We take a look back at Z's career with the Cavaliers in this photo retrospective featuring photos from The Plain Dealer and Associated Press.

ESPN is scheduled to televise 37 hours of play from The Open Championship, also known as the British Open. Time-zone difference means that Tiger Woods will tee off Thursday at 4:09 a.m. Cleveland time; Phil Mickelson at 9:20 a.m.

Tim Hales, Associated PressTom Watson (left) and Stewart Cink during Tuesday's British Open practice round.

ESPN will present extensive live coverage of The Open Championship, known also as the British Open, Thursday through Friday from St. Andrews Royal & Ancient Golf Club in Fife, Scotland.

Thursday and Friday's coverage will be televised from 4 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern Time; Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Sunday, from 6 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Live coverage will also be available on ESPN3.com and ESPN Mobile TV, and ESPN Deportes will televise The Open Championship Thursday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Defending Open champion Stewart Cink will begin his first round at 3:42 a.m. ET. Teeing off at 4:09 will be Tiger Woods, seeking his fourth British Open title.

Tom Watson and Padraig Harrington begin play at 4:20. Watson, 60, is a five-time Open champion and lost to Cink in a playoff last year. Harrington won the Open in 2008 and 2009.

Phil Mickelson, who has had some problems with the links courses featured in British Opens, tees off at 9:20.  

Josh Cribbs loves the passion of Cleveland Browns fans. And really, what's not to love?

View full sizeJoshua Gunter,
The Plain DealerJosh Cribbs hauls in a pass during minicamp earlier this summer.

But the favorite, at least for Starting Blocks, was in answer to a query from Joe in Petaluma:

"Can you give an example of how passionate Browns fans are?"

Cribbs: "If we played on an island in Antarctica, Browns fans would take paddle boats and canoes to pack our stadium."

When you're right, you're right.

But some things don't change, including the rivalry between Cleveland and Pittsburgh.

They are still the Browns, and usually find ways to beat themselves. (Quarterback Jake) Delhomme hasn't played well since the playoff game two seasons ago against the Cardinals, and they have a lack of pass catchers at the WR spot. They give up a lot of yards on the ground, and teams tend to dominate them in time of possession. They are undersized at the LB spot, and can be beat on by teams with bigger O-lines. They are somewhat young in the safety spot with T.J. Ward and Abe Elam penciled in as starters.

... The teams will do their usual twice a year thing, the first meeting being on October 17th in Pittsburgh, in what could be the first game back for Ben Roethlisberger. Meeting two will be in Cleveland on Jan. 2, the last game of the regular season. The Steelers dominated the Browns in game one last year, but were frozen in sub-zero temps in game two in losing to Cleveland Dec. 10. They are too good to lose to Cleveland – ever.

Ladies and gentlemen of the Orange persuasion, Starting Blocks believes the gauntlet has just been tossed down.

Rogers will undergo a diversion program and complete 40 hours of community service, whereupon the charges will be dismissed. No word yet on what, if any, action the league will take, based on its personal conduct policy.

Beat writer Tony Grossi checked in with former Browns receiver Reggie Langhorne, who is home recovering from severe injuries he suffered when he was hit by a car while riding his bicycle through an intersection in Westlake. The driver wasn't charged because Westlake ordinances require cyclists to dismount and walk through intersections.

The Indians have 74 games left in the season. Here are some of the things they hope to accomplish.

Chuck Crow / The Plain DealerWhile his skills behind the plate remain a work in progress, there's not much doubt that Carlos Santana has a big-league bat.

BY THE NUMBERS
Indians notable numbers at the All-Star break.
Record: 34-54.
Times shut out: 7, most in the AL.
Batting average against Indians pitchers: .277, 14th in AL.
Walks by Indians pitchers: 341, worst in AL.
Strikeouts by Indians pitchers: 487, worst in AL.
Saves: 16, worst in AL.
Complete games: 6, 3rd in AL.
Starters ERA: 4.81, 12th in AL.
Bullpen ERA: 4.69, 12th in AL.
Indians record on Wednesdays: 4-10.
Indians record on Saturdays: 8-6.
Record vs. White Sox: 8-4.
Record vs. AL Central excluding White Sox: 6-15.
Carlos Santana vs. RHP: .328 (21-for-64).
Santana vs. LHP: .194 (6-for-31).
Lefties vs. Rafael Perez: .333 (18-for-54).
Team batting average vs. Detroit: .208 (54-for-259).
Interleague record: 5-13.
Homers: 75, 11th in AL.
Runs: 360, 12th in AL.
Strikeouts: 649, third-highest in AL.
Walks: 306, 5th in AL.
Shin-Soo Choo’s home batting average: .346 (47-for-136).
Number of batters Justin Masterson has hit: 8, second in AL.
— Paul Hoynes

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians have 74 games left in the season when they resume play Friday. Here are some of the things they hope to accomplish in their remaining games and beyond.

Be vigilant: They'll be monitoring the innings of first-year big-league starters Mitch Talbot and Justin Masterson. The most Masterson has thrown before this season is 153 2/3 innings in 2002 in the minors. Talbot topped out at 170 2/3 in 2008 between Class AAA Durham and Tampa Bay.

Stop gap: The Indians need to find a third baseman to bridge the gap between Jhonny Peralta and Lonnie Chisenhall or Jared Goedert. Jayson Nix, if he's not starting at second base, would be a candidate. So would Andy Marte, if he somehow survives another year on the Tribe's big-league roster. Luis Valbuena may get a shot.

If the Indians don't exercise Peralta's $7 million option for 2010, they might try to bring him back at a lower price rather than pursue a potential free agent such as Garrett Atkins, Wilson Betemit, Geoff Blum or Jorge Cantu.

No job is secure: The Indians' bullpen went into the break on a roll, but they should not rest easy. The team's decision-makers were underwhelmed with the pen's performance in the first half. It would be safe to say they're all considered expendable.

Into the young: At some point, Carlos Carrasco, Goedert, Nick Weglarz, Josh Tomlin, Vinnie Pestano and Cord Phelps might get a look. Alex White, Jason Kipnis and Chisenhall might not be factors until sometime in 2011.

Improvement needed: The anticipated return of shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and the much-appreciated trade of first baseman Russell Branyan should steady the defense, but more help is needed. They ended the first half leading the AL with 65 errors.

Joy of Santana: Carlos Santana still rough around the edges as a catcher. Wild pitches and passed balls abound. But offensively he's a keeper. The Indians put a rookie in the No.3 spot in the lineup and just let him go to work. Santana went into the break hitting .284 (27-for-95). Seventeen of his 27 hits -- five homers and 12 doubles -- went for extra bases. He had 23 walks, 18 strikeouts and a .993 OPS.

Who's on second? When Cabrera returns to shortstop, it will be interesting to see what happens at second base. Nix has hit six homers since being claimed on waivers June 24. Jason Donald, who has played mostly short in Cabrera's absence, was being groomed in Class AAA Columbus as Cabrera's double-play partner before the injury.

"It will be a tough decision," said manager Manny Acta. "We want to get to the point where we're making six or seven tough decisions like that every year. It's called depth."

Successful the Indians were not in the first half of the 2010 season, but they could hardly be called boring.

Chris O'Meara / Associated PressA broken left forearm was far from the only pain the Indians felt during the first half of their 2010 season -- but Asdrubal Cabrera's injury did accurately reflect how the campaign got away from the Tribe.

• Assessing the top second-half tasks for Tribe

MIDSEASON INDIANS REPORT
Evaluating the Indians, player by player, in 25 words or less. First the 25-man roster that ended the first half Sunday in St. Petersburg, Fla.

POSITION PLAYERS
OUTFIELDERS
Michael Brantley: Let's give him a chance to get settled.
Trevor Crowe: Good speed, good arm. Needs to get on base more.
Shelley Duncan: Power off bench, especially against righties.
Austin Kearns: Solid first half, but offense is in decline.

INFIELDERS
Jason Donald: Has to get rid of the ball quicker at short.
Travis Hafner: Could lose at-bats against lefties in second half.
Anderson Hernandez: Best healthy shortstop on roster.
Matt LaPorta: Nice power surge until he got elbowed in head.
Andy Marte: It's good to be Andy Marte.
Jayson Nix: Is this real or a Karim Garcia hot streak?
Jhonny Peralta: One day Peralta will regret wasting so many at-bats.

CATCHERS
Carlos Santana: His OPS finally dipped below 1.000.
Chris Gimenez: Hopefully the second time around is better than the first.

STARTING PITCHERS
Jake Westbrook: If he reaches 180 to 200 innings, he'll have had a good year.
Fausto Carmona: No way can the front office trade him.
Justin Masterson: Leads staff in strikeouts.
Mitch Talbot: Can't ask a rookie for more than eight wins in first half.
Aaron Laffey: Must pitch well because Carlos Carrasco, David Huff and Josh Tomlin are coming.

BULLPEN
Hector Ambriz: Rule 5 pick whose timing couldn't be better.
Frank Herrmann: Remarkable what happens when you throw strikes.
Chris Perez: Needs more strikeouts if he's going to be future closer.
Rafael Perez: Improved at end of first half, but still hard to trust in the clutch.
Tony Sipp: A lot like Raffie Perez. Consistency missing.
Joe Smith: Change in delivery has helped against right-handers, but we still don't know what he can do.
Kerry Wood: Can't believe a contender won't take a chance on a power arm like this.

DON'T FORGET US
Indians who contributed to the first half, but were injured or sent to the minors.

OUTFIELDERS
Shin-Soo Choo: The Indians love Choo's talent. So does every other team in the big leagues.
Grady Sizemore: Will we ever see the 30-30 version of Sizemore again?

INFIELDERS
Asdrubal Cabrera: The more you watch other people play shortstop, the more you miss Cabrera.
Luis Valbuena: If he makes it back to Cleveland, he'll have to do it as a hitter.

CATCHERS
Lou Marson: Hitting worse in Columbus than he did in Cleveland. How can that be?
Mike Redmond: Old pro who helped Carmona get back on track.

PITCHERS
David Huff: Figuring things out in Columbus after opposition had .910 OPS against him in Cleveland.
Jensen Lewis: Gutsy, but short on stuff. Needs to throw a lot more strikes.
-- Paul Hoynes

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians went into the All-Star break with 54 losses. Successful they were not, but they could hardly be called boring.

Like an approaching funnel cloud they were hard to ignore, except when it came to buying a ticket to watch them play at Progressive Field. Then they were an afterthought, drawing the fewest people of any big-league team at the break.

Still on many nights it was hard to figure out what to do. Hide in the fruit cellar and pray the roof stayed on the house or peek out the cellar door to watch them rumble past.

The storm brought bad and good. Here is a sampling:

THE BAD:

1. On a trip to Kansas City, Baltimore and St. Petersburg, Fla., from May 11-18, the Indians lost two of their best players to serious injuries. Grady Sizemore took himself out of a May 16 game in Baltimore after re-injuring his left knee diving back into first base. Season-ending surgery followed and Sizemore's ability to reach his past level of performance in 2011 and beyond must be questioned.

The next day, shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera collided with third baseman Jhonny Peralta behind second base in the first inning at Tropicana Field. Cabrera suffered a broken left forearm that required surgery. He is expected to rejoin the Indians by the end of July or early August.

2. On May 29, in the second game of the Indians' next trip, Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez hit left-hander David Huff on the side of his head with a line drive in the third inning. The ball, which knocked Huff flat, deflected off his head into right field for a double. Huff's mother, father and brother, making their first trip to Yankee Stadium, watched.

Huff escaped uninjured. He even made his next start, but he was sent down soon after with an AL-leading nine losses. At the break, Huff was still tied for second in the league in losses.

3. How do you know when it's not going to be a good season? When two players and a coach get driven off the field on carts because of injuries.

Cabrera and Huff were carted off following their mishaps. On June 20, coaching assistant Ruben Niebla was shagging fly balls in the outfield at PNC Park in Pittsburgh when he blew out his knee. The injury required what amounts to season-ending surgery.

One more clue: bench player Andy Marte goes on the disabled list for an infected in-grown hair that requires surgery.

4. On the last trip before the All-Star break, the Indians played Texas at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. In the fifth inning on July 6, fire fighter Tyler Morris fell out of the second deck while trying to catch a foul ball. The Indians were in the field at the time and many of their players saw Morris fall.

"I thought he killed himself," said Trevor Crowe, who knelt in left field, praying.

Two days later Morris left the hospital with a fractured skull and injured ankle. He was wearing a Josh Hamilton jersey presented by the Rangers. They also gave him the foul ball that almost killed him.

5. Shin-Soo Choo, the Indians' most impressive player in the first half, appeared to be headed for a trip to the All-Star Game. In the eighth inning July 2, two days before the All-Star teams were announced, he tried to make a diving catch in right field in the eighth inning against Oakland. Choo injured his right thumb and was placed on the disabled list the next day. Teammate Fausto Carmona was named to the American League team instead of Choo.

THE GOOD:

Chuck Crow / The Plain DealerMitch Talbot was a most pleasant surprise in the first half for the Indians, recording eight wins and averaging better than six innings per start in his first season as a big-league starter.

1. Starting pitchers Fausto Carmona, Mitch Talbot and Jake Westbrook pitched better than anticipated. Carmona, coming off two disappointing seasons, went 8-7. Talbot, acquired from Tampa Bay in December, led all AL rookies with eight wins at the break. Westbrook, after missing almost two years following surgery on his right elbow, was 5-5 and made all 18 of his starts.

Justin Masterson showed signs of successfully making the transition to full-time starter.

2. New manager Manny Acta showed patience, belief and baseball smarts through the first 88 games. Acta knew this wasn't going to be easy, but couldn't anticipate losing three of his best players (Sizemore, Cabrera and Choo) to injury. Still, you have admire a manager who can keep delivering one-liners in the face in the face of defeat.

Two of Acta's best:

"Life is tough. Wear a helmet with double ear flaps."

"Sometimes you're the bug. And sometimes you're the windshield."

3. Even when things worked out, they didn't.

Washington's rookie phenom Stephen Strasburg made his second big-league start at Progressive Field on June 13. He drew a crowd of 32,826, the Indians' second biggest of the season.

Strasburg was impressive, hitting 100 mph to leadoff hitter Trevor Crowe. Strasburg earned the win, but twice he had to call for the grounds crew to repair the mound, drawing boos from the crowd. So even baseball's next pitching maestro couldn't get through his second concert without being dubbed a diva.

4. The dysfunctional White Sox, on the verge of breaking up their roster only a month ago, ended the break in first place in the AL Central. The Indians, however, were not impressed. They went 8-4 against Chicago.

5. This is another one of the two-edged sword situations. The Indians scored 43 percent of their runs (154 of 360) in the first half with two outs. It's a credit to their ingenuity and persistence, but isn't the formula for winning baseball, as their 34-54 record suggests.

Golf's sideshow was at it again, tying his best British Open round with 66 on the Old Course. It put him near the leaderboard's top, a spot that, regardless how brief the stay, would have been unimaginable during the latest chapter in his pulp fiction life.

Tim Hales, Associated PressJohn Daly today at the British Open.

St. Andrews, Scotland – John Daly's scorecard was the only thing getting more attention than his pants.

Golf's most entertaining sideshow was at it again Thursday, tying his best round at the British Open with a 6-under 66 on the Old Course. It put him atop the leaderboard, a spot that, regardless how brief the stay, would have been unimaginable during the latest chapter in his pulp fiction life.

"I've never ran from my mistakes. I've always kind of been the man that you're supposed to be when you screw up — and I've screwed up an awful lot, not just on tour, but in other aspects of life," Daly said. "I think it's how you come back and deal with it. I don't know if it's motivation for fans or if it's helping them. Whatever it is, as long as it's a positive, to me that's all that matters.

"When you have so many ups and downs in life, like everybody does, some smaller and bigger, it makes it so much more gratifying when you do something special."

Daly birdied seven of the first 11 holes, and he might have challenged early leader Rory McIlroy if not for four putts that lipped out. One, on 17, led to his only bogey of the day.

That Daly is a spectacular talent has never been in doubt. You don't go from last alternate to major champion, as he did at the 1991 PGA Championship, without considerable game. And you sure don't win a second major — the British Open here at St. Andrews, no less — by being lucky.

Daly is Everyman. Fans can't help but be charmed, seeing a little bit of themselves in him. Or maybe a little bit of who they would like to be. He hits driver when he should hit irons. He goes for shots that inevitably end badly. He believes "grip it and rip it" is more than just a cute slogan.

Daly's nickname was "Wild Thing," and he more than lived up to it.

Among other things, he trashed a hotel room in 1997 during The Players Championship and once did a TV interview to promote a golf course wearing only blue jeans. No shirt, no shoes. The PGA Tour has put him in timeout-mode five times (his disciplinary file was a hefty 456 pages as of the fall of 2008), fined him $100,000 and ordered him to attend counseling or alcohol rehab seven times. He's also lost part of a considerable fortune to four ex-wives, gambling and bad loans to friends.

But at 44, even Daly has had enough of his high-wire act.

He's lost almost 100 pounds since having Lap-Band surgery in February 2009, and said he quit drinking and eating as much junk. The rib and back injuries that made it painful to get his game back in shape have healed.

"I feel like I'm getting healthier," Daly said. "Being able to work on my game and get some confidence built up, (winning) would be just the most gratifying victory I could ever have."

There's still a long way to go. Daly has three victories worldwide since winning the British Open 15 years ago, and has dropped to 455th in the world rankings. He has just one top-50 finish this year, a tie for 24th at the Puerto Rico Open, and sounded as if he was ready to quit after missing the cut at Torrey Pines earlier this year.

After turning back the clock with a first-round 67 at the 2007 PGA Championship at Southern Hills that left him two strokes off the lead, he followed it up with a 73 and ultimately wound up tied for 32nd.

"I'm not out of it. I'm in it, even if somebody goes out and shoots 7- or 8-under," Daly said. "I feel the game is coming around, and when I'm hitting my driver the way I am right now, it brings confidence."

Gives the fans a thrill, too.

There were appreciative whoops and hollers with every thwack of his driver, and encouraging shouts of "Go get 'em, JD!" As Daly strolled up the 18th fairway — smoking a cigarette — one fan in the crowd held up a sign reading, "John Daly the Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment." Another carried a poster that said, "John Daly Living Legend."

"He's a role model," one of the men said.

Even with the wacky wardrobe.

Daly may have ditched that shaggy mullet he sported back in 1995, but now he's wearing pants that can only be described as garish. Thursday's choice was lavender paisley (his girlfriend wore a matching miniskirt).

"All of these pants, the good thing about them is you get dressed in the dark, any shirt is going to match," Daly said.

Not really. Daly's sky-blue sweater, peach shirt and turquoise hat were cringe-worthy, more acceptable for a 3-year-old dressing himself.

But as Daly is trying to prove, it's his game that matters.

"It's just a great course and I just love it. I don't know why, it just suits my game," he said. "It's, to me, my favorite course all over the world that I've ever played. When you've got that going for you, you don't feel disappointed when you don't play so well.

"But you feel even better when you do."

Terrell Owens has pitched himself every way but on eBay.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz,
The Plain DealerTerrell Owens, shown as the meaty filling in a receiver sandwich featuring Browns defenders Brandon McDonald, left, and Eric Burton, is shopping his services around the league. One Browns fan has a nice idea for a place for the man who is arguably football's most disruptive teammate, a location a bit east and slightly north of Cleveland.

Terrell Owens, who has sunk enough ships to join the Torpedo Union (Local No. 81), has offered his services to former Browns coach Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots while wideout Wes Welker recovers from knee and shoulder surgery.

Owens, who spent last year with the Buffalo Bills, and apparently didn't win the hearts and souls of Bills fans and bosses, is shopping himself around the league.

But it's a pretty good bet that he didn't endear himself to Clevelanders in his choice of words in publicly pitching himself to the Patriots management.

"I'm like LeBron (James)," Owens told Boston radio station WJMN. "I can go there and take less of a role, take less money and put everything aside and make it work."

Nate Davis, blogging for USA Today, isn't so sure it's going to work. The Pats have already signed veteran Torry Holt, but Davis noted that second-year receiver Julian Edelman, from Kent State, is most likely to fill in for Welker until he recovers.

I am a Cleveland Browns fan. This an open letter to the Pittsburgh Steelers. I hate you. Please sign Terrell Owens.

I'll admit to some selfishness in my recommendation. As the summer of LeBron (James) has caused this Cleveland native to start with thirst at a bottle of Drano as if it was called Drano Beer, I am begging the Pittsburgh Steelers to sign Terrell Owens.

So Pittsburgh Steelers, have you you ever seen T.O. do pushups in his driveway? Those are Hall of Fame pushups. Although there are rumors that he has resorted to hydraulic lifts for the pushups and to Joan Rivers' plastic surgeon for the muscles, you must remember one important fact: you are the Pittsburgh Steelers.

T.O. will be a distraction from Ben Roethlisberger's problems.

. . . Look, Pittsburgh Steelers -- I know that you need a distraction. I am a nice neighbor who wishes you ill yet feels your pain in being forced to cheer for a creep (hello Albert Belle), so let me cut to the chase - T.O. at the end of his career may be the perfect citizen. That's a disaster for you, so you can cut him as soon as he lets go of his walker.

The better-case scenario is that he is exactly the lunatic you are looking for. In which case, you put him in front of a microphone whenever you can. And make him talk about your quarterback three times a week.

Asante joins defensive lineman Clifton Geathers and receiver Carlton Mitchell as rookie draft choices under contract. Geathers and Mitchell both were taken in the sixth round.

Still unsigned are cornerback Joe Haden (first round), safety T.J. Ward (second), running back Montario Hardesty (second), quarterback Colt McCoy (third) and guard Shaun Lauvao (third).

Two players are chosen in the seventh round by Chicago and Dallas.

Associated PressBYU's Harvey Unga was selected by Chicago in the 7th round.

Updated at 3:08 p.m.

CLEVELAND -- Despite owning the first pick in every round after winning a weighted lottery, the Browns did not participate in today's NFL supplemental draft.

 The draft involved four college players who petitioned the NFL after being ineligible for the regular draft in April. Only two were chosen -- Brigham Young running back Harvey Unga by the Chicago Bears and Illinois defensive lineman Josh Price-Brent.

 Both players were taken in the seventh round, which means Chicago and Dallas forfeit their choices in the round in the 2011 regular draft.

"I don't expect much improvement next year. We will be back in 2012 or 2013, but the rest of this year and next will likely be just as painful as the first half of this year." - joedean

View full sizeChuck Crow | The Plain Dealer While some of the Indians building blocks, like Matt LaPorta, are contributing in the Majors now, others are still a year or two away.

In response to the story There was plenty of pain in Cleveland Indians' first half, but not everything was broken, cleveland.com reader joedean thinks it will be a few years before the Indians contend. This reader writes,

"I don't expect much improvement next year. We will be back in 2012 or 2013, but the rest of this year and next will likely be just as painful as the first half of this year."

LeBron James still drawing heat (if you'll pardon the expression.)

View full sizeCourtesy of Odyssey PrintwearAurora's Odyssey Printwear came up with a shirt that seems appropriate in light of the way LeBron James elected to tell Cleveland he was taking his talents to South Beach and the Miami Heat.

One particular job was at Odyssey Printwear in Aurora, and what we were doing was silkscreening Witness, LeBron James and other Cavs T-shirts when the Cavaliers were on a run to the NBA Finals. It was a good job, lots of fun, being messy and all, and me being a guy who enjoys being messy.

So today, I get an email from one of my bosses at Odyssey, Mark Hoehn. The company is still churning out LeBron T-shirts. Although they're juuuuuuuuust a bit different than the hero-worshiping garments of 2007. These feature LeBron's torso in full Witness spread-eagle mode. . . sporting the head of a donkey.

Hee-haw.

The shirts are $12 each ($14 for XXL), and available only at the company store at 7286 Aurora Road. For details, call 330-562-1523.

Oh, and Mark said the company can ship shirts via UPS. Anybody got the address for the Miami Heat?

That's about how fast life changed for LeBron James last week. In one instant, he went from beloved hometown hero about to lead his local team to Nirvana to a man vilified by almost every fan in the sporting world. Except those in Miami, of course. And all it took was a silly hourlong television special.

Kevin Hench, a frequent blogger for Foxsports.com, put things in perspective in a rant that was poetic almost in its invective:

In the eyes of most fans (with the obvious exception of Miami's legendarily fair-weather ones), The Decision was The Disaster. Three chums (LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh) had gotten together and decided to destroy the competitive balance of an entire sport.

. . . About a month ago a buddy of mine and I were doing what married guys do: eating our preferred combinations of meats, cheeses and breads and complaining about our wives.

My buddy told me he had come home to find an issue of People magazine on the table and promptly castigated his wife. "What's this doing here? Stupid people read this magazine."

But that was last month. When sports fans could still pretend to maintain some superiority over the daft subscribers to People and Us Weekly.

Once LeBron turned the NBA into "The Bachelor" (with less production value) we couldn't really defend our vice any more. My wife popped her head into the living room during "The Decision" and she could have said, though she didn't, "Stupid people are watching this."

Yup. Nine million of us apparently. . . . Turns out we've been subscribing to an idiotic celeb magazine all along.

'Nuff said.

Apparently, LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade talked about playing together while still playing for separate teams. Now, talk of another "Big Three" alliance.

Bill Kostroun, Associated PressCan Chris Paul devote his full attention to the team he plays for, the New Orleans Hornets, if he's thinkinbg about the New York Knicks?

NBA teams invest tens of millions of dollars in their best players. Fans invest healthy chunks of their paychecks, let alone their emotions, to watch those players compete for their favorite teams.

Can players play to their potential - as they owe their teams and the team's fans - when they're talking among themselves about switching teams and joining each other on another team?

LeBron James, then with the Cavaliers, and Chris Bosh, then with the Raptors, apparently talked with Dwyane Wade about joining him on the Heat. Talked about it, while still playing for the teams that were writing their paychecks. Now, of course, James, Bosh and Wade are teammates in Miami.

(Click here to read Plain Dealer reporter Brian Windhorst's recent account of the three players becoming Heat teammates)

We might be in the formative stages of another troika forming. Chris Paul -- slated to be paid $31.3 million over the next two years by the New Orleans Hornets -- and Carmelo Anthony -- to be paid nearly $17 million by the Denver Nuggets next season -- aren't doing much to quiet speculation that they might eventually join Amare Stoudemire on the New York Knicks.

Click here to hear Stoudemire's interview with Jason Smith on ESPN Radio.

Smith asks Stoudemire who he talked with during free agency. He asks the all-star forward about maybe playing with Paul and Anthony, and says, "You're already smiling." Part of Stoudemire's reply: "...That's something that New York would love. I would love it myself . . ."

Can Paul give New Orleans his best, trying to help the Hornets win, if he's already so interested in joining other specific players on another team? Ditto for Anthony and Denver.

What do you think?

The 21-year-old McIlroy, Woods and John Daly were among the morning starters who benefited from the unusually peaceful North Sea-side weather in Scotland.

Associated PressRory McIlroy today at the British Open, where he shot a 9-under par 63.

St. Andrews, Scotland – The Old Course was defenseless and no one took advantage of it more than Rory McIlroy.

The 21-year-old from Northern Ireland tied the major championship record Thursday by shooting a 9-under 63 in the opening round of the British Open.

One of golf's brightest prospects, McIlroy started his romp with an eagle at the 352-yard ninth, where he drove the green and rolled in the putt. He then made six birdies on the homeward holes for a 30 that tied the tournament's back-nine record.

McIlroy became only the eighth player to go so low at the British Open, equaling a mark from 17 years ago by the late Payne Stewart at Royal St. George. Overall, just 22 players have shot 63 in one of the four major tournaments, including Greg Norman and Vijay Singh, who each did it twice.

The last to do it: Tiger Woods at the 2007 PGA Championship. The world's No. 1 player wasn't quite as sharp to start this major, but a 67 put him in the thick of things.

Woods and everyone else were chasing McIlroy, who missed the cut at the first two majors of the year but began to live up to his enormous potential with his first PGA Tour win at Quail Hollow.

"I didn't get off to a flying start," McIlroy said. "The eagle on 9 really sort of turned things around for me, and I just got going from there. It was great to get into the rhythm of the round and get into a flow. And yeah, it was a very pleasant round of golf."

McIlroy had a chance to claim the record all to himself.

A brilliant approach at No. 17, the famed "Road Hole," left him with a 5-footer for birdie. But the putt slid wide of the cup, and McIlroy rolled back his head in disappointment after tapping in the par, knowing that he had squandered a chance at a truly historic score.

While no one ever expects to shoot 63 in a major, it was certainly a day for posting a low number.

Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa took a run at McIlroy until he failed to get up-and-down at 17, taking his only bogey on the way to a 65. John Daly matched the best score of his Open career with a 66, a number equaled by Scottish journeyman Andrew Coltart, England's Steven Tiley, Bradley Dredge of Wales and Sweden's Peter Hanson.

The birthplace of golf played like a muni for the morning starters, with hardly any wind blowing in off St. Andrews Bay and only a sprinkling of rain. In fact, the sun popped out just as McIlroy was finishing up, and competitors were able to strip off their jackets and play in short sleeves.

"The old lady had no clothes on today," said 60-year-old Tom Watson, who opened with a 73 and was one of the few early starters who failed to break par.

Winds stiffened as the day went on, making it more difficult for afternoon players like Phil Mickelson, who took a double-bogey 6 at No. 13 and had nothing but pars over the first 17 holes. He finally made his first birdie at 18, but a 73 left him more concerned about making the cut that going for the lead on Friday.

Mickelson would move to No. 1 for the first time in his career with a win at St. Andrews.

Clearly miffed at his performance, Lefty blew off interview requests and quickly skipped out of the clubhouse.

Just past 6 o'clock, the expected rains finally arrived, at least on part of the course, forcing players to scramble for their wet gear. From then on, it was a mix of showers and sunshine as the last groups finished up.

England's Lee Westwood wasn't surprised to see such a low score atop the leaderboard. Even with a less favorable afternoon start time and playing with a ruptured calf muscle, which limited his practice time the last two weeks, he shot 67 and was solidly in contention on a scoreboard filled with red numbers.

"The course was defenseless," Westwood said. "I expected somebody to shoot 62 for the first time today, to be perfectly honest."

Woods showed this might be the week for his first victory since being tarnished by a sex scandal that had the British media speculating as much about his personal life as the prospects of him becoming the first player to win three Open titles at St. Andrews.

His only stumble also came at the Road Hole, where he took a bogey.

Woods romped to dominating wins in 2000 and 2005; a third straight would give him 15 majors titles, just three shy of Jack Nicklaus' career record.

"It's getting better every week," Woods said. "I'm hitting shots that I haven't hit in a long time. It's building."

Daly knows a thing or two about problems away from the course, from failed marriages and financial woes to trouble with alcohol and weight.

He underwent surgery to deal with his ballooning waist line, and has lost nearly 100 pounds. But his game had shown little signs of turning around — he's ranked 455th in the world and his best finish of the year was a tie for 24th at the Puerto Rico Open.

No matter, Daly still has quite the following. Fans of "grip it and rip it" had no trouble spotting him at the Old Course, where he wore lavender paisley pants, a sky blue sleeveless sweater, a peach shirt and a turquoise cap. None of it matched. Not that it mattered.

Strolling the course puffing on a cigarette and carrying a diet soda, Daly put up his best score since a 66 at Royal St. George in 1993. It could have been a lot better, too — four putts lipped out or caught the edge of the cup, including one that spun 180 degrees around the back of the 12th hole to end a streak of four straight birdies.

Could it be 1995 all over again?

That year, Daly managed to put aside his problems long enough to capture his second major championship, beating Costantino Rocca in a British Open playoff with a mop of blond hair that was much longer than it is now.

"It's a golf course, I don't know, I just love it. I don't know why," Daly said. "It suits my game. Just a special, special place."

But the Old Course relies on the elements to provide its best defense. Without the usual rain and wind, it was like target practice for the world's best.

Of the first 84 players who teed off before noon, only 25 posted scores above par. Among those in the red: defending Open champion Stewart Cink, who got off to what normally would have been a very solid start.

This day, though, a 70 felt like an opportunity squandered.

"It was out there for the taking," said Cink, who beat Watson in a playoff at Turnberry after the five-time champion missed an 8-foot putt on the 72nd hole that would have made him the oldest major champion in golf history. "I definitely left a few out there."

Find something to do this weekend and beyond.

RECREATION CALENDAR

BASEBALL

10U tryouts for CVBA open travel for P.B. Baseball, World Series Champions. Call Chuck at 216-235-1173.

28 & over Adult Wood Bat Baseball League is looking for experienced pitchers. Call Mike at 440-823-6387.

ACE Program will be running a youth baseball camp on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays throughout the summer at Hilltopper Field in Valley View. Visit www.amateurcoacheseducation.com or call 440-539-4428.

Aspiring Athletes/Buckeyes Scout is holding a showcase for high school baseball players who are 2010 graduates. Call 440-331-3730. The Web site is www.aspiringathletes.org.

Brownlee Baseball Academy begins its 19th season. Classes are offered in hitting, pitching, catching and defense. An all-skills program is also available. Lessons are given in groups as well as one-on-one, no matter the skill level, for boys and girls ages 5-7, 8-12, 13-14, and 15-18. Team programs are also available and can be tailored to a coach's individual needs. Call 330-807-2889. The Web site is www.brownlees.com.

Brunswick B.A.T. Cage will host its annual baseball league Aug. 14 through Oct. 9. Athletes ages 8-17 will participate in a seven-week league to be played outdoors. The cost for each athlete is $90. Registration ends July 20. For more information or to register call 330-273-9559 or go to www.brunswickbatcage.com.

Catcher training classes are forming for ages 8-12 at Pinnacle Sports in Medina. Instructors are Kent State All-American and Florida Marlins draftee Drew Saylor, along with coach Bill Goddard. Call Pinnacle Sports at 330-239-0616 or Goddard at 330-687-3956.

Cleveland adult wood bat baseball team needs semi-pro, college and college-level players. Seven pitchers, left field, right field, designated hitter, infielders and a catcher. Players play free. Contact Joe at 216-288-2333.

Fielder's Choice Baseball in Brecksville continues to accept students for private/semi-private instruction, clinics, camps and group/team instruction. FC is equipped with five indoor automated pitching machines for its token-operated batting cages. Batting cage rentals are available. Call 440-838-5138. E-mail fielderschoicebb@sbcglobal.net. The Web site is www.fielderschoice.com.

Great Lakes Baseball League will be holding their 10th Annual Labor Day Weekend Tournament Sept. 3-6. Games will be played at Painesville Township Park & Garfield Park, Mentor. Information is available at: www.glbl.org , by email: hoschip@glbl.org , or by calling 440.954.9400.

Independent baseball team (wood bat) needs players for all positions for 35-45 games. E-mail baseball71684@yahoo.com.

Lake Erie Crushers will host a youth baseball camp at Freight Stadium that will be instructed by Crushers players and coaches. The date is July 19-20. Each day will run from 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Contact Amy Focareto at 440-934-3636, e-mail afocareto@lakeeriecrushers.com or visit www.lakeeriecrushers.com.

Mentor Baseball League is accepting player registrations for 4U through 17U and adults online at www.mentorbaseball.com. Players must reside in Mentor.

Northeast Ohio Elite Baseball League is accepting open travel teams from ages U12 to U18 from the Greater Cleveland and Akron areas. Call 440-331-3730. The Web site is aspiringathletes.org.

Northeast Ohio Roy Hobbs baseball registration for the 2010 season is under way. Players and teams come from Warren-Youngstown on the East, Cuyahoga County on the North and Tuscarawas County on the South. Most games will be played in Summit County. Call Rob Giffen at 330-923-3400 with any questions.

Northern Ohio High Heat 9U baseball will hold tryouts for the 2010 CVBA team out of Wellington. Call 419-706-8979 or 440-647-3131.

Northwestern Regional Baseball Showcase is coming to Flaherty Field in New Castle, Pa., on July 26. The showcase is for players ages 15-25 who are interested in playing at the collegiate or professional level. Enrollment is limited. Call 412-400-1523 for registration information.

Ohio Eagles Youth Baseball has openings on its travel teams that will be playing in the summer of 2010. Call Ed at 330-673-6532 or 330-389-1229.

Pinnacle Sports indoor/outdoor is forming Sunday leagues, U10 and U12. Instructional classes included. Call 330-239-0616 or register at www.pinnaclesports.org.

Wolves baseball tournaments are as follows: End of Summer Round-up (July 16-18), Farmington, Mich.; and CBA 12U World Series (July 23-30), Sylvania. Register online at www.wolvestournaments.com.

Youngstown Ohio Babe Ruth League needs teams in the 13-year-old and 14- to 15-year-old age divisions. Call 330-788-0686.

Youngstown Class B Baseball League is holding tryouts for 2010 regular season teams. Call 330-565-7974.

BASKETBALL

Adult 4-on-4 short court basketball leagues for adults 30 and over and 18 and over. League fee is $175 plus a weekly referee fee of $8. Contact the Lorain County Park District at 440-458-5121.

Ashland University men's basketball program will host an Eagle Elite Camp on July 19, from 1-7 p.m. This is a one-day camp that will focus on skill development. The camp is for boys in grades 10-12. Pre-registration is $40 and day-of-clinic registration is $50. To register, or for more information, contact the basketball office at 419-289-5461.

Aviators Basketball at Lost Nation Sports Park is now taking registrations for all summer leagues and evening fundamentals which begin in mid-June. Sign up online at www.LNSportsPark.com or contact Ed (440-602-4000 ext. 232), Kirk (440-669-2417) or Bob (440-488-4809).

Camp Fighting Scot boys camp at College of Wooster, July 15-18, July 20-23, and July 25-28, for boys entering grades 4-12; high schools post skills camp/shooting camp for guards, July 1-2, boys entering grades 9-12. Call coach Steve Moore at 330-263-2176 or assistant coach Doug Cline at 330-263-2518 for more information.

Cavaliers and National Basketball Academy will host Cavaliers summer basketball camps and clinics. There will be 18 camps offered. Camps are located across Northeast Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. Campers will be grouped by age, skill and gender, ranging in age from 7-16. Call 216-378-0932 or visit the basketballacademy.com or cavs.com to register online.

Cleveland Basketball School offers group basketball and speed and agility skills training on a monthly basis for ages 6 to 18. Call Paul at 440-570-6861 or e-mail paulh89431@aol.com.

Committed to Excellence Athletics offers group and individual basketball speed and agility skills training year-round for boys and girls, ages 6 to 18. Call Chris at 440-539-1731 or e-mail ccallend@cteathletics.com. The Web site is www.cteathletics.com.

Daniel "Boobie" Gibson camp, July 26-30, 9 a.m. to noon, at Avon's French Creek YMCA; ages 7-15, grades 2-8; $150 event fee. YMCA member receives a $25 discount. Call the YMCA at 440-934-9622.

Fairview Park Recreation Department will be offering a men's open height basketball league. Contact FPRD at 440-356-4444 ext. 103.

Friends4Life AAU team is holding tryouts for fifth- and eighth-grade teams. Call coach Eugene White at 216-256-5888 to set up an appointment.

Girls Basketball Association will be hosting over 45 tournaments in 2010. All tournaments are open to girls ages 9U-17U. For a listing of all tournaments visit www.gbabasketball.com or call 740-685-2468. The tournaments are open to all AAU, YBOA, GBA and any other teams.

Grovewood Salvation Army is hosting a men's open basketball league to be played on Monday and Wednesday nights. Call Steve Robinson at 216-212-5532.

Jason Rodak 3 on 3 Basketball Hoopfest begins at 10 a.m. Aug. 14 at Scoreboards Grille and Pub in LaGrange. Cost is $25 for Open Division players (men and women) and $20 for ninth grade and lower players. All proceeds benefit the Jason Rodak Scholarship Fund. For information and reservations, call Mike Conrad, 440-371-2726; email mtconrad44@yahoo.com; or Megan, 419-929-8295; email meganr_22@yahoo.com.

Malcolm Sims Basketball Network presents 2010 Excel Camp, July 12-15, at Shaker Heights High. Call 216-630-6544 or e-mail simsmalcolm@hotmail.com.

Men's 30-and-over basketball league forming now. Individual and team trophies given. Cost is $270 per person. Call Steve at 216-212-5532 or Lee at 216-324-5220.

Mount Union will host a summer skills basketball day camp for boys and girls with a session for grades K-3 and two sessions for grades 4-10 from July 19-22. Call 330-823-4771 or visit www.mountunion.edu/basketball.

Next Level AAU is offering free skills workouts for boys and girls in grades 5-12 every Saturday at 2 p.m. Visit www.nextlevel-aau.com or e-mail ohiobasketball@yahoo.com or call 440-574-1832.

Oberlin Recreation Department is hosting a basketball festival 5-on-5 double elimination tournament for adults 18 years and older with a 16-team limit. Call 440-775-7254 or 440-776-4804.

Ohio Basketball Club will be holding fifth grade AAU tryouts soon. Call Michael Duncan at 216-544-3922 or send an e-mail to mdu7569448@aol.com. The Web site is www.cbcaau.com.

Open basketball at Gameday Sports Center in Oberlin, Monday-Wednesday and Friday, 5-8 p.m. Cost is $1. The web site is www.gamedaysportscenter.com.

Pre-Olympic 3-on-3 tournament at St. Edward High sponsored by USA Basketball and St. Edward, July 24-25. Open to boys and girls teams, grades 3-12. For more information visit www.sehs.net. Call Eric Flannery at 216-521-8828 ext. 252.

Phil Argento basketball camps: offensive skills camp, July 12-14; advanced skills camp, July 19-21. Contact Phil at 440-227-7027 or go to www.argentobasketball.com.

St. Peter Chanel is accepting applications for its Drills For Skills basketball camp. Call 440-232-5900 ext. 162.

Western Reserve Academy will host Shooting Stars instructional basketball camps, July 18-22, for boys and girls entering grades 5-10; boys and girls entering grades 3-8; July 26-30, Indy Field House, Independence; Chagrin Falls Middle School, August 2-6; and competition camp for advance players entering grades 5-12, boys and girls, July 11-15. To register, call 330-699-1234.

CORNHOLE

Lake County YMCA Outdoor Family Center Cornhole Toss & Serve Tournament is July 17 at 9 a.m. to benefit the Strong Kids Campaign, which provides membership and program assistance to children and families and supports the YMCA's continuing commitment to provide health and recreation services for all members of the community, regardless of financial need. All games will be played rain or shine on the outdoor grass courts at the YMCA Outdoor Family Center at 4540 River Road, Perry Township. Registration deadline for cornhole teams is July 17 prior to 8:45 a.m. Fees are $10 per person or $20 for two players. For questions and registration information, call the Outdoor Family Center at 440-259-2724; Amy Mooney, Tournament Coordinator at 440-669-3222; or complete the online form at www.lakecountyymca.org (only current YMCA members may register online), or register in person at any Lake County YMCA Branch. Tournament participants will also have access to the Lake County YMCA Outdoor Family Center pool for the day.

COMMISSIONERS

Cleveland CYO is looking for part-time sports commissioners for volleyball, football and basketball. Fax a letter of interest and resume to 216-334-1270 or e-mail clevelandcyo@clevelandcatholiccharities.org.

DODGEBALL

Gameday Sports Center in Oberlin holds open dodgeball on Friday nights. Kids 15 years and younger is from 8-9 p.m. and 16 years and older is from 9-10 p.m. Cost is $5. Call 440-774-2637.

FOOTBALL

All Ohio football camps, headed by Tom Gibbons, Euclid head coach, will be holding three sessions of youth football camps in Euclid. Camp is open to youth entering grades 3-9 and will be held at Euclid High. Camp sessions are: July 12-15, 9 a.m.-noon; July 12-15, 1-4:30 p.m.; and July 19-22, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Discounts are available upon request for groups, those who pre-register, Euclid residents and all players in the North Coast Youth Football League. To receive a copy of the brochure, visit www.euclidfootball.com.

Elyria Pioneer Football Camp at Ely Stadium: athletes entering grades 6-8, July 12-14, 12:30-2:30 p.m.; athletes entering grades 9-12, July 12-16 and July 19-23, 9:30 a.m.-noon. Contact Coach Steve Hamilton at hamiltonsteve@elyriaschools.org or call the athletic office at 440-284-8256.

Full Contact Alumni Football for past high school players representing their old school against top rivals. All games will be played in August. Only the first 40 guys on each roster will get to play. The teams are: Washington, McKinley, St. Edward, St. Ignatius, Cardinal Mooney, Ursuline, Austintown-Fitch, Boardman, Chaney, Youngstown East, Liberty Girard, Canfield, Poland Seminary, Collinwood, Cleveland East, East Tech, John Adams, Cleveland JFK, John Marshall, Lincoln-West, Glenville, Warren Harding, John Hay, Cuyahoga Heights, Cleveland South, Akron East, Firestone, Buchtel, Garfield, GlenOak, Hoover, Jackson and Perry. Call Beau at 877-578-8547 or visit AlumniFootballUSA.com.

Jump Start Sports Flag Football, a recreational and instructional program for children in grades K-5, is being offered in Beachwood, Hudson and Twinsburg. Call Rick Hart at 330-656-0090. The Web site is www.JumpStartSports.com.

MCFFU/USSSA is looking for organizations and/or individuals interested in starting leagues throughout the U.S. Teams include 9-Man Ineligible (contact), 8-Man Eligible (contact), 8-Man Semi-Conduct, Screen, 5-Man, 4-Man, women, coed and youth. The Web site is mcffu@mcffu.com.

Ohio Athletic Committee, a nonprofit organization, is partnering with the Middle School Athletic Association (MSAA) to host the second annual Ohio Youth State Football Championship. These championships will allow fourth through sixth graders in four divisions the opportunity to compete for a state title. The tournament will be limited to 32 teams and will be held in Sandusky on Nov. 6-7. For more information visit www.ohioathletics.com or e-mail info@ohioathletics.com.

Public address announcers clinics: Aug. 7, 9 a.m. to noon, Gahanna Lincoln High, hosted by Bob Kennedy, P.A. announcer for Ohio State University; Aug. 7, 9 a.m. to noon, Cincinnati Princeton High, hosted by Tom Kinder, P.A. announcer for Cincinnati Bengals; Aug. 14, 9 a.m. to noon, Hudson High, hosted by Jeff Kurtz, P.A. announcer for Kent State University. Clinics are for P.A. announcers at junior high/middle school, high school, college and youth levels. Substitute announcers as well as high school and college students who would like to learn how to announce are encouraged to register. Visit for more information.

USFTL Adult Flag Football Willoughby Summer NIT, July 24-25 (deadline July 16). Call 440-974-8735 or email usftl@usftl.com or visit www.usftl@usftl.com

GENERAL

Boys and Girls Club of Lorain County has gym rental time available at the Nordson Community Center, 1821 Middle Ave., in Elyria. Call 440-328-3226 or e-mail sports@bgcloraincounty.org.

Cascades Cycling Club in Jackson, Mich., is sponsoring a one-day bicycle ride Aug. 1 for the 24th Minard Mills Bicycle Tour and Wienie Roast, in south Michigan. Pre-registration through July 17 is $17 for individuals and $34 for families (one or two adults plus children ages 5-17). After July 17 registration is $22 and $44, respectively. The entry fee includes lunch, SAG stops, detailed maps, and SAG vehicle service on the cycling routes. Registration forms are available at www.cascadescyclingclub.org or by calling 517-784-4634.

Jump Start Sports after school programs, recreational and instructional programs for children in grades K-5, are being offered in Berea, Hudson and Orange. Call Rick Hart at 330-656-0090. The Web site is www.JumpStartSports.com.

Kent State 2010 summer athletic camp listings are now available. Go to www.kentstatecamps.com or call 330-672-8545.

Premier Sport Conditioning Summer Athletic Training Programs for athletes of all ages, sports and skill levels. Summer sessions start June 21. For more information call 330-487-0810.

Splash Zone Field House in Oberlin is available for rentals with two full-size basketball courts and four volleyball courts incorporated in the basketball courts. Contact the Lorain County Park District at 440-458-5121.

ICE SKATING

The City of Euclid's Penguins program for children age 5 and under teaches the basic concept of ice skating. Cost is $20 for residents, $35 for non-residents. Pre-registration is requested in the recreation department. Call 216-289-8114.

LACROSSE

College of Wooster is hosting a girls lacrosse camp July 11-14. Grades 4-12, all skill levels. Contact Elizabeth Ford at 330-263-2182 or eford@wooster.edu.

OFFICIATING

Cleveland Football Officials Association will hold an OSHAA-approved football officials class at Bedford High from July 7 through Aug. 20 on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Call Bob at 440-460-1742 or e-mail rjm44143@att.net.

Football officials training program sponsored by the Northeastern Ohio Football Association will be conducted at Mentor High and Perry High. Classes will begin July 14 at 6:30 p.m. at Mentor. Approved training programs are required to become at licensed OHSAA football official. Contact Bill Sopchak at 440-354-3003 or by e-mail at Bchak1@aol.com; or Gene Mileusnich at 440-428-2000 or by e-mail at gmileusnich@windstream.net.

Geauga County Umpires Association will be holding classes for umpire training for baseball and softball. Contact Dave Henry for baseball at 440-564-7379 and Mike Hannan for softball at 440-564-7336.

Northern Ohio Football Officials Association has an officials class at Elyria City Hall. Class will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays for five weeks beginning July 20, from 6-8:30 p.m. Contact Larry Dixon at 440-667-2462 or Reflarry@oh.rr.com.

Summit and Portage Officials Association is holding football officiating classes. Contact Ed Markowski at 330-212-7600.

RUNNING

B'nai B'rith 24th annual health run is Aug. 15 at Rascal House Pizza in University Heights. Rewards presented to top three overall winners in all 5K and 1 mile events. Starting time for 1 mile run is 8:30 a.m.; 9 a.m. for 5K. Cost is $11 for 1 mile race and $ 15 for 5K but pre-registration discounts available. First 200 to register will receive tie dye T-shirts and race packet. Refreshments and award ceremony afterward. For information, call 216-381-6000 or 216-291-40445.

SOCCER

Brunswick B.A.T. cage is offering soccer classes with All-Star Hector Marinaro. Call 330-273-9559. The Web site is www.brunswickbatcage.com.

Elyria Pioneer camp: boys, Aug. 2-6, 3:30-5 p.m.; girls, Aug. 2-6, 5-6:30 p.m. Held at Pioneer Field, Abbe Road, Elyria. Contact Coach Venera or Mike Ilievski at 440-365-0627.

Firebird Soccer Camp for boys entering grades 5-9, July 26-30, 6:30-9 p.m. at St. Peter Chanel High, 480 Northfield Road, Bedford. Cost is $25 and includes soccer ball and T-shirt. Contact Nick Urban at 440-232-5900 ext. 161 or visit www.stpeterchanel.com.

Gameday Sports Center in Oberlin holds open soccer on Sundays. Times for 30-year-olds and over is 4-5 p.m. and 16- to 29-year-olds is 5-6 p.m. Call 440-774-2637.

HandsOnSoccer summer camps are available in 22 Northeast Ohio communities with full- and half-day options for boys and girls ages 4-18. Openings are limited. Visit www.HandsOnSoccer.com.

Heidelberg University women's soccer camp for local athletes -- youth, high school and high school teams -- is July 12-15 from 5-8 p.m. at Mayer Field. Contact Coach Nick Spell at 419-448-2381 or 513-324-8510.

Jump Start Sports Hummingbirds Soccer, a recreational and instructional program for children ages 3-6, is being offered in Beachwood, Berea, Chagrin Falls, Chesterland, Hudson and Richfield. Call Rick Hart at 330-656-0090. The Web site is www.JumpStartSports.com.

Lake County YMCA youth program "Kick Off" fall session, boys and girls, ages 4-15. Early registration deadline is July 31, final deadline is Aug. 7. For more information contact Dave Duricky at 440-259-2724.

ONSC is a sanctioned, coed soccer league comprised of highly-skilled men and women with premier, national or collegiate experience. It is sanctioned by the United States Adult Soccer Association as an affiliate of the United States Soccer Federation and Federation International Football Association. ONSC is looking for competitive teams and individual players at least 18 years old to play in the summer season. Call 216-392-9536 or e-mail coedsoccer05@hotmail.com.

SOFTBALL

City of Cleveland Heights is accepting applications for its summer men's, women's and coed softball leagues. Contact Larry Shaw at 216-691-7260 or e-mail lshaw@clvhts.com.

City of Mayfield Heights is accepting teams for its men's, women's and coed leagues. Call Mark Rispoli at 440-461-1973.

DiamondChix Fastpitch Softball Academy seeks high quality instruction. They offer clinics, camps, private and small group lessons to the general public year round either at your fields or the Medina Fieldhouse, our homefacility. In addition to training programs, DiamondCHIX offers a full fastpitch club program for interested girls. Registrants in the club program get year round training as well as participate on DiamondCHIX teams in tournaments during the summer season. Visit medinasportscampus.com/chix for more information.

Eastlake Crushers U12 girls traveling team is looking for players for fall ball, the local traveling team, and for the summer team. Call coach Mike Nagy at 440-343-5805 or e-mail mnagy@heritagebev.com.

Euclid men's weeknight slo-pitch league and Euclid women's Monday and Wednesday League. Call Paul Serra at 216-486-8882 or the Euclid Recreation Department at 216-289-2700.

Euclid Recreation Department is now accepting applications for Men's Fall Softball League slated to open in September. Three divisions are offered, including single games each Tuesday, doubleheaders on Sunday and make-up games each Thursday. For information, call Paul Serra, 216-486-8882 or Euclid Recreation Department, 216-289-2700.

Female players are needed for women's and co-ed softball teams in Mayfield Heights. Call Mark at 440-781-1313.

Gameday Sports Center in Oberlin is offering all you can hit on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 7-8:30 p.m. Call 440-774-2637.

JRC softball has openings in all leagues: Sunday morning and evening, Tuesday evening, Wednesday evening and Thursday evening. Contact Bert at 216-509-9990.

Mayfield Heights is accepting teams for its fall coed softball league. Call Mark at 440-781-1313.

Medina U14 travel team seeks a pitcher for LMOGSO league. Call Amy at 330-321-8430.

North Olmsted Softball Association is accepting applications for adult men and women softball for the 2010 season. Call 440-235-4026.

Oberlin Recreation Department adult fall coed softball league, $250 per team, 16 game season plus tournament. Play is Wednesday night doubleheaders, 18 years or older, 20-person team roster. Contact ORD at 440-775-7254 or e-mail ivarber@cityofoberlin.com.

Ohio Emerald Girls fastpitch organization is seeking softball players ages 10-14 for travel tournament teams. Also seeking a U-10 manager. Call 440-371-8836 or e-mail zoltai@sbcglobal.net.

Ohio Sports Park in North Ridgeville is looking for adult men, coed and women softball teams. Call Tony Ballachino at 216-676-4574 or e-mail tmb458@aol.com.

Pinnacle Sports has indoor/outdoor Saturday leagues for U10, U12 and U14. Instructional classes included. Call 330-239-0616 or register online at www.pinnaclesports.org.

Senior Olympic softball teams seek female players ages 50-54 and 55-59. Call Marcia at 216-941-4815.

Summit County Slo-Pitch Softball League has openings for men's teams in its Sunday 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. doubleheader divisions. Contact Tom Brent at 330-671-7728 or visit scslopitch.tripod.com.

TRACK & FIELD

Brunswick High School will be hosting open pole vaulting practice. Open to boys and girls, grades 7-12. Call Dave Johnson at 216-324-4225 (day) and 330-726-6649 (evening).

"On The Road" Track & Field World Tour Featuring Olympians of the past, present and future. Lenape High School, Medford, New Jersey; Coed, ages 13-19 (high school, college athletes welcome); July 17-18 (All track and field events); Coaches, $99, Commuters, $199, Residents, $329 – 2 nights, $289 – 1 night. For entry forms or more information visit www.verticaladventures.org or email mpscooze@aol.com or call 856-231-0769.

TRAINING

Westlake Recreation Center is offering an all-sports boot camp for the serious-minded athlete, working on speed, stamina and endurance using your body weight for resistance. Open to boys and girls in grades 7-12; two classes per week for six weeks. Classes taught by a certified personal trainer (ISSA certified) and a competitive body builder. Call Westlake Recreation at 440-808-5700, ext. 3428.

VOLLEYBALL

Last chance to register for Ashland University Volleyball Resident Commuter Camp (grades 4-12) July 13-15. Please call 419-289-5454 or email ashlandvb@aol.com. to hold your spot and then register at the door.

Elyria South Recreation Facility is hosting volleyball skills training. Individual sessions for hitting, blocking, setting and libero/defensive specialists. Call 440-960-0357. The Web site is www.loraincounty.com/advance.

Elyria Lady Pioneer youth volleyball camp for girls entering grades 5-8, July 12-16, 9-11:30 a.m. at Elyria High's West Administration Building Gym, 42101 Griswold Road, Elyria. Contact coach Jodie Johnson at johnsonjodie@elyriaschools.org or call the athletic office at 440-284-8256.

Elyria Lady Pioneer summer league, Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning July 6 and ending July 29. At Elyria High's West Administration Building Gym, 42101 Griswold Road, Elyria. Contact Jodie Johnson at johnsonjodie@elyriaschools.org or call the athletic office at 440-284-8256.

Lorain County Community College is accepting teams for its Saturday night coed volleyball league. Contact Jim Powers at 440-366-7652.

WRESTLING

Summer wrestling camp at Baldwin-Wallace, July 25-29. Technique and training, personalized instruction, systematic curriculum, specialized youth camps, team discounts and more. E-mail SuperGold@kenchertow.com or call Ken Chertow at 814-466-3466.

To submit items for the recreation calendar, fax (216-999-6276) or e-mail recreation@plaind.com the information. Listings are free.

Dwyane Wade is standing up for new Miami Heat teammate LeBron James, telling The Associated Press that the NBA's two-time MVP "didn't quit" on Cleveland during the playoffs.

Associated PressDwyane Wade says that the criticism directed toward LeBron James bothers him because they're friends, and stings even more now that they're teammates in Miami.

Indians prospect Lonnie Chisenhall has the type of swing that evaluators and coaches don't need to see to believe in.

View full sizePeggy Turbett / The Plain DealerIndians third-base prospect Lonnie Chisenhall gets a few words of wisdom from former major-league infielder and manager Johnny Goryl during a pre-game workout for the Akron Aeros in July. Chisenhall is considered the Indians' best young hitting prospect, now that Carlos Santana is now with the big-league team.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Class AA Akron third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall is far from the biggest, fastest or strongest player in a minor-league infield. But he has the type of swing that evaluators and coaches don't need to see to believe in. They can close the eyes, listen to the thwack, and know.

"The kid can hit," said one National League scout who covers the Eastern League. "I'm not sure where the kid will end up in the field, but he can hit."

The scout spoke as Chisenhall took batting practice before a recent game against Trenton at Canal Park. Chisenhall ripped liners in all directions, seemingly with ease.

Another NL scout on site that night said: "That's a good-looking left-handed swing. How much power he's going to have, I don't know -- but he's going to hit."

Chisenhall's ability to get the bat through the zone cleanly and "square the baseball" is what makes him one of the top position-player prospects in baseball. He entered the season ranked No. 26 on renowned evaluator Keith Law's Top 100. The only member of the Indians' system ahead of him was catcher Carlos Santana, at No. 3. Santana debuted with the Indians in June and, barring injury or the unforeseen, has put the minors in his rear-view mirror.

Chisenhall participated in last week's MLB XM All-Star Futures Game in Anaheim, Calif. He entered the game in the top of the sixth inning as a defensive replacement and finished 0-for-1 with a walk and an RBI grounder. He was the 14th Aero selected in the 12-year history of the event.

"I'm not a big fan of the talent in Cleveland's system, but I like Chisenhall," a third scout said. "Now that Santana is up, I put Chisenhall at the top of their list of hitters."

Chuck Crow / The Plain DealerLonnie Chisenhall has yet to hit .300 for a season in the minors, but scouts agree he has all the tools to be successful at the plate.

THE CHISENHALL FILE
Uniform number: 8
Position: Infielder, Akron Aeros
Ht./wt.: 6-2/190
Bats/throws: Left / Right
Born: Oct. 4, 1988
Hometown: Newport, NC
Career notes: Chisenhall was a first-round (29th overall) selection by the Indians in the June 2008 draft and is the youngest player on the 2010 Aeros. He spent the majority of his first professional season with Class A Kinston before earning an August promotion and batted .467 (14-30) in seven playoff games to help the Aeros capture the 2009 Eastern League Championship. He participated in the 2010 MLB XM All-Star Futures Game and this year’s Eastern League All-Star Game.
— Dennis Manoloff

That's even though Chisenhall, projected to be the Indians' third baseman of the future, entered the season as a .269 hitter in 191 minor-league games and was batting .267 in 66 games with the Aeros this season through Wednesday.

Being a left-handed hitter, age 21 in the Eastern League and a former first-round pick serve as gloss. The Indians selected Chisenhall 29th overall in 2008 out of Pitt (N.C.) Junior College.

"The tools are there," the scout said. "If he keeps working at the game, the average will be where it needs to be."

Putting in the time should not be a problem. Chisenhall grew up in a household that loved baseball. He credits at least some of his seamless swing mechanics to endless hours of whiffle ball.

"If we weren't playing baseball or watching it, we probably were sleeping," he said.

Among the lessons Chisenhall learned from the elders was to stay calm when struggles come -- and in baseball, they most certainly will come. Even the great ones endure rough stretches. Chisenhall's even-keel approach paid off during an extremely slow start to this season.

"It's a long year, and I'm normally a slow starter, for whatever reason," he said. "If I go 0-for-4 in a 520 at-bat season, I've got time to make up for it. The key is to understand why you go 0-for-4."

To that end, Chisenhall views his seasons in 10 at-bat blocks. He logs the results, making sure to note when he made solid contact and where the ball traveled.

"Everybody wants to hit .300/25/100," he said, "but if that's all you're trying to do all season, you're not focusing on what you really need to do each day. If seven out of every 10 at-bats are solid contacts, or quality at-bats, then I'm pretty sure everything will take care of itself by the end of the year."

Chisenhall has an excuse for the April/May difficulties, but refuses to use it. A shoulder strain eventually forced him out of the lineup. He missed several weeks for rest and rehab; he said it feels fine now.

"The injury affected him," Indians farm director Ross Atkins said. "It affected his rhythm and ability to consistently perform. Lonnie's been solid so far, and we expect his second half to be even better based on where he is developmentally from the fