The Indians and Browns provide plenty of Talkin' fodder this weekend.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerJason Kipnis has done quite a bit to win over Indians fans in his short time with the team. If the Colorado Rockies had their way, Kipnis would be playing second base in Denver.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There's a pennant race and it's finally football season. So there's plenty to be talkin' ...

About the Tribe's deal ...

1. When the Indians talked trade with Colorado, there were about 30 different packages discussed. At the center were Rockies pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez and Tribe phenom Drew Pomeranz. If the Indians wanted Jimenez, it was going to cost them Pomeranz and a lot more. For a long time, the Rockies wanted Alex White, Jason Kipnis and Pomeranz in the deal.

2. The Rockies would have made the trade for Kipnis and Pomeranz. They really wanted Kipnis to play second. The Indians believe Kipnis can become an All-Star -- remember, all of this was happening before Kipnis had a few weeks doing a Babe Ruth imitation.

3. The Indians' stance was no deal with Kipnis. The Rockies then said if no Kipnis, then White must be in the package. The Rockies stressed the risk with White, coming back from an injury on his right middle finger. No one believes White will have the same troubles as Adam Miller, but the shadow of Miller being derailed by the injury hung over the talks.

4. Until the drafting of first-rounders White (2009) and Pomeranz (2010), Miller was the prime pitching prospect drafted by the Tribe. The 31st pick in 2003, he was once clocked at 100 mph. He was 15-6 with a 2.75 ERA at Class AA Akron at the age of 21, and a star in the Tribe's 2007 spring training. He was sent to Class AAA with the idea of him pitching 6-8 weeks, but that's when the finger was first injured. He's never been close to the same since. He's 1-3 with a 6.03 ERA at Akron.

5. The Rockies had a reason to be careful. Jorge De La Rosa suffered a finger injury in 2010, missing more than two months. He came back this season and was 5-2 with a 3.51 ERA, then blew out his elbow and had reconstructive surgery. So they wanted pitching depth in the deal.

6. White had a 45-pitch limit in a rehab performance at Class AA Tulsa, throwing 3 impressive scoreless innings Thursday. The Rockies plan to bring him to the majors in a few weeks. So his comeback continues to be very positive.

7. The Indians had other considerations -- trying to win now and in the next two years. After 2013, the following players are free agents: Asdrubal Cabrera, Shin-Soo Choo and Jimenez. Grady Sizemore has a $9 million option for 2012. The Indians sound as if they will pick it up. The Indians should rework it so that the guaranteed salary is much lower, with incentives for games played, production, etc. Travis Hafner will be in the final guaranteed season ($13 million) of his contract in 2012.

8. Fausto Carmona's contract keeps rising ($7 million in 2012, $9 million in 2013 and $12 million in 2014). Remember that those are all "club options," meaning not guaranteed. Carmona at $7 million in 2012 is a price worth paying as the Indians believe he is coming back to his 2010 form (13-14, 3.77). He has a 3.03 ERA in his last six starts since coming off the disabled list.

9. The point is the Indians want to make a serious playoff run in the next few years, before some key players probably leave via free agency. They will approach Cabrera and Choo after the season with contract extensions. Represented by Scott Boras, it would be a shock if Choo signed one.

10. As for some other Indians, here is when they are free agents: Chris Perez (2015), Justin Masterson (2015), David Huff (2015), Matt LaPorta (2015), Michael Brantley (2017), Josh Tomlin (2017).

View full sizeAP photoNeither Matt LaPorta (pictured) nor Carlos Santana is a finished defensive product at first base --- which isn't exactly a surprise given both players' lack of experience at the position.

About the Indians ...

1. If you think the Indians are receiving poor defense at first base, you can use some very complicated stats from fangraphs.com to make the point. No need to go into great detail, other than the Web site ranked 19 AL first basemen who have played at least 300 innings. LaPorta ranked 17th, ahead of Miguel Cabrera (Detroit) and Eric Hosmer (Kansas City). At No. 16 is Adam Lind (Toronto). Carlos Santana ranked 15th.

2. Manager Manny Acta loved Cabrera getting into it with Santana in the dugout Thursday against Detroit because he wants his shortstop to know that while he may only be 25, he is the captain of the infield. At third is 22-year-old Lonnie Chisenhall and at second is 24-year-old Kipnis, both rookies. Then there's LaPorta and Santana at first. For most of his big-league career, Cabrera was the youngest infielder with the Tribe -- and he's quiet by nature. With Orlando Cabrera gone, Asdrubal needs to be willing to apply some peer pressure.

3. Orlando Cabrera is indeed the Giants' regular shortstop. Entering the weekend, he was batting .244 (10-of-41) with one error in 11 games.

4. The Indians opened the season with veterans Adam Everett, Travis Buck, Jack Hannahan, Orlando Cabrera, Austin Kearns, Chad Durbin and Justin Germano on one-year contracts. The only ones left are Hannahan and Durbin.

5. Kearns began 2010 with the Tribe, batting .272 (.770 OPS) in 84 games. He was traded to New York in August and became a part-time, no-production player. Since that deal for Zach McAllister, Kearns batted .211 (.640 OPS) with four homers and 14 RBI in 252 at-bats. It was amazing the Indians stayed so patient, when the signs of him struggling in this role were there in 2010. He did have 150 at-bats this season, hitting .210 with two homers and seven RBI.

6. Shelley Duncan has a big, undisciplined swing. But he does "run into a fastball" now and then, a phrase used by scouts. Entering the weekend, Duncan was hitting .243 (.708 OPS) with four homers and 23 RBI in 115 at-bats. He can be a useful hitter coming off the bench.

7. If the Indians want bullpen help, they may grab Chen Lee from Class AAA Columbus, where he entered the weekend at 3-0 with a 1.25 ERA. In 22 innings, he has fanned 33 and walked five. The Rockies wanted him in the Jimenez deal, and other teams asked about him. He's a native of Taiwan and he's 24. Nick Hagadone got off to a slow start at Columbus, but the lefty has a 1.59 ERA in his last 10 games, fanning 19 in 17 innings. His Clippers ERA is down to 3.26. He also is a candidate to be promoted.

8. Cord Phelps has settled down, taking a 13-game hitting streak (.375) into the weekend. Playing second base regularly -- he was mostly at short earlier in the year -- his defense is solid. He has only three errors in 35 games at that position, after making five errors in a dozen games at second with the Tribe. I would not give up on Phelps, as he's hitting .304 (.876 OPS) for the Clippers. He a switch hitter, and only 24. He's not the first guy to look lost in his initial big-league performance.

9. It wasn't exactly reassuring to hear that the only other Tribe player besides Kipnis to homer six times in his first 16 big-league games was Luis Medina. He did it back in 1988 in 51 late-season at-bats. He opened 1989 with the Tribe, and batted only .205 with four homers in 83 at-bats. That was the end of his big league career -- 10 homers in 163 at-bats. His 16 RBI is a record for the fewest runs knocked in for any player with at least 10 career homers. He later played in Japan and the minors. It's a good bet Kipnis is on a much different career path.

10. I will be speaking at the North Ridgeville Library on Aug. 20 at 2 p.m. Call 440-327-8326 for information. It's free, and I talk sports, take questions and sign books.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerWith the potential assistance of the West Coast passing game, Peyton Hillis (40) should benefit from a diversified Browns attack this season, says Terry Pluto.

The things I like about the Browns ...

1. Colt McCoy is the starting quarterback. Seneca Wallace is a quality backup. McCoy will have to be a disaster to lose the job. Any serious debate can wait until after the season after we all have a chance to watch McCoy with an offense that suits him from the opening of training camp.

2. The Browns lack a major wide receiver, but they do have a lot of people who can catch the ball. Peyton Hillis and Brandon Jackson are two excellent backs when it comes to receiving. Tight ends Ben Watson, Evan Moore and Jordan Cameron also should be quality receivers.

3. The Browns signed Jackson, rather than count on Montario Hardesty being healthy.

4. Hillis can be a monster at running back, especially if he doesn't have to carry the ball 90 percent of the time.

5. Left guard Joe Thomas and center Alex Mack are Pro Bowl caliber. Eric Steinbach is solid at left guard. Shawn Lauvao will get a shot to claim right guard.

6. Joe Haden starts at cornerback from Day One.

7. Scott Fujita is athletic enough to play any linebacker spot, and should excel in the 4-3 defense. Chris Gocong also is a very reliable linebacker in any defense.

8. Ahtyba Rubin is on the team. He can play in the NFL for a long time on the defensive line.

9. T.J. Ward should get better after leading the defense in snaps played as a rookie in 2010.

10. Phil Dawson is back and Joshua Cribbs is healthy. Special teams should be strong, unless they struggle to find a punter.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain Dealer Is D'Qwell Jackson (52) really ready to be a reliable center of the Browns' linebacking corps after two years loss to pectoral injuries?

The things I don't like about the Browns ...

1. They are counting on D'Qwell Jackson to stay healthy at middle linebacker. Perhaps he will, but he's played only six games in two years. But the Browns have Jackson, Fujita and Gocong listed as starters. The top backup is Kaluka Maiava, who is coming off knee surgery and was mostly a special teams player. Here's hoping they find their own Matt Roth (who signed with Jacksonville) on the waiver wire when players are cut at the end of camp.

2. They are so inexperienced on the defensive line. It's very possible GM Tom Heckert is right about top picks Phil Taylor and Jabaal Sheard, but both are rookies. Jayme Mitchell has only 31 tackles in four NFL seasons. Only Rubin is a proven defensive lineman.

3. Mohammed Massaquoi has not practiced because of a foot injury.

4. Hardesty is still bothered (or something) by his surgically repaired knee and hasn't practiced.

5. Sheldon Brown (he's not the problem) is going to have to play so much, because the only experienced backup cornerback is Michael Adams. He also is the top backup safety. This can change if Dimitri Patterson can show the form that he did in nine starts for the Eagles last season. They really need depth here.

6. Punter Reggie Hodges blew out his Achilles. Since the return in 1999, the Browns have had excellent punters from Chris Gardocki to Dave Zastudil to Hodges.

7. Tony Pashos is the right tackle. Like D'Qwell Jackson, Pashos is a legitimate starter when healthy. But he has been hurt most of the last two years. Wish they had some real veteran depth on the right side in case Pashos is injured again.

8. There were no mini-camps. A real setback for a team with a rookie head coach, three new coordinators bringing in two new systems -- and a quarterback who has only seven pro starts.

The once-great Woods needs a GPS to find his ball and himself these days, Bud Shaw writes in his Sunday Spin column.

View full sizeBrant Sanderlin, MCT

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In two rounds at the PGA Championship, Tiger Woods hit into 22 bunkers, put four balls in the water, scored five double bogeys and hit one shot out of the sand directly into the pond.

That's what many of us in the legions of northeast Ohio golfers like to call "the first five holes at Stonewater." He's Tiger Woods, though, and we're just doing our part to aerate local fairways one beaver tail sized divot at a time.

Woods finished 15 shots behind Keegan Bradley and Cleveland's Jason Dufner, who hadn't made a cut since May. The five double bogeys matched a tournament high for Woods and he had those five in just 30 holes. Woods stroked a 15-foot birdie putt on one hole in Friday's second round. Unfortunately, he was 22 feet away at the time.

Given the direction Woods is heading, he's much closer to my record of consecutive rounds in need of a back-nine mulligan than he is to Jack Nicklaus' record for most career majors. Woods has 14. Nicklaus has 18. That sounds much closer than it looks after Woods began the first round of the PGA with three birdies then gave back 10 shots over the next 12 holes.

It's difficult to do that without being on a first-name basis with the beer cart girl.

Watching Woods play this kind of golf after putting such greatness on display for so many years reminds me of watching Muhammad Ali take on Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki in a sham of a fight in 1976, a year after "The Thrilla in Manila."

It's come to this? Really?

Woods' latest makeover might not seem scary to him -- even if it should -- since change is nothing new. He won tournaments before Butch Harmon and Hank Haney, so he no doubt believes he will win again once he masters the swing plane theories of Sean Foley. During his Tuesday practice round at Firestone, Woods walked the fairways in lockstep with Foley, who would occasionally make a geometric sweep of his hand as they talked. Woods would answer with a matching gesture and off they'd go, usually into the left rough where Woods' ball landed.

View full sizeAP photoDoes this look like a man certain to pass golf's greatest individual accomplishment?

On one hole, Woods used a hacker's foot wedge to move his ball away from a tree and give himself an approach shot to the green. It was only a practice round after all. No big deal. After what happened to him in Georgia, though -- 10 over par and six shots outside the cut -- the foot wedge took on some time-released symbolism. Tiger Woods: muni hacker?

Woods said Thursday's first round blew up on him when he stopped thinking about his swing and relied on a jumble of muscle memory. It tells you how far away he is from making Foley's swing his own if he has to keep thinking everything through. At best, Woods is the mechanical man now, his creativity subservient to an overworked brain.

Does he have time to surpass Nicklaus? Absolutely. He'll be 36 in December. Will he? You'd bet against it. The only reason not to write him off completely it out of respect for his years of dominance. He might even get comfortable with the Foley swing if he keeps at it, but that won't change the rest of the landscape.

Woods is the reason why so many PGA players found their way to the gym. Even if he can hold up physically, even if his body feels young again, there will be fresher faces with stomachs just as flat hitting it farther. They may well have clearer heads. They certainly won't have the same old reasons to be intimidated by him.

A year ago he finished 30 shots behind winner Hunter Mahan at Firestone. Now this at the PGA. Players used to want to be Tiger Woods. Now they beat him without thinking anything of it.

He can still turn his game around. But like a yanked approach into a green-side pond, a lot of what made him is irretrievable.

I'm a man. I'm 40 and you're a stupid idiot?...

A carpenter is suing Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy, claiming a breached agreement to do work on Gundy's house cost him thousands of dollars. You may remember Gundy for his 2007 outburst aimed at a newspaper columnist whom Gundy felt unfairly criticized his quarterback. Screamed Gundy, "Come after me. I'm a man. I'm 40."

This disagreement won't make YouTube.

Brent Loveland says he wore a Oklahoma baseball T-shirt to Gundy's house on March 21 and began unloading his truck to start on the job. He claims Gundy sent him home because of the T-shirt, calling him a "stupid idiot" for wearing it.

According to Loveland, Gundy also said, "How dare you come into my house and offend my wife."

Gundy denies the allegations. Somebody in this story is making something up. I just wish it were me.

SPINOFFS

The most surprising aspect of learning that the Buckeyes paid a New York PR firm $270,000 for help with the tattoos and money for memorabilia scandal: The way they handled things? They had help?...

View full sizeAP photoThis former Indians infielder was sure with the glove, but weak at the plate.

The Indians are 25th in the majors in attendance, begging the question: What if ... they were in last place?...

Lee Evans from Buffalo to Baltimore for a fourth-round pick? Who needs another receiver when Mohamed Massaquoi is minutes, days, weeks, or months from being back at the top of his game?...

Dennis Rodman cried at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, and not just because he got dressed in the dark and realized he showed up as Liberace...

HE SAID IT

"The game wasn't a total debacle on his part." -- Bengals' offensive coordinator Jay Gruden on the pre-season debut of rookie quarterback Andy Dalton after a lopsided exhibition loss Friday to Detroit.

Such faint praise. Remind me that if I'm going to have a Gruden deliver my eulogy, request Jon.

View full sizeAP photoThis young Indian can hit while showing an improving glove at second.

SEPARATED AT BIRTH

John McDonald and Jason Kipnis -- Tyler, Highland Heights

Tribe pitcher Tony Sipp and actor Derek Luke -- J. Hanson, Avon

YOU SAID IT

(The Expanded Sunday Edition)

"Bud:

"Clay Matthews Jr. said he played part of last season with a fractured leg. Have you ever written a Shaw's Spin with fractured fingers?" -- Angelo, Cleveland

No. Only with broken dreams.

"Bud:

"Now that Tiger has missed the cut at the PGA tournament, do you think TNT will still highlight him during Saturday and Sunday's broadcasts?" -- Dr. Grinder

Depends. Are they doing a fishing show?

"Bud:

"Dennis Rodman changed his clothes to reflect his loyalty to the Pistons and Bulls before his Hall of Fame induction speech. Do we have to wear rumpled shirts and baggy pants while writing to Spin?" -- Michael Sarro

Coffee stains and elastic waistband is the official home uniform.

"Bud:

"Is bingo a sport? Everything else is." -- Tom Hoffner, Broadview Heights

Dunno. I know checkers is, having once torn a rotator cuff while jumping an opponent.

"Bud:

"A month from now, when the Browns put Montario Hardesty on injured reserve even though he hasn't done so much as a single jumping jack, should we take comfort that it was 'all part of the plan'?" -- Ignatowski

Montario Hardesty. ... Why does that name sound familiar?

"Bud,

"Q: Who is the Indians' designated hitter when Justin Masterson pitches? A: Apparently no one." -- Michael Seese, Chagrin Falls

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

"Bud:

"Chad Ochocinco is offering to live with a Pats fan for the first few weeks of the season before he gets settled in New England. That makes sense -- by Week 3 or 4, he should be all ready to move into Bill Belichick's doghouse." -- Mark Novak

Repeat winners get thrown an occasional bone.

Subbing for injured Penske Racing teammate Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch held off Jimmie Johnson on a green-white-checkered finish to win the Nationwide Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen International on Saturday.

Associated PressKurt Busch celebrates winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Watkins Glen International, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2011, in Watkins Glen, N.Y.

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (AP) — Chalk up one for the team.

Subbing for injured Penske Racing teammate Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch held off Jimmie Johnson on a green-white-checkered finish to win the Nationwide Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen International on Saturday.

Busch beat his Sprint Cup nemesis by nearly a second for his third victory in 12 Nationwide races. He also deprived brother Kyle of his 50th career victory, which would have broken a tie with Mark Martin for the most in series history.

Joey Logano edged Kyle Busch for third, and Carl Edwards was fifth. Paul Menard, Ron Fellows and Nationwide regulars Aric Almirola, Trevor Bayne and Elliott Sadler rounded out the top 10.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. maintained his series lead with a 15th-place finish. Stenhouse leads Reed Sorenson by 10 points, Sadler is another 14 back, and Almirola is fourth.

Five years ago, Kurt Busch held off Robby Gordon for a Nationwide win in a fender-banging finish around the 11-turn, 2.45-mile circuit. Busch expected a replay this time, but it never materialized.

"I didn't know where we were on fuel, I didn't really care," Busch said after crew chief Todd Gordon's two-stop strategy worked to perfection. "It was one of those feelings of like, we're going to see this race on ESPN Classic if we could have gotten to duel it out at the end. It just didn't work out for him (Kyle)."

The race was mostly a battle between the Busch brothers until the second caution of the race flew with two laps remaining in regulation. They took turns leading the entire 85 laps of the race, with Kyle leading 48 laps and Kurt, who started on pole, ahead for 37.

Kyle's chances took a big hit when he was forced to pit on lap 17 with his car beginning to overheat. Steam was pouring out of the release valve on the right side of hood after his No. 18 Toyota went off course and picked up a wad of grass on the front splitter.

Still, thanks to the first caution of the race, Kyle was able to save fuel, pitted for what he hoped was the last time on lap 50, and gained a 3-second lead over his brother after Kurt's final stop on lap 55.

Kyle led Kurt by 0.893 seconds with 10 laps to go, with Edwards 2.2 seconds back in third as the three distanced themselves from the rest of the pack.

Kurt closed to his brother's back bumper when both encountered heavy traffic.

"You're going to have to watch it," Kyle's crew chief, Jason Ratcliff, warned over the radio. "Just run it until it runs out."

Moments later, the fuel pressure began to fluctuate in the No. 18 and Busch had to pit for fuel.

"We were running hard together. It wasn't to force him to run out of fuel," Kurt said. "I wanted to race him as fair and square as you can, but they had a problem in the pits and we knew that they were short.

"Of course, we were going to continue to apply pressure. It wasn't that we were hanging out and waiting. It seemed like I could catch him in traffic and get to his back bumper, but I couldn't do anything. But that was still with 10 to go. With five to go, I was going to really pour it on, but those guys, they didn't have enough fuel."

Johnson and Kyle Busch got one last chance when the second caution flew, setting up the frantic finish. With only 10 cars on the lead lap, the last six decided to pit for tires and fuel, but Kurt Busch zoomed away when the green flag waved and was never threatened.

The win left Keselowski, who won the Nationwide title last year, beaming in the broadcast booth.

"This is great," said Keselowski, who's nursing a broken left ankle and bruised back incurred just over a week ago in a crash in testing. "The deal with Kurt didn't come together until Tuesday. I walked up to Kurt and said, 'Hey Kurt, I think it would be cool if you drove my car this weekend. I just don't think that I can pull it off.' He was like a kid in a candy store."

Plain Dealer's Cleveland Browns beat writers Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot deliver the news from the Browns' victory over the Green Bay Packers in the first pre-season game of 2011. Watch video

Brendan Steele and Jason Dufner at least can make a name for themselves in the PGA Championship. Until that big trophy is handed out Sunday, however, this major remains very much a mystery.

Associated PressJason Dufner reacts after making a birdie putt on the seventh hole during the third round of the PGA Championship golf tournament Saturday, Aug. 13, 2011, at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, Ga.

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. (AP) — Brendan Steele and Jason Dufner at least can make a name for themselves in the PGA Championship. Until that big trophy is handed out Sunday, however, this major remains very much a mystery.

How will they handle the pressure of the final round?

Can they safely navigate through the four-hole finish, considered among the most brutal of any course?

And just who are these guys, anyway?

Rarely has a major championship contained so much inexperience at the top going into the final round. Steele is believed to be the first rookie since John Daly in the 1991 PGA to play in the final group of a major.

Steele, already a winner this year on the PGA Tour and No. 121 in the world, showed remarkable poise Saturday by overcoming a double bogey on the seventh hole. He ran off four birdies over his next seven holes, and not even a safe bogey on the 18th could take away from a 4-under 66 to give him a share of the lead.

He is tied with Jason Dufner, who, at 34, is still looking for his first PGA Tour win. Dufner, stoic as ever with a chunk of tobacco jutting out from his bottom lip, atoned for a pair of three-putt bogeys on the back nine with back-to-back birdies. He only missed one green in the third round and shot 68.

They were at 7-under 203, one shot clear of Keegan Bradley, a 25-year-old rookie who also won earlier this year. Bradley, playing in the final group, opened with a double bogey, which might have been expected given his inexperience. He also bounced back with remarkable resiliency, playing bogey-free on the back nine and rallying for a 69.

Now comes the hard part.

Never mind that only one of the top 10 players in the world is within four shots — Steve Stricker, who shot 69 and was three behind. Or that Tiger Woods, defending champion Martin Kaymer and British Open champion Darren Clarke all missed the cut. Or that U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy blew up in a round of 74 and was out of contention.

Atlanta Athletic Club is the kind of course that can take shots away without notice. Jim Furyk discovered that by putting three balls into the water on the last four holes for a pair of double bogeys.

"Wishy-washy play is not going to get it done," Steele said.

Right behind them is plenty of experience.

Scott Verplank, who at 47 can become the second-oldest major champion, rattled in a 50-foot putt across the 17th green for a most unlikely birdie, then laid up on the par-4 18th and escaped with par by making an 18-foot putt for a 69. He was only two shots behind.

Stricker, at No. 5 the highest-ranked American in the world ranking, took only 10 putts on the front nine when his round could have gone south quickly. He steadied himself with a solid up-and-down for par on the final hole.

"Everybody is going to be dealing with their nerves and the pressure of trying to win," Stricker said. "I think it's who can keep it together the best and be patient and play some good golf."

That might be to the newcomers' advantage. Plus, the golf course is proving to be difficult enough to get their attention.

"It could be a good thing. Might maybe make me a little more relaxed knowing that everybody is kind of in the same boat struggling with those emotions and thoughts and the mentality of trying to win a major," Dufner said. "I just feel like if you're playing good, you should be confident. And obviously, I've been playing really well for these three rounds."

Dufner is playing his best at the end. Through three rounds, he has played the last four holes in 3 under — with no bogeys. Compared with the field average, that's the equivalent of picking up seven shots on the field.

Besides, there's not much major championship experience behind them.

Only two players among the top 12 on the leaderboard have won majors — Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and David Toms, who won the PGA Championship on this course 10 years ago. They were at 2-under 208, five shots behind.

Also in that group was Adam Scott, coming off a win at Firestone last week. He struggled to a 70, but has not lost hope.

"You can make up six shots in the last four holes," said Scott, who was six behind when he finished. "So yeah, I think you can make up six shots in the last round."

The final round is so much up in the air that even Lee Westwood, desperate to finally add a major to an otherwise stellar career, remains in the mix despite one bad hole that spoiled his afternoon. A tee shot that just climbed into a bunker in the 14th fairway led to a three-putt double bogey on the 14th. He still managed a 70 and was six shots behind.

Luke Donald, the No. 1 player in the world who also is without a major, got to within one shot of the lead only to find the water on the 18th hole and close with a double bogey, leaving him seven shots behind.

"It does offer some birdie opportunities, and you can get it under par," Donald said. "But there are some tough holes out there that you've got to weather, and the champion at the end of the week is probably going to have played those tough ones the best."

The last player to win a major in his first try was Ben Curtis in the 2003 British Open at Royal St. George's. The last American to make a major his first PGA Tour win was Shaun Micheel at the PGA Championship in 2003 at Oak Hill.

"It's a great week for me just to be in the field," said Steele, won the Texas Open a week after the Masters. "To have a chance to actually win in my first major is really something special."

Bradley, the nephew of LPGA Tour great Pat Bradley, won the Byron Nelson Championship in May and contended last week in Firestone. When he started with a double bogey, he didn't panic.

"It really did not faze me that much," Bradley said. "My goal was to under-react to everything that happened out there today, good or bad. And you know, I took it pretty well. I knew that it was a very important time for me to stay calm and stay patient, or else it could have got away from me. And I did, which was good."

Saturday was the kind of day when it could have gotten away from a lot of players. Despite more muggy temperatures, the rookies managed to keep their composure.

Anders Hansen of Denmark, who has never seriously contended in a major, also kept it together with a 70 and was at 3-under 207, along with Pebble Beach winner D.A. Points, who went nine holes without making a par but still shot 71.

The toughest part about Sunday might be killing time until the late afternoon tee time. That shouldn't be a problem for Steele, who spent the first three months getting the last tee time on tour because of his rookie status.

Then again, that was another reminder of how far he has come already.

Bradley thought back to the Nationwide Tour last year when he and Steele were in contention at a tournament in Chattanooga, Tenn.

"There was nobody around. We were just out there playing," Bradley said. "If we would have said we'd be in a couple of the final groups on Sunday at the PGA, I think we both would have kind of laughed at each other."

Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis did not start for a second straight game Sunday because of right-side soreness and stiffness.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerJason Kipnis celebrates with Ezequiel Carrera after hitting a two-run homer Wednesday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis did not start for a second straight game Sunday because of right-side soreness and stiffness.

Kipnis, a left-handed batter, is hitting .279 with six homers and 11 RBI in 18 games since being recalled from Class AAA Columbus.

At his locker early Sunday morning, Kipnis politely declined to say what is hurting. He likely was following orders, because the bosses typically frown on youngsters detailing injuries or ailments.

"I don't know the extent yet,'' he said. "I don't think it's serious. If it is anything serious, it will be out in public in due time.''

Then he reiterated: He does not think it is serious.

"We're going to take the necessary steps,'' he said. "I anticipate being back soon. It's going to take a lot to keep me out of the lineup.''

Later in the morning, presumably after getting clearance from above, Kipnis got more specific. He said his right side is uncomfortable.

Kipnis said he would be available, if necessary, off the bench when the Indians faced the Twins at Progressive Field.

Lefty David Huff, recalled from Columbus, started for the Tribe. The Indians did not officially announce the roster move until 15 minutes before the 1:05 p.m. start because of weather concerns.

Shelley Duncan was optioned to Class AAA Columbus to make room for Huff.

Kipnis said he thinks the side issue began Tuesday night during the Tribe's 14-inning victory over the Tigers. The next night, he went 5-for-5 with one homer, three RBI and four runs in a victory.

Kipnis was slumping at the time of his recall and continued to struggle in his first few games in Cleveland, but largely has been on fire since. He has hit in 10 of his last 12 games, going 17-for-51 (.333) with six homers and 10 RBI.

Tribe manager Manny Acta nicknamed Kipnis, "Dirtbag,'' for his hard-charging style and willingness to mess up the uniform. Fans have said, "We are all Kipnises.''

Jason Donald replaced Kipnis in the lineup for the second day in a row. Donald went 2-for-4 with a triple and run Saturday in the Tribe's 3-1 victory over Minnesota.

Kipnis is one of two Indians regulars who are day-to-day with soreness. Outfielder Michael Brantley (wrist) has not had a plate appearance since the 14-inning game and likely will not pick up a bat again until Tuesday.

The Indians have an off-day Monday before beginning a three-game series against the White Sox in Chicago.

While all games are important, it would be especially painful for Kipnis to miss any part of the White Sox series. He was born in Northbrook, Ill., and graduated from Glenbrook North High School in 2005. He followed the Cubs and White Sox growing up.

Lineups:

Twins -- Revere cf; Plouffe 2b; Kubel rf; 4. Morneau 1b; Thome dh; Valencia 3b; Young lf; Tolbert ss; Butera c; and Slowey rhp.

Indians -- Carrera lf; Choo rf; Cabrera ss; Hafner dh; Santana 1b; Fukudome cf; Chisenhall 3b; Donald 2b; Marson c; and Huff lhp.

Firpo was a big attraction in Cleveland with his unkempt hair and beard and gravelly voice. He wrestled for 38 years before retiring in 1986.

Plain Dealer fileFormer wrestler Pampero Firpo, shown here in the 1970s.

"Whatever happened to . . .?" is a weekly series updating some of the most newsworthy and interesting local stories covered in The Plain Dealer. Have a suggestion on a story we should update? Send it to John C. Kuehner.

Today, we answer this question:

Whatever happened to Pampero Firpo, the Wild Bull of the Pampas who was one of professional wrestling's biggest villains in Cleveland in the 1970s?

Firpo, whose real name is Juan Kachmanian, turned 81 this year and is now living in San Jose, Calif.

Firpo, who created the popular catch phrase "Oooohhhh yeaaahh!" that the late Randy "Macho Man" Savage used with enormous success, was a big attraction with his unkempt hair and beard and gravelly voice. He wrestled for 38 years before retiring in 1986.

While his physical appearance was wild and unique, Firpo said he no longer sports a beard and has cut his hair short now that he no longer wrestles. He remains popular making personal appearances, signing autographs and making speeches around the country.

"Now that I don't have all that hair, people tell me I look more like 60 years old instead of 80," he said. "But physically I feel more like 120 years old. My body took a lot of bumps and bruises ... but I have no regrets. My father, who was a great boxer, told me when you live a clean life and believe in yourself, you'll be untouchable as a person. He was right.

"But you know what? Physically and emotionally you can never leave the game [wrestling], even after retiring."

Firpo said he was comfortable wrestling the National Wrestling Alliance circuit -- Midwest version which included Detroit, Buffalo and Cleveland on a weekly circuit up through 1980. At the time, he lived in a small town just outside Lansing, Mich.

Cleveland, whose promoter at the time was Pedro Martinez, is well remembered by Firpo -- most of it fondly.

He remembers becoming a good friend with boxing great Joe Louis after he was a guest referee in one of Firpo's matches in Detroit.

"I talked him into coming with me to Cleveland to be a guest referee," he said. "Joe Louis to me was a real man and a real genuine champion. He taught me how to act with class and polish.

"Joe loved peanuts, so we stopped at a supermarket in Cleveland so I could buy him peanuts. What a pair we must have made ... the greatest boxing champion and me, with my long and wild hair. People couldn't stop looking at us, and when they figured out who we were, they came and asked for autographs."

Firpo remembers many of his opponents at the Cleveland Arena. He was impressed with the strength of Moose Cholak, who was a popular here. Cholak and Johnny Powers were at one time NWA tag team champions.

"Moose was a powerful man," Firpo said. "He wore a moose head that weighed 120 pounds. Try to balance something that weighs that much on your head and walk normally."

Firpo also said Danny Hodge, a great collegiate wrestler from Oklahoma, was so strong that when you shook his hand, your elbow hurt.

He also fondly remembers Antonino "Argentina" Rocca, one of pro wrestling's most beloved figures. Firpo said it was tough wrestling Rocca because "Fans really loved him, but they hated me."

Firpo said Rocca told him he should be wrestling in New York City, where his fame would increase nationally.

"I didn't go to New York because I didn't know anybody there," Firpo said.

He was also friends with Gypsy Joe, a pro wrestler who eventually opened up a fish market in Vermilion.

One other "character" Firpo was aware of in the Cleveland Arena was "Hatpin Mary," an elderly fan who would occasionally stick a wrestling heel with a pin from her hat.

Some people believed Kachmanian, whose parents were Armenian and living in Buenos Aires, Argentina, when he was born, taught one year at Case Western Reserve University. He said that wasn't true, but another Argentinean, Juan Constamagna, was hired in 1970-71 as a research associate in the chemistry department.

"Still, there are a lot of very intelligent pro wrestlers," Firpo said. "For instance, George "The Animal" Steele, who wrestled in Cleveland, was a math teacher in Michigan who made people believe he was a wild man."

Firpo said despite his notoriety as a wrestler, two of his proudest moments in life was when he became an American citizen in 1965, and the fact he never let anyone down -- promoter or fan -- as a wrestler.

"I loved doing my job," he said.

David Huff is sharp through the first two innings; Shin-Soo Choo has Tribe's RBI.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerThe grounds crew at Progressive Field were the busiest folks around the stadium Sunday afternoon as they protected the infield from the steady mid-afternoon rain.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians led the Twins, 1-0, in the top of the third inning Sunday afternoon when play was halted because of rain.

Tribe lefty David Huff struck out four in two innings.  
  
By the time Twins righty Kevin Slowey had thrown three pitches, the Indians held a 1-0 advantage. Leadoff batter Ezequiel Cabrera took a ball, then served an outside pitch over left fielder Delmon Young's head for a double. Shin-Soo Choo rifled a breaking ball up the middle for an RBI single.

Slowey struck out Asdrubal Cabrera and Travis Hafner but walked Carlos Santana. Kosuke Fukudome, who earlier in the at-bat narrowly missed an extra-base hit into the right-field corner, grounded to second in a full count.

Notable:

• Former MVP Joe Mauer, an Indians nemesis, did not start for Twins manager Ron Gardenhire.

• Twins designated hitter Jim Thome has 598 career homers -- two off Huff.

• Minnesota has lost eight of nine.

• The Indians are seeking their first sweep of the Twins since Sept. 15-17, 2008, at Progressive Field.

Toledo is a threat to NIU in the MAC West, but the Rockets must first settle on a QB.

View full sizeCarlos Osorio, Associated PressWide receiver Martel Moore (1) had 40 receptions as a sophomore for Northern Illinois, and added four more receptions and a couple of touchdowns in the Huskies' Mid-American Conference championship loss to Miami.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When the Mid-American Conference football regular season ends, expect to see a repeat of the 2010 championship game between Miami and Northern Illinois.

Toledo is a threat to NIU in the MAC West, but the Rockets must first settle on a QB, then prove they can avoid self-destructing -- they had 102 penalties last season. The next most-penalized conference team was Miami at 78.

Earlier, we previewed the East race. Here is a breakdown of the western division, in predicted order of finish (returning number of starters in parentheses for each team):

1. Northern Illinois Huskies

Coach: Dave Doeren, first year.

Last season: 11-3, 8-0.

Offense (9): The MAC's most balanced 2010 offense returns almost intact, led by senior QB Chandler Harnish (2,530 yds, 21 TD), junior WR Martel Moore (40 rec, 4 TD), and senior WR Nathan Palmer (29 rec, 8 TD). With all five OL starters back, the only real question is who rises to the top from the stable of tailbacks.

Defense (5): Complete LB corps of junior Devon Butler (80 tackles, 41/2 sacks), junior Tyrone Clark (78 tackles, 4 INT), and senior Pat Schiller (39 tackles, 4 sacks), plus junior safety Tommy Davis (73 tackles) provide a nucleus to build upon. New blood is needed to join junior DL Sean Progar (39 tackles, 4 sacks) in the trenches.

Special teams: All specialists, kickers and returners must be replaced.

Overview: No MAC team both ran (260.4 ypg), passed (189.6 ypg), and scored (38.0 ppg) like NIU last season. The defense will be the early concern but should solidify by conference play.

Key game: Oct. 8 vs. Kent State. A "trap game" that could be the difference between winning and losing the division title.

2. Toledo Rockets

Coach: Tim Beckman, third year; 13-12, 10-6.

Last season: 8-5, 7-1.

Offense (9): Junior QB Austin Dantin (1,254 yds, 7 TD), senior TB Adonis Thomas (1,098 yds, 8 TD), junior WR Eric Page (99 rec, 8TD) and three OL starters bolster a unit that averaged 27.9 ppg. Backup sophomore QB Terrance Owens (1,244 yds, 13 TD) could step in and make it even more potent.

Defense (8): Playmakers everywhere. LB Dan Molls (143 tackles, 5 sacks, 3 INT), DL T.J. Fatinikun (51 tackles, 5 sacks), DL Malcolm Riley (44 tackles, 51/2 sacks), safety Mark Singer (73 tackles, 2 INT) lead this big-play defense. This unit needs to shore up one of the conference's worst pass defenses (231.3 ypg allowed) to become elite.

Special teams: KR Eric Page (31.1 ypr, 3 TD) is a game-breaker with no equal in the MAC.

Overview: Page can make big plays, but overall Toledo is very undisciplined -- easily leading the MAC with 102 penalties in 2010. That can cost a team a title.

Key game: Oct. 1 at Temple: After tough non-conference slate (Ohio State, Boise State, Syracuse) UT can't open MAC play with a road loss.

3. Western Michigan Broncos

Coach: Bill Cubit, 7th year; 40-33, 29-18.

Last season: 6-6, 5-3.

Offense (7): Senior QB Alex Carder (3,344 yds, 30 TD) was prolific in his first starting season and returns a top target in senior WR Jordan White (94 rec, 10 TD), but only two OL starters are back. That's a concern, along with finding a durable tailback.

Defense (7): Broncos should be among the MAC's best. Junior DL Paul Hazel (46 tackles, 8 sacks), senior DL Deauntay Legrier (32 tackles, 3 sacks) and senior LB Mitch Zajac (97 tackles, 2 sacks) can mount a rush. Junior DB Lewis Toler (59 tackles, 5 INT) is a ball hawk.

Special teams: Senior KR Dervon Wallace (27.2 ypr) is a game-breaker; senior K John Potter was 50-for-50 on PATs last season.

Overview: Contenders for a division title, considering two of last three games are against favorites Miami and Toledo, albeit both on the road.

Key game: Oct. 15, at Northern Illinois: A road upset against the defending division champs would signal WMU as a team to be reckoned with.

4. Central Michigan Chippewas

Coach: Dan Enos, 2nd year; 3-9, 2-6.

Last season: 3-9, 2-6.

Offense (8): Experience abounds with junior QB Ryan Radcliff (3,358 yds, 17 TD), senior TB Paris Cotton (651 yds, 6 TD), junior WR Cody Wilson (83 rec, 5 TD) and three OL starters back. A little more punch in the running game (105.8 ypg) could greatly improve the Chippewas' production.

Defense (6): DL is a strength with junior Joe Kinville (36 tackles, 21/2 sacks), senior Kashawn Fraser (27 tackles, 11/2 sacks) and senior John Williams (40 tackles, 21/2 sacks). Secondary features junior Jahleel Addae (80 tackles) and sophomore Avery Cunningham (51 tackles). Add senior LB Armond Staten (78 tackles) and this unit should be solid.

Special teams: Sophomore K David Harman is automatic inside 40 yards; a new P must be found.

Overview: Getting more out of the running game is a must, but Central needs to find playmakers on defense. CMU forced only 18 turnovers last season, with just four interceptions.

Key game: Nov. 4 at Kent State. The third of three straight road games could determine bowl status.

5. Eastern Michigan Eagles

Coach: Ron English, 3rd year; 2-22, 2-14.

Last season: 2-10, 2-6.

Offense (7): Dual-threat junior QB Alex Gillett (1,633 yds, 13 TD, 766 yards rushing, 5 TD) anchors the offense, along with four returning OL starters. But junior WR Kinsman Thomas (26 rec, 4 TD) is his only experience on the flanks, and there is no proven RB.

Defense (7): Lots of experience but no stat-stuffers. Senior S Martavius Cardwell (46 tackles) and junior DB Marcell Rose (56 tackles) pace a unit that did not cause a lot of fumbles (11) or interceptions (2).

Special teams: EMU only made 5 FGs last season, one longer than 29 yards; no kick was returned longer than 42 yards.

Overview: Until the Eagles come up with some playmakers, this team is destined to remain in the back of the pack.

Key game: Oct. 1 vs. Akron: Soft early schedule could lead to a 3-2 start if EMU can win this game.

6. Ball State Cardinals

Coach: Pete Lembo, first year.

Last season: 4-8, 3-5.

Offense (5): Sophomore QB Keith Wenning (1,374 yds, 14 TD) has three starting OL back to protect him and an experienced target in senior WR Briggs Orsbon (28 rec). But the top two RBs and three of four WRs are gone from last year; and there is a new offense for everyone to learn.

Defense (6): BSU should be strong down the middle as senior DT Adam Morris (23 tackles), junior MLB Travis Freeman (109 tackles, 1 INT) and senior S Sean Baker (88 tackles, 6 INT) all return. However, the DL must be rebuilt and veteran backups in the secondary must step up.

Special teams: Junior P. Scott Kovanda (40.0 ypk) returns, but new PK must be found.

Overview: First-year coach has pieces to work with, but skill-position starters and skill depth appears lean. The defense should be able to hold its own early, but if the offense still struggles, that defense could wilt.

Key game: Sept. 17 vs. Buffalo: First MAC game could be the difference between a 1-5 or 0-6 start to the season.

Santana's max-effort approach from the left side has led to an up-and-down season against right-handed pitching.

View full sizeScott Shaw, The Plain DealerCarlos Santana has been a more productive hitter from the right side this season, as the Indians coaches continue to work on him learning that "less is more" from the left side.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Last season, Carlos Santana hit right-handed pitching well at Class AAA Columbus (48-for-137, .350) and with the Indians (32-for-102, .314). He struggled against lefties, hitting a combined .196 (21-for-107).

The script has flipped for the catcher/first baseman this season. In 112 games with the Indians, he is hitting .298 against lefties (37-for-124) and .207 against righties (56-for-270).

"In spring training, he made an adjustment to help him hit against lefties," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "He's been more consistent at staying inside the ball as a right-handed batter. As a lefty, he's gotten a bit pull-happy."

Tribe hitting coach Bruce Fields, who took over June 19 for the fired Jon Nunnally, has been working to get Santana "quieter" with his approach as a lefty.

"What we're telling him is, 'Less is more,'" Fields said. "The less effort you have, the more you get from your swing."

Santana's max-effort approach from the left side has led to a weight transfer as the right leg "steps into the bucket." In Santana's case, a weight shift to the front side means compromised leverage. Lost leverage means harmless grounders to the right side or fly outs.

"Theoretically, you should reach to touch-down with the weight on the inside of your leg," Fields said. "When the leg kicks and there's big movement, you kind of fall into your swing. It's like a tree after you chop it down.

"Carlos understands. You're seeing it here and there; now it's a matter of consistency. He's not that far off."

The higher average has come as a righty, but the power has come as a lefty. He is averaging one homer every 18 at-bats against right-handed pitchers; one every 41.3 at-bats against lefties.

Santana is hitting .236 overall with 18 homers and 59 RBI. He has helped offset the low average by drawing 72 walks, which leads the club by miles. Some have wondered if he is almost too patient, thereby letting some hitter's pitches go early in counts.

Fields dismisses the notion before the end of the question.

"Oh, no," Fields said. "I don't agree at all that he's taking too many pitches. You can't teach that type of discipline. Think about this: If he didn't have a good eye, what would his numbers be?"

When Santana struggles offensively it is magnified because, from the moment he arrived in Cleveland from Class AAA Columbus on June 11, 2010, he was expected to be a cornerstone. He had batted .290 with 360 RBI, 333 walks and 322 strikeouts in 526 minor-league games.

At the outset, Santana more than lived up to the hype, hitting .345 in June. But he fell off to .209 in July and was 1-for-6 in August before having his season truncated by a left-knee injury that required surgery.

This season has been one of fits and starts for Santana. At the moment, he is swinging well. Santana has hit in 13 of 18 games, going 21-for-70 (.300) with seven doubles, three homers and 13 RBI.

Neither Santana nor his bosses say the left knee is adversely affecting him in any way. In part to take some pressure off it, manager Manny Acta has started Santana 37 times at first base. Santana ranks second on the club in games, trailing shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (117). Michael Brantley (107) is the only other active Indian in triple-digits.

"We haven't really given Carlos any days off because of the knee," Acta said. "The couple of times we've given him days off were to get his head clear during certain slumps."

Finally: The deadline to sign draft picks is midnight Monday. The Indians' top pick, prep shortstop Francisco Lindor (eighth overall), remained unsigned as of Sunday evening.

On Twitter: @dmansworldpd

David Huff is more laid-back and a better pitcher for it. Now he just needs better luck, sports columnist Bud Shaw writes.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerDavid Huff won't argue with observers who say he's a different person and pitcher this season -- even if his efforts for the Indians haven't been all that rewarding. "I'm more laid back," he said after Sunday's rainout against the Twins. "Not as uptight as I usually am."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When the rain chased the Indians inside, David Huff pounded his glove and walked off the mound disappointed.

That was a familiar scene last year, minus one detail. Biblical rains weren't the issue. Natural disasters of his own creation did him in more often than not.

Huff beaten. Huff frustrated. Huff sent to the dugout too early. And finally Huff gone in a huff. The general progression was, in his words, a "spiraling" that kept him up at night.

"I was miserable last year," the lefty said Sunday after rain postponed his promising outing against the Minnesota Twins. "I'd go home, get on Twitter. The feedback from the fans ... let's just say it was not great. I finally took the attitude that if this is as bad as it gets I'll be OK."

Nothing has ever been that cut-and-dried where Huff is concerned. Though he's doing his best to simply his approach this season with a new delivery and fewer thoughts pin-balling around inside his hat, he admits he initially "butted heads" with Columbus pitching coach Ruben Niebla. The result of the change is a more aggressive approach and more life on his pitches.

Huff had all that working against Minnesota Sunday, striking four consecutive hitters and throwing two perfect innings before umps stopped the game with a 1-1 count on Minnesota's Delmon Young in the top of the third.

His fastball was spot on. His cutter was moving. His curve was sharp.

"I honestly felt like I had good stuff," Huff said. "Oh well..."

Huff will start Saturday in Detroit. He's shown enough this season that the best move now is to put him in Carlos Carrasco's spot in the rotation and keep him there. Not just because having a lefty in the mix would give opponents a different look. Huff is further along in his development than Carrasco.

He holed up in a corner last year trying to figure things out for himself, which is another way of saying he didn't exactly embrace what the organization wanted to see from him.

"Last year was a rough year for him," manager Manny Acta said. "He was not effective against right-handers. Or left-handers. Or anybody. It was up to him to make some adjustments. It's paid off for him."

Huff's older brother has served him as a pitching coach/advisor. Organizations don't exactly encourage involvement from family members. Huff says he still relies on his brother, but doesn't consider the relationship at cross-hairs with organizational purposes since his brother's message this season has been to keep things simple and not over-think everything.

Huff used to sift through scouting reports on hitters to a fault. Now he says he goes to pitching coach Tim Belcher to talk about which hitters are aggressive early in the count, who's hot in the opposing lineup. That's about it.

When he hears people say he's a different person this year, not just a different pitcher, he doesn't bristle or try to argue the general point.

"That could be right," he said. "I'm more laid back. Not as uptight as I usually am."

Huff entered Sunday with a 1-1 record and a 0.51 ERA in three starts. A year after he went 2-11 with a 6.21 ERA and had just 37 strikeouts to 34 walks, he's struck out 15 and walked four.

"His pitches are crisp," Acta said.

Acta's only lament Sunday was the rainout means another rescheduled game later this season. Rosters expand Sept 1 so there will be more available arms for the heavier load. But that doesn't mean a six-man rotation. Acta wants to pitch the five starters who give him the best chance to win.

Huff shouldn't just be in that conversation. He should be in the rotation.

Dufner had a five-shot lead over Bradley with four holes remaining, but couldn't hold the lead with three consecutive bogeys.

View full sizeAP photoA lengthy birdie putt on the 17th hole sent Keegan Bradley into a joyous jog as he closed within a shot of leader Jason Dufner Sunday at the Atlanta Athletic Club. When Dufner bogeyed the 17th, the two players eventually entered a three-hole playoff that Bradley won by a shot for the PGA Championship title early Sunday evening.

Jeff Shain

The Orlando Sentinel

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. -- Seemingly left in tatters after a triple bogey down the stretch, Keegan Bradley birdied two of his next three to get into an unlikely PGA Championship playoff -- then won it by defeating Jason Dufner over three extra holes.

Bradley, playing in his first major championship, birdied the first playoff hole as well to take an early advantage. Two pars completed a victory that appeared lost at the bottom of a pond less than two hours earlier.

"I can't believe it," said Bradley, the nephew of LPGA Hall of Famer Pat Bradley. The PGA Tour rookie has won twice this year, having prevailed in May at the Byron Nelson Championship.

Dufner -- who was born in Northeast Ohio and spent his childhood in Olmsted Falls before his family moved to Alabama -- was seeking to make the PGA his first career victory. He held a five-shot cushion on the 15th tee after watching Bradley's triple bogey in the group ahead. But three consecutive bogeys threw the door open for Bradley, who bounced back with birdies at Nos. 16 and 17.

"Those are just tough holes," Dufner said. "Keegan played well down the stretch, and that's what decided this tournament."

Bradley bounced back with an 8-foot birdie putt at No.16, then watched a bomb from across the 17th green dive into the hole for another that brought him within one. When Dufner three-putted on his trip through No.17, the lead had vanished. Both parred No.18, then headed back out for a three-hole replay of Nos. 16, 17 and 18.

Both started the playoff in stellar fashion, hitting their approach shots inside six feet at 16. But Dufner -- whose putting stroke had been solid all week -- pulled his birdie try left while Bradley drained his.

For Bradley, that made three birdies in a four-hole stretch after the triple bogey. The lead grew to two after Dufner three-putted No.17, though he put a little pressure back on with a 20-foot birdie at No.18.

Bradley ran his 18-footer next to the hole, then tapped in to become the seventh consecutive winner of his first major championship. The victory also ended a run of six consecutive majors without an American winner.

Bradley's final round resulted in a 2-under-par 68; Dufner shot 69. Both reached the end of regulation at 8-under-par 272.

Denmark's Anders Hansen finished third, his 66 leaving him at 7-under and one shot out of the playoff. Another two shots followed the trio of 2001 PGA champ David Toms (67), Scott Verplank (70) and Sweden's Robert Karlsson (67).

Dufner had played near flawlessly through his first 14 holes, notching four birdies to get to 11 under before the bottom fell out. He carried a two-stroke lead to the turn, then notched matching 12-foot birdies at 12 and 13.

View full sizeAP photo"Keegan played well down the stretch," Cleveland native Jason Dufner said after Sunday's final round of the PGA Championship, in which he lost a five-shot lead over Keegan Bradley in the final four holes of regulation and then lost a three-hole playoff, "and that's what decided this tournament."

Dufner, 34, who won twice on the Nationwide Tour but has not been victorious on the PGA Tour, had a second-place finish in Phoenix in February and a third in New Orleans in May. But he had missed the cut in his last four tournaments before this week.

Bradley, 25, won the Byron Nelson in May in a playoff to highlight a solid rookie season. He was in contention at last week's Bridgestone Invitational in Akron before fading over the final nine holes.

Atlanta AC's final holes don't have any sort of formal nickname such as Augusta National's "Amen Corner" or PGA National's "Bear Trap." Various suggestions this week have included "The Gauntlet" to "Highway to Hell" to stuff that requires symbols rather than letters.

"They're tough holes, but everybody has got to play them the same way," Bradley had said after Saturday's round. "I think the PGA has done a great job setting it up so far. It's good to make pars on those holes, though. That's for sure."

The 18th, a par-4 measuring 507 yards, ranked as the week's toughest as just 55 percent of pros walked away with par or birdie. Next was the par-3 15th, a 260-yard poke in which 65 percent recorded par or better.

U.S. Open champ Rory McIlroy battled to a second consecutive 74, leaving him 11 over with an ailing right wrist that he hurt on a tree root three holes into Thursday's round.

"It was a struggle," said the 22-year-old pro. "I played 70 holes of this tournament not at 100 percent."

Sunday's downpour forced tournament directors to cancel the third round for the first time in the 19-year history of the event, sending Saturday's co-leaders to a sudden-death playoff.

Brad Bournival

Special to The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Mother Nature turned golf carts into row boats and 9-irons into oars during the final round of Sunday's Greater Cleveland Amateur at Sleepy Hollow.

The leaders were able to get 10 holes in before 11/4 inches of rain came down in two hours. That forced tournament directors to cancel the third round for the first time in the 19-year history of the event and go to the scorecard through 36 holes.

It added up to a sudden death playoff between Medina's Pete Skirpstas and Rocky River's Andrew Bailey that ended after the first hole with Skirpstas sinking an 18-inch par putt for the win.

"Going back out, to have the leaders play the last eight holes would have made the tournament less legitimate," Cleveland Metroparks golf professional Mike Raby said. "Even if we would have played in perfect conditions, it was just too wet to continue."

So officials spent 30 minutes with squeegee in hand, cleaning up the green on the 386-yard, par-4 18th at Sleepy Hollow for the two remaining competitors. Skirpstas took what looked like a blocked shot and worked some magic on his approach in the playoff. Almost entirely shielded from the green by a tree from 112 yards out, he hit a gap wedge to 18 feet below the hole.

"I just hit a fade back to the green," he said. "I'm more likely to pull off a shot when something is in the way. When you have to do it, it just comes."

Still, Bailey appeared to have the upper hand, sticking his 106-yard second shot to 12 feet above the hole. That's where the tournament was decided as Skirpstas' birdie putt slid just past the cup. With tournament dreams dancing in his head, Bailey's putt went just six feet and he lipped out his par putt to take bogey.

"It hit a lake, there's no two ways about it," said Bailey of his birdie attempt. "I've had multiple delays in my career, the only thing hard was getting the feel of the greens. But I practiced for 15 minutes before I went out, so I thought I had it."

The rain didn't take anything away from Skirpstas' day. Firing a 2-under 69 Saturday, he forged a tie with the first-round leader Bailey. Skirpstas actually made the turn on Sunday with a one-shot lead over Bailey and three-time winner Brad Steven before the third round became obsolete.

"I would have loved to have played the last round to win, but it's golf. It happens," Skirpstas said. "It feels awesome to win and get that congratulations handshake. It finally all came together."

Brad Bournival is a freelance writer from North Royalton.

Casspi would be able to return to the Cavs immediately if the NBA and its players association reach an agreement.

Associated PressOmri Casspi has reportedly worked out an arrangement to play with Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv during the NBA lockout.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Maccabi Tel Aviv co-cowner David Federman said in an interview on Israeli radio on Sunday that Cavaliers forward Omri Casspi has entered into discussions to play with Maccabi Tel Aviv during the NBA lockout, although Casspi would be able to return to the Cavs immediately if the NBA and its players association reach an agreement.

A source close to Casspi, who suffered a minor knee injury last week in training with the Israeli national team that could keep him out of the upcoming European championships, said the discussions were preliminary at this point and that nothing had been finalized.

Casspi, the first Israeli-born player in the NBA, was traded to the Cavs for J.J. Hickson just before the lockout went into effect at the beginning of July. He played for Maccabi Tel Aviv from 2005-09 before the Sacramento Kings made him the 23rd pick in the first round of the NBA draft in 2009.

New Jersey's Jordan Farmar recently agreed to play for Maccabi Tel Aviv during the NBA lockout.

Dufner's heart remains in Cleveland even though he lived in Alabama while attending and graduating from Auburn, says his mother, Barbara Schultz.

View full sizeCharles Krupa, Associated PressPGA Tour runner-up Jason Dufner still has many family members in the Northeast Ohio area, including his grandmother, who lives in North Ridgeville, and relatives on his father’s side.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When Barbara Schultz finally got a chance to speak to her son on Sunday, she said the only thing that was on her mind.

"I told him that I loved him," she said of the brief conversation with her son, Cleveland native Jason Dufner. "He told me that he loved me, too."

Schultz was at the Atlanta Athletic Club where she watched her son's gallant run at the PGA Championship -- and an attempt at becoming the first native Clevelander in almost 75 years to win one of golf's major tournaments -- end in a one-stroke loss in a three-hole playoff to Keegan Bradley.

"It's in the mother's handbook. That's what you say," she said. "I'm his original fan. It was exciting to watch him and I am extremely proud and happy for him, but at the end of the day I am going to love him, no matter what."

Dufner was born at Fairview Hospital on March 24, 1977 while the family lived on West 136th Street, off Lorain Avenue, his mother said. They moved to Olmsted Falls when Jason was 18 months old and remained there until he was 11. Jason and his mother spent a brief time in Washington, D.C. before moving to Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Schultz and Jason's late father, Frank, divorced in the late 1980s.

Schultz said her son's heart remains in Cleveland even though he lived in Alabama while attending and graduating from Auburn as a walk-on with a degree in economics and three collegiate tournament victories. He still has many family members in the area, including his grandmother Marilyn Schultz, who lives in North Ridgeville, and relatives on his father's side.

"Oh, he's such a fan," Schultz said of her son. "He's a huge fan of the Indians and the Browns. And, he has a lot of fans around Cleveland."

Dufner is represented by the Cleveland firm of IMG. His agent is Ben Walter.

Dufner, who lists Ben Hogan as his hero, was more of a baseball player than a golfer while growing up, said his cousin, Alan Dufner Jr.

"He loved sports," said Alan Dufner Jr., three years older than his cousin. "We played a lot of baseball with our fathers. Jason was a good athlete."

Jason, who has won more than $6 million in his eight-year Tour career, learned to play golf from his father, who passed away a few years ago. He earned $865,000 for his runner-up finish this week.

"Frank was a good golfer," said his uncle, Alan Dufner Sr., who lives on Cleveland's west side. "I think he was the first one to teach Jason the game."

It wasn't until Dufner and his mother relocated to Ft. Lauderdale that he became serious about golf.

"I can tell you two stories," his mother said. "He was about 15 when I knew he was serious. He would take a putter or a sand wedge and disappear for hours on his own. Then, several years ago I was going through some of his things from high school. I came across a paper he had written when he was a senior in high school.

"It was a paper about what your goals in life were and how you were going to go about reaching those goals. He wrote, 'Some day when I'm playing on the PGA Tour ...' Then I knew he was going to become a professional. I gave him the paper when he made it to the Tour."

The last Clevelander to win a major tournament was Denny Shute, who was the only player to win back-to-back PGA Championships in 1936-1937 until Tiger Woods did it 1999-2000.

Davis won the USTA Girls 18 National Championships in San Diego on Sunday.

View full sizeUSTA photoLauren Davis' triumph in San Diego earned her a U.S. Open berth later this month.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Gates Mills native Lauren Davis will be playing in the U.S. Open.

She earned a spot in the final major tennis tournament of the year on Sunday by winning the USTA Girls 18 National Championships in San Diego. She defeated Nicole Gibbs, 7-6 (3), 1-6, 6-4.

Davis played in the Australian Open in January, losing in the first round to Samantha Stosur, 6-1, 6-1. The U.S. Open begins Aug. 29.

The Browns hit the practice field again today after beating the Packers Saturday. Practice is closed to the public, but you can read live tweets below from Plain Dealer Browns beat reporters Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot.

View full sizeColt McCoy and the Browns take the practice field again today.

How impressive were the Cleveland Browns during their first exhibition game?

Chuck Crow | The Plain DealerCleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy.

Mary Kay Cabot writes how quarterback Colt McCoy is keeping things in perspective when it comes to last Saturday's preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers.

The Cleveland Browns defeated the Packers and the Browns did several good things that probably earned coach Pat Shurmur's nod of approval. McCoy was 9-for-10 for 135 yards and a touchdown.

There was a bright spot on defense when linebacker Titus Brown scored on a 43-yard fumble return after a strip-sack of Green Bay quarterback Graham Harrell by undrafted rookie linebacker Brian Smith.

So were you impressed?

Which injured starter do the Cleveland Indians need to return the most?

Chuck Crow / The Plain DealerGrady Sizemore

The Cleveland Indians are 2 1/2 games behind the Detroit Tigers in the Central Division, so the latest injury to a key player, second baseman Jason Kipnis, is another key injury the team can't afford.

Dennis Manoloff writes in The Plain Dealer how Kipnis joins Michael Brantley on the day-to-day injury list. And don't forget about Grady Sizemore, who has been sidelined since July 18 with a bruised right knee and after undergoing surgery for a sports hernia.

So which of these three injured players do the Indians need the most?

Injury to rookie Eric Hagg created the need for another safety.

BEREA -- The Browns were awarded safety Brett Johnson off waivers from Seattle.

Johnson, 6-1 and 194 pounds, was signed last year by Buffalo as an undrafted free agents. He moved to Philadelphia and St. Louis before ending the season on the Bills' practice squad.

The Browns needed a safety after rookie Eric Hagg suffered a knee injury in practice last week. Coach Pat Shurmur said after Saturday's exhibition game that Hagg would have surgery, but the club has not indicated how long Hagg would be out.