One good beating apparently deserves another. After the Indians beat Texas, 9-3, on Monday, the Rangers win Tuesday's game, 12-1.

View full sizeTony Gutierrez / Associated PressIndians pitcher Justin Masterson grabs a come-backer from the Rangers' Joaquin Arias in the third inning Tuesday. It was a rough outing for Masterson, who gave up seven runs in 5-1/3 innings.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- After the Indians pounded the Rangers on Monday night with the help of four homers, the Rangers returned the favor Tuesday night at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

Joaquin Arias drove in a career-high four runs and teammates Vladimir Guerrero, Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz and David Murphy homered as the Rangers rolled the Indians, 12-1.

Justin Masterson, who entered the game with a 1.86 lifetime ERA against Texas, allowed seven runs on nine hits in 5-1/3 innings. The seven earned runs matched Masterson's season high.

Texas took control of the game with a five-run sixth. Arias hit a three-run double off Masterson for a 6-1 lead. Hector Ambriz relieved and gave up a two-run homer to Guerrero. The Texas designated hitter, thought to be on the downside of his career, drove the ball 433 feet to left-center field for his 19th homer.

Guerrero, one of five Rangers headed for the All-Star Game, has 72 RBI.

The AL-West leading Rangers, who won for just the fifth time in their past 11 games, made it 11-1 with three more runs in the seventh. Cruz started the seventh with his 11th homer of the season. The Rangers other two runs scored on infield singles.

Ambriz did not fare much better than Masterson. He allowed four runs on six hits in 1-2/3 innings. He struck out one.

Jayson Nix tried to get the Indians off to a good start. Nix homered in the first off C.J. Wilson for a 1-0 lead. It was his third homer in the past two games. Nix's three homers came in the span of five at-bats.

View full sizeTony Gutierrez / APJayson Nix gives the Indians what would be their only run with a solo shot in the first inning.

Claimed on waivers from the White Sox on June 24, Nix has four homers and seven RBI in 11 games with the Tribe.

The homer was the only damage the Indians could do off Wilson (7-4, 3.24 ERA). He allowed one run on two hits over six innings. The opposition was hitting .218 against Wilson before the game and the Indians found out why.

Wilson is 6-1 at home this year.

Masterson (3-8, 5.22) didn't hold the 1-0 lead long. Hamilton hit a leadoff homer in the second for his 21st of the season.

Texas broke the 1-1 tie on Andres Blanco's two-run double in the fourth. There were two out, but Masterson couldn't retire the No. 9 hitter, who doubled to right. Masterson threw 94 pitches, 56 for strikes.

The Indians have been on a roll. They entered the game having won seven of their previous nine. However, they continued to struggle on the road. They've lost nine of their past 12 road games. They are 16-28 away from Progressive Field.

After collecting 12 hits Monday, the Indians were held to five Tuesday. Nix had two of the five hits. Rookie Michael Brantley broke an 0-for-17 skid with a single in the eighth.

Texas finished with 17 hits.

In the fifth inning, an unidentified man fell out of the club-level seats while trying to catch a foul ball with Cruz at the plate. He fell an estimated 30 feet into the seats behind the Rangers' dugout. A Rangers spokesman said the man injured four people in the fall.

The man was taken to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth. A Rangers spokesman said the man could move his extremities and responded to the paramedics who treated him and carried him out of the ballpark on a stretcher.

The four people injured in the accident were treated at the ballpark.

Play was stopped 16 minutes and both teams left the field while the man was being treated. There were screams when it first happened and it appeared most of the players on the field witnessed it.

Indians shortstop Jason Donald was crouched down on the outfield grass several minutes after it happened.

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

The Fairlawn resident talks about the demands of running two golf facilities.

View full size

Nine questions with Kevin Larizza, president of Chippewa Golf Corp., which owns Chippewa Golf Club in Doylestown, and Triangle Golf Properties, which leases and operates Rosemont Country Club in Fairlawn. It is unique, inasmuch as Chippewa is a public course and Rosemont is private. Larizza, who employs about 150 people, has owned Chippewa since 1987 and has operated Rosemont since 2005.

