. Deck recalls James as an on-field coach, instructing his teammates regardless of their position. Had James pursued football instead of basketball, Deck believes he would be playing in the NFL.

The Wizards pay the Cavaliers back - The LeBron-O-Meter

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The Cavaliers' uneventful draft is no reason to worry. The Hinrich-to-the-Wizards trade is.

kirk hinrich.jpgView full sizeWho'd have thought that Kirk Hinrich would play such a key role in LeBron's free agency plans?

Draft night was quiet for the Cavaliers last night. Despite efforts to buy a pick, nothing materialized for Chris Grant once all was said and done. And while it certainly had some Cavs fans upset, it's not enough to swing the meter any further to the right than it already is.

What should have Cavaliers fans concerned is the move Chicago made last night to free up cap space. Getting rid of streaky Kirk Hinrich and his cap-space-hindering $9 million salary means the Bulls are much closer to being able to sign a max free agent and add another significant piece. It's also Washington's little thank you gift for those three consecutive first round bootings the Cavaliers gave them.

Just think, Cavs fans; all this chaos and we're still six days away from the start of NBA free agency.


Today's reading: Uh-Oh



uh-oh.gif

Like everyone else in Cleveland, we wonder what LeBron James will do when his contract is up this summer. Will he stay home, or follow the bright lights to Broadway? Until he decides to talk, we have to rely on hunches, instincts and educated guesswork. We'll report our findings, more or less daily, using the LeBron-O-Meter.

World Cup 2010: Ivory Coast beats N. Korea 3-0, fails to advance

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Ivory Coast bowed out of the World Cup in style. Needing an offensive show and a little bit of luck to make the second round, the Elephants got the offense but not the luck.

ivory-coast.jpgView full sizeIvory Coast's Koffi Romaric N'Dri celebrates after scoring their side's second goal during the World Cup group G soccer match between North Korea and Ivory Coast at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, South Africa.

NELSPRUIT, South Africa (AP) — Ivory Coast bowed out of the World Cup in style.

Needing an offensive show and a little bit of luck to make the second round, the Elephants got the offense but not the luck.

Yaya Toure, Koffi Romaric N'Dri and Salomon Kalou each scored Friday in a 3-0 win over North Korea, thrilling a pro-Ivory Coast crowd.

The only problem was that the Ivorians needed Portugal to lose to Brazil, then had to make up a nine-goal difference with the Portuguese to have a chance of moving on.

And Portugal tied Group G winner Brazil 0-0 to advance.

"Our World Cup is over today," Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba said. "But I think we can be proud of what we did against Portugal and against Brazil — even if we lost — and today.

"It was difficult for us to go through, and I think the FIFA rankings have been respected," Drogba said. "We are disappointed, but at the same time we cannot be too disappointed when we're in a group like this."

Earlier in group play, Ivory Coast tied Portugal 0-0 and lost to Brazil 3-1.

North Korea lost all three of its matches, giving up 12 goals and scoring just one in its first World Cup appearance since 1966. The team from the isolated, communist regime was a tournament curiosity, and never proved to be anything more.

The Koreans put up their best effort in a 2-1 loss to Brazil, then were routed by Portugal 7-0 and beaten soundly by the more physical Ivorians.

"It has laid the foundation for us to grow in the future. So this has been a very useful experience for us," North Korea coach Kim Jong Hun said. "Up until the last minute of the match, they really put in all their effort. I think that's a very positive trait."

Ivory Coast attacked all day, outshooting the Koreans 28-9.

"I think the players were very, very good," Ivory Coast coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said. "It's a pity we have to leave, because this team is getting better and better every session. But that's life. We're out. We have to accept that."

Ghana is the only one of six African teams in the World Cup to advance to the round of 16.

There were large groups of Ivorians in the crowd, wearing orange shirts and dipping and swaying in unison to the beat of African drums and the constant drone of vuvuzelas. One section, on the top tier of Mbombela Stadium, even included a mascot: a dancing white elephant, complete with long white trunk and flapping ears.

The fans came expecting goals, and Ivory Coast kept them on their feet.

The Elephants opened the scoring in the 14th when Arthur Boka sent a low cross into the area and Toure neatly deflected it past North Korean goalkeeper Ri Yong Guk.

Romaric hit the far post with a long-range drive from the right in the 17th, catching Ri completely off guard, but was on target with a header in the 20th after Drogba's powerful drive cannoned off the underside of the crossbar.

Kalou scored the final goal in the 82nd.

"If you look at the three games we played, they should be very proud of themselves," Eriksson said, "and the country should be proud of them."

World Cup 2010: Brazil wins Group G after 0-0 draw with Portugal

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Two of soccer's most prolific teams couldn't find the net Friday at the World Cup. Portugal reached the second round of the World Cup on Friday after a listless 0-0 draw with group winner Brazil. Brazil had already secured advancement and won Group G.

brazil-portugal.jpgView full sizePortugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, left, competes for the ball with Brazil's Daniel Alves, right, during the World Cup group G soccer match between Portugal and Brazil at the stadium in Durban, South Africa.

DURBAN, South Africa (AP) — Two of soccer's most prolific teams couldn't find the net Friday at the World Cup.

Portugal reached the second round of the World Cup on Friday after a listless 0-0 draw with group winner Brazil. Brazil had already secured advancement and won Group G with seven points, two more than Portugal. Ivory Coast, which beat North Korea 3-0, was third with four points. The Koreans ended with zero.

Portugal came into the match with a comfortable goal differential to just about guarantee its spot in the round of 16 even with a loss.

Brazil coach Dunga blamed Portugal's defensive setup for the lackluster result.

"We played to win, but our opponent didn't," Dunga said. "We always tried to attack, but they only tried to take advantage of our mistakes."

Brazil plays the runner-up in Group H on Monday in Johannesburg.

"Portugal came playing back, trying to use Cristiano Ronaldo on the counterattacks," Julio Cesar said. "It was a difficult group so it was good to finish first. Now the hard part begins and we can't lose anymore."

