The Class AA Akron Aeros and Class A Lake County Captains also lose, but the Class A Kinston Indians get a victory over the Potomac Nationals.

Red Sox 5, Clippers 2 SS Cord Phelps (.301) doubled twice, singled and knocked in a run, but Columbus lost an International League game in Pawtucket, R.I. Clippers RH Jeanmar Gomez (10-6, 2.46 ERA) allowed five runs -- two earned -- in seven innings. CF Tim Fedroff (.268), DH Nick Johnson (.211) and 2B Argenis Reyes (.300) each had two hits for Columbus. Johnson knocked in the other run.

Notes: Going into Wednesday night’s game at Pawtucket, 3B Jared Goedert (.257) was 22-for-55 (.400) with four home runs in his last 18 games....OF Chad Huffman (.247) was looking to start another streak, after having his 25-game on-base streak snapped on Tuesday and his 13-game hitting streak ended on Monday. Huffman was 23-of-43 (.535) with nine doubles, one triple, two home runs and 12 RBI during the hitting streak....OF Jeread Head (.285) was 19-for-60 (.317) with seven homers and 17 RBI in his last 14 games....LH reliever Nick Hagadone (4-2, four saves, 3.32) was 2-1 with two saves and a 1.69 ERA in his last 14 games, striking out 26 and walking four in 21 1/3 innings....RH reliever Chen Lee (3-0, 1.08) had struck out 36, walked seven and allowed 17 hits in 25 innings with the Clippers. Lee was a combined 5-1 with a 1.95 ERA for Columbus and Akron this season, fanning 92 and walking 18 in 64 2/3 innings, while holding hitters to a .197 batting average, including just two home runs....RH Corey Kluber (7-8, 5.61) is third in the International League with 126 strikeouts (in 134 2/3 innings) after his gem on Tuesday night, when he pitched 6 2/3 hitless, scoreless innings and struck out 11, with five walks, to get the win as the Clippers defeated Pawtucket, 5-2.

AA Akron Aeros

Senators 5, Aeros 3 SS Juan Diaz (.253), 1B Raul Padron (.243) and RF Ben Copeland (.276) homered, but host Akron lost to Harrisburg, Pa. LH T.J. McFarland (9-7, 3.87) gave up four runs in six innings.

Notes: Going into his start in Wednesday night’s game against Harrisburg, LH T.J. McFarland was 9-6 with a 3.75 ERA overall, but in his last 10 starts, had been 7-1 with a 2.31 ERA. During that stretch, McFarland had not allowed a home run in 62 1/3 innings, holding batters to a .233 average while striking out 50 and walking 19....LH reliever Eric Berger (2-0, 2.53) had pitched 17 1/3 scoreless innings n his last nine games, fanning 20, walking four and giving up nine hits....RH reliever Adam Miller (1-3, one save, 5.85), a former first-round Indians’ draft pick attempting a comeback after missing nearly three seasons with finger surgeries, had pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings in his last three games, striking out two while giving up three hits and two walks....RH Austin Adams (9-9, 4.00) is 4-1 with a 3.35 ERA in his last seven starts....Going into Wednesday night’s game, 3B Kyle Bellows (.234) was 9-for-27 (.333) with one homer and one double in his last eight games....OF Ben Copeland (.269) was 10-for-34 (.294) with two homers and two doubles in his last nine games.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Indians 2, Nationals 1 LH Francisco Jimenez (3.51) allowed one run in 4 innings, and RH Nickolas Sarianides (3.18) got the win with three innings of scoreless relief as host Kinston topped Potomac, Va., in Carolina League play. RH Preston Guilmet (1.73) retired the four batters he faced for his 32nd save.

Notes: OF Anthony Gallas, from Strongsville High School and Kent State, was placed on the Kinston disabled list on Monday. The right-handed hitter has not played since being hit on the hand by a pitch on July 31. Gallas started the season at Lake County, where he hit .314 in 207 at bats. At the time of his promotion to Kinston, Gallas was leading the Midwest League with 24 doubles. He also hit six home runs and had 21 RBI for the Captains. With Kinston, Gallas is hitting .203 in 128 at bats, with 10 doubles, two homers and 21 RBI. Before going 0-for-5 in his last two games, Gallas was 10-for-29 (.345) with six doubles and eight RBI in his previous eight games....Going into Wednesday night’s game against Potomac, OF Tyler Holt (.259) was 6-for-13 (.462) with two doubles, five runs, four walks and four stolen bases in his last four games. He was second in the Carolina League with 69 walks and third with 30 stolen bases (in 35 attempts)....OF Jordan Casas (.288) was on a nine-game hitting streak, going 11-for-39 (.282) with one triple, four RBI and four runs....3B Adam Abraham (.249) was 12-for-39 (.308) with three doubles, seven RBI, six runs and seven walks in his last 10 games....RH reliever Toru Murata (1-2, two saves, 2.27) has not allowed a run in his last 17 2/3 innings. Overall, in 35 2/3 innings, he has struck out 47, walked nine and held batters to a .179 average and one home run....RH reliever Preston Guilmet (1-1, 1.78) was second in the league with 31 saves. In 50 2/3 innings, he had struck out 52, walked nine and held hitters to a .205 batting average....RH Clayton Cook (8-8, 3.86) is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in his last three starts, fanning 16 in 18 innings....LH Francisco Jimenez (3-2, 3.66) has allowed one run — unearned — on seven hits in his last 10 2/3 innings, with 16 strikeouts and seven walks. Jimenez has made starts in his last two games, after pitching in relief in 19 of his previous 20 games.

A Lake County Captains

Silver Hawks 6, Captains 5 Raywilly Gomez singled home Niko Gallego with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to lead South Bend, Ind., over Lake County. It was the ninth walk-off loss for the Captains this year. SS Ronny Rodriguez (.249) doubled, singled and drove in a run for Lake County.

