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Edwards races to NASCAR Nationwide victory: Video

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Carl Edwards dominated the NASCAR Nationwide Series race Saturday night at Nashville Superspeedway.

carl-edwards-nationwide.jpgCarl Edwards (60) passes Jeremy Clements (51) during the Federated Auto Parts 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race on Saturday, July 23, 2011, in Gladeville, Tenn.

GLADEVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Carl Edwards dominated the NASCAR Nationwide Series race Saturday night at Nashville Superspeedway.

The Sprint Cup star was so overpowering that not even a penalty, an upset stomach or fellow Sprint Cup driver Brad Keselowski could stop him.

He did his customary back flip off the car and then even went into the stands afterward to celebrate with the fans. "It's just to give a couple people high-fives and to see the looks on their faces," said Edwards, who led a race-high 125 laps and has a total of six wins at the track, five in Nationwide and one in the truck series. "I wish more drivers would do it."

Edwards' teammate at Roush Fenway Racing, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., finished second and Mike Dillon was third.

Edwards, who leads the Sprint Cup points race over Jimmie Johnson, was leading when the first caution came out on lap 82 for debris. The next lap he entered the pits and was penalized for speeding and NASCAR officials ordered him to the rear of the longest line of cars for the restart.

Edwards worked his way back through the field and passed Dillon on lap 120 for the lead. On the pass the air from Edwards' car caused Dillon to wiggle wildly in turn four.

"He knew I was loose and just started driving in on me," said Dillon. "I don't think he hit me, I just got real loose. That was a heck of a save. It reminded me of my dirt car."

Dillon, the winner of the truck series race at this track Friday night and grandson of longtime car owner Richard Childress, fell to third.

Edwards said he was racing with a cold. That combined with the extreme heat made it a tough night for Edwards.

"I feel a lot better (after winning)," Edwards said in Victory Lane.

"Carl's awesome here. I felt like he was kind of playing with us a little there at the end," Stenhouse said. "We'll take a second and go onto (the next race)."

Keselowski, the pole winner, was in command of the race when he radioed his crew that he was slowing due to a dropped cylinder on lap 166. Dillon took advantage of the situation and passed the defending series champion for the lead.

Keselowski led 88 laps and placed 12th.

Elliott Sadler came into the race as the series points leader, but surrendered it to Reed Sorenson when he broke down on pit lane during the third caution period of the race.

Sadler was in the top 10 all night and was coming out of his pit stop in second when he radioed to his crew.

"We're done, guys, we're done." He said he thought he broke an axle.

"I might have popped the clutch too early," said Sadler, about accelerating from his pit box.

Sadler came in 30th place and is now third in the championship, 14 points back. Sorenson is five points ahead of Stenhouse to lead the points battle.

The second caution of the race occurred on lap 127 when Mikey Kile and Brian Scott had contact while going down the backstretch. Kile skidded across the grass along the track but was able to get it back onto the course.

Cinesport video: Carl Edwards wins again

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



Cleveland Indians' success at adding talent at trade deadline proves a mixed bag: Analysis

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When it comes to trade-deadline deals, the Indians actually have performed much better as sellers than buyers.

ken-hill-95-tribe-ap.jpgView full sizeIf Ken Hill -- in 1995 -- is the best starting pitcher the contending Indians have ever acquired at the trade deadline, what does that say about the talent available for prospects?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Glitz and sizzle characterize the run-up to baseball's July 31 trade deadline, when players can be acquired without having to pass through waivers.

Fans of contenders salivate at the prospect of seeing a big bat or big arm -- or a Christmas-in-the-summer combination -- arriving to help down the stretch and, hopefully, in an extended playoff run.

Indians faithful has heightened anticipation this season, the Tribe's first as potential buyers since 2007. Who will he be, General Manager Chris Antonetti? Who will they be?

The better question, at least in the Indians' case, might be: Will it really matter?

Since realignment in 1994, which happened to be when the Indians contended for the first time in what seemed like forever, the franchise has been in position to buy more than sell. The Indians were contenders from 1994 through 2001, missing the playoffs once (2000). They tore down/rebuilt from 2002-04, contended in 2005, stumbled in 2006, made the playoffs in 2007, faltered in 2008 and rebuilt in 2009-10.

During those years as an American League Central power, and again when the opportunity presented itself in the lean early 2000s, the Indians made their share of deals in June and July with hopes of providing a boost. Problem is, the vast majority of players acquired did not distinguish themselves.

Those in charge of the Tribe at the time would maintain that those clubs already were stacked and, as legitimate World Series contenders, merely needed to be tweaked. They would also contend that to secure a headliner required too much of a price, both in signability long term and high-level prospects given up.

Even if those points are accepted by nose-holding cynics, though, the reality is this: The Indians could have used more contributions than what they got, especially in the postseason. A case can be made that the Aug. 31 deadline for non-waiver deals has benefited the Indians more per capita, if only marginally.

When it comes to trade-deadline deals, the Indians actually have performed much better as sellers than buyers.

Here is a capsule look at the significant trades involving Indians in June and July from 1994 through 2010:

1994

Acquired: Reliever Jeff Russell from Boston for Chris Nabholz and Steve Farr. (July 1)

Skinny: Whether Russell would have helped will never be known because the strike ended the season in August. Tribe was 66-47, second, one game behind White Sox in the Central. Russell had five saves and a 4.97 ERA with Cleveland.

1995

Acquired: Starter Ken Hill from St. Louis for three minor leaguers, including David Bell, Pepe McNeal and Rick Heiserman. (July 27)

Skinny: Indians went 100-44 and won division by 30 games. Hill arguably is Indians' best trade-deadline pickup since 1994. He went 4-1 in regular season, 2-1 in postseason. He won critical Game 4 of ALCS against Seattle as Indians pulled even, 2-2.

seitzer-tribe-1997-cc.jpgView full sizeWas Kevin Seitzer the missing link to an Indians World Series triumph? Eh, not so much.

1996

Acquired: Outfielder Mark Carreon from San Francisco for Jim Poole. (July 9)

Acquired: Pitcher Kent Mercker from Baltimore for Eddie Murray. (July 21)

Acquired: Infielders Jeff Kent and Jose Vizcaino from Mets for Carlos Baerga and Alvaro Espinoza (July 29).

Skinny: In last two instances, it was more about players lost than players gained. At the time of the Kent trade, the Indians were seven clear in the division. Mercker was a non-factor, Kent and Vizcaino nothing special for balance of regular season (99-62, first by 14 1/2). In division series upset loss to Baltimore, Kent was 1-for-8 and Vizcaino 4-for-12.

Note: On Aug. 31, Indians traded Jeromy Burnitz to Milwaukee for Kevin Seitzer. Seitzer was supposed to be a key bat in extended postseason run but never got the chance; he went 5-for-17 with four RBI against Orioles. Carreon DNP in ALDS.

1997

Acquired: Starter John Smiley and utility man Jeff Branson from Cincinnati for Danny Graves, Damian Jackson, Scott Winchester and Jim Crowell. (July 31)

Acquired: Pitcher Jeff Juden from Montreal for Steve Kline. (July 31)

Skinny: Indians were leading the division by just three games; they eventually won by six with 86-75 record. Smiley, a 20-game winner for Pittsburgh in 1991,was supposed to be a difference-maker in the playoff race and potential World Series run. But he pitched just six games (2-4, 5.54 ERA) for the Tribe before blowing out his arm preparing for a start at Kansas City in September. Branson and Juden did not do much in regular season or postseason. Branson was 0-for-3 with three strikeouts in postseason, including 0-for-1 in World Series.

Note: On Aug. 31, Indians traded minor leaguer Roland DeLaMaza to Kansas City for Bip Roberts. The Bipster was OK in the regular season; went 6-for-19 in division series victory over Yankees; 3-for-20 in ALCS victory over Baltimore; and 6-for-22 in World Series.

1998

Acquired: Reliever Doug Jones from Milwaukee for Eric Plunk (July 23).

Acquired: Reliever Steve Reed and outfielder Jacob Cruz from San Francisco for Jose Mesa, Al Morman and Shawon Dunston. (July 23)

Skinny: Indians led by 101/2 at deadline. They finished 89-73 and won division by nine. Jones and Reed were non-factors in regular season and postseason. Tribe beat Red Sox in division series and took mighty Yankees (114-48) to six games in ALCS.

Note: On Aug. 31, Indians traded David Bell to Seattle for Joey Cora. Cora went 1-for-17 with three runs in playoffs.

1999

Skinny: Indians were loaded to begin the season and led division by 14 1/2 at end of July. They finished 97-65, 21 1/2 games clear. In retrospect, they should have done something at non-waiver deadline because of division-series loss to Boston, 3-2. But Tribe led Red Sox, 2-0, and appeared ready to advance until Red Sox went wild.

Note: On Aug. 16, Indians acquired utility infielder Carlos Baerga from San Diego for cash. On Aug. 27, they acquired designated hitter Harold Baines from Baltimore for minor leaguers Juan Aracena and Jimmy Hamilton. On Aug. 31, they acquired catcher Tyler Houston from Cubs for minor leaguer Richard Negrette. Baines was 5-for-14 with homer and four RBI against Red Sox.

tribe-segui-2000-slam-vert-ap.jpgView full sizeFor the brief time he was with the Indians, David Segui might have been the most productive bat acquired by the team at the trade deadline.

2000

Acquired: Outfielder Ricky Ledee and two PTBNL from Yankees for David Justice. (June 29)

Received: Pitchers Zach Day and Jake Westbrook to complete Ledee trade. (July 25)

Acquired: Pitchers Bob Wickman, Jason Bere and Steve Woodard from Milwaukee for Richie Sexson, Kane Davis, Paul Rigdon and Marco Scutaro (July 28).

Acquired: Infielder Wil Cordero from Pittsburgh for Alex Ramirez and Enrique Wilson. (July 28)

Acquired: First baseman David Segui from Texas for Ledee. (July 28)

Skinny: Ledee, supposed to be a young star on the rise, cried over the reality that he had been traded from his beloved Yankees. His flameout (.222 in 17 games) was small part of reason Indians finished 90-72, second, five games behind White Sox in Central. Tribe narrowly missed wild-card berth.

Rental Segui mitigated the failed Ledee experiment by hitting .332 in 57 games. Segui, of all people, is the most productive bat the Indians have landed before the deadline since 1994. Bere (6-3, 6.63 ERA) and Woodard (3-3, 5.67) were mediocre, at best. Wickman (1-3, 14 saves) was decent.

2001

Acquired: Reliever John Rocker and prospect Troy Cameron from Atlanta for Steve Karsay and Steve Reed. (June 22)

Acquired: Outfielder Milton Bradley to Montreal for pitcher Zach Day. (July 31)

Skinny: For all the hype surrounding Rocker's arrival, it turned out to be much ado about nothing. He went 3-7 with a 5.45 ERA and four saves in 38 games in the regular season and gave up one unearned run in one inning of a division series loss to Seattle (3-2). His act had grown stale. Young Bradley, another head case, was optioned to Class AAA after the trade and was non-factor with the major-league club. Indians (91-71, first by six) possessed the talent to upset Mariners (116-46), but one too many hitters went south, especially against soft-tossing Jamie Moyer.

2002

Skinny: Indians flopped in first half and became sellers for first time in Jacobs Field era. On June 27, in what turned out to be a monster trade, the Indians sent Bartolo Colon and fellow pitcher Tim Drew to Montreal for first baseman Lee Stevens and prospects Cliff Lee, Grady Sizemore and Brandon Phillips. Colon (Angels) and Lee (Indians) later won AL Cy Young Awards. Sizemore (Indians) and Phillips (Reds) became All-Stars in their 20s. Indians finished 74-88, third, 20 1/2 back.

2003

Skinny: Full-blown rebuild resulted in 68-94 record, fourth place, 22 back.

2004

Skinny: Rebuild showed signs of fruition as Indians went 80-82 and placed third, 12 back.

2005

Skinny: At trade deadline, Indians were 55-51, second place, 14 1/2 back. They did not make any significant additions, then went 38-18 in the "second half" to finish 93-69, second, six games behind eventual world champion White Sox. They closed season 1-6, including 1-5 at home, to squander wild-card opportunity. Indians featured 10 players who appeared in 137-plus games and five starting pitchers who threw at least 181 2/3 innings.

2006

Skinny: Indians flopped early and often and were 45-59, fourth, 24 1/2 back at end of July. The finished 78-84, fourth, 18 back. What happened June 30 and July 26 are two of countless cautionary tales about trading prospects; both mistakes were made by the Seattle Mariners and ended up benefiting Cleveland beyond belief.

Seattle management, attempting to show it was serious about winning, acquired veteran Eduardo Perez in June for an infielder named Asdrubal Cabrera. Seemingly trying to out-do itself the next month, Seattle acquired Ben Broussard for pitcher Shawn Nottingham and an outfielder named Shin-Soo Choo. Among others dealt by the Tribe in July: Bob Wickman to Atlanta for Max Ramirez and Ronnie Belliard to St. Louis for Hector Luna.

lofton-2007-vert-alcs-cc.jpgView full sizeKenny Lofton was a familiar face who provided a boost for the 2007 Indians.

2007

Acquired: Outfielder Kenny Lofton from Texas for Max Ramirez. (July 27)

Skinny: Indians were in second place, one game back, at end of July. They went 17-11 in August and 19-9 in September to finish 96-66, first place by eight games. Lofton hit .283 in 52 games in regular season. Tribe beat Yankees in division series (Lofton: .375) but blew 3-1 lead in ALCS against Red Sox (Lofton: .222).

Lofton still wants to know why third-base coach Joel Skinner held him at third in a then-close Game 7 at Fenway Park.

2008

Skinny: Indians stumbled to 47-60 record at end of July. They were in last place, 12 1/2 games back. They finished 81-81, third, 7 1/2 back. On July 7, CC Sabathia was shipped to Milwaukee for elite prospect Matt LaPorta, pitchers Zach Jackson and Rob Bryson and PTBNL (Michael Brantley, Oct. 3).

On July 26, the Indians sent Casey Blake and cash to the Dodgers for pitcher John Meloan and upper-level prospect catcher Carlos Santana.

2009

Skinny: Full-blow rebuild resulted in 65-97 record, fourth, 21 1/2 back. Eric Wedge was canned in final week of season.

On June 27, reliever Chris Perez arrived from St. Louis along with pitcher Jess Todd for Mark DeRosa. As part of an epic sell-off over three days, Indians traded Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco to Philadelphia on July 29 and Victor Martinez to Boston on July 31. Received were pitchers Justin Masterson, Carlos Carrasco, Bryan Price, Jason Knapp and Nick Hagadone, infielder Jason Donald and catcher Lou Marson.

2010

Skinny: Rebuild continued with signs of improvement. Indians finished 69-93, fourth, 25 back. Russell Branyan (for outfielder Ezequiel Carrera and pitcher Juan Diaz), Jhonny Peralta (pitcher Giovanni Soto), Austin Kearns (pitcher Zach McAllister), Jake Westbrook (pitcher Corey Kluber) and Kerry Wood (pitcher Andrew Shive and infielder Matt Cusick) were traded.

Douglas' 3-pointer leads East to WNBA All-Star win: Video

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There were the record number of first-time WNBA All-Stars, and a halftime ceremony honoring the best players in WNBA history.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — There were the record number of first-time WNBA All-Stars, and a halftime ceremony honoring the best players in WNBA history. Indiana Fever guard Katie Douglas didn't fit into either category.

So she made her mark another way.

The four-time All-Star capped one of the closest WNBA midseason showcases ever by hitting the go-ahead 3-pointer with 56.7 seconds left, and the Eastern Conference hung on for just its third All-Star game victory over the West, 118-113 on Saturday.

"We got together during practice and the first thing we said was that we wanted to win," said New York Liberty guard Cappie Pondexter, who led the East with 17 points. "Alongside of having fun we wanted to be victorious today and we accomplished that. Good job."

At halftime, Pondexter was also named one of the WNBA's Top 15 players of all-time, in celebration of this league's 15th season.

Douglas finished with 15 points and helped the East win just its third All-Star game in 10 tries — but also third in the last four. Connecticut Sun center Tina Charles scored 15, and headlined a record group of 10 players who made their All-Star debuts in this year's game.

Swin Cash led the West with 21 points and 12 rebounds and was named MVP for the second time. Former WNBA star Lisa Leslie is the only other player with multiple All-Star MVP awards.

Cash, the Seattle Storm's four-time All-Star, was also named MVP in 2009. She is also the league's first All-Star MVP from the losing team.

"I think so many players played well. It could've been anyone," Cash said.

The four-time All-Star singled out Rebekkah Brunson, who had 20 points and nine rebounds for the West. Brunson started in place of Los Angeles Sparks center Candace Parker, who is out due to a knee injury and still has yet to play in an All-Star game despite ranking among the WNBA's elite players since her 2008 rookie year.

Parker's next chance may not come until 2013. Next summer is the Olympics, and the league may cancel the game — as it did in 2008 — while its biggest names play for the U.S. national team.

"We're thrilled that it's an Olympic year, and we'll obviously build our schedule to accommodate that," WNBA president Laurel Richie said before the game.

wnba-all-star2011.jpgEast's Crystal Langhorne, right, shoots over West's Swin Cash during the first half of the WNBA All-Star basketball game.

Neither side led by more than five points. The West's last chance came down to San Antonio's Becky Hammon scrambling to shoot a 3-pointer, but she instead found herself without an open shot and nowhere to pass. Her desperate bid to escape a trap ended with her whistled for traveling with 3.5 seconds left.

"I think about midway through the fourth quarter both teams decided they wanted to win," Hammon said. "We just came up a little bit short today."

It was a disappointing end in an otherwise humbling day for Hammon, who was among the 15 current and former WNBA players named as the league's best ever. All-Stars Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings and Diana Taurasi also made the list.

"I was young when the WNBA started, at the end of my high school career," Bird said. "I watched them on TV and watched them in the Olympics. To be in the same group as those players is such an honor."

Tulsa's Liz Cambage, a late All-Star addition in place of Parker, scored 13 points for the West. Taurasi also had 13 points and Phoenix's Penny Taylor added 11.

New York's Essence Carson scored 13 points off the bench for the East and Connecticut's Renee Montgomery added 12. Catchings, playing in her seventh All-Star game, finished with 11 points.

Douglas' 3 summed up how the East won the game. The East shot 47 percent from behind the arc while hitting 16 3s, more than twice as many as the West. Douglas, Carson and Montgomery each hit three 3s.

It was the East's first victory since 2007, when it won 103-99.

Cinesport video: 2011 WNBA All-Star Game

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


Foiled Again, Kakaley win again at Northfield's Battle of Lake Erie

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Driver Matt Kakaley, 23, and Foiled Again, a 7-year-old son of 2000 Battle of Lake Erie winner Dragon Again, teamed to win the 2009 edition, too.

NORTHFIELD, Ohio -- Steady sprinkles slowed the pace only slightly at Saturday night's $100,000 Battle of Lake Erie at Northfield Park, but they couldn't cool off young reinsman Matt Kakaley and veteran pacer Foiled Again, who won the stakes race for the second time on a sloppy track with a 1:52 mile.

Kakaley, 23, and Foiled Again, a 7-year-old son of 2000 Battle of Lake Erie winner Dragon Again, teamed to win the 2009 edition, too.

It was a battle from start to finish, the six-horse field tightly knotted from a fast start to a torrid finish. Fire on the Water blasted to the early lead, with Foiled Again right behind. Heading to a 27-second quarter, Kakaley wasn't comfortable sitting in second place and pulled out to take the lead.

"I was worried about getting trapped and knew I had to make my move with Foiled Again right away," said Kakaley, his face speckled with mud. "I felt I had a much better chance going around Fire on the Water, and putting him between me and Hypnotic Blue Chip."

Last year's winner, Hypnotic Blue Chip, had a pair of driver changes. Trainer Kevin McDermott, who had booked a helicopter to fly Dave Palone -- and then Hall of Famer Ron Pierce after Palone bowed out -- to Northfield, had the flight grounded by bad weather. Ryan Stahl was a last-minute substitute, and he kept Hypnotic Blue Chip right behind Foiled Again.

With a gang of pacers right behind, Foiled Again managed to turn for home with about a length lead that was quickly shrinking. Kakaley managed to keep the gelding going strong to the wire for a diminishing head victory over a hard-charging Giddy Up Lucky, with Hypnotic Blue Chip a close third. It was the eighth win in 15 starts this season for Foiled Again, trained by Ron Burke and owned by the Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi and JJK Stables.

The win pushed Foiled Again's season bankroll to $544,000 and his career earnings to $2.55 million.

Favored Foiled Again paid $3.80, 2.20, 2.10; Giddy Up Lucky $2.80, 2.20; and Hypnotic Blue Chip $2.20.

The unexpected thrill of near-perfection: Cleveland Indians Memories

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Here is Sunday's essay by David McDermott of Medina.

tribe-kramer-93-dugout-pdfile.jpgView full sizeIn his one full big-league season with the Indians, Tom Kramer went 7-3 with a 4.02 ERA in 1993 -- with one very memorable victory over the Texas Rangers.

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 Sunday's essay by David McDermott of Medina:

Who is Tom Kramer?

Even the most diehard Indians fan might have trouble answering that question. A right-handed reliever and occasional starter, Kramer got a September call-up in 1991 and a few months in the rotation in 1993. Then, just like that, he was gone.

In May 1993, though, Kramer was scheduled to start on my brother's annual birthday Tribe game. It was to be Tom Kramer vs. Kevin Brown, or, more precisely, a no-name who had never won a game in his career vs. one of the best pitchers in the league.

Kramer had been fine through three, but, in the top of the fourth, Julio Franco came up for the Rangers and smashed a pitch over the left-centerfield fence. It cut the Indians' lead to 3-1.

We assumed, in a Cleveland way, that Julio's would be the first step toward Kramer's demise. Somebody would scratch a single, somebody would misplay a grounder and, just like that, it would be 7-3 (as often happened). A strange thing happened after Julio's homer, though. Nothing. Not a thing. Kramer locked in and cruised. He closed out the fourth and breezed through the next three innings, three up and three down.

About the eighth inning, people began catching on that Kramer was throwing a hell of a game. We felt compelled to appreciate it and, in fact, people began applauding every out. Here he was, Tom Kramer (whoever heard of him?), beating one of the top pitchers in baseball and shutting down an offensive powerhouse for his first major-league win.

When Kramer got the final out, we checked the scorecard and realized how close he'd been to something even greater: one hit, one run, no walks, eight strikeouts, 28 batters faced. Not a soul besides Franco had reached first base. As we stood and applauded, we realized that one pitch located differently and May 24, 1993 could have gone down in the annals as the 12th perfect game of the modern era.

It could have been a ticket to save, a memory to hold forever. We could have been one of the few who had seen the perfect game, the greatest pitching accomplishment in baseball. As it was, we left the stadium shaking our heads and thinking of that other May evening in Cleveland.

"Almost," we said, "almost Len Barker."

Indians' Justin Masterson, White Sox' Edwin Jackson square off

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Indians right-hander Justin Masterson faces White Sox righty Edwin Jackson on Sunday afternoon.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Indians right-hander Justin Masterson and White Sox righty Edwin Jackson, both coming off quality performances, oppose each other Sunday afternoon at Progressive Field.

First pitch is scheduled for 1:05.

On July 19 in Minnesota, Masterson gave up four hits in 7 2/3 innings and exited with a 1-0 lead. The Twins scored two in the ninth to win, 2-1.

Masterson is 3-2 with a 1.75 ERA in his last nine appearances (eight starts).

On July 16 in Detroit, Jackson threw a nine-hitter and beat the Tigers, 5-0. Jackson allowed 11 runners; he became the first White Sox pitcher since Richard Dotson in 1984 to craft a shutout while allowing at least 11 runners.

Tribe quick hits:

*Indians (51-47) have their best record at this point since 2007 (58-40).

*They are 1-5 against White Sox, including 1-3 at Progressive Field.

*Outfielder Michael Brantley is hitting .333 (25-for-75) in July.

*Reliever Joe Smith has allowed two earned runs in his last 29 1/3 innings.

*Outfielder Travis Buck has hit in eight of his last 12 games (11-for-38, .289).

*Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera is hitting .269 (18-for-67) with four homers in July.

*Second baseman Orlando Cabrera is 5-for-39 in his last 10 games. But he is 7-for-21 against Jackson -- the main reason he is in the lineup Sunday and not Jason Kipnis.

New Hag: Class AAA Columbus Clippers reliever Nick Hagadone worked two scoreless innings Saturday night. Since June 23 at Columbus, he has allowed one earned run in 15 2/3 innings.

In a combined 33 appearances for Columbus and Class AA Akron this season, Hagadone owns a 2.75 ERA in 52 1/3 innings and has struck out 55.

Hagadone, 25, a hard-throwing lefty, was acquired from Boston in the Victor Martinez trade in July 2009. Masterson also came in the deal.

As the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline nears, Hagadone's name continues to surface as a prospect other teams would want. The Indians consider starters Drew Pomeranz and Alex White and third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall as virtually untouchable; Hagadone and second baseman Kipnis are a shade below that status.

Lineups:

White Sox -- 1. Pierre lf; 2. Ramirez ss; 3. Konerko 1b; 4. Dunn dh; 5. Quentin rf; 6. Pierzynski c; 7. Rios cf; 8. Teahen 3b; 9. Vizquel 2b; and Jackson rhp.

Indians -- 1. Carrera cf; 2. Brantley lf; 3. A.Cabrera ss; 4. Hafner dh; 5. Santana c; 6. O.Cabrera 2b; 7. Chisenhall 3b; 8. LaPorta 1b; 9. Buck rf; and Masterson rhp.

 

NFL lockout 2011: Owners and players have reached agreement on new labor deal to end lockout: Report

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Sources from both sides tell ESPN that players' vote to approve is a mere formality.

colt-mccoy-bengals.jpgBrowns quarterback Colt McCoy running with the football against the Bengals last season. The teams are scheduled to open their regular seasons on Sept. 11 in Cleveland.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The National Football League's owners and the NFL Players Association have agreed on the remaining issues that stood in the way of a new collective bargaining agreement between the sides, according to sources, ESPN.com reports.

The sides appear ready to settle on a 10-year contract, and if all goes according to schedule, training camps will be in full swing by next weekend.

Part of the ESPN.com report:

Despite the fact the new agreement will require a majority vote from the players, that part of the deal between the two sides is considered a formality, according to sources.

The NFLPA is making plans for a major press conference Monday. But first the player reps' executive committee is scheduled to fly to Washington, D.C., on Sunday so they can vote Monday.

Just as the NFL would not have called a vote Thursday in Atlanta without knowing it would pass in the way it did -- 31-0 with one abstention -- the NFLPA would also not be going forward without that assurance.

According to the report, the NFLPA executive committee will vote on Monday whether to recommend approval of the new collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The player representative from each of the 32 teams will then vote whether to recommend approval of the contract.

More of the timeline, from the ESPN.com report:  

• Wednesday: Players from some teams report to facilities and vote whether to recertify the NFLPA as a union and accept the proposed CBA. If the NFLPA has gotten the necessary votes, teams can also start contract talks with their own players, including free agents and draft choices.

• Friday: The remaining players report and vote whether to approve recertification and the CBA. If the NFLPA then receives the necessary 50-percent-plus-one-vote majority in approval, then it recertifies as a union.

• Saturday: Free agency starts and teams can officially sign players.

Cleveland Indians drop the ball, hand another win to Chicago White Sox, 4-2

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Faulty defense provides Chicago with three unearned runs and victimizes Justin Masterson once again.

carrera-error-wsox-cc.jpgView full sizeEzequiel Carrera has Adam Dunn's harmless fly ball bounce off the heel of his glove to allow two Chicago runs to score in the sixth inning of the White Sox's 4-2 victory Sunday at Progressive Field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It is bad enough when the Indians repeatedly fail to score for their ace, right-hander Justin Masterson. When they combine lack of runs with poor defense, it becomes odoriferous -- especially so against a division rival at home.

Masterson pitched superbly, again, but received minimal help Sunday afternoon in a 4-2 loss to the White Sox at Progressive Field. Three Tribe errors led to three unearned runs. The White Sox (49-51) pulled within 2 1/2 games of the second-place Tribe (51-48) in the American League Central. The Indians have lost four straight and nine of 13. They have dropped five in a row at home.

Masterson allowed one earned run on four hits, walked one and struck out six in seven innings. He slipped to 8-7 despite owning one of the league's best earned-run averages at 2.57. The Indians have scored two runs or fewer in 10 of his 21 starts.

"Masterson was brilliant one more time, and our bullpen did a tremendous job," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "We pitched well enough to win, 2-1. But we didn't play good enough defense to win, 2-1."

Tribe center fielder Ezequiel Carrera and shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera committed errors that allowed batters to reach base and push runs across. Catcher Carlos Santana moved a runner along with a wild throw.

"Unfortunately, probably the two best defenders on the field ended up not making plays that kind of hurt us," Acta said of Carrera and Cabrera. "When you're not scoring enough runs, you can't be giving away outs."

The game came apart for the Indians with two outs in the top of the sixth. The score was tied, 1-1. With runners on first and second, Masterson got left-handed batter Adam Dunn to hit a high fly to center. Carrera raced back, turned near the edge of the warning track and wobbled. He tried to regroup, but his feet were shaky. The ball kicked off his glove.

The White Sox turned the gift into a 3-1 advantage. Omar Vizquel and Paul Konerko scored, the latter having been intentionally walked ahead of Dunn.

"He had a pretty tough play, where he had to turn his back and run to it," Vizquel said. "When he got there, it seemed like he took his eyes off the ball."

Acta wondered what happened. "He was kind of stumbling," he said. "The sun wasn't even out. It was cloudy, and his sunglasses were on top of his head. He just stumbled back there and dropped it."

Evidently, a breeze moving toward left field had carried the ball enough to wreck havoc. When Carrera relocated the ball after stumbling near the track, it was not where he thought it would be.

Carrera, through interpreter Francisco Morales, made no excuses. Morales is the Tribe's bullpen catcher.

"When I turned to feel for the warning track, the ball was moving away from me," he said. "But I thought I was in the right spot. I was right underneath it, I just missed it."

The Indians pulled within one in their half of the sixth. Cabrera led off with a walk and scored from first on Travis Hafner's single to right-center. Cabrera was running on the pitch, and third-base coach Steve Smith gambled by pinwheeling him.

Chicago capitalized on more shaky defense in the seventh. With one out, Alex Rios reached on a fielding error by Cabrera, who backed up on a soft liner that hit the ground. Cabrera tried to make the pick side-saddle, to no avail. Rios stole second and cruised to third because Santana air-mailed the throw. Rios scored on Mark Teahen's single.

"We should have won, but we made a few mistakes and it didn't happen," Masterson said. "I felt like I did what I needed to do, but we win as team and lose as a team."

Masterson, relieved by Joe Smith to begin the seventh, threw 73 of 112 pitches for strikes. All but a handful of the pitches were fastballs that zigged and zagged through the zone.

Masterson is 3-2 with a 1.22 ERA in his last seven games (six starts). Beyond the pitcher himself, no one is happier than Acta to see Masterson's emergence as a force.

"I can't even remember anymore when he had a rough outing," Acta said. "He's been so good the whole season. I'm so proud of him because last year, every five days, I had to sit here and defend our decision to have him start. It paid off. We let him go out there and develop, and now he's a guy you can't wait to see every five days."

Chicago righty Edwin Jackson allowed the two runs on five hits in six innings. Jackson improved to 9-1 career against the Indians, including 5-0 with a 1.90 ERA in 47 1/3 innings at Progressive Field.

"Even when he makes a mistake, because he throws 97 mph, it's not that easy to square up," Acta said.

On Twitter: @dmansworldpd


P.M. Cleveland Browns links: Joe Thomas called NFL's best offensive tackle by USA Today

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Twice first-team all-pro and 4-of-4 on Pro Bowl invites, Thomas has been one of the Browns' few bright spots. More Browns links as it appears the lockout will soon end.

joe-thomas73.jpgThe Browns' Joe Thomas has been named the NFL's best offensive tackle.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Most of the constants for the Cleveland Browns in recent seasons have been negatives.

Such as losing games.

Talent experts, though, have constantly referred to Browns left tackle Joe Thomas, as one of the NFL's premier offfensive linemen.

In fact, USA Today -- as have some other publications -- has picked Thomas as the best offensive tackle in the NFL.

Scott Zucker writes about Thomas for USAToday.com (the Tucker referred to is former NFL -- and Browns -- offensive lineman Ross Tucker):  

He's more than surpassed his own hype (even if it was relatively muted four years ago), collecting four Pro Bowl invitations and twice being named first-team all-pro. Despite being surrounded by fairly mediocre offensive talent, Thomas, 26, has helped lead aging Jamal Lewis (twice) and formerly unheralded Peyton Hillis (acquired in the Quinn trade) to 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Such accomplishments helped Thomas emerge as USA TODAY's top vote-getter at the tackle position.

Jamie Dukes played offensive line in the league for a decade before joining the NFL Network. He calls Thomas "smooth as silk." He also praises his "great footwork and functional strength."

Tucker agrees with Dukes mostly: "I like that (Thomas is) so consistent and so smooth. But I'd liked to see him be more physical. There used to be a lot of guys that wanted to physically dominate their opponent. We don't see that much anymore."

Thomas leads off the USAToday.com photo gallery of the top 10 offensive tackles.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage includes a Starting Blocks report, citing ESPN.com, that the NFL and the NFL Players Association have -- according to sources -- agreed to a new labor deal that will end the lockout; Tony Grossi's report that Browns president Mike Holmgren is optimistic about a new labor contract; Grossi's "Hey, Tony,!" answering readers' questions; also, "Terry Pluto's Talkin;' " and much more.

Post patterns

Once free agency begins, the Browns might pursue a wide receiver. Re-visiting an SI.com photo gallery of wide receivers who might be available as free agents.

Fullback Lawrence Vickers could still return to the Browns, writes Samuel Ingro for the National Football Authority.

General manager Tom Heckert says the Browns want to win now, writes Jeff Schudel for th News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal.

Mike Holmgren is hopeful that players will approve a new labor deal, writes Nate Ulrich for the Akron Beacon Journal.

Mike Holmgren talks about the Browns. By Matt Florjancic on clevelandbrowns.com.

Issues that Browns first-year coach Pat Shurmur will be facing, by Dave Kolonich for the Orange and Brown Report on Scout.com.

Roberto Alomar and Bert Blyleven, former Cleveland Indians, inducted into the Hall of Fame

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Alomar played second base for the Indians from 1999-2001 and Blyleven was a Tribe pitcher from 1981-85. Powerhouse team-builder Pat Gillick was also inducted.

gillick-alomar-blyleven.jpg(Left to right) Pat Gillick, Roberto Alomar and Bert Blyleven were inducted into the Hall of Fame on Sunday.

COOPERSTOWN, New York -- With Puerto Rican flags waving in the breeze and many of his countrymen cheering in appreciation, Roberto Alomar was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday.

(Roberto Alomar, the brother of fomer Indians catcher and current Tribe coach Sandy Alomar, Jr., played for the Indians from 1999-2001. Bert Blyleven played for the Indians from 1981-85.

Earier this week, Plain Dealer reporter Bill Lubinger wrote a feature story on Alomar and a feature story on Blyleven).

Speaking first in his native Spanish, the third Puerto Rican player to be enshrined, along with Orlando Cepeda and Roberto Clemente, said he felt proud to be a Puerto Rican.

"I always played for my island," he said at Sunday's ceremony in Cooperstown, N.Y., before adding "It is a true blessing to be able to share this moment with all of you. I have you in my heart."

The governor of Puerto Rico, Luis Fortuno, took a moment to congratulate Alomar, saying that his induction "is an honor for all Puerto Ricans." He thanked Alomar for representing his Caribbean homeland well in the big leagues.

Alomar, a member of the Toronto Blue Jays' World Series championship teams in 1992 and 1993, is the first player to enter the Hall of Fame wearing a Blue Jays cap and just the 20th second baseman to be inducted.

"I did not know how nervous I would be," said Alomar, who was bypassed in his first year of eligibility and on his second try was named on 90 percent of ballots cast, becoming the 26th player to garner at least 90 percent in any election. "Suddenly, I feel speechless."

The switch-hitting Alomar won a record 10 Gold Gloves at second base, was a 12-time All-Star and a career .300 hitter.

Full of baseball smarts and grace, he's also linked with one of the game's most tawdry moments -- he spit on umpire John Hirschbeck during an argument in 1996. The two have long since moved past that, and Hirschbeck was invited to come on Sunday. He had to decline because he's working a game in St. Louis.

Also inducted Sunday was right-hander Bert Blyleven, the first Dutch-born player to be enshrined. He thanked his late father and 85-year-old mother for the drive and determination he needed to succeed.

Blyleven, whose amazing curveball frustrated batters, finished with 287 wins, 3,701 strikeouts, 60 shutouts and a pair of World Series rings -- in 1979 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and 1987 with the Twins.

Blyleven's path toward the Hall was a slow, steep one -- he drew the backing of only 14.1 percent one year -- but on his 14th try became the first pure starting pitcher to get selected by the BBWAA since Nolan Ryan in 1999.

Blyleven's father, who died of Parkinson's in 2004, fell in love with baseball and the Dodgers after the family moved to Southern California in the late 1950s.

"I wish he was here," Blyleven said. "But you know, mom, I know he's up there looking down right now."

Front-office guru Pat Gillick was the other inductee. His teams posted winning records in 20 of his 27 seasons as a general manager and advanced to the postseason 11 times. He was general manager when the Blue Jays won World Series titles in 1992 and 1993 and the Phillies in 2008.

Omar Vizquel makes another timeless defensive play to turn back Tribe: Indians Insider

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At 44 years, 3 months, "Little O" helped defeat the Indians, 4-2, Sunday afternoon at Progressive Field.

vizquel-hoisted-wsox-vert-cc.jpgView full sizeChicago's Brent Morel shows his appreciation for Omar Vizquel's game-ending play at second base Sunday afternoon at Progressive Field. Vizquel went onto the right-field grass to grab a Lonnie Chisenhall grounder and threw him out to seal the 4-2 White Sox victory.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Omar Vizquel might play until he is 50. Or 55.

Given Vizquel's superior physical condition and love for the game, who knows what his limit is? At 44 years, 3 months, "Little O" helped defeat the Indians, 4-2, Sunday afternoon at Progressive Field.

Vizquel started at second base and batted ninth for manager Ozzie Guillen. He went 1-for-3 with a run and made a terrific defensive play to end the game.

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning and Carlos Santana on second, Lonnie Chisenhall grounded sharply into the hole at second. Vizquel dived to knock down the ball, which basically was behind him, and gathered himself in time to deny Chisenhall. Tribe fans saw plenty of such wizardry from Vizquel as he piled up Gold Gloves as their shortstop from 1994-2004.

Vizquel is hitting .270 in 42 games as a utility infielder. He ranks in the top three among active players with 2,833 hits, 823 coming at Progressive Field. Having played in 2,892 games, he needs four more to tie Brooks Robinson for 13th all-time.

Vizquel, who debuted with Seattle in 1989, received a loud ovation when he was introduced to bat in the third.

J.T. time: It is not as if Indians right-hander Josh Tomlin is in a slump. Tomlin continues to crank out starts of five-plus innings that give his team a chance to win, amassing an 11-4 record and 4.12 ERA in 126 2/3 innings. But the engine is not humming in June/July as efficiently as it was in April/May.

In 10 starts over the season's first two months, Tomlin went a combined 6-2 with a 2.74 ERA (20 earned runs in 65 2/3 innings). He allowed .75 hits per inning. In nine starts over the next two months, he is 5-2 with a 5.61 ERA (38 earned runs in 61 innings). He has allowed 1.13 hits per inning.

From where Tomlin stands on the mound or sits to watch game replays, he has noticed that hitters have grown tired of falling behind in the count. Tomlin has walked just 15 batters this season.

"Guys are being a lot more aggressive against me," said Tomlin, in his second year in the majors. "Teams have seen me multiple times, they've seen more video of me. They know I like to get ahead, and they don't want to be forced to hit a pitcher's pitch.

"They're looking for good stuff early, so I need to adjust my approach a little bit. I've got to do a better job of keeping the hitters off-balance."

Tomlin said "a little bit" for a reason. He knows the ability to make adjustments holds the key to survival at the game's highest level, but it also is a fine line. Being too reactive can exacerbate matters.

"I'm not going to change the way I approach a game," he said. "I'm always going to throw to my strengths before I go to a hitter's weaknesses. I'm not going to go outside what I know I can do, outside of what got me here."

Tomlin said he simply needs to make better pitches -- regardless of count. "I'm leaving too many balls up," he said.

Pitchers will lose the feel for certain pitches during stretches of a season. For Tomlin, at the moment, it's the cutter.

"The cutter is not as consistent as it was earlier in the year," he said. "It's kind of flattened out, and I'm not locating it inside to lefties as well as I need to."

Tomlin has allowed 18 homers. It bothers him, sure, but not too much.

"With my style of pitching, homers are going to happen," he said. "If I make a mistake up in the zone, there's a chance it's going to go a long way because I'm not overpowering people. I'd rather make a guy hit it 400 feet than put him on easy."

Tomlin has made 32 career starts. Assuming a five-man rotation with no injuries, it would be the equivalent of a full season. He is 17-8 with a 4.28 ERA in 199 2/3 innings. Most American League starters would take those numbers and race to the bank. The numbers are especially good for a 19th-round pick who, as recently as 12 months ago, was not on many radar screens.

"The first goal I set for myself at the beginning of a season is to be healthy enough to make every start," he said. "Then I want to be as consistent as possible and work off that."

Tomlin will pitch Tuesday against the Angels.

On Twitter: @dmansworldpd

Cleveland Indians vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: On deck

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Breaking down this week's home series against the pitching-rich Angels.

jweaver-ballflip-angels-vert-ap.jpgView full sizeJered Weaver brings his 1.81 ERA into Tuesday's game against the Indians at Progressive Field. He is expected to face Indians starter Josh Tomlin.

When: Monday through Wednesday.

Where: Progressive Field.

TV/radio: SportsTime Ohio Monday and Tuesday, WKYC/Ch. 3 on Tuesday, no TV on Wednesday; WTAM AM/1100.

Series: Angels lead, 4-2, this season. They lead, 309-286, all-time.

Pitching matchups: RHP Fausto Carmona (5-10, 5.63 ERA) vs. RHP Dan Haren (10-6, 3.10), Monday at 7:05; RHP Josh Tomlin (11-4, 4.12) vs. RHP Jered Weaver (13-4, 1.81), Tuesday at 7:05 p.m.; and LHP David Huff (1-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Ervin Santana (5-8, 3.69), Wednesday at 12:05 p.m.

Indians update: Indians have lost four straight. ... Tomlin has worked at least five innings in each of his 32 major-league appearances/starts dating to last season. ... Indians are hitting .180 (37-for-205) against Angels this season; no player with 10-plus official at-bats is hitting better than .250.

Angels update: Angels took two of three games in Baltimore. ... They have defeated the Indians three times by one run this season; overall run differential in six games is zero (17-17). ... Weaver has pitched 12 consecutive quality starts (six-plus innings, three or fewer earned runs). His ERA is lowest in club history after 21 starts. He has worked at least seven innings and allowed no more than one run in 11 games. On May 7 against Cleveland, Weaver gave up four runs in six innings of a 4-3 loss.

Injuries: Indians -- OF Trevor Crowe (right shoulder), RHP Alex White (middle finger), RHP Mitch Talbot (back), OF Grady Sizemore (hip, knee) and OF Shin-Soo Choo (left thumb) are on disabled list. Angels -- CF Peter Bourjos (right hamstring), RHP Francisco Rodriguez (shoulder) and 3B Freddy Sandoval (left oblique) are on DL. 1B Kendrys Morales (left leg) is out for season.

Next for Indians: Homestand concludes with three games against Kansas City beginning Friday.

Cleveland Indians' season on the brink deserves front office's best shot: Bud Shaw

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The last time the Indians were just three games over .500 was April 8. If they don't get some help at the trade deadline they risk giving back everything they gained, sports columnist Bud Shaw writes.

kearns-whiff-wsox-2011-vert-cc.jpgView full sizeWith an outfield fragmented by injuries and epitomized by another frustrating at-bat for Austin Kearns, the Indians are desperate for new blood to maintain any chance in the AL Central, says Bud Shaw.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Manny Acta says you'll be shocked and surprised (his exact words) by the effort to improve the Indians at the trade deadline.

Shocked and surprised is not the same as pleased, however.

There's always a catch.

"It hasn't been because of a lack of trying," the Indians' manager said on an afternoon at Progressive Field that was your basic cry for help. "I've been in the middle of everything. We're trying very hard to get the right guy in here. Or right guys."

Acta swears management isn't coming to the slow and painful conclusion that this team -- just three games over .500 now after that 30-15 start -- is missing too many pieces to justify being a buyer at the trade deadline.

"No way," he said. "The truth will come out. ... The effort is there."

And why wouldn't it be? Detroit is more talented but just as troubled in different areas. Minnesota is a modest losing streak from extinction. Chicago only looks like a contender against the Tribe.

For shock and awe to be part of the 2011 campaign requires more than the Indians taking a mighty swiing and miss at some top talent. They desperately need an outfield bat. I know what you're thinking after watching Ezequiel Carrera drop a deep fly ball allowing two Chicago runs in a 4-2 loss Sunday. An outfield glove wouldn't hurt either.

The Indians lost their fourth straight behind Justin Masterson as a direct result of gaffes by two of their better glove men, Carerra and Asdrubal Cabrera. In the American League, though, when you rue not winning a game, 2-1, as the Indians talked Sunday, that's a bad sign.

You need not be perfect all the time when you can hit more than occasionally. They scored two runs in two games against the White Sox, and the second one only because Asdrubal Cabrera was running on the pitch and slid home on a Travis Hafner single in the gap.

Six times since July 5 the Indians have scored three or fewer runs. Ten times they've been shut out this season. Considering their obvious needs, Acta was asked if he would be disappointed if the Indians didn't pull off a deal.

"If nothing happened because we didn't try, yeah," he said, before adding, "I'm not here to make the playoffs one year and lose the next five years."

There's not always just a catch. Sometimes there's two. No sane analyst would demand they trade "A list" prospects since just when they've started actually developing some. But there's enough middle ground to satisfy a dual agenda. Wiggle room abounds between making an acquisition that costs you top prospects, and improvement on what we're seeing in the outfield these days.

Don't get caught up over why Carrera was in center Sunday. We all know it's because Luis Valbuena wasn't available (ba-da-boom).

The Indians think he's their best defensive center fielder. The less-debatable conclusion is that they cannot win the division trotting out Michael Brantley, Carrera, Travis Buck and Austin Kearns in the outfield. While the Indians minus Grady Sizemore and Shin-Soo Choo are not good enough for one player to make the difference, a couple players capable of making a difference are a must. They need to strengthen the batting order and solidify the rotation, in that order.

They owe that to their clubhouse. They owe it to a fan base about to feel the generational pull of Browns' training camp rousing to life after a long NFL lockout.

The offense needs a spark. So does the connection made between team and town early in the season. That connection is fraying.

So shock and surprise away. The sooner the better.

A salvaged season can't erase shame from NFL's summer of labor strife: Commentary

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While the NFL is about to celebrate the end of a lockout and make an 11th-hour juke to slip past chaos, it needs to humble itself moving forward.

cowboys-jones-phone-2011-ap.jpgView full sizeIs it a simplification to suggest that NFL owners such as Jerry Jones keep their ears closed to what their fans really want --- let along the players? Perhaps, but one veteran NFL columnist says blame for this summer of pro football labor strife can be laid firmly on one side's doorstep.

Jerry Brewer

The Seattle Times

SEATTLE -- Even though arrogance, recklessness and greed proved to be formidable opponents, there's little doubt the NFL will land safely soon. It's unfortunate, really. The league deserved worse.

No regular-season games will be missed, no Sunday schedules will be altered, and no fantasy leagues will be ruined. Which means no heavy doses of fan outrage. The NFL's owners and players will soon be able to sigh and move on, oblivious to the disaster they averted. They're like procrastinating students who crammed their way to a passing grade. Never mind that their nonchalance and petty negotiating tactics nearly created a mess they couldn't clean up.

Like many, I have long considered the NFL to be the best pro sports league ever devised by man. Its parity-driven system is so good that it can make bad games seem like great ones with a couple of memorable fourth-quarter plays. It has yet to choke on its success the way that Major League Baseball and the NBA did. It also seems invincible because football is America's great sporting passion.

But it's not invincible. It's also not the beneficiary of its own genius. The public decides what's hot; always has and always will. And while the NFL is about to celebrate the end of a lockout and make an 11th-hour juke to slip past chaos, it needs to humble itself moving forward.

The four-month lockout has been an embarrassing display of distrust, legal ploys, power plays and rich-guy shadiness. You've heard of hissy fits. Call these richie fits. It's hard to believe that business partners in a $9 billion revenue-generating machine could be so void of perspective, but collecting as much money as possible is a callous pursuit.

From beginning to end, this lockout has specialized in ridiculousness. It started with the owners opting out of a lucrative collective-bargaining agreement with the players because it wanted an extra $1 billion for, well, you make up a reason. It got even crazier when the players decided to decertify as a union and pursue litigation. Then, like aftershocks following an earthquake, several other lawsuits rumbled through the courts.

The funny thing is that, if not for the players' suing, the men in black robes wouldn't have been able to get involved and force the owners and players back to the negotiating table. Who knows if both sides would be near a deal if not for that court-appointed mediator.

The lunacy continued last Thursday when NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the owners held a news conference to explain that they had ratified a new deal. The problem? It was merely an incomplete proposal for a new deal. So the announcement was a public-relations stunt that transferred pressure to the players to finalize a new deal.

Now, though, it appears the players are getting closer to voting on a new CBA. And, presumably, they will vote yes. You never know what a group of more than 1,900 athletes will do, but once again, there is hope. Then again, hope has proved hopeless before.

The final days of this lockout show how difficult it is to untangle a web of greed. It is the owners' greed, mostly, and it seems they didn't realize the players, led by DeMaurice Smith, would be such a dangerous foe. The owners started this fight, and then the players took it to another level. Now, both sides are standing in the middle of the ring, tired, unable to throw punches. They're just staring at each other as if to say, "Please, let's just end this by falling down at the same time!"

Neither will budge. Maybe we should just throw tomatoes at them.

But assuming the lockout ends this week, the resounding message will be that it's darned hard to mess up the NFL. For four months, both sides have tried, but as long as the real games start on time, the show will resume with little fallout.

There's a part of me that wishes there would be repercussions. The NFL is too self-important right now. Its popularity fuels its arrogance. It needs to be hit in the mouth by James Harrison.

Unfortunately, that won't happen this time. Because we want the games back. We need the games back. When the lockout is lifted, the players will do their best to entertain, the fans will roar, and the owners will sit back and count their cash.

And we'll get labor peace for perhaps the next decade. It's a decent consolation prize after four months of headaches, but in the future, the NFL should be careful not to test its loyalists.

Women with willpower won't wittingly wanna watch espnW

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One man’s progress is another man’s regress — jocks of all genders, I give you espnW. All sports all the time for women, espnW started as a blog, turned into a website and might morph into a full-fledged ESPN network.

wnba Could the WNBA end up on espnW?

One man’s progress is another man’s regress — jocks of all genders, I give you espnW.

All sports all the time for women, espnW started as a blog, turned into a website and might morph into a full-fledged ESPN network.

(ESPN begat ESPN2; espnW might beget espntheLword.)

But from where Couch Slouch is sitting — and, granted, I’m usually sitting alone, miles away from any feminist or, for that matter, any woman — this somewhat logical extension of the sports world and the equal rights movement feels, well, somewhat unnecessary.

House Speaker John Boehner wells up when talking about how he has spent his whole life chasing the American Dream, which — adjusted for inflation — seems to be a flat-screen TV, a smartphone and 24-hour sports/gambling/porn.

But, frankly, this appears to be the American Dream of men; women have long appeared to be smarter than men. Women traditionally have resisted temptation and titillation that most men capitulate to in a heartbeat.

Yet ESPN seems to want to put women to the test again with espnW.

As it turns out, about a quarter of ESPN’s audience is comprised of women. I had no idea that many ladies hung on Andy Katz’s every word.

One of the reasons I’ve always liked women better than men is that they largely ignore sports.

(It’s one of the reasons, too, that I prefer dogs.)

None of my wives, to date, has been a sports fan.

Heck, if both you and your better half are screaming at the Sony about a bad call during a Duke-UNC game, how does this bode for the children?

Anyway, I have been trying to escape Sports Nation since I was, oh, 14 or 15 years old, but have not had the skill set or the willpower to wander elsewhere. So I have no choice but to be a slave to MLB and the NBA and the NFL; the fairer sex, on the other hand, can sleep snugly on mattresses not littered with unused Sports Illustrated subscription cards.

I just thought it might be nice, for the sake of our nation’s future, if half the population wasn’t engaged in sports around the clock. Sure, it’s not the best system in the world — women being maternal, men being Neanderthal — but it has gotten us this far since 1776.

Women don’t need a sports website geared toward their sports interests; they need to bust down barriers in Washington and Hollywood and Wall Street.

We need more Ruth Bader Ginsburgs, Sonia Sotomayors and Elena Kagans, not another online poll about who should be the Cardinals’ fourth starter. We need more Oscar-winning directors like Kathryn Bigelow, not version five of a mock NFL Draft.

Now, I have nothing against women’s soccer, but I just think the playing field is a lousy springboard; boardrooms smell a lot better than locker rooms.

And why would you want your own sports cable network? Women really should aim higher than espnW, Lifetime and WE. Why emulate the male model that has been skewing basic values for generations on end?

Yes, women should have equal rights everywhere. But not all equal rights are created equally, so I’m imploring women to ignore espnW like another bad pickup line.

That being said, I understand that — being a man, and barely one at that — there’s no reason for women to listen to me, and, to be truthful, as a rule, women have never listened to me. Which means that it is likely espnW will grow and grow; thus, when espnW inevitably becomes a real cable network, I have these personnel and programming suggestions:

All-male sideline reporters.

It never hurts to have Oprah on board.

Reverse sexual harassment.

Out with “Big Monday,” in with “Sadie Hawkins Night.”

Ask The Slouch!

Q.I am sick and tired of people constantly criticizing your marital proficiency. The way I see it, you're batting .333, and if you were a Yankee, you'd be making $25 million per year and be a sure bet for the Hall of Fame. – Terence Sanctis, Cranberry Township, Pa.

A. Thanks, buddy. If I end up batting .250, I hope you stick by me.

Q. Why did Tiger Woods fire caddie Steve Williams? – Megan O'Connor; Albany, N.Y.

A. Tiger's never forgiven him for giving the wrong yardage on that fire hydrant.

Q. If a nuclear holocaust became a reality and you had Ace-9, would you go all in? – Jeff Clarke, Stratford, Ontario.

A. I appreciate your confidence in assuming I would have any chips to go all in.

Q. Do you understand jai alai? – Christopher Brooks, Milwaukee.

A. Sure. You bet, you lose.

Q. Why do we continue to allow fans to select All-Star teams? Could you believe some of the starters for the WNBA's Midsummer Classic? – William Murray, Chicago.

A. Pay the man, Shirley.

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

Norman Chad is a freelance writer in Los Angeles.



Cleveland Cavaliers: Lorenzen Wright's death is still a mystery

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Lorenzen Wright's death is still a mystery.

lorenzen wright.jpgLorenzen Wright

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- In the year since Lorenzen Wright's decomposing body was found in a secluded field in southeast Memphis, his mother has kept pressing authorities to find whomever killed the former NBA player.

Wright played for the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2008-09 season.

Deborah Marion has repeatedly visited and called the Memphis Police Department for answers about her son's shooting death, though authorities have very few.

"We are a long way from solving this crime," Memphis police director Toney Armstrong said last week.

Marion said: "I will never lose hope until I'm dead and buried."

But mistakes have hurt the case, which remains unsolved since Wright, 34, was found dead July 28, 2010.

Wright's relatives and friends have complained a missing person's report wasn't taken seriously. It was 10 days before his body was found, complicating the investigation because evidence was left to deteriorate in a swampy field at the height of summer. A 911 call made from Wright's cell phone soon after he was last seen by his family was botched by dispatchers. A small reward of $6,000 has yielded just 28 Crime Stoppers tips.

Armstrong acknowledged the reward and the number of tips were low for such a high-profile case.

Marion filed a $2 million lawsuit Wednesday, accusing suburban authorities in Germantown and Collierville of messing up the emergency call and the missing person's report. Officials in both municipalities have declined comment. Marion said the police departments involved did not take enough responsibility.

"It's like they were just passing the ball from court to court," Marion said of the agencies.

The slender, athletic Wright played for the Memphis Grizzlies and four other NBA teams as a forward and center over 13 seasons before retiring in 2009. He also played high school and college ball in Memphis, where he was a fan favorite thanks to his charity work with youth and his father's involvement as a coach in summer leagues.

His death was immediately met with grief and calls for justice. Hundreds went to the crime scene off a back road that he often drove. A memorial service and vigil were held in the FedEx Forum arena, attended by NBA players and politicians.

Since then, public interest has waned.

More than a dozen homicide detectives were once entrenched on the case, Armstrong said at a news conference on the one-year anniversary of Wright's disappearance. Now the case has moved into the hands of a new lead detective who Armstrong hopes can bring "fresh eyes" to the case.

Armstrong, who took over as police chief in April, also said he plans to ask city officials to increase the reward.

Wright, a father of six, was last seen on July 18, 2010, as he left the home of his ex-wife, Sherra Wright. According to an affidavit, Sherra Wright told police she saw him leave her home carrying money and a box of drugs.

Before he left, Sherra Wright said she overheard her ex-husband on the telephone telling someone that he was going to "flip something for $110,000," the document said.

Sherra Wright said Lorenzen Wright left her home in a car with a person she could not identify. The affidavit said Sherra Wright gave the statements to police in the Memphis suburb of Collierville, where she lives, on July 27 -- nine days after he left her house for the last time.

In the early morning of July 19, a police dispatcher in the suburb of Germantown received a call from Wright's cell phone. Dispatchers acknowledged they heard noises like gunshots before the call was dropped.

Dispatchers said they didn't alert patrol officers or commanders because they couldn't confirm it came from their jurisdiction. They didn't send a patrol officer or relay the information to Memphis police until days later.

Wright's mother filed a missing person report with Collierville police on July 22. Authorities in Collierville were accused of dragging their feet in the days after the report was filed, and an apparent lack of communication kept authorities from linking the 911 call to the missing person report.

Police found Wright's body July 28. An autopsy report showed bullet fragments were lodged in Wright's skull, chest and right forearm, indicating five shots. Police said they recovered shell casings of different calibers with Wright's body, indicating the possibility of two shooters.

The corpse was badly decomposed, weighing 57 pounds. The 6-foot-11 Wright's playing weight was around 225 pounds.

Wright's ex-wife and a half-dozen other people were called before a Shelby County grand jury, but officials have said those appearances produced no substantial leads.

Wright also had a distant connection to drug kingpin Craig Petties, who has pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy and racketeering in four murders for hire.

Court documents show Wright acknowledged to the FBI in 2008 that he sold a Mercedes sedan and a Cadillac SUV to Bobby Cole, known by authorities to be part of the Petties gang. The affidavits about the business deal don't show if Wright knew Cole well or was aware he had been indicted on drug distribution charges in 2007.

As part of that drug case, Cole offered in 2008 to forfeit the vehicles to the Drug Enforcement Administration. The vehicles still were registered to Wright, who claimed in court that he didn't know they had been used in crime. The judge ruled in favor of the DEA in March 2010, and the vehicles were forfeited.

Marion told The Associated Press she would like to hire a private investigator to look into her son's slaying but cannot afford it. She said Armstrong, who is now police chief, recently spoke with her but didn't seem to know anything about the case.

"He said he hadn't been briefed on that case at all," she said.

She said she has turned to counseling and her pastor to cope with her son's death. Herb Wright, Lorenzen Wright's father, continues to coach basketball, "doing exactly what he knew Lorenzen wanted, which is to keep his boys in basketball," she said.

Wright had a house in Atlanta and spent time there, but his mother said she is certain the killer or killers are in Memphis and had a "vendetta" against her son: "They were just stone-cold killers."


 

NFL, players agree on deal to end lockout, sources say

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NFL owners and players agreed early Monday to the terms of a deal to end the lockout, and players were expected to begin their voting process later in the day, two people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the process was supposed to remain secret and no formal announcement had been made.

browns holmgren campIt appears the Browns will open training camp on Friday.

WASHINGTON - NFL owners and players agreed early Monday to the terms of a deal to end the lockout, and players were expected to begin their voting process later in the day, two people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the process was supposed to remain secret and no formal announcement had been made.

Members of the NFL Players Association's executive committee met at the group's headquarters in Washington and were presented with the finalized agreement. NFLPA president Kevin Mawae arrived shortly after 9:30 a.m., and a conference call for player leadership began at about 11 a.m.

Owners overwhelmingly approved a proposal last week, but some unresolved issues still needed to be reviewed to satisfy players; the owners do not need to vote again.

The sides worked through the weekend and wrapped up the details Monday morning on a final pact that is for 10 years, without an opt-out clause, one of the people told the AP.

Owners decided in 2008 to opt out of the league's old labor contract, which expired this March. That's when the owners locked out the players, creating the NFL's first work stoppage since 1987.

"We have every reason to believe it's going to be a good day," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello wrote in an email to the AP on Monday.

If players sign off on the agreement, a tentative timeline would allow NFL clubs to start signing 2011 draft picks and rookie free agents on Tuesday. Conversations with veteran free agents also could start Tuesday, and signings could begin Friday.

Under that schedule, training camps would open for 10 of the 32 teams on Wednesday, 10 more on Thursday, another 10 on Friday, and the last two teams on Sunday.

Both sides set up informational conference calls for Monday afternoon to go over the details of the agreement. The NFLPA told player agents they'd be coached in particular on the guidelines and schedule for signing free agents and rookies; the NFL alerted general managers and coaches they would be briefed in separate calls.

Should the players' executive committee vote to accept the deal, it then would go to the 32 team representatives to approve, perhaps later Monday. The 10 named plaintiffs in the players' lawsuit against the league - including Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees - must officially inform the court in Minneapolis of their approval, too.

Even after that, while training camps would be opened, a formal collective bargaining agreement can't be fully set in place until the NFLPA re-establishes itself as a union. The NFLPA said it was rejecting its union status in March and becoming a trade association; that allowed the players to file their antitrust suit.

All 1,900 players will need to vote to OK re-forming the union even as the sides put the finishing touches on a deal. Legal protections will be put in place so the NFLPA can start negotiating such items as the league's personal conduct policy and drug testing as soon as Monday.

The major economic framework for the deal was worked out more than a week ago.

That included how the more than $9 billion in annual league revenues will be divided (about 53 percent to owners and 47 percent to players over the next decade; the old CBA resulted in nearly a 50-50 split); a per-club cap of about $120 million for salary and bonuses in 2011 - and at least that in 2012 and 2013 - plus about $22 million for benefits; a salary system to rein in spending on first-round draft picks; and unrestricted free agency for most players after four seasons.

Teams aren't built through free agency - Browns Comment of the Day

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"The Browns should not sign any 'big-name' free agents. Free agents are for building depth. The draft is where you get your stars. The Browns will sign three or four medium type free agents at a good price then re-sign some of their own players to longer deals." - abc48

scott-fujita-ap.JPGView full sizeScott Fujita was a key free agent acquisition for the Browns last season.

In response to the story Cleveland Browns: Which top free agent should the Browns pursue? Poll, cleveland.com reader abc48 thinks big-name free agents aren't the key to team building. This reader writes,

"The Browns should not sign any 'big-name' free agents. Free agents are for building depth. The draft is where you get your stars. The Browns will sign three or four medium type free agents at a good price then re-sign some of their own players to longer deals."

To respond to abc48's comment, go here.

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

Indians need to find a longterm bat in trade market - Comment of the Day

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"The trade deadline is critical for the Indians, and not because they're suprising contenders. This club needs to upgrade its talent for 2012, too. The Indians desperately need a power bat. That's difficult to find. What the Indians don't need, though, is another platoon situation. Indians fans don't want to witness Melky Cabera, Coco Crisp or Ryan Ludwick-types sharing left field next season." - rationalguy1

shapiro-acta-antonetti-cc.jpgView full sizeThe Indians' braintrust - from left, Mark Shapiro, Manny Acta and Chris Antonetti - need to find a way to improve the team's anemic offense.

In response to the story Cleveland Indians' season on the brink deserves front office's best shot: Bud Shaw, cleveland.com reader rationalguy1 wants to see the team acquire a bat that can help them next season, too. This reader writes,

"The trade deadline is critical for the Indians, and not because they're suprising contenders. This club needs to upgrade its talent for 2012, too. The Indians desperately need a power bat. That's difficult to find. What the Indians don't need, though, is another platoon situation. Indians fans don't want to witness Melky Cabera, Coco Crisp or Ryan Ludwick-types sharing left field next season."

To respond to rationalguy1's comment, go here.

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

NFL lockout A.M. Links: Close look at the proposed deal; Done deal? Terrelle Pryor could get left out of draft

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Here's an analysis of the proposed NFL deal.

roger goodell.jpgNFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

It looks like this is the day that the NFL owners and players will make it official and agree to business as usual when it comes to football.

Unless some unforeseen event happens today, the players will sign on the dotted line and the NFL lockout will end.

Meanwhile, Forbes Magazine has this article that breaks down what the players and owners agreed to.

Here's a look at some of the key terms:

Cash Minimum (Guaranteed Spend)

Analysis: This is perhaps the most player-friendly aspect of this deal. Previously there were Cap minimums but not cash minimums, requiring teams to collectively spend hard cash to the level of the Cap. To put it simply, this will require more spending on players. Teams will not be able to free-ride their way to Cap minimums only.

Minimum Salaries

First-year minimum salary will go from $320,000 to $375,000; second year minimum salary will rise from $395,000 to $450,000.  All minimum salary levels have gone up $55,000 from 2010 levels. The minimums will rise $15,000 per year from there.

Analysis: Approximately half of the Players in the league are playing under minimum salaries. These are healthy increases. This may be the unsung hero issue of the deal.

 

Done deal

Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reports how the NFLPA and NFL finally came to an agreement on terms in this morning. 

The NFLPA player representatives and players still must vote to approve it, but at this point it appears a formality.

Sources within the negotiations told FOXSports.com that under the new agreement, the schedule will be different than originally reported. Under the new terms, team facilities will open as early as Tuesday and training camps will begin Wednesday for 10 teams, Thursday for 10 teams, Friday for another 10 and the remaining 2 on Sunday, just 15 days before the first preseason game. Unrestricted free agency begins after camp begins Friday at 6 p.m. ET.

 

Draft status

The NFL is about to resume business but former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor’s journey to the NFL might take longer than expected, writes Alex Marvez of Fox Sports.

Not only has the NFL yet to schedule a supplemental draft for the 2011 season, but Pryor might not qualify if there is one despite having announced plans to enter after leaving Ohio State in early June.

“If there are no players eligible for a supplemental draft, there is no supplemental draft,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello wrote in an email to FOXSports.com on Sunday. “It is for players whose circumstances have changed in an unforeseen way after the regular (college) draft. It is not a mechanism for simply bypassing the regular (draft).”

The NFL has strict rules about supplemental draft eligibility because it doesn’t want players trying to skirt the regular draft in an attempt to manipulate where they might be picked, writes Marvez.

Quarterback Bernie Kosar did just that in 1985 to land with the Cleveland Browns instead of the Minnesota Vikings.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

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