Portugal faces the Group H winner Tuesday in Cape Town. Not surprisingly, its coach blamed Brazil for the lack of offense.

"Brazil played very strongly in the first few minutes, but after that initial period of domination Portugal slowly started to control the game. In the end, the draw was a fair result," coach Carlos Queiroz said.

"Portugal advanced with merits and now we have to start thinking about our next matches. It was a difficult match for Brazil and for us."

Both teams had good chances, but failed to capitalize at Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Brazil striker Nilmar had a shot tipped against the goalpost by goalkeeper Eduardo in the 30th minute, and Luis Fabiano's close-range header just missed wide in the 39th. Portugal had a goal denied by keeper Julio Cesar in the 60th, when he barely tipped wide a shot by Raul Meireles after a dangerous run by Ronaldo.

The match was one of the most-anticipated in the group stage, a meeting between two talented teams known for their attacking style. Brazil came into the tournament as the top-ranked team, while Portugal is No. 3. Both teams had dominating wins in the previous match, with Brazil beating Ivory Coast 3-1 and Portugal routing North Korea 7-0.

The result kept alive a 19-match unbeaten streak for Portugal, which hasn't lost since a 6-2 defeat at Brazil in a 2008 friendly. It halted Brazil's seven-match winning streak.

Brazil controlled possession most of the physical match in front of 62,712 fans, with Portugal relying on quick counterattacks and the skills of Ronaldo. Mexican referee Benito Archundia showed seven yellow cards — four to Portugal — in the first half.

The best opportunity for the Brazilians came from Nilmar after a perfect pass from Luis Fabiano. But Eduardo knocked it off the post.

Luis Fabiano, who scored twice against Ivory Coast, also had a great chance after a cross from Maicon, but his header bounced off the ground and just missed wide with the goalkeeper beaten.

Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar made an incredible save on the shot by Meireles after a dangerous run from Ronaldo, who beat three defenders on the right before Lucio touched the ball across the area and into Meireles' path.

Both teams played without their top playmakers and it probably made a difference. Brazil couldn't count on Kaka because of a late red card in the match against Ivory Coast, while Portugal was without Brazil-born Deco for the second straight match because of a right hip injury.

The Brazilians also played without starting midfielder Elano because of a right ankle injury sustained in the second half against the Ivorians, and coach Dunga left Robinho out of starting lineup to rest.

It was the first time the teams met at the World Cup since Eusebio helped the Portuguese beat the Brazilians 3-1 in 1966.

LeBron James links: Bulls' chances grow as Wizards GM Ernie Grunfeld - a former Knick - OK's deal

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Chicago's trade of Kirk Hinrich to Washington expands the Bulls' salary cap space to attract James and another top free agent. Longtime Knick Grunfeld made the deal for Washington, hurting his old team. Lots more as free agency talk grows.

noah-james-deng.jpgCavaliers forward LeBron James goes to the basket between Chicago's Joakim Noah and Luol Deng.

The Cleveland Cavaliers hope, of course, to keep two-time NBA MVP LeBron James as their own. The Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks and Miami Heat have the wherewithal to sign James, and the New Jersey Nets and Los Angeles Clippers have longshot chances to pull off a coup, too.

The landscape was altered - some say significantly - when the Bulls and Washington Wizards agreed on Thursday to a trade that would send Chicago guard Kirk Hinrich to Washington. The deal is expected to become official when a trade/free agency signing moratorium ends on July 8. Chicago will then be freed from Hinrich's $9 million contract, putting the Bulls that much below the salary cap and abel to offer a maximum contract to one star free agent and a near-max pact to another.

Chicago may find the wiggle room to turn the second contract offer into a maximum pact, too.

So, a lot of people around the NBA -- especially those in the free agent chase, and specifically those wanting James -- aren't very happy with Washington team president Ernie Grunfeld. The Knicks have surrendered any chance of winning the last two years to put themselves into salary cap position to grab James, and now they feel dissed by Grunfeld for enabling Chicago to take, maybe, the pole position in the James' chase.

Ernie Grunfeld, of all people. Grunfeld, who is from Forest Hills, New York, played seven years for the Knicks and as a front office executive helped put together their contending teams in the 1990's.

Ian O'Connor writes about the impact Grunfeld's trade with Chicago makes on his old team:

And aiding and abetting the Bulls, of all teams? The same dynastic foe you spent every waking New York minute scheming to topple?

"I'll have to give Ernie a call; has he lost his mind?" joked Dave Checketts, the former Garden and Knicks president who had helped Grunfeld build the contender of the '90s before firing him at the close of the decade.

"Ernie and I hated Chicago more than anyone. We wouldn't do one thing to help them when we were running the Knicks. In fact, we even tried to kill deals we heard the Bulls were working on. We'd call agents and tell them, 'Why would you send your player there? Are you kidding? Don't you know what's going on inside that organization?'"

In the Knick of time

The Knicks better not wait long on James, jeopardizing their chances to land other top free agents, Alan Hahn writes for Newsday.com:

If you ask those close to James ' inner circle, the Knicks need to be aware that they shouldn't spend too much time trying to convince the two-time MVP to leave Cleveland for the big city. One person with close ties to James ' "team" said the person with the most influence on James - his longtime friend and business manager, Maverick Carter - wants nothing to do with the Knicks and views remaining with the Cavs or going to Chicago to join Derrick Rose as the better options.

What's he know?

Paul Silas was the Cavaliers coach during James rookie season and most of his second season. Chris Tomasson writes for NBA.Fanhouse.com that Silas thinks there's a strong chance James will sign with the Knicks:

Silas said he believes James will depart Cleveland as a free agent, with the Knicks the most likely destination.

"I do believe he will leave,'' Silas said. "What he really wants is to become the first basketball billionaire. So, I think that's very difficult to do in Cleveland. So, I think we're looking for him to go to New York or New Jersey or somewhere like that.''