Notes: Going into Wednesday night’s game at South Bend (Ind.), the Captains had lost 12 of their last 15 games. They had scored 1.87 runs per game....RH reliever Cody Allen had two of the wins. He was 2-0 in three appearances with the Captains, pitching eight scoreless innings, while striking out 12 and giving up three walks and seven hits. Allen was promoted from Mahoning Valley, where he was 3-1 with a 2.14 ERA in 14 games, fanning 42 and walking nine in 33 2/3 innings, while holding batters to a .183 average and one home run....Going into Wenesday night’s game, IF Ronny Rodriguez (.247) was 7-for-22 (.318) with four doubles, one triple and three stolen bases in his last six games....IF Nick Bartolone (.220) was 7-for-23 (.304) with one double in his last seven games....3B Giovanny Urshela (.242) was 9-for-31 (.290) with two doubles in his last nine games.

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Scrappers 5, Lake Monsters 1 RF Bryson Myles (.290) had a two-run single, and SS Tony Wolters (.302) and CF Cody Elliott (.244) each drove in a run as Mahoning Valley topped host Vermont.

Notes: Going into Wednesday night’s game at Vermont, catcher Alex Lavisky — a 2010 Lakewood St. Edward High School graduate who was drafted in the eighth round by the Indians that June — was 5-for-18 (.278) with three doubles and four RBI in his last five games. Lavisky is hitting .204 in 196 at bats for the Scrappers, with 13 doubles, four home runs and 17 RBI. He began the season with the Lake County Captains, hitting .207 in 184 at bats with 10 doubles, eight homers and 24 RBI....2B Todd Hankins (.271) was 10-for-34 (.294) with four doubles, one triple, nine RBI and eight runs in his last 10 games....SS Tony Wolters (.305) was 9-for-29 (.310) with one double and three stolen bases in his last seven games....Catcher Jake Lowery (.254) was 7-for-26 (.269) with four doubles, eight walks, five RBI and five runs in his last eight games, and was second in the New York-Penn League with 37 walks....RH reliever Enosil Tejeda (2-2, nine saves, 3.67) had struck out 47 and walked 14 in 27 innings, holding batters to a .190 average and no home runs....RH Joseph Colon (4-2, 3.32) was 4-0 with a 2.41 ERA in his last eight games (seven starts), fanning 30, walking 12 and allowing 31 hits in 41 innings.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

Beach Bums 5, Crushers 4 (11) Travis Risser (2-5) took the loss as Lake Erie lost in 11 innings in Traverse City, Mich.

Notes: Going into Wednesday night’s game at Traverse City (Mich.), IF Andrew Davis (.338) was hitting .433 (67-for-157) in his last 39 games, with 16 doubles, three triples, five homers and 38 RBI. He was also on a 10-game hitting streak, going 20-for-39 (.513) with four doubles, two homers and 13 RBI....IF Jason Taylor (.290) was 17-for-36 (.472) with six doubles, one triple, three homers, 11 RBI, 10 runs and five stolen bases in five attempts in his last 11 games....RH reliever Chris Allen (1-2, two saves, 1.57) had pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings in his last six games, with seven strikeouts.

Hannahan arrives at Fairview Hospital in Cleveland 15 minutes before John Joseph Hannahan V is born by emergency Cesarean section on Aug. 5.

View full sizeChuck Crow, Plain Dealer fileIndians third baseman Jack Hannahan, center, was able to be at his wife's side in Cleveland for the premature birth of their child thanks to some help from his teammates.

The Indians had just finished beating Boston, 7-4, on Aug. 4 at Fenway Park. The small visitors' clubhouse was crowded with equipment bags, moving trunks, players and reporters as the Indians prepared to board two buses and head to the airport for a flight to Dallas-Fort Worth to play the Texas Rangers the next night.

In one corner of the locker room, Hannahan and Mike Seghi, director of team travel, studied flight plans back to Cleveland. Hannahan's wife, Jenny, was in labor at Fairview Hospital with the couple's first child. She wasn't due until Oct. 26, but she'd been on bed rest for the past month and the baby was on its way.

"I talked to Mike Seghi and he said the earliest flight out the next day was at 6 a.m.," Hannahan said.

Then they started looking up phone numbers for private jet services.

"Everyone on the team knew my situation with Jenny being in the hospital," Hannahan said. "Justin Masterson, Austin Kearns, Travis Hafner, Chad Durbin and Shin-Soo Choo all were looking over my shoulder and knew what was going on.

"I told them I'd get on the flight the next day. The guys told Seghi to book a private jet."

Hannahan figures it cost between $45,000 and $50,000 to book the private jet.

"Jack's initial reaction was no chance," Masterson said. "He didn't want anything at all. He said he'd take the first flight in the morning."

Hannahan was the Indians' Opening Day third baseman, but he's not a star. This is his 11th year in pro ball, but just his first full season in the big leagues. He's making $500,000 this year, but his job status beyond the end of the season is uncertain.

In fact, with exception of Hafner, the Indians don't have any big-money players.

"I just can't drop 40 or 50 grand on a flight," Hannahan said. "I don't know too many people who can."

Hannahan's teammates made it happen.

"Everybody on this team, young and old, put something together to help Hannie out," Masterson said. "Kearns, Hafner, Choo, we all said 'He needs to be there.' That how all the guys felt."

Hannahan landed in Cleveland at Hopkins International Airport, where a car was waiting. He arrived at Fairview Hospital 15 minutes before John Joseph Hannahan V was born by emergency Cesarean section at 3:11 a.m. on Aug. 5.

"We're calling him Johnny," Hannahan said. "He was born on my wife's birthday."

Johnny weighed in at 2 pounds, 12 ounces, and was placed on a respirator. He's not scheduled to leave the hospital until late October.

"He's a little miracle," Hannahan said. "Since he was born, he's been doing great in the hospital. His feedings are up and he's breathing on his own.

"With [premature babies], lung development is critical. The doctors say he's doing well."

Hannahan said when Johnny was born he was being fed a half-ounce of formula a day. Now he's up to 3 1/2 ounces.

"It just tells you a lot about this team," Hannahan said. "That the guys would do that for me. I've played on three different big-league teams. It just doesn't happen on any team. It takes a great group of guys to do that."

Manager Manny Acta is not surprised his players acted as they did.

"I'm very proud of them, especially being a young team," Acta said. "You're talking about a team where a bunch of guys are making the major-league minimum or barely over that. For them to be so unselfish and do all that, that's what is going to make this special for years to come."

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

On Twitter: @hoynsie

National team power rankings put together after Cleveland's win over Green Bay still have the Browns near the bottom. More Browns links.

Joshua Gunter, The Plain DealerBrowns linebackers Brian Smith (53) and Titus Brown (59) celebrate after Brown recovered a fumble forced by Smith and returned it for a touchdown against the Packers during the Browns' 27-17 preseason win last Saturday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns' 27-17 preseason-opening win over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night did provide some hope for fans who have watched the Browns win 64 games and lose 128 since the team returned to the NFL in 1999.

Much of the optimism, though, must be based on some impressive performances by individual players.

The critics feel that a preseason win -- even if over the defending Super Bowl champions -- ultimately stands for nothing once the games matter.

(The Browns won their first expansion-era preseason game in 1999, defeating the Dallas Cowboys, 20-17, in overtime)

The national pundits' opinions on the Browns have changed little following the win over Green Bay.

For instance, the SportingNews.com power rankings have the Browns at No. 26 among the NFL's 32 teams, with the comment:

The Pat Shurmur era begins, and he has a couple of building blocks on offense with Colt McCoy and Peyton Hillis. Defense, however, may be a big mess.

As lowly as that rating is, it's better than where CBSSports.com rankings have the Browns: No. 29, with the comment:

They stood pat for the most part in free agency, so it's a young team that will be learning much of tthis season. Colt McCoy has to prove he's the long-term answer.

The Browns play their second preseason game on Friday night, against the Detroit Lions at Browns Stadium.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage includes Tony Grossi's report on Wednesday's Browns news; his Browns Insider; Bill Livingston's column on quarterback Colt McCoy's offseason work with Brett Favre; from Wednesday's practice, Chuck Crow's photo gallery and video by David I. Andersen. 

Browns links

A Browns-Lions game preview by Scott Garbarini for the Sports Network, on the Miami Herald's website.

The Browns' offensive line vs. the defensive line of the Lions. On the Bleacher Report.

On FoxSportsOhio.com, a transcript of Browns coach Pat Shurmur's Wednesday press conference.

The NFL's supplemental draft mess is a result of how the Browns landed Bernie Kosar in 1985, writes Andy Freeland for footballpros.com.

Five Browns with a lot to prove this season. On the Bleacher Report.

Wide receiver/kick returner Jordan Norwood is making a strong impression, writes Jeff Schudel for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal.

A story on running back Brandon Jackson by Daniel Wolf of the National Football Authority.

Browns training camp report by Chris Pokorny on dawgsbynature.com.

The most promising aspect of the Browns in 2011 is a shared philosophy that the NFL is a quarterback's league, Bud Shaw writes in his Spin column.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerIs Browns QB Colt McCoy going to be "The Guy" for the franchise? It helps for him to work closely with coach Pat Shurmur.

Pat Shurmur's first summer as the Browns' coach has none of the staged tension of his predecessor's training camps.

No ear-splitting music. No high school penalty laps for players making mistakes. No general sense that each day's work is the football equivalent of passing a kidney stone.

That's all window dressing, though.

The important difference is there's no indecision about the quarterback and no suffocating philosophy that views the quarterback as a game "manager" at best, an interchangeable part at worst.

Colt McCoy starts Friday against the Detroit Lions with the coveted -- OK, non-coveted -- Great Lakes Classic up for grabs. He's a week removed from a performance against Green Bay that was impressive, but really not anything we haven't seen before.

(See Jake Delhomme last year and Brady Quinn before him for similar showings and comparable reasons for August optimism.)

That's not to say McCoy doesn't project as The Guy, the one capable of finally stopping the Browns' quarterback merry-go-round. He just might do that. There is much to like about him.

The bigger reason for hope in Berea is Shurmur looks like the guy to nurture The Guy. If that turns out to be McCoy, great. If not, with Shurmur as an extension of Mike Holmgren, you would now trust the Browns' organization -- team president down to head coach -- to identify the next franchise quarterback and tailor an offense to him.

Shurmur's offense with McCoy at the controls looked especially crisp and effective in the exhibition opener. That was as much a reflection on the head coach as the quarterback, given the unsettled off-season.

"The biggest thing is creating tempo, especially in the preseason," McCoy said Tuesday. "We played fast, and that's part of our mentality."

The easiest sports story in the world to write is the one heaping premature accolades on the new head coach for changing the atmosphere after the firing of the previous regime.

Eric Mangini was the benefit of that theme -- laying down the law after the closing of the Crennel Country Club. And now he's on the other side of it.

Shurmur didn't need to create a different atmosphere or exorcise negativity or sloth. His greatest benefit is far more practical. It's the belief he shares with his boss, Holmgren, that the NFL in 2011 is a quarterback's league.

The Browns are McCoy's team for the foreseeable future. Given this chance and the trust of his new coach, McCoy spent time talking to Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers.

"They run the West Coast, but he kind of made it his own," McCoy said Tuesday. "That's what he told me: 'Don't be afraid to make it your own.' "

Now isn't the time for McCoy to do anything other than grasp what Shurmur wants from him. He knows that. But he will get more freedom under Shurmur to change plays and run the stuff that suits him best.

By the way, I once questioned why Shurmur wouldn't hire an offensive coordinator in his first year as head coach, but I see the sense it makes for him to work directly with McCoy.

Will there be time-management issues in the regular season that suggest Shurmur is taking on too much? Maybe.

Looking at the Browns' development, though, there's nothing more important for this head coach than working hand-in-hand with his starting quarterback.

And if the starting quarterback turns into the franchise quarterback because of it, all the better.

Hello, my name is . . .

The proof wasn't in the pudding because it came before dessert.

Shurmur probably suspected he wasn't a household name in Ohio when Holmgren named him the Browns' new head coach.

While dining at a local restaurant shortly after, it became clear not everyone on the staff instantly recognized him. Finally, one employee who was told the "coach" was in the house came out and greeted him.

As . . .

"Coach Tressel," Shurmur said.

Spinoffs

Saw Shelley Duncan hitchhiking on I-71. In both directions.