Age: 50.

Residence: Fairlawn.

1. What's the biggest difference between owning a public course and running a private one?

"At Chippewa, we market ourselves as a public facility and we deal with hundreds of different players on a daily basis. At Rosemont, we market ourselves more as a convenient, family entertainment center . . . golf, the swimming pool, fine dining, social activities. Our member base is about 250 and we see those people on a regular basis."

2. Running two venues is a huge undertaking. What is the secret?

"My father taught me to surround myself with great people, and that's what I've tried to do. The person I rely on the most is Brad Stewart, our superintendent. Maintaining 400 acres [250 at Chippewa; 150 at Rosemont] is huge."

3. Have you tried to emulate other facilities you have seen?

"No. We keep an eye on what other people are doing in many areas and we pay attention to the progressive trends in the industry. But, we feel we are one of the leaders."

4. What other courses do you find appealing?

"We have so many great courses in Ohio, especially for being a cold- weather state. Public, I'd go with Eagle Creek in Norwalk. Privately, the North Course at Firestone."

5. What issues are facing the golf industry?

"The length of time it takes to play and [overall] cost. People complain it takes four to five hours to play 18 holes. While it would be ideal to find a way to make the game faster, I don't see a solution. As for pricing, we try to come up with specials for everyone. What really scares me is the declining number of players."

6. Elaborate, please.

"We have many courses but fewer and fewer players. Those who play will tell you golf is a great game, one you can play for a lifetime. One the whole family can enjoy. We need to get more junior players involved and find a way to keep them involved. The recession is hurting the industry, for sure, because disposable income is shrinking."

7. What are your low rounds at the two courses?

"At Chippewa, 72. At Rosemont, 75. Both took place a long time ago."

8. Holes 14, 15 and 16 at Chippewa are known as "the Bermuda Triangle" because many good rounds disappear there. Who gave it the nickname?

"It was a man named Carl Renz, who was the superintendent at Chipp when we took over. You know, the holes actually go in a triangle and they might be the toughest three in succession in the area."

9. Rosemont or Chippewa?

"While I enjoy the challenge of running Rosemont, Chippewa is still my baby. It is something I built to what it is today and I am very proud of that. It is what I have devoted most of my adult life to. You grow attached to something like that."

A little reminder on the tee from golf pro Bryan Huff helps Jim Bradford get his first hole-in-one.

View full sizeLynn Ischay / The Plain DealerStonewater Golf Club in Highland Heights.

This is a story about instant feedback and instant gratification.

Jim Bradford and his wife, Elke, attended the Jimmy Hanlin Golf School recently at StoneWater Golf Club in Highland Heights, where they worked with professional Bryan Huff for about five hours before heading to the course to play.

The group was on the 167-yard, sixth hole when Huff asked Jim Bradford, in town from Barrie, Ontario, on a minivacation, if he had forgotten one of the points they had discussed during their instruction period.

"Narrow your stance," Huff reminded Bradford, as the 66-year-old took aim with a 5-iron. One swing later, the ball was in the hole for Bradford's first hole-in-one.

"I jumped higher into the air than he did," Huff said. "I think I was more excited than he was. I jumped up and gave him a big hug and he took it all very calmly."

Bradford, who owns a kitchen and bathroom design and renovation company, kept the ball rolling on the next hole when his second shot nearly went in for eagle. He settled for birdie.

Tom Terrific: Tom Watson, who will be the sentimental favorite when the 150th British Open is played at St. Andrews on July 15-18, will have a special event to come home to after being named the 2010 Ambassador of Golf for the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club on Aug 5-8.

Watson, who came within an 8-foot putt of winning his sixth Open championship last year at Turnberry at age 59, will be honored Aug. 4.

The award is presented annually to a person who has fostered the ideals of the game on an international level and whose concern for others extends beyond the golf course. Watson has won 39 times on the PGA Tour and has won eight majors.

On to Wisconsin: Pepper Pike pro Rob Moss finished in a tie for 11th place in the PGA Professional National Championship in French Lick, Ind., last week with a 2-over 288, and qualified to play in the PGA Championship, Aug. 12-15, at Whistling Straits, in Kohler, Wis.