A million here, a million there

kirk-hinrich-mo-williams.jpgBulls guard Kirk Hinrich tries to wrestle away the basketball as Cavaliers guard Mo Williams yells for a timeout.

Chicago Tribune reporter K.C. Johnson breaks down the numbers in the Hinrich trade:

Though the trade can't become official until the Wizards can absorb Hinrich's $9 million salary into its cap space July 8, the Bulls will enter the free agent recruiting period a week earlier knowing they have roughly $30.8 million to burn. If they hadn't dumped Hinrich's contract, that number would have stood at roughly $22 million.

A maximum free agent contract is expected to start between $16.5 and $16.8 million once the NBA league office sets its official numbers. Thus, the Bulls will have more than $14 million to offer a second free agent while trying to lure two superstars to join All-Star Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Luol Deng.

Elsewhere about James

Barry Jackson writes for the Miami Herald that the draft strategy for the Heat was based on maintaining maximum salary cap space.

New York Post reporter Lenn Robbins writes that teams wanted to impress free agents with their draft picks.

Chris Sheridan writes for ESPN.com that the Knicks maintain a confident front in their pursuit of free agents.

New York Daily News reporter Frank Isola writes about Knicks' coach Mike D'Antoni's hopes of getting James.

Marc Berman writes for the New York Post that the Knicks' draft strategy was driven by their pursuit of James and other free agents.

Adrian Wojnarowski's report for Yahoo! Sports that James and his inner circle are wielding much influence on a chaotic NBA summer.

John Jackson writes for the Chicago Sun-Times that the Bulls are playing an "all-in" game in their chase of free agents.

A report that James is about to launch his own headphones line.

 

 

 


 

 

World Cup 2010: USA win over Ghana on Saturday would be a milestone

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With a win, the Americans would advance to a July 2 quarterfinal game vs. Uruguay or South Korea and match the farthest the U.S. team has advanced since the first World Cup in 1930. TV audience could top national team record.

soccer-fans-graceland.jpgYoung soccer fans outside Elvis Presley's Graceland in Memphis. The mansion is glowing in bright red, white and blue in support of the United States World Cup soccer team.

Rustenburg, South Africa -- For other countries, a second-round World Cup match is a big step. For the United States, Saturday's game against Ghana is so much more.

The television audience back home could top the U.S. national team record of 13.7 million, set during the 1994 World Cup loss to Brazil.

With a victory, the Americans would advance to a quarterfinal matchup versus Uruguay or South Korea on July 2 and match the farthest the U.S. team has advanced since the first World Cup in 1930. Confidence is soaring.

"If we continue to build on the successes so far, we can go to the end," coach Bob Bradley said Friday.

The U.S. team made the 2-hour trip Friday northwest from Irene and checked into the Bakubung Bush Lodge, where the bus was blocked by an elephant ahead of the opener against England on June 12. Players have been stoked since Landon Donovan's injury-time goal beat Algeria on Wednesday and lifted them into the knockout phase.

"The way we've been playing, feeling like we've gone undefeated and we've gotten stronger, I think that gives us hope," goalkeeper Tim Howard said.

American sports fans have been focusing on soccer at an unprecedented level. Former President Clinton attended Wednesday's game in Pretoria and chugged a postgame beer with captain Carlos Bocanegra. New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush joined the party. Clinton changed his schedule to stick around for the Ghana game.

"People were coming out of the woodworks to celebrate," Bocanegra said.

The Columbus Crew, FC Dallas, New England Revolution and New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer are among those hosting viewing parties. The Kansas City Royals are setting up televisions around Kauffman Stadium so fans can watch while attending the baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals.

"You want to have a team that the people who care about ... and follow that team and root for that team and can feel part of," coach Bob Bradley said Friday. "A team that people believe in and a team that people are proud of. And so, that's part of our responsibility, and we're excited in the moment that there's that kind of feeling."

Saturday's game, nationally televised by ABC starting at 2:30 p.m. EDT, will be the third for the Americans at Royal Bafokeng Stadium. They had a 3-0 win over Egypt in last year's Confederations Cup and the 1-1 draw with the English in this tournament.

The U.S. is coming off a 2-2 tie against Slovenia, when the Americans rallied from a two-goal deficit and saw an 85th-minute goal controversially disallowed, and the thrilling 1-0 victory over the Algerians.

It would appear the U.S. has a favorable path to the semifinals, a round it reached for the only time 80 years ago. The Americans are ranked 14th, well ahead of Ghana (32nd) and South Korea (47th) and slightly in front of Uruguay (18th).

While the U.S. finished atop its first-round group for the first time since 1930, it hasn't won consecutive World Cup games in 80 years. And in Ghana, it plays the only one of six African teams to have survived past the group phase. All African fans figure to be supporting the Black Stars.

"Ghana is the African hope now," defender Samuel Inkoom said. "We aren't going to disappoint them."

Four years ago, the Americans played Ghana in their final first-round game and needed a victory to advance. Ghana went ahead early only for Clint Dempsey to tie it. But the Black Stars won the game on Stephen Appiah's penalty kick after a foul called by German referee Markus Merk against Oguchi Onyewu.

"An injustice," Onyewu said. "I still to this day don't know where the foul came from."

Ghana had just two goals in the group phase, penalty kicks by Asamoah Gyan against Serbia and Australia. Gyan, a teammate of Bocanegra's on Rennes, also scored against the Czech Republic in the 2006 World Cup after 68 seconds, the fastest goal of that tournament.

"He's got a great leap. He's really good in the air. He's powerful and fast," Bocanegra said. "He spearheads their attack."

Right back John Pantsil is a teammate of Dempsey on Fulham, but Ghana is missing its top player, midfielder Michael Essien, out since January with a knee injury. A four-time African champion, the Black Stars lost 1-0 to Egypt in this year's African Cup of Nations final.

Coach Milovan Rajevac is familiar with American soccer, having spent several seasons playing with an indoor team in New York.

"America has grown into a football superpower," he said.