The Great Lakes Classic Trophy, awarded the winner of the Browns-Lions preseason game, is an ore carrier. Hardly sexy, but it could be worse. The other common sight on the shore lines of both cities is those signs that warn people to swim in the lake at their own risk.

Shurmur likened the pace in the early part of Monday's practice to "moving cattle around." Obviously, he never saw Shaun Rogers run a baby-step penalty lap around Eric Mangini's practice field. By comparison, the pace at Monday's practice was top fuel dragsters.

Browns cornerback Joe Haden said of Shurmur, "I like his aura." Since an aura is considered a field of luminous radiation, like a halo, Shurmur probably has to win a regular-season game before it's visible. And probably a win over somebody other than the Bengals.

After one exhibition game, Warren Moon is in favor of Cam Newton starting for the Carolina Panthers. Newton will do so Friday. After Newton's next strong performance in a walk-through, Moon is expected to state Newton's case for the Pro Bowl.

He said it

"I'm not going to sit in a 30-minute cab ride. . . . Now I think it would be awkward if I took the team bus back." -- Delmon Young, on riding to the Twins-Tigers game on the Twins' team bus even after being traded from Minnesota to Detroit earlier in the day.

Translation: too cheap to take a taxi.

You said it (The Expanded Midweek Edition)

How many victories will the Buckeyes finish with this season?

APOhio State head coach Luke Fickell.

Despite a scandal, suspension of players and a new coach, the Ohio State Buckeyes have enough for a successful season, right?

Or do you agree with SI.com that the Buckeyes will have its worst record since 2001 when the team finished 7-5?

It probably doesn't help that OSU will start a new quarterback this season, nor does it help that Nebraska is now on the schedule.

So how will the Buckeyes finish this season?

Report says Pryor will have to sit out regular-season games until Week 6.

APQB Terrelle Pryor

ESPN.com is reporting that former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor has been declared eligible for the NFL supplemental draft, which will take place Monday.

Pryor, however, reportedly will miss the first five games of the regular season.

The league announced Pryor was eligible in a memo sent to its 32 teams Thursday. The 2011 supplemental draft will take place Monday, Aug. 22. The draft was to have taken place on Aug. 17 before it was postponed.

The NFL said that Pryor can play in preseason games after he is drafted and signs but he is not eligible to practice with his new team or play in a game until Week 6 of the season.

Plain Dealer Ohio State reporter Doug Lesmerises reacted to the news with a series of Tweets on his Twitter account, @pdbuckeyes:

So in the end, Terrelle Pryor is allowed in draft, but suspended for 5 games because he didn't get in enough proven trouble in college.

Read Doug's story today on why Pryor's bid to get into the supplemental draft was a bad development for Ohio State's football program; and check cleveland.com/osu later this morning for Doug's blog on the Pryor situation.

Terrelle Pryor's in, so why did the NFL suspend him for five games?

AP PhotoTerrelle Pryor

Former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor finally got his wish and he will be eligible for the NFL's supplemental draft on Monday.

His wish, however, came with a suspension. The NFL decided that Pryor will not be able to practice or play in the first five weeks of the season.

So why did the NFL decide to suspend Pryor? Was it because the NFL wants to support the NCAA, which suspended Pryor for the first five games of this season (if he remained in college)?

Or did the NFL make this move because Pryor tried to beat the system once he was caught receiving improper benefits?

College or pro, Terrelle Pryor still must miss five games.

Associated Press file photoFormer Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor.

NEW YORK — Former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor was declared eligible for Monday’s NFL supplemental draft but must sit out the first five games after he signs a contract.

The NFL announced Thursday he was eligible along with five other players. Pryor gave up his final season with the Buckeyes following an NCAA investigation into the football team’s memorabilia-for-cash scandal.

The league informed clubs that Pryor “made decisions that undermine the integrity of the eligibility rules for the NFL draft.” Among those, the league said, was his failure to cooperate with the NCAA and hiring of an agent in violation of NCAA rules.

Pryor may not practice or play until Week 6 of the NFL season.

Other players eligible for the draft are: defensive backs Torez Jones of Western Carolina and Tracy Wilson of Northern Illinois, defensive ends Keenan Mace of Lindenwood and Mike McAdoo of North Carolina and running back Caleb King of Georgia.

Plain Dealer columnist says it's obvious Pryor's situation changed from April to now. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, hosted by Chuck Yarborough and Branson Wright.

Sports Illustrated has predicted that Ohio State's football team will have its worst season in a decade this year. Do you agree? Cast your vote in today's Starting Blocks poll.

Today's guest, Plain Dealer columnist Bill Livingston, has thoughts on that topic. And he also talks about former Buckeye quarterback Terrelle Pryor, and why he should have been allowed in the NFL's supplemental draft without all the delay and controversy.

Livy also talks about why the Miami Hurricanes' trouble with the NCAA can be seen as a positive for Ohio State; and what one thing he thinks Colt McCoy can most learn from having spent time this summer with future Hall of Famer Brett Favre.

SBTV will return Friday with Plain Dealer Browns reporter Tony Grossi answering fan questions from his weekly Hey, Tony! feature.

The NFL should have allowed Terrelle Pryor in the supplemental draft much sooner. And now the league should do away with it.

Marvin Fong / The Plain DealerFormer Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor will now get the chance to escape defenders in the NFL.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Let's not confuse the issue on the NFL's decision to allow Terrelle Pryor into the supplemental draft, but with a five-week suspension at the start of the season.

The NFL isn't punishing Pryor for breaking rules. The league is punishing Pryor for not breaking enough of them.

The supplemental draft is, practically by definition, the rulebreaker's draft. Get kicked out of school, fail out of school, lose your eligibility for taking money from an agent, have the NCAA end your career - do any of that after the January deadline to declare for the regular draft and the league will take you.

Fine.

But let's not debate what message the league is sending with the Pryor ruling. The only message is, "Don't mess with the NFL."

Some already are saying that the NFL policing NCAA rulebreakers would provide a great deterrent for college players. Mess up in college and it will stay with you.

Some are already saying that the NFL is overstepping bounds by trying to do that, now taking away the livelihood of players who are already playing for free in college.