It marks the second time Moss, a two-time Ohio Open champion from Broadview Heights, has qualified for the PGA. Only the top 20 finishers from the field of more than 300 qualified.

Moving on: Rocky River's Andrew Bailey shot a two-day total of 74-71--145 and withstood a three-hole playoff to win the Northern Ohio PGA junior section championship at Sweetbriar Golf Course. Bailey, who will be a freshman at Cleveland State, qualified to play in the PGA Junior Championship (formerly the Westfield Junior PGA Championship) at Sycamore Hills Golf Club in Fort Wayne, Ind., Aug. 2-5.

Tiana Jones, a South Carolina recruit from Alliance, won the girls title. Only one boy and one girl from each of the PGA's 41 sections advance to the nationals.

Final warning: Deadline to enter the 86th annual Ohio Open is July 14. The Open will be at Quail Hollow Country Club on July 19-21. Call the Northern Ohio PGA at 216-765-1214.

Ladies days: The seventh annual Women's Greater Cleveland Amateur Championship, sponsored by the Cleveland Metroparks, will be July 31-Aug. 1 at Sleepy Hollow Golf Course in Brecksville.

The 36-hole event is open to all amateur players with a recommended handicap index of 18.4 or less. Entry fee is $70 and advance registration is required. Carts are optional but not included in the entry fee.

Northfield's Kelly Krusoe, a former Plain Dealer high school player of the year from Walsh Jesuit, shot 73-74--147 to win last year, defeating Shaker Heights' Frederique Bruell by three shots. Registration is online at clevelandmetroparks.com.

Record breaker: Haylee Harford, a 13-year-old from Leavittsburg, broke the Madison Country Club women's competitive record when she shot a 6-under-par 68 during the final round of a North Coast Junior Tour event on Sunday.

LeBron James spends time with campers while rumors continue to swirl.

AKRON, Ohio -- For many months NBA players, executives and fans looked forward to these days in July for their spectacle and tantalizing possibilities. They aren't being disappointed.

The first week of the hyped July 2010 free agency period has been light on hard facts but heavy on hope and, of course, the Cavaliers are right in the mix. Not only for the franchise player, LeBron James, but now perhaps for another mega free agent.

ESPN reported Tuesday that the Toronto Raptors would be willing to do a sign-and-trade deal that would send Chris Bosh to the Cavs. Without cap space, that is the only way the Cavs could get Bosh. And without a sign-and-trade, Bosh can't get the extra $27 million for the full max deal he wants.

It is all predicated on James re-signing with the Cavs and recruiting Bosh, the report said. James, who worked out with several of his Cavs teammates at his Nike camp at the University of Akron for a second straight day Tuesday, did not speak to reporters about the rumors.

It does seem like a delirious situation for the Cavs, who could position themselves ahead of teams with huge cap space like the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat and New Jersey Nets.

But this is called silly season for a reason.

While the Cavs and Raptors have had discussions about the possibility of a deal involving Bosh, nothing is close to happening, according to sources. One source denied the Cavs had even gotten serious with Toronto.

A league executive familiar with the Raptors' plans said Tuesday that Toronto is attempting to decide how they want to proceed with Bosh. There's a chance they will not participate in a sign-and-trade, which could cost Bosh up to $30 million. But if they do, the source said the team is torn on whether to attempt to shed salary and rebuild with the deal or attempt to pick up some quality players that would help replace Bosh.

The Cavs could offer a package of players and savings and the Raptors would likely give a combination of veterans, prospects and savings.

The Heat and Bulls would also have interest in completing a sign-and-trade for Bosh.

Ultimately it would come down to Bosh's preference of where he wants to play and then it would be up to Toronto to decide if they wanted to work with him.

Several weeks ago, Bosh reportedly gave the Raptors a list of teams he would consider being traded to and the Cavs were not on it. In recent days, however, Bosh has not been in communication with the Raptors' front office.

On Tuesday, James had meetings with Nike officials and then played pickup ball with Cavs players/free agents Jamario Moon, Christian Eyenga, Daniel Gibson and Jawad Williams against some high school stars from across the country.