Rajevac said central defenders John Mensah and Jonathan Mensah will play despite getting banged up against Germany on Wednesday, but Isaac Vorsah, another central defender, still is sidelined by a strained knee ligament.

For the U.S., forward Robbie Findley is eligible after serving a one-game suspension for accumulation of yellow cards. Bradley must decide whether to start Onyewu, who sat against Algeria because of the fast-paced play as he regains fitness following knee surgery last October.

Rajevac said it will be difficult for his team to turn around after just two off days between games. The U.S. team, which spent hours last month running wind sprints during training in Princeton, N.J., has no such concerns.

Potentially, the game could go 120 minutes — and to penalty kicks, something the U.S. last experienced in the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal, a victory over Panama. But never have they been in a shootout in the World Cup.

"We're confident. It's pressure, but it's easier to play the Ghana game," Howard said. "We can take it into extra time. We can go to penalties. There's so many formulas that can happen."

NOTES: The referee is Victor Kassai of Hungary, who worked Brazil's 2-1 win over North Korea and Uruguay's 1-0 victory over Mexico. He also refereed the United States' 2-1 loss to Spain at last year's under-17 World Cup.

Asdrubal Cabrera making progress from broken left forearm: Cleveland Indians briefing

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Manager Manny Acta says Asdrubal Cabrera could return sometime after the All-Star break.

 CINCINNATI, Ohio. -- This is a daily briefing of the Indians 2010 regular season. The Indians play the Reds tonight in the first game of a three-game interleague series at Great American Ballpark.

 Great American Ballpark's dimension: left field line 328 feet, left field power alley 379, center field 404, right field power alley 370 and right field line 325.
 Pre-game notes:

 Game 72: Manager Manny Acta, with his defense springing leaks hither and yon, said shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera is making strides in his recovery from a broken left forearm.

 "He's running and throwing," said Acta. "There's a very good chance he can start taking ground balls when we get home off this trip. Things are moving a long pretty good for him."

 Cabrera, whose injury along with the loss of Gold Glove defender Grady Sizemore put the Tribe's in a downward spiral, broken his left forearm on May 17. He underwent surgery and is now in a eight to 10-week recovery period.

 "By the end of this month, or perhaps the first week of so of July, he could start swinging the bat a little bit," said Acta. "We're probably shooting for the All-Star break.

 "It all depends on how much rehab time he needs. We're not going to rush him back. He's going to need a fair amount of at-bats."

 Riders on the storm: Sometimes baseball players just sit and watch. Or run for cover.

 Such was the case in the eighth inning Thursday when a thunderstorm hit Citizens Bank Park, halting the game between the Indians and Phillies. For several minutes it looked like the end of the world. The tarp blew off the field, threatening to take several members of the grounds crew with it. The rain was so heavy, that the field wasn't visible from the pressbox.

 "That's the best one I've seen in a while," said outfielder Austin Kearns. "When they said tornado, I took it inside."

 Jake Westbrook wanted to watch the storm from the dugout, but said, "The wind was blowing dirt in my face so I went inside."

 Joe Smith, Kerry Wood and other relievers were trapped in the bullpen shelter.

 "We had about 20 seconds to make a decision," said Wood. "We just stayed in the pen. You couldn't even see the field from the bullpen. It was the best one I've seen in a while."

 Lineups:

 Indians (26-45): CF Trevor Crowe (S), RF Shin-Soo Choo (L), C Carlos Santana (S), LF Austin Kearns (R), 1B Russell Branyan (L), 3B Jhonny Peralta (R), 2B Anderson Hernandez (S), SS Jason Donald (R) and LHP Aaron Laffey (0-1, 5.61).

 Reds (40-33): 2B Brandon Phillips (R), SS Orlando Cabrera (R),1B Joey Votto (L), 3B Scott Rolen (R), Jonny Gomes (R), RF Jay Bruce (L), CF Drew Stubbs (R), C Ramon Hernandez (R) and RHP Aaron Harang (5-7, 5.17).

 Umpires: H Brian Gorman, 1B Paul Nauert, 2B Ted Barrett, 3B Tony Randazzo. Gorman, crew chief.

 Quote of the day: "If my uniform doesn't get dirty, I haven't done anything in the baseball game," Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, the greatest basestealer of all time.

 Next: RHP Justin Masterson (2-6, 4.87) vs. RHP Sam LeCure (1-4, 4.50) Saturday at 7:05 p.m.

 


 

 

Josh Rodriguez pounding hits at Columbus, as he did at Akron: Minor league report

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Infielder Rodriguez went into Friday night's Clippers game batting .326 with 11 doubles and seven homers in just 138 combined at bats this season for Akron and now Columbus.

josh-rodriguez.jpgJosh Rodriguez, here making a play at shortstop when he was with the Akron Aeros.

FARM REPORT

AAA Columbus Clippers

Tonight: Gwinnett (34-40) at Clippers (44-30), 7:05. Braves LHP Jose Ortegano (2-4, 5.14) vs. Clippers RHP Carlos Carrasco (5-3, 4.29).

Notes: Going into Friday night's game, IF Josh Rodriguez (.349) was batting .414 (24-for-58) during June, with five home runs, 15 RBI and 16 runs. He was on a five-game hitting streak, going 9-for-20 (.450) with a double, two homers and seven RBI....RHP Josh Tomlin (7-2, 2.70) was 5-1 with a 2.45 ERA in his last 10 starts, pitching 58 2/3 innings while striking out 37 and allowing 43 hits....OF Jared Goedert was batting .344 (22-for-64) with seven doubles, six home runs and 15 RBI in 17 games for Columbus since being promoted from Akron. He was hitting a combined .330 with 21 doubles, 13 homers and 47 RBI....2B Cord Phelps was 7-for-13 (.538) with a triple in his last three games, and was batting .366 (15-for-41) since being promoted from Akron.

AA Akron Aeros

Tonight: Binghamton (36-36) at Aeros (36-36), 7:05. Mets LHP Mike Antonini (4-5, 4.11) vs. Aeros RHP Alex White (2-3, 2.08).

Notes: Going into Friday night's game, 3B Lonnie Chisenhall (.294) was batting .337 (31-for-92) with five doubles, one triple, six homers, 21 RBI and 20 runs since coming off the disabled list (shoulder soreness)....2B Jason Kipnis was 14-for-42 (.333) with three doubles, three homers, seven RBI and 10 runs in 11 games since being promoted from Kinston....Catcher Miguel Perez (.333) was batting 11-for-29 (.379) with three doubles and five RBI in his last nine games.... RHP Alex White, the Indians' first pick in the 2009 draft, had held opponents to a .173 batting average (22-for-127) in six starts spanning 34 2/3 innings since being promoted from Kinston....Shane Lindsay, who was 0-0 in four relief outings for the Aeros, was designated for assignment by the Indians. Lindsay allowed one earned run in 4 1/3 innings, struck out seven and walked seven. The Indians claimed him on waivers from the Yankees organization on June 1.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Tonight: Lynchburg (29-42) at Indians (37-34), 7:00. Hillcats RHP James Avery (2-2, 4.40) vs. Indians LHP T.J. House (2-4, 3.30).

Notes: Going into Friday night's game, RHP Cory Burns' 23 saves were tied for the second most in Minor League Baseball. Burns was 11-for-11 in save opportunities for Kinston, and earlier this season, he was 12-for-12 at Lake County. He had a combined 2.15 ERA in 28 appearances spanning 29 1/3 innings. He had struck out 42, walked eight and allowed 26 hits....RH reliever Travis Turek (2-2, one save, 3.09) had an 0.83 ERA in his last 10 games, spanning 21 2/3 innings....SS Ron Rivas (.245) had hit in his last five games, going 6-for-18 with a double and home run.

A Lake County Captains

Tonight: Captains (44-25) at West Michigan (26-43), 7:00. Captains RHP Clayton Cook (2-4, 4.05) vs. Whitecaps LHP Giovany Soto (5-4, 2.05).

Notes: Going into Friday night's game, OF Delvi Cid (.213) was second in the Midwest League with 29 stolen bases (in 32 attempts)....3B Jeremie Tice (.284) was third with 45 RBI....Catcher Chun Chen was tied for third in doubles (20), was fourth in slugging percentage (.544) and fifth in batting average (.318)....Friday night's game was the first for the Captains after the four-day All-Star break.

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Tonight: Batavia (4-3) at Scrappers (2-5), 7:05. Pitchers TBA.

Notes: Going into Friday night's game, no Scrapper with at least 10 at bats was hitting above .273....RH reliever John Goryl had allowed one earned run in 7 1/3 innings over three appearances.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

Tonight: Crushers (19-13) at Traverse City (17-15), 7:05. Crushers RHP Phil Rummel (2-2, 5.65) vs. Beach Bums LHP Johnny Bravo.

Notes: Going into Friday night's game, 3B Andrew Davis (.350) was 17-for-28 (.607) in his last seven games, with two doubles, one triple and six RBI....The Crushers were on a seven-game winning streak.

Landon Donovan's game-winner in World Cup was USA at its finest, Bill Livingston writes

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The U.S. advanced in the World Cup on a blue-collar, Cleveland-type goal. Too bad our own teams do not exhibit the same qualities.

They say you can learn a lot about a country by the way it plays soccer. If so, the goal that advanced the U.S. in the World Cup was us at our best, the U.S. as it would like to be.

donovan.jpgThe celebration of Landon Donovan, left, in extra time against Algeria was made possible by his persistence that left him in position to capitalize on a late scoring opportunity, sending the United States into the round of 16.

From the instant goalkeeper Tim Howard stopped the header nodded right at him by an open Algerian player on a counter-attack Wednesday, it was a display of resiliency leading to opportunity, opportunity to persistence, persistence to "finishing."

The latter, which is a coaching term for scoring, is the rarest quality in soccer. That the Americans finished, almost literally, at the end of the Algerian game, in stoppage time, as well as late in the we-wuz-robbed tie with Slovenia, only adds to the non-vuvuzela-produced buzz surrounding it.

There should, however, be no Cinderella aspect to the advance to today's round-of-16 match against Ghana. Nor should a fairy-tale atmosphere surround the goal that got the U.S. there. The goal was hard-earned.

At this stage, 20 years after the U.S. returned to the World Cup by losing three matches in Italy by an aggregate margin of 8-1, America should get out of the World Cup's first round. Youth soccer is ever flourishing, and the skill level at the top of the pyramid is markedly better, as shown now on the world stage.

As thrilling as have been the current team's comebacks, what damage might it have inflicted had the fastest, most explosive player on the team, Charlie Davies, not been seriously injured in an automobile accident that kept him off the roster?

The goal that turned a leaden letdown into a golden celebration was a collaboration of the three most exciting players on the team.

Landon Donovan took Howard's outlet pass after the save, running onto the ball at midfield, then streaking on.

Jozy Altidore took a pass from Donovan in the 18-yard area and crossed the ball through the goal mouth.

Onrushing Clint Dempsey got a touch on the ball, which was stopped at almost point-blank range by the sprawling Algerian keeper, who could not control the rebound.

Donovan, who had not given up on the play and had continued to the net, put the ball in the back of the net in the far corner.

bill.jpgLandon Donovan carries the Stars and Stripes after Wednesday's 1-0 victory over Algeria.

It was a hockey goal, says a puck-centric friend with considerable justification. He meant it came from crashing the net, from applying pressure with waves of serious men of malign disposition. It was a work-rate goal, produced by a labor-intensive approach.

It was not one of those goals that are sprinkled with stardust, like the ones Argentina scores. Argentina is the new Brazil, wavering at times in defensive focus, but made transcendent by the virtuosity of Lionel Messi.

The U.S. doesn't have such a player. No blueprint exists to duplicate the genius Diego Maradona and Messi displayed in Argentina, Zinedine Zidane displayed in France and Pele  displayed in Brazil.

What the U.S. does have is a much more creative and attacking side than in years past, a side that can put shots on goal, put shots on goal, and put shots on goal until the other team cracks. The wide-open American play in the second half of the Algeria match was dictated, in part, by the standings. Both teams needed the win, and the Algerians needed a big win, to advance.

Still, the U.S. has scored four goals in three matches. One was a gift by England's 'keeper. Two others were disallowed on bad calls by referees. Nothing succeeds like success, but in soccer, scoring is close.

Tactically, the nearly golden goal came on a blazing counter-attack, made effective by Donovan's flair, Altidore's energy, Dempsey's ubiquitousness as a threat, and, finally, Donovan's persistence. It was a blue-collar goal, an American, even a Cleveland goal. It simply was willed into existence.

In a city that has seen its basketball team quit, its baseball team dismantled, and its football team never really cohere, it proved that the old values hold. Provided a team cares enough to honor them.


Bad record working in favor of Tribe's struggling players: Cleveland Indians Chatter

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If the Indians were contending, Rafael Perez or Hector Ambriz might be in trouble.

rafael perez.jpgView full sizeIndians reliever Rafael Perez.

Clubhouse confidential: The Indians dreadful record has been a good thing for a number of pitchers in the bullpen. If they were in contention, and Rafael Perez and Hector Ambriz were pitching as they have been, the front office might be forced to make a move with them regardless of their "protected" spots on the roster. Perez is out of options and Ambriz is a Rule 5 pick from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

With the Indians in the tank, and the pen in a funk outside of Chris Perez and Frank Herrmann, releasing or offering Ambriz back to Arizona doesn't make a lot of sense now.

The Indians feel Rafael Perez is showing improvement and they still like Ambriz's arm. But they're not going to wait forever.

Horror show: Left fielder Shelley Duncan shook his head in disbelief. He watched the video of himself sliding into the grandstand wall chasing a fly ball by the Phillies' Raul Ibanez in the third inning Thursday.

"I'm lucky I didn't get really hurt right there," said Duncan. "I hit right under the padding. It scared me more than hurt me."

Stat of the day: The Indians entered Friday's game against the Reds leading the AL with 53 errors. Overall, they had the fifth most errors among MLB's 30 teams.

-- Paul Hoynes

Cincinnati Reds blast Cleveland Indians as ugly season takes on unwelcome retro look

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UPDATED: As they stumble to their sixth straight loss, this time 10-3 to the Reds in Cincinnati, the Indians are beginning to look a lot like the 1991 team which lost 105 games.

jhonny peralta.jpgView full sizeThe Indians' Jhonny Peralta looks up at the scoreboard in the eighth inning against the Reds in Cincinnati on Friday as the Tribe heads toward its sixth straight loss. Peralta hit a home run in the game.

Updated at 11:19 p.m.

CINCINNATI, Ohio — Those who witnessed the 1991 season probably never thought they'd see anything like it again. The Indians, who have been playing baseball in the American League since 1901, set a franchise record with 105 losses that year.

Nineteen years later another date with destiny is taking shape. The Indians, following another National League beating, this time by a score of 10-3 by Cincinnati on Friday night at Great American Ballpark, are 26-46 and on pace to lose 104 games.

They have lost six straight and nine of their past 10. Teams go through bad stretches during the long season, but this seems to be more than a cold snap. There is nothing on the horizon, with the exception of the return of shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, that says the Indians are going to get much better.

Manager Manny Acta has told his players to forget the wins and losses. He wants them to concentrate on getting better. It's one thing to say it; it's another thing to actually do it.

Baseball in the big leagues is about winning and losing. The Indians are 8-15 in June and 4-12 in interleague play. They used to squeeze out a win per series, but even that meager output seems beyond their reach right now. They haven't had consecutive wins since they won four straight from June 9 through June 12.

Pitcher Aaron Laffey made his first start of the season Friday and it did not go well. Acta said before the game that Laffey wasn't on a pitch count. "The Reds will let me know when it's time to take him out," he said.

They certainly did.

Drew Stubbs hit a two-run homer off Laffey in the second inning and the Reds added three more runs in the third on Scott Rolen's bases-loaded walk and sacrifice flies by Jonny Gomes and Jay Bruce.

"Aaron didn't have very good command of his pitches, especially in the first three innings," Acta said. "When you don't have overpowering stuff, you can't get away with that. He needs to throw more strikes. That's been a problem for a lot our guys this year."

trevor crowe.jpgView full sizeTrevor Crowe heads back to the dugout after striking out against Logan Ondrusek in the eighth inning.

Laffey (0-2, 6.37) allowed five runs on five hits in four innings. He walked three and struck out five. Laffey's two losses this season have come against the Reds.

Now for the bad news. Rookie catcher Carlos Santana, one of the few reasons left to watch the Indians, left the game in the top of the fifth with a bruised left thumb. Santana hit a two-run home run in the fifth to momentarily put the Indians in the game at 5-2.

It was Santana's third homer in 13 games since getting called up from Class AAA Columbus.

"He got jammed in his first at-bat," Acta said. "It was pretty swollen so we decided to get him out of there."

Acta said Santana was shaking his hand after the homer.

"X-rays were negative," Acta said. "It was his catching hand and we didn't want to take any chances."

Acta felt Santana would be in the lineup for Saturday's game. Santana said he wasn't sure if he'd be able to play.

Joe Smith, born in Cincinnati, started the fifth in place of Laffey with the score 5-2 thanks to Santana. The sidearming right-hander took a wrecking ball to that as he gave up four runs in the inning.

Scott Rolen greeted Smith with his 16th homer. The next four Reds reached on hits. Stubbs singled home Gomes and Bruce to give him four RBI in two at-bats. He stole second and scored on Ramon Hernandez's infield hit as second baseman Anderson Hernandez made a wild throw to first.

It was the Indians' second error of the game to boost their AL-leading total to 55. Russell Branyan made the first error.

Branyan, who has had a tough time at first base recently, has made five errors in 51 games. Acta said he's not in danger of losing his job.

"We're not in position to make a change because he's struggling defensively," Acta said. "He's one of our threats in the middle of the lineup. We have to continue to work with him to get better."

Jhonny Peralta homered with one out in the sixth to cut the Reds' lead to 9-3. It was Peralta's fifth homer.

Aaron Harang (6-7, 5.07) went seven innings for the victory. He's 4-2 lifetime against the Indians.

Jayson Nix, claimed on waivers by the Indians on Thursday, pinch hit and flied out in the ninth. His brother, Laynce Nix, pinch-hit for the Reds in the seventh and reached on an infield single.

The Reds are 3-1 against the Indians this season and 15-7 over the past three years.

To reach this Plain Dealer Reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158

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James isn't planning a free-agency tour, says business manager: LeBron Rumor Mill

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The Knicks reportedly were planning a splashy dinner for James in Manhattan next week, but upon hearing that no visit to New York was on the agenda, the team held an emergency meeting to come up with Plan B,

maverick carter.jpgView full sizeMaverick Carter, LeBron James' business manager.

Chasing down rumors about LeBron James' basketball future could be a full-time job. Every day we'll compile a list of the rumors we're hearing about James and his next contract. Just remember these are just rumors, not necessarily facts. It's going to be a long and rough ride, Cavs fans. Buckle up.

James' business manager Maverick Carter told ESPN.com Friday that "LeBron is not going on a tour" of prospective new teams and their cities.

Carter told ESPN.com, "[LeBron] never planned to go on a tour and has not been a part of any team's plans for a recruiting trip."

Carter also said that once free agency begins James will meet teams at neutral sites, but not at his home in Bath.

The Knicks were reportedly planning a splashy dinner for James and his associates in Manhattan next week, but upon hearing Wednesday that no visit to New York was on James' agenda the team held an emergency meeting to come up with Plan B, ESPN.com said.

James has already met with Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, who traveled to Akron last week along with members of Cleveland's front office to visit the two-time MVP.

The Cavaliers didn't have a pick in Thursday's NBA Draft, didn't find a way to work a deal to get into it, didn't get one single reward from the draft . . . But still, somehow the entire event was about the Cavaliers. To be more specific, about that superstar who is under contract with the Cavs for just FOUR MORE DAYS.

It was the LeBron James Free Agency Draft, and the deals Chicago made to clear up salary cap space, along with the stubborn refusal by Miami, New York and New Jersey to add, were entirely for him.

CBSsports.com's Ken Berger said, "This was only the hors d'oeuvre for the NBA's version of New Year's Eve -- midnight on the evening of June 30."

The Bulls now have about $29 million in salary cap space after trading guard Kirk Hinrich and his $9 million contract to the Washington Wizards for basically nothing in return. That places Chicago second on the "most available" salary cap list, behind only the New York Knicks, with about $34 million. Consensus is the Bulls hope to sign two of this summer's top free agents.

Miami tried to unload Michael Beasley and his $4.9 million salary, according to Berger, and the Nets tried to rid themselves of Devin Harris and his $9 million contract. Still, Miami is expected to re-sign Dwyane Wade and still have $26.7 million in cap space, and the Nets should have about $27 million.

And with all the salary cap maneuvering on Draft Day, the Cavaliers lost ground in the LeBron Sweepstakes, according to Yahoo.com's Adrian Wojnarowski.

"The Cavs can script these things, but they're losing control of the free-agency narrative," he wrote. "For so long, owner Dan Gilbert enabled everything with LeBron -- the bigger-than-life billboards, the full-time jobs and summer league roster spots for his buddies and the endless capitulations that contributed to his obsession with creating a culture of all him, all the time in the NBA."

For what it's worth -- and it's probably not much since everyone is just offering opinions -- James' first coach, Paul Silas, believes the free agent will sign with New York, according to AOLFanhouse.

"I do believe he will leave," Silas told the website. "What he really wants is to become the first basketball billionaire. So, I think that's very difficult to do in Cleveland. So, I think we're looking for him to go to New York or New Jersey or somewhere like that."

Silas said he initially thought James would stay in Cleveland . . . until the Cavaliers' playoff implosion and subsequent destruction of team leadership.

"When the coach left and [GM Danny] Ferry left, I thought that was a telltale sign that's not all roses around there," Silas said. "So I just don't think it's going to work. . . . I did think that if he'd have gotten to the Finals I would have thought he would stay."

Read more at: tinyurl.com/silasquotes

At least one person thinks James would have a difficult time living in Michael Jordan's shadow if he signed with the Bulls. And it's one person who knows Jordan well -- his agent, David Falk.

"LeBron is a fan of Michael, has worn his number and has respected him," Falk told CBSsports.com. "But for me, if he's in Chicago, he's going wake up in the morning and people will say, 'You don't brush your teeth like Michael. You don't put your Hanes on like Michael. You don't dust the talc like Michael.' And for someone who's so accomplished, you want to have your own identity. So it's a very interesting question. Some people say he'll be compared to Michael no matter what anyway, but nowhere as much as in Chicago."

And finally, all those rumors about John Calipari and James are true. They are close. And they talk about free agency plans.

About Bryce James' plans, that is.

Calipari, who coaches at Kentucky, jokingly told the Associated Press that he's only spoken with James about where his 3-year-old son, Bryce, will attend college.

"I told [LeBron] I really need to know [Bryce's] birthday if I'm going to be coaching him. He's going to be my playmaker,"Calipari said.

Um, isn't that an NCAA violation, or something?

A soccer primer for World Cup rookies

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You've been fighting it for two weeks, but this World Cup thing isn't going away.

world-cup-red-card.jpgView full sizeA red card means you've been a bad boy.
You've been fighting it for two weeks, but this World Cup thing isn't going away.

If anything, the once-every-four-years soccer showcase (and the most popular sporting event in the world) is threatening to become the most-talked-about event of the summer. You can thank those vuvuzela horns, a slow summer of sports news and a great showing by the U.S. team. (The Yanks take on Ghana this afternoon.)

If you're feeling left out, don't. There's still plenty of room on the pitch for latecomers. To make sure you don't look like a fool as you watch the games (first rule: call them "matches" instead of games), here's a primer on "the beautiful game."

Overview

Soccer, like a Phish concert, is played on grass.

The object is to score more goals than your opponent. Beat another country in soccer, and you can feel superior for years, even if you lose in more trivial measurements, such as life expectancy, gross domestic product and literacy.

Eleven players are on the field for each team. Those who lag back to help defend the goal are "defenders." Players in the middle who move between offense and defense are "midfielders," and those up front who attack are "forwards," or "strikers." Teams are allowed three substitutions during a match.

Soccer is played with a ball about the size of a basketball. Players move it up and down the field by kicking it or striking it with their heads. As on a first date, hands cannot be used. Goalies, like divorced people on a first date, can use their hands.

Teams play two halves, 45 minutes each. Now that we are in the "knockout stage" -- or bracket portion -- of the World Cup, ties are no longer an issue. If a match is tied after 90 minutes, the teams will play a 30-minute overtime. If it's still tied, the match is decided with penalty kicks. In the stands, fans often decide ties with their fists.

Terminology

Dribble -- To control the ball with your feet as you run down the field. Also what soccer fans do on their shirts after 10 pints.

Friendly -- An exhibition. A match that doesn't count in a league or tournament. Ticket prices to these events, however, remain unfriendly.

Kit -- Another way of saying a team's uniform, as in "Do you think Paraguay's kit makes their butts look big?"

Nil -- Same thing as zero. So a 2-0 score is pronounced "two-nil." Exception: a 0-0 score is pronounced "Ambien without a prescription."

Pitch -- The soccer field.

Tackle -- Not to be mistaken with American football, this is when a defender challenges for the ball with his leg or body.

Foul -- When a player breaks the rules. The other team is awarded a free kick.

Free kick -- Awarded after a foul, and depending on the foul, it can be either indirect (cannot be shot into the goal) or direct (can be shot into the goal). Defenders often line up in front of a free kick to create a wall, holding their hands between their legs to protect their brains.

Yellow card -- A formal caution for a somewhat serious offense: a hard foul, unsportsmanlike behavior, coming home from the bars at 2:30 a.m. when you said you'd be home at 10 p.m.

Red card -- Punishment for severe behavior: a violent foul, intentionally touching the ball with your hand to prevent a goal, not coming home from the bars at all when you said you'd be home at 10 p.m. Getting a second yellow card also results in a red card. Players who receive a red card are ejected and must sit out the next game.

Stoppage time -- Also called "injury time," it's extra minutes added to the end of each half to make up for time wasted on throw-ins, injuries and fake injuries.

Penalty kick -- A one-on-one kick, shooter versus goalie, from 12 yards away. Goals are scored on about 75 percent of penalty kicks.

Flop -- Also called a "dive," it's when a player fakes as if he was fouled, often rolling on the ground, crying and engaging in other annoying histrionics. It is a disgraceful display, unless, of course, the flopper is on your team and your opponent gets booked with a yellow card.

Other questions

Corner kick or goal kick? When the ball goes out of bounds past the goal lines, it's a corner kick if the defending team touched it last and a goal kick if the attacking team touched it last. Corner kicks are like prom: exciting, fleeting chances to score.

What is offside? It's when the recipient of a pass is beyond all of the defenders (not counting the goalkeeper) the moment the pass is kicked. It's similar to "cherry picking" in basketball. Sideline officials call it by raising a flag. Fans who see their goal disallowed respond by raising their middle fingers.

What's that rectangle in front of the goal? That's the penalty area. Goalies are allowed to use their hands only in this box. Fouls or hand balls by defenders in this box result in a penalty kick.

Why does the goalkeeper wear a different uniform? To help differentiate himself to the ref and other players. It also gives him a chance to express himself stylistically.

Cleveland Cavaliers receive permission to talk to Los Angeles Lakers assistant Brian Shaw

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Shaw and Byron Scott, who is the Cavs' frontrunner to replace Mike Brown, are expected to be the top candidates to replace Lakers coach Phil Jackson if he retires.

brian shaw.jpgView full sizeLos Angeles Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw, right, has been given permission to interview with the Cavaliers about their coaching vacancy.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — While the Lakers wait on Phil Jackson to decide on his future, it appears they could be considering the same coaching candidates as the Cavaliers.

The Cavs have received permission to interview Lakers assistant and are expected to do so next week. Shaw and Byron Scott, who is the Cavs' frontrunner to replace Mike Brown and had a face-to-face interview with the team last week, are expected to be the top candidates to replace Jackson if he retires.

Shaw is well-liked by Lakers players and is believed to be Jackson's choice to take over if he decides to retire. Scott is believed to be liked as a potential coach by Lakers primary owner Jerry Buss and minority owner Magic Johnson.

According to a source, however, Scott has not had formal contact with the Lakers about the job as Jackson mulls his options. The Cavs have not formally offered the job to Scott but perhaps are considering doing so before the Lakers have an opening.

The Cavs like Scott for his experience, as he has taken part in seven NBA Finals as a player and a coach. But Shaw also fits their criteria after being schooled in the Lakers' strong defensive system.

The Cavs hope to have a coach before the start of free agency Thursday. Jackson may stretch out his decision on retiring past that date. That may give the Cavs a chance to make an offer to their preferred candidate before the Lakers get to that stage.

The Cavs are also believed to have interviewed Milwaukee Bucks' assistant coach Kelvin Sampson. But at the moment it appears Scott and Shaw may be at the top of the team's list. So there's a chance one of them could be offered the job by Thursday.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: bwindhorst@plaind.com, 216-999-5166

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