Either of those are reasonable takes. Neither is what's happening here.

The NFL has no problem taking in rulebreakers. It just doesn't want college players to game the system.

That's what the league thought Pryor was trying to do, because Pryor wasn't proven to have violated enough rules, or at least wasn't proven to have done so before he left Ohio State.

It's obvious his situation changed. Jim Tressel was forced out. Pryor's pledge to return to Ohio State, which Tressel required him to sign to play in the Sugar Bowl, was out the window. New coach Luke Fickell didn't return Pryor's call. It was obvious he was no longer wanted at his school, and leaving made sense. And he was in a much different place than he was in January.

To think Pryor was gaming the system is silly. He would have had to be an evil genius to pull that off. And to worry about setting precedent? How could anyone match that situation?

If Fickell, while at a Taylor Swift concert, had picked up when Pryor called and yelled, "You're kicked off the team," into the phone and hung up, Pryor would have been fine. Instead, he ignored Pryor's attempt to contact him.

I completely understand what Fickell did and why he did it. It was best for the team. But it sure complicated the issue.

Now Pryor and his lawyers, in the last few days, had to go about proving just how much wrong Pryor did. Isn't that a ridiculous precedent that the NFL should want to avoid? The worse you did, the better off you are?

Pryor should have been allowed in, and should have been allowed in a long time ago. The NFL can do whatever it wants to do, and this shouldn't have taken so long.

But here's an idea: Do away with the supplemental draft.

If you're a college kid who runs into trouble after the regular draft, you wait. Get a coach. Hit the gym. Work on your technique. Watch some movies. Eat your vegetables. And wait.

The NFL wouldn't be preventing anyone from making a living. The league would just be delaying it. And it wouldn't have to worry about players gaming the system, because there wouldn't be a system to game.

I can understand not wanting to reward players who do wrong but letting them in the league this way. But that's the only real reason the supplemental draft exists right now.

So dump it. Or next time a player comes along in Pryor's situation, don't wait so long. He was a rulebreaker, just like players in the supplemental draft almost always are.

"Stop thinking about Andrew Luck. The Browns will have no luck to get him in the first place. They will not have the number one overall pick in the next draft. So forget about him and enjoy the team we have." - gmnortholmst

View full sizeMarcio Jose Sanchez | Associated PressSome Browns fans are hoping the team can end up with Stanford's Andrew Luck in next season's draft.

In response to the story Cleveland Browns receiver Brian Robiskie eager to shoulder a bigger load in offense, cleveland.com reader gmnortholmst doesn't want to hear about Andrew Luck. This reader writes,

"Stop thinking about Andrew Luck. The Browns will have no luck to get him in the first place. They will not have the number one overall pick in the next draft. So forget about him and enjoy the team we have."

Can this precedent be used to punish future college players entering the regular NFL draft?

Marvin Fong / The Plain DealerTerrelle Pryor

Updated at 2:00 p.m.

The NFL's bizarre decision to "suspend" Terrelle Pryor for the first five games of his professional career is pure window dressing. It's the NFL wagging a finger at Pryor for his misdeeds at Ohio State.

 But it is a dangerous precedent that sets up Commissioner Roger Goodell to punish future college players, one league source said.

 Everyone knows that Pryor is woefully unprepared to play in an NFL game this entire 2011 season, let alone immediately. No NFL general manager or coach in his right mind would select Pryor with the intention of rushing him hyper-speed into the pro game.

 So the five-game suspension doesn't hurt Pryor or the team that drafts him. That's why neither Pryor's lawyer nor agent -- nor the NFL Players Association -- protested Goodell's ruling. It's a meaningless tradeoff, to them, for getting Pryor into Monday's NFL supplemental draft.

 The danger is that it sets up Goodell to hand down discipline to future college players who are involved in acts (accepting improper benefits, etc.) that harm their college teams.

 League spokesman Greg Aiello has said Goodell is empowered by the NFL Constitution and By-Laws to discipline Pryor under the "conduct detrimental to the league" clause.

 "This is going to bleed over into the regular draft," opined the source. "What if Goodell decides certain guys in the regular draft can be subject to conditions prior to entering the NFL? It breaches a wall where you're going to be punished at the next level for things done in college."

 Who's to say a future player who, say, got into a bar fight in college, like Browns rookie Jabaal Sheard, couldn't be punished by Goodell prior to the draft under this precedent?

 That's why the NFLPA erred, said the source, in not challenging Goodell's ruling.

 "With a 10-year collective bargaining agreement and unchecked authority, the league can make up the rules as they go along, as they just did in this case, " the source said.

Did LeBron James jinx Ohio State and Miami?

LeBron James has been blamed for plenty of things (like for not winning big games) but CBS Sports reporter Matt Moore has added something else to the blame James game.

Moore writes how LeBron may have jinxed Ohio State and Miami.

James has been sponsoring the Buckeyes since 2007. He makes "The Decision," and in the following year the program goes through its worst NCAA violations scandal and their legendary head coach resigns. 

Well that's not so bad, and it's not like the other two universities have gone through any... oh.

James moves to the Heat and the following year the University of Miami suffers arguably the worst reveal of recruiting violations in the history of college sports. Yachts, strippers, prostitutes, it's all there. That's two down.

So what about Kentucky?

Moore writes that he's surprised Kentucky has been the clean school so far, but two out of three schools he sponsors getting caught cheating truly means LeBron is cursed.

In reality, those programs made sense for James from an economic and brand perspective. He has ties to Kentucky through Calipari and William Wesley. He's from Ohio, even if Cleveland is of course not a fan. And he lives in Miami. It's just a coincidence that this happened and has no connection to the sponsorship deal.

We think.

In other James news, check out the video above where a player supposedly dunks on LeBron during his tour of Asia.

In an optimistic move given the current NBA lockout, the Cavaliers released their preseason schedule today, featuring three games at The Q as well as games at Cincinnati, Canton and Columbus

Tim Farrell/The Star-LedgerKyrie Irving and the Cavaliers tentatively open the preseason on Oct. 11 against the Bucks.

Cleveland, Ohio -- In an optimistic move given the current NBA lockout, the Cavaliers released their preseason schedule today, featuring three games at The Q as well as games at Cincinnati, Canton and Columbus.

At The Q, the Cavs are scheduled to face the Milwaukee Bucks on Oct. 11 at 7 p.m., the New Orleans Hornets on Oct. 15 at 7:30 p.m. and the Indiana Pacers on Oct. 27 at 7 p.m.

In their annual tour of Ohio, the Cavs also will face the Washington Wizards on Oct. 19 at Cincinnati's U.S. Bank Arena, the Houston Rockets on Oct. 21 at the Canton Memorial Civic Arena, home to the Cavs new NBA DLeague team, and Evan Turner and the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 24 at Value City Arena in Columbus.

The Cavs also will play preseason games at Orlando on Oct. 13 and at San Antonio on Oct. 17.

Justin Masterson takes the mound against Chicago with the Indians looking to gain ground on the idle Tigers.

View full sizeBen Margot | Associated PressJustin Masterson will try to pitch the Indians to a series victory in Chicago tonight.

(AP) -- This much is certain - the Cleveland Indians will leave U.S. Cellular Field on Thursday night still in second place in the AL Central with the Chicago White Sox chasing them.

First, the Indians will try to build off a rare win over the White Sox as the teams wrap up their latest series.

Cleveland defeated Chicago for just the second time in nine meetings this year with Wednesday's 4-1 victory. Fausto Carmona gave up four hits over 8 1-3 innings for his second win since the All-Star break, and Shin-Soo Choo tied a season high with three hits and drove in a run.

The win helped Cleveland (61-58) increase its lead over third-place Chicago to 1 1/2 games. The Indians, who trail the Central-leading Tigers by two games, begin a weekend set Friday night at Detroit.

"I know that every game means a lot because we're playing the White Sox and we're going to play Detroit, but there are so many games left that if we go day-by-day paying attention to that I'm going to get a heart attack," manager Manny Acta said.
Alexei Ramirez hit his 13th homer for the White Sox (61-61), who will meet the Indians and Tigers in 14 of their final 39 games after Thursday's matchup.

"I watch the scoreboard all year long," said Mark Buehrle, whose streak of 18 straight starts allowing three runs or less was snapped. "Not just (Detroit), but everybody. You're looking up there and obviously rooting against the teams you need to lose."

Making his fourth start against the White Sox this year will be Cleveland's Justin Masterson (9-7, 2.69 ERA).

The right-hander is 1-2 against Chicago in 2011 despite a 1.23 ERA over 22 innings.
He's kept two of the White Sox's heavy hitters in check. Paul Konerko (team-high 27 home runs) and Carlos Quentin (24 homers), have each gone 1 for 8 against the Indians' scheduled starter, and neither has gone deep.

Ramirez and Gordon Beckham are each 0 for 6 when facing Masterson in 2011. Beckham is 3 for 20 in his last six games and hitting .241 this year.

Masterson has failed to register a decision in his last two starts. He permitted two runs and five hits in 7 2-3 innings of Friday's 3-2 win over Minnesota.

Cleveland has scored three or fewer runs in 13 of Masterson's 25 starts.

"He knows he can't control the offense - but he can control his two-seam and four-seam fastball," Acta said.

Chicago, which has won 13 of its last 16 against the Indians, will give Philip Humber (8-8, 3.67) his first career start versus Cleveland.

The right-hander was 8-4 with a 2.69 ERA after beating the Cubs on July 2. However, he's allowed no fewer than four runs in each of his last five starts, going 0-4 with a 7.52 ERA.

Humber was tagged for four runs and a career high-tying 11 hits in six innings on Aug. 10 at Baltimore, but didn't get a decision in Chicago's 6-4 loss in 10. He has no record and an 18.00 ERA in two career relief appearances against the Indians.

Cleveland rookie second baseman Jason Kipnis is expected to start after missing three games with right side soreness. Kipnis, who was 0 for 2 against the White Sox in his major league debut July 22, is hitting .279 with six homers and 11 RBIs in 18 games.

Your links to stories and reports on the Browns.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerEvan Moore, who brings wide receiver qualities to his tight end position, could be one of Colt McCoy's go-to guys this season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Don't look for a 2011 version of Paul Warfield, Gary Collins or Webster Slaughter on the Cleveland Browns roster.

It's no bulletin that the Browns don't have a classic, game-breaking player at wide receiver.

Paul Rados, writing from a fan's perspective for Yahoo! Sports, points out that tight end Ben Watson and running back Peyton Hillis led Cleveland in pass receptions last season, with 68 and 61, respectively.

He notes that Mohamed Massaquoi was the most productive wideout with 36 catches for 483 yards. Unfortunately, some of the great wideouts can approach those numbers in, say, four games.

Rados writes about Cleveland's wide receivers:

The group of receivers entering the year will likely include Brian Robiskie, Joshua Cribbs, Jordan Norwood, Greg Little, as well as Massaquoi.

"The offense will be more wide receiver-friendly," Browns' president Mike Holmgren said. "We're awfully young there. In a perfect world I would like to increase the pile with a veteran. I think that's important."

The Browns may yet pick up a veteran wide receiver who remains in the free-agent pool, or who will be released by another team. That type of player, though, almost certainly will not suddenly emerge as a game-changer.

What Browns quarterback Colt McCoy might be able to utilize, though, is a variety of capable pass-catchers not limited to the wide receiver position.

Rados writes:

McCoy will still utilize Watson in his passing attack. The tight end position is deep with Evan Moore and rookie Jordan Cameron as solid reserves.

Hillis has already proven he can catch the ball and run, and with the signing of third-down specialist Brandon Jackson from the Green Bay Packers, his options have expanded even more.

In Green Bay, Jackson was a receiving back and will likely be utilized in Cleveland in that same manner.

Perhaps the passing game in Cleveland is not as worrisome as once thought, especially if an additional receiver can be picked up before the season begins.

The Browns play their second preseason game on Friday night at Browns Stadium, against the Detroit Lions. Cleveland defeated the Green Bay Packers, 27-17, in last Saturday's exhibition opener.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage includes Mary Schmitt Boyer's story on wide receiver Brian Robiskie; Tony Grossi's Browns Insider, highlighting rookie offensive lineman Jason Pinkston; Bud Shaw's Sports Spin, focusing on Colt McCoy and coach Pat Shurmur; Grossi's take on the NFL ruling departed Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor eligible for the NFL supplemental draft; Mary Kay Cabot's report on whether the Browns should pursue Pryor; columnist Bill Livingston discussing the Pryor matter during a Starting Blocks TV interview.  

Goal to goal

The solid efforts to make the Browns roster by linebacker Brian Smith and defensive back James Dockery, both undrafted rookies. By Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. 

NFL preseason team power rankings, on the Dawg Pound Daily blog.

The Browns need to protect Colt McCoy from star Lions defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh on Friday night, writes Jeff Schudel for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal.

Reasons any of the NFL's 32 teams could win the Super Bowl, by Peter Schrager for FoxSports.com.

Wide receiver Jordan Norwood continues to impress, writes Matt Florjancic for clevelandbrowns.com.

Chris Pokorny of the Dawgs By Nature blog projects the Browns' 53-player regular-season roster.

Browns notes by Mike McLain of the Warren Tribune Chronicle.

Colt McCoy's quarterback sessions with Brett Favre. By Mike McLain of the Warren Tribune Chronicle.

Former high school and college opponents Colt McCoy and Auston English, an undrafted free-agent defensive end, are now teammates. By Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Repository.

Rookie offensive lineman Jason Pinkston could be in the starting lineup against the Lions, writes Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.

Linebacker D'Qwell Jackson looks at his injury-riddled seasons as a thing of the past, Scott Petrak writes for the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram and Medina County Gazette.

Browns notebook by Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Repository.

Suspending Terrelle Pryor sets a misguided precedent, writes blogger from The Big Lead.

APTerrelle Pryor

Terrelle Pryor is eligible for the NFL's supplemental draft, but he will miss the first five games of the NFL season as part of the deal.

According to the NFL's memo, Pryor made decisions that undermine the integrity of the eligibility rules for the NFL Draft.

Jason Lisk of The Big Lead disagrees with the NFL's move.

So, apparently the NFL is the NCAA’s enforcement arm. I thought the NFLPA blew an opportunity to rein in Roger Goodell’s suspension powers during the negotiations. When he first rode into town on his white horse, suspending players after having a talk with them, the media lauded his tough approach. However, it is arbitrary and subject to question. Precedent is discarded. There is no consistency. Terrelle Pryor is Exhibit A of the new era, same as the old one.

Lisk gives several examples athletes who left college for the NFL, and who did worse things then Pryor, but were not suspended.

What Pryor did was violate administrative procedural rules. The basis seems to be a refusal to cooperate with the NCAA and hiring an agent, something which was his right in exchange for permanently surrendering any right to participate in college athletics again. Did I miss the part where they suspended Pete Carroll from coaching Seattle for a few games last year for leaving USC in the lurch?

 

 

Incident coincides with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's visit to China. He watched Georgetown play a Chinese team on Wednesday, but wasn't at Thursday's brawl game. Players tackled and threw punches at each another.

Associated PressGeorgetown basketball coach John Thompson III, here shown in a file photo, said "We sincerely regret that this situation occurred," about the fight that broke out between his team and a Chinese team on Thursday in Beijing, China.

BEIJING, China -- A wild brawl broke out between Georgetown and a Chinese men's basketball team Thursday night, putting an immediate end to a supposed goodwill game that coincided with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's visit to the country.

The benches cleared and fights erupted all over the court with about 9 1/2 minutes left in the fourth quarter. The rest of the exhibition between Georgetown and the Bayi Rockets was called off.

Biden did not attend the game. On Wednesday, he watched the Hoyas beat the Shanxi Zhongyu Brave Dragons 98-81.

The Washington Post reported Georgetown and Bayi players tackled and threw punches at each another. Chairs and water bottles were tossed as the Hoyas headed to the locker room with the score 64-all in a testy, foul-plagued matchup.

"Tonight, two great teams played a very competitive game that unfortunately ended after heated exchanges with both teams," Georgetown coach John Thompson III said in a statement. "We sincerely regret that this situation occurred."

Georgetown and the Rockets are scheduled to play again Sunday night in Shanghai.

The melee was the latest instance of on-court fighting by China, whose players have been fined tens of thousands of dollars by the world and Asian federations for scrapping with opponents.

Georgetown is in China on a 10-day trip which has been cited by the U.S. State Department as an example of sports diplomacy that strengthens ties between the two countries. The Hoyas were briefed by the State Department ahead of their departure on what to expect during its trip to Beijing and Shanghai, according to news releases on the university's website.

"We remain grateful for the opportunity our student-athletes are having to engage in a sport they love here in China, while strengthening their understanding of a nation we respect and admire at Georgetown University," Thompson III said.

A U.S. Embassy official called it an unfortunate incident.

On Thursday, Biden met with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, who is expected to take over as Communist Party chief next year. After his China trip, Biden will go to Mongolia on Monday, then travel later in the day Japan.

Video: The University of Georgetown basketball team and the Bayi Rockets, a Chinese team, brawl during their game in Beijing, China:

Indians trail first-place Tigers, who are off tonight, by two games going into tonight's game at Chicago against the White Sox. chicago trails Tribe by 1 1/2. Many more links to Indians stories.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerJustin Masterson -- who pitches for the Indians tonight against the White Sox -- has the fourth best ERA in the American League: 2.69.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The second-place Cleveland Indians play in Chicago tonight against the White Sox, trailing the Detroit Tigers by two games in the American League Central Division race, and leading Chicago by 1 1/2 games.

The Indians start right-hander Justin Masterson, who has been remarkably consistent and sometimes-dominant this season, with his 2.69 ERA a much better indicator of his performance than his 9-7 record. Chicago counters with righty Phil Humber (8-8, 3.67).

The Indians, and, for that matter, White Sox, will each either gain or lose a half-game tonight to the Tigers, who are off.

Masterson gets a chance to follow up on Fausto Carmona's gem on Wednesday night, when he held the White Sox to four hits and one walk in 8 1/3 innings of the Indians' 4-1 win.

Carmona's win made his record 6-12 with a 4.89 ERA. However, in his last seven starts, the big right-hander is 2-2 with a 2.51 ERA. He's beginning to pitch as he did in his first full season, 2007, when he went 19-8 to help lead the Tribe to within a game of the World Series. After two disappointing seasons, Carmona bounced back to be named the Indians' representative in the 2010 All-Star Game.

CBSSports.com includes Carmona on the plus side of its "3 Up, 3 Down" feature, and writes:

The offense deserves some credit for the four runs, too, because it was the first time White Sox starter Mark Buehrle allowed more than three earned runs in a game since April 22. But make no mistake about it, the burden was on Carmona here. The Indians had fallen to three games back of the Tigers and just a half-game in front of the White Sox. Also, the Indians were coming off a 14-inning loss where the starter only lasted 4 2/3 innings. The bullpen was taxed. Carmona went out Wednesday night and put the team on his back. He went 8 1/3 innings and allowed just four hits and one run in the victory. At one point he retired 11 straight White Sox hitters.

Chicago's Wednesday starter and loser, Mark Buehrle, who hadn't given up more than three runs in any of his previous 18 starts, was baffled by Carmona's numbers, as he was quoted in Daryl Van Schouwen's story for the Chicago Sun-Times:.

‘‘[Carmona is] one of those guys, you look at his numbers and don’t know how his [4.89] ERA is so high,’’ Buehrle said. ‘‘He throws 95 and his ball is sinking all over the place. I’ll take his stuff any day.’’

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Indians coverage includes Paul Hoynes story of the Tribe's 4-1 win over the ChiSox on Wednesday night; an Associated Press preview of tonight's Indians-White Sox game; Hoynes' story on how Indians third baseman Jack Hannahan got help from his teammates to return to Cleveland just in time for the birth of his child; a Cleveland Indians Memories edition; Hoynes' Cleveland Indians Insider and his Cleveland Indians Chatter.

Around the horn

Indians-White Sox game preview, highlighting Justin Masterson, by Zack Meisel on MLB.com.

Stephanie Liscio writes for the "It's pronounced 'Lajaway' " blog about Indians shortstop Ray Chapman's death on Aug. 17, 1920, a day after being hit in the head by a pitch. Chapman remains the lone major leaguer to die from being hit by a pitch.

A story about Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis, who is from the Chicago area. By Daryl Van Schouwen for the Chicago Sun-Times.

A Chicago Tribune report on how manager Ozzie Guillen is tweaking the White Sox lineup for tonight.

Tony Lastoria of Indians Prospect Insider writes about much of what is happening with the Indians' minor league teams and players.

Indians notebook by Sheldon Ocker of the Akron Beacon Journal.

Fausto Carmona is looking like it's 2007. On the Waiting For Next Year blog.

Mark Buehrle has his streak of excellence ended by the Indians. By Jerry Crasnick for ESPN.com.

Indians 4, White Sox 1 game story, by Sheldon Ocker of the Akron Beacon Journal.

Manager Manny Acta says Jason Kipnis' playing time will be monitored for the next week to 10 days to make sure he can play with his oblique injury.

Elise Amendola, AP PhotoJason Kipnis returned to the starting lineup on Thursday after missing four games with a right oblique injury.

CHICAGO, Ill. -- Rookie second baseman Jason Kipnis returned to the Indians lineup on Thursday to face the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field, but he did so with a "handle with care' sign around his neck.

Kipnis is playing with a strained right oblique muscle, which usually means a one-way ticket to the disabled list for four to six weeks. Kipnis has been idle for four games and five days.

How much he plays in the next week to 10 days will be a group decision.

"It's going to be a decision that's made by myself, the medical staff and Jason," said manager Manny Acta. "There are going to be times when the opposition has a right-handed pitcher on the mound and we're not going to be able to play him.

"Hopefully, we can get through the first week to 10 days. That's where we feel the risk is."

Kipnis, a left-handed hitter, is batting .279 (19-for-68) with four doubles, six homers and 11 RBI in first 18 games in the big leagues. As soon as he arrived from Class AAA Columbus, he gave the Indians sagging offense a lift.

"I don't think the injury was as serious (as the usual oblique injury) and the off days we gave him helped," said Acta. "But he's not completely out of it. We're going to have to find out how much he can tolerate and if he can play through it."

Kipnis played his high school ball in the Chicago area at Glenbrook North. He played football and soccer. Not being able to play the first two games in front of family and friends was frustrating. Thursday night he got his chance.

Here are tonight's lineups:

Indians (61-58): LF Michael Brantley (L), 2B Jason Kipnis (L), SS Asdrubal Cabrera (S), DH Travis Hafner (L), C Carlos Santana (S), RF Shin-Soo Choo (L), CF Kosuke Fukudome (L), 1B Matt LaPorta (R), 3B Jack Hannahan (L), RHP Justin Masterson (9-7, 2.69).

White Sox (61-61): LF Juan Pierre (L), CF Alejandro De Aza (R), DH Paul Konerko (R), 1B Adam Dunn (L), SS Alexei Ramirez (R), CF Alex Rios (R), 3B Omar Vizquel (S), C Tyler Flowers (R), 2B Gordon Beckham (R), RHP Phil Humber (8-8, 3.67).

Umpires: H John Hirschbeck, 1B Scott Barry, 2B Laz Diaz, 3B Wally Bell.

Lefty-righty: Lefties are hitting .276 (101-for-366) with four homers and righties are hitting .191 (49-for-256) with one homer against Masterson. The White Sox have three lefties and one switch hitter in the lineup.

Lefties are hitting .261 (77-for-296) with five homers and righties are hitting .199 (39-for-196) with six homers against Humber. The Indians have six lefties and a right-hander in the lineup.

Quote of the day: "My daddy was left-handed, and I was left-handed when I was little. In fact, I was left-handed all the way to high school. Then I switched over to right-handed cause I wanted to play shortstop," the late Luke Appling, Hall of Fame shortstop for the White Sox.

Next: The Indians opener a three-game series against first-place Detroit on Friday at Comerican Park. Josh Tomlin will face Max Scherzer at 7:05 p.m. STO/WTAM will carry the game.