Sources told The Plain Dealer earlier this week that James would not announce a decision of his personal free agency until after the camp concludes today. However, there is no indication that James has a timetable.

Brock Lesnar's come-from-behind victory over Shane Carwin Saturday night at UFC 116 is adding a bit of credibility to the man whose previous career was fake fighting.

Associated PressBrock Lesnar celebrates after defeating Shane Carwin during their Heavyweight Title bout at UFC 116 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas Saturday, July 3, 2010. Lesnar won the Ultimate Fighting Championship bout by submission.

The Portage County Sheriff's Office said John Metzger, 55, of Cross Lane, W.Va., died at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Youngstown Monday, where he was taken after the crash.

Portage County SheriffRace car in which a West Virginia man was killed at a Nelson Township race track.

NELSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- A race car driver was killed Monday morning when his car crashed into the guardrail after colliding with another car at the Nelson Raceway on Ohio 305.

The Portage County Sheriff's Office said John Metzger, 55, of Cross Lane, W.Va., died at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Youngstown Monday, where he was taken after the crash.

Police said Metzger was racing another car at 10 a.m. to determine their starting positions at an upcoming competition at the Nelson Raceway when his Van Dieman RF98 race car clipped the other car and went out of control.

Metzger's car crashed into the guardrail.

Metzger was flown to the hospital in Youngstown, but he later died of his injuries.

LeBron James will announce which team he will sign with during a one-hour show starting at 9 p.m. Thursday on ESPN. All of the suspense will come to an end on Thursday night when James, the most ballyhooed free agent in NBA history, makes his announcement. Several teams visited James last week including the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks,...

APLeBron James

LeBron James will announce which team he will sign with during a one-hour show starting at 9 p.m. Thursday on ESPN. All of the suspense will come to an end on Thursday night when James, the most ballyhooed free agent in NBA history, makes his announcement.

Several teams visited James last week including the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Clippers.

See what Cavaliers fans are saying about LeBron's decision to announce his free agency during a one-hour special on ESPN Thursday night at 9 p.m.

View full sizeChuck Crow | The Plain DealerLeBron James will announce his free agent decision Thursday night on ESPN.

LeBron James will announce his decision on where he will sign tomorrow night live on ESPN in a one-hour special beginning at 9 p.m. Needless to say, Cavs fans have plenty to say about the decision. Here's just a sampling from the comments section on cleveland.com.

mamba24 thinks this whole thing is over-the-top:

"It's stuff like this that kind of makes you root for LeBron to never win a
championship. You are not bigger than the game. Just hold a normal
press confrence."

"If he stays, he'll own the city forever. If he goes, he's really a fool.
He has a chance to do something so special in C-town and be enshrined
forever as the greatest athlete ever to play here."

"However this turns out, the backlash against LeBron will be deafening.
If he stays in Cleveland, the rest of America will wonder what the devil
was all this for. If he leaves, Ohioans will feel betrayed. He has now
put himself in a no-win situation. I thought LeBron was smarter than
this."

"I hate this teasing and suspense as much as everybody else, but
let's be honest: LeBron has managed to make NBA free agency front
page news for longer than it has ever been. We're all talking about it and pretty much nothing else. This is Marketing with a capital 'M.' We've bought into it
hook, line and sinker."

Chris Bosh will not join LeBron James with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Bosh will instead join Dwyane Wade with the Miami Heat, writes Chris Broussard of ESPN.

Updated with story from Associated Press

Eugene Hoshiko / Associated PressChris Bosh and LeBron James won't be teammates in Cleveland.

Chris Bosh will not join LeBron James with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Bosh will instead join Dwyane Wade with the Miami Heat, writes Chris Broussard of ESPN.

Just when it seemed that the Toronto Raptors agreed to work out a sign-and-trade with the Cavaliers, Bosh decided to instead play in Miami with Wade.

Whether LeBron James, the kingpin of this summer's celebrated free agent class, will join them remains to be seen. James will announce his decision Thursday night at 9 ET during a one-hour special on ESPN.

Wade and Bosh are expected to announce their decision on Wednesday, according to the source.

James or not, the Heat could emerge as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference with Wade and Bosh aboard. Wade, who led the Heat to the NBA title in 2006, is re-signing with the club, while Bosh will leave the Toronto Raptors after seven years with the club.

Here's the Associated Press story, posted at 10:48 a.m.

Chris Bosh  wants to contend for a championship. Dwyane Wade wants some star-powered help.

The simplest solution, apparently, was for them to team up in Miami.

A person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Bosh decided to join the Heat and play alongside Wade, another All-Star free agent. Bosh told Wade it was "definite," says the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because no contracts had been signed and no one authorized the person to reveal the decision publicly.

Still unclear, however, is this: Whether Miami's acquisition of Bosh will come through a simple free-agent signing or a sign-and-trade deal with the Toronto Raptors.

ESPN first reported Bosh's decision.

Bosh and Wade are friends, were Olympic teammates on the gold-medal team in Beijing, dined together at times during the free-agent interview process last week in Chicago and were part of that star-studded draft class in 2003 — Bosh went fourth, Wade fifth.

Now all eyes turn to the No. 1 pick in that class, LeBron James. The two-time MVP plans to say which team he'll play for next on ESPN Thursday night.

Bosh, Wade and James have talked about playing together. If that plan is to be truly hatched, it would have to happen in Miami.

Henry Thomas, the agent for both Bosh and Wade, did not return calls or e-mails early Wednesday from the AP. Calls to Wade and two representatives for the 2006 NBA finals MVP also were not returned.

Bosh and Wade could formally become teammates as soon as Thursday, when the NBA moratorium on signing contracts expires. Under NBA rules, the Heat cannot confirm any contracts until 12:01 a.m. Thursday, although players are allowed to agree to deals before the signing window opens.

"I have nothing official from anyone," Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo said in a text message to the AP.

The Raptors do have several sign-and-trade options from teams interested in acquiring Bosh, who averaged career-bests of 24.0 points and 10.8 rebounds last season for Toronto.

Wade said when free agency began that he would likely only stay in Miami if the Heat lured either Bosh or LeBron James to South Florida.

Miami came into the free-agent period with around $44 million of cap space, not including $16 million or so earmarked for Wade, thanks to years of avoiding just about any deal where money would have been committed for the 2010-11 season.

"We want to build a dynasty," Heat president Pat Riley had told fans entering free agency.

Bosh and Wade would be a pretty good start.

The Heat lack the salary-cap space to give Bosh, Wade and James all the maximum amounts they would be entitled to receive in their next contracts, so what would likely happen — again, if the scenario came together — would be each player agreeing to take a bit less in base salary for 2010-11 than they could have made elsewhere.

Miami does have the room to give Bosh and Wade max deals, although would still have to do some bargain-shopping to fill its roster for the coming year. As of Wednesday morning, Miami had only Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers under contract for 2010-11.

The expectation around the Heat for months — for years, really — was that Wade would have a flirtation with free agency, then return to Miami for a six-year contract that could have been worth around $125 million, maybe a bit more or less depending on what the salary cap number for the coming 2010-11 season is.

Wade fed that assumption, saying countless times that he wanted to stay in Miami if the roster was upgraded to a championship-contending level. That rather ambiguous caveat took a more exact shape in recent days, and the Heat were clearly on edge when Wade took two meetings with the Chicago Bulls, his hometown team.

Days later, Wade will be apparently able to say he got what he wanted all along.

What is your take on LeBron James' decision to use an hourlong television special to announce where he'll play next season?

View full sizeChuck Crow,
The Plain DealerLeBron James, pictured during a workout at his Nike Skills Academy in Akron Tuesday night, will tell Cleveland and the world where he'll play next year on a nationally televised special on ESPN on Thursday night.

What do YOU think?

"I'm not ready to anoint Nix a future All-Star, but signing him for nothing from the White Sox is proving to be a decent pickup thus far. If he can continue this sort of play, why shouldn't he be in the conversation for our second base job? He's still pretty young, and he's proving he has some talent." - truetribefan

View full sizeChuck Crow | The Plain DealerJayson Nix has been a pleasant surprise to Indians fans since signing with the team.

In response to the story Michael Brantley brings confidence from Columbus stint to the Tribe: Indians Insider, cleveland.com reader truetribefan likes what Jayson Nix has brought to the table so far. This reader writes,

"I'm not ready to anoint Nix a future All-Star, but signing him for nothing from the White Sox is proving to be a decent pickup thus far. If he can continue this sort of play, why shouldn't he be in the conversation for our second base job? He's still pretty young, and he's proving he has some talent."

MAPLE HEIGHTS, Ohio - Maple Heights quarterback Shaq Washington will announce he has chosen to play for Cincinnati today at noon during a news conference at the high school. Washington, who is being recruited as a wide receiver and has been writing a blog about his recruiting experiences for The Plain Dealer, confirmed his choice moments ago from the high...

Washington

MAPLE HEIGHTS, Ohio - Maple Heights quarterback Shaq Washington will announce he has chosen to play for Cincinnati today at noon during a news conference at the high school.

Washington, who is being recruited as a wide receiver and has been writing a blog about his recruiting experiences for The Plain Dealer, confirmed his choice moments ago from the high school.

The 5-9, 163-pounder accounted for 32 touchdowns in the regular season last fall in leading the 8-2 Mustangs to a Division II state championship game appearance. He was named as The Plain Dealer's Offensive Player of the Year.

He completed 94 of 146 passes (64 percent) for 1,766 yards and 19 touchdowns, and rushed for 901 yards (7.3-yard average) and 13 touchdowns.

"I worked on my skills as a wide receiver the entire off-season," Washington said last week. "All the camps and showcases I went to, I went to put my skills as a wide receiver on display."

Washington, ranked as the 66th-best wide receiver by rivals.com and 74th by scout.com, also entertained scholarship offers from East Carolina, Iowa State, Marshall, Bowling Green, Kent, Ohio University, Toledo, Air Force and North Carolina State.

If LeBron James bails on Cleveland, how will Northeast Ohio sports fans feel about him?

View full sizeChuck Crow,
The Plain DealerLeBron James and his publicist, Keith Estabrook, confer at James' skills camp on Tuesday.

Cleveland, Ohio -- We find out at 9 p.m. Thursday (probably closer to 9:59 p.m. Thursday) on ESPN where LeBron James will spend the next stage of his NBA career. If he stays in Cleveland, which honestly seems unlikely, he will cement his status as one of the most beloved sports figures ever to grace the North Coast shores.

Oh, but if he leaves! Well, if that happens -- and he uses a national television forum to announce it -- he will become that "other" category, right there alongside Art Modell, the man who gets the blame for firing Paul Brown AND slinking out of the city with the Browns.


It's not a win anyone wants, but we wonder, if LeBron leaves, who will be the most hated figure in Cleveland sports? So we thought we'd ask the people who bleed wine and gold, orange and brown, red, white and blue: the Cleveland sports fan.

View full sizeAP FileArt Modell poses with the trophy he won with Ravens in 2001, five years after moving the Browns franchise to Baltimore.

Plain Dealer reporter Mary Schmitt Boyer, today's guest, talks about the big late Tuesday news that James will announce his decision Thursday at 9 p.m. on ESPN.

Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, our Web video show about what's going on in Cleveland sports. Today's show is hosted by Chuck Yarborough and Branson Wright. Today's highlights:

• Now that we're finally less than 36 hours from LeBron James' decision, vote in our poll that asks what team James will be playing for next season.

• Plain Dealer reporter Mary Schmitt Boyer, today's guest, talks about the big late Tuesday news that James will announce his decision Thursday at 9 p.m. on ESPN. She thinks all will be forgiven if James decides to stay in Cleveland. And after watching footage of James during his academy in Akron the past two days, Schmitt Boyer has a hard time believing he is about to break everyone's heart in his hometown.

Starting Blocks TV will return Thursday.

The ratings reflect what most pundits think of the Browns as the 2010 season approaches: that they are a mediocre team at best, with too many weak links included in almost every position group.

Lynn Ischay, The Plain DealerBrowns offensive tackle Joe Thomas (73) gets respect from not only his peers, but from "Madden 11," too.

Cleveland, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns' "player ratings" for the Madden 11 video game have been released, and they are in line, unfortunately, with what most pundits think of the Browns:

Mediocre, at best.

Click here for the Browns' player ratings. "Madden 11" will be in stores on Aug. 10.

"Madden," of course, refers to John Madden, the Hall of Fame coach for the Oakland Raiders from 1969-78. Madden, who enjoyed an accomplished career as a television analyst for NFL games, helped develop the original "John Madden Football" video game in the late 1980's.

Players are rated in several categories, figuring into an overall rating. The categories are specific to position, kickers and punters having just 11 categories, and several positions graded in 17 or 18 areas.

Position-specific categories include skills such as "juke move" and "block shedding." Every player, regardless of position, is rated in categories such as "swagger" and "toughness."

For the Browns, the top-rated player is left tackle Joe Thomas, whose overall rating is 95 out of a maximum 100. Thomas's top grades are 98 in the "injury" factor, 96 in "pass blocking" and "toughness" and 95 in "stamina." Thomas has been selected to the Pro Bowl in all three of his seasons in the NFL.

The Browns' top-rated defensive player is tackle Shaun Rogers, who gets a 93 overall.

Madden 11 shares concern about the Browns' receiving unit, with tight end Ben Watson and wideout Josh Cribbs each getting an overall 78 as receivers.

The Browns' quarterback rankings are no better than mediocre.

Cornerback and first-round draft pick Joe Haden is given a 79, but with the distinct possibility of moving up with experience. His weaknesses are in areas such as "player recognition" (49) and "awareness" (48), areas in which he should improve with playing time.

If LeBron James leaves the Cleveland Cavaliers, how good (or bad) will the Cavaliers play during the 2010-11 season? Lets figure Shaquille O'Neal will leave the Cavaliers, and that could leave a starting lineup of guards Mo Williams/Delonte West, forwards J.J. Hickson/Antawn Jamison and center Anderson Varejao. Would a LeBron-less Cavaliers mean doom and gloom for this team? Or could...

Joshua Gunter / The Plain DealerWill LeBron James walk away from the Cavaliers?

If LeBron James leaves the Cleveland Cavaliers, how good (or bad) will the Cavaliers play during the 2010-11 season?

Lets figure Shaquille O'Neal will leave the Cavaliers, and that could leave a starting lineup of guards Mo Williams/Delonte West, forwards J.J. Hickson/Antawn Jamison and center Anderson Varejao.

Would a LeBron-less Cavaliers mean doom and gloom for this team? Or could this team still make the playoffs?

LeBron James confirmed he will announce his decision on Thursday.

APFree agent basketball player LeBron James just tweeted that he will announce his decision Thursday night on ESPN.

AKRON, Ohio -- LeBron James made an announcement. No, not the announcement. An announcement about the annoucement. And he did it in his favorite new way, directly to his fans via the Internet and social media.

In a message on his freshly re-launched website, dormant for several years, James confirmed that he was planning on announcing his free agent decision in a one-hour special Thursday night on ESPN. To direct fans to the website, James used his new Twitter account, which has signed up more than 200,000 members in 24 hours.

"The Decision" as James' site calls it, is being made live because of the "unprecedented attention."

The location of the announcement was not revealed but it is believed that it will be made from a neutral site and not in any of the cities that have been courting him.

According to multiple sources those teams were in the dark about James' plans when ESPN made their announcement on Tuesday night.

The program will have sponsors and the proceeds will go to the Boys and Girls Club of America, the statement said. James has supported that charity in the past during events over various All-Star Weekends.

The New York Times reported that an ESPN release said Jim Gray and Michael Wilbon will get the first interviews with James. ESPN's Stuart Scott and Jon Barry will be part of the broadcast.

So Chris Bosh is joining Dwayne Wade in Miami? How bad does LeBron James want to be with them? The next 36 hours will tell.

AP FileWill LeBron make it three in Miami?

With anticipation grown for James' announcement on ESPN at 9 p.m. on Thursday, we're posting rumors as we hear them today.

APLeBron James and Kobe Bryant have more than an NBA MVP trophy in common, writes J.A. Adande. (Scott Shaw / The Plain Dealer)

A thoughtful piece from ESPN's J.A. Adande compares James decision to that of Kobe Bryant six years ago.

Writes Adande,

"Of course it would end like this, with a personal decision that has become public property, offered for the world to consume on live TV. Everything has been building toward this LeBron James announcement on ESPN on Thursday night. Not since Game 5, not since his last visit to Madison Square Garden, not even since he and Dwyane Wade signed the contracts with a 2010 opt-out that turned this summer into Armageddon. This is almost two decades in the making, a product of a culture that long ago removed the borders between reality and reality TV.''

 Adande says Bryant handled his decision in much the same way James has.

"People that wonder how Kobe Bryant would have handled this have short memories. He strung everyone along before his opt-out summer of 2004, just as LeBron did. He had the Bulls, Knicks and Clippers come meet him, just as LeBron had teams meet him. (Although at least Kobe's pursuers got to go to Newport Beach instead of Cleveland). Two year later, Kobe changed his number, just as LeBron will next year. So it's a mistake to say Kobe wouldn't have done it the way LeBron did it. He has. He also went on radio to demand a trade, then appeared on another show to retreat from that position, then charged forward again in a different radio appearance. That was followed by the secretly taped parking-lot conversation in which he took swipes at teammate Andrew Bynum and Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak. Kobe didn't use technology; technology used him.''

From ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan: "We know one thing for sure about LeBron's future: He is coming to New York this weekend, according to the New York Post, to attend Carmelo Anthony's wedding to LaLa Vazquez.''

Tweeting frenzy

James announcement of his impending announcement has set the sports world atwitter.

Some of the best recent tweets:

•  KCJHoop (K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune): 45 hours until LeBronathon ends. Here's a shot at rankings that have never changed for me: 1) Cavs; 2) Bulls; 3) Nets; 4) Knicks.

•  AschNBA (Steve Aschburner of NBA.com): Once LeBron announces, will an ESPN scribe "confirm?"

•  MaureenEF (Maureen Fulton, former Plain Dealer intern and Toledo Blade reporter): Brett Favre thinks LeBron needs to tone down the drama 'king' act a few notches.

And four good ones from Frank Isola of the New York Daily News:

1. Until LeBron speaks, I still rank it as Cavs, NY, NJ, Heat, Bulls & Clips. Lakers are out cause they already have greatest baller on earth

2. Sources: LeBron’s decision to be based on which team’s bench players create most insufferable dance routine during player introductions

3. There hasn't been this much anticipation about an athlete's future since the O.J. Simpson verdict

4. Too bad LeBron didn't put this much thought and energy into Game 5 against Boston.

Never tell me the odds

According to Predicto, a vote-by-text poll site, James will return to the Cavs. Predicto is the only mobile voting game with more than 1 million subscribers. The Cavs earned 30 percent of the votes, followed by the Knicks with 27 percent and the Bulls with 26 percent.

New odds on where James will play next season have upgraded the Heat and downgraded the Bulls, though the Cavs remain the favorite.

NFL great Jim Brown was never one to walk away from a fight, but this time he needs a little help. Brown, who set numerous rushing records with the Cleveland Browns from 1957-65, has asked a San Francisco appellate court to overturn a federal judge's decision to dismiss his lawsuit against video game maker Electronic Arts. In New York Times: Brown...

Thomas Ondrey, The Plain DealerJim Brown, shown visiting Browns training camp in August of this year.

NFL great Jim Brown was never one to walk away from a fight, but this time he needs a little help.

Brown, who set numerous rushing records with the Cleveland Browns from 1957-65, has asked a San Francisco appellate court to overturn a federal judge's decision to dismiss his lawsuit against video game maker Electronic Arts.

In New York Times:

Brown filed the request Tuesday with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. He argues U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper was erroneous when ruling in September that Electronic Arts was protected by First Amendment rights when it created a character similar to Brown for its Madden NFL video games.

In a 2008 lawsuit, Brown argued his trademark rights were violated by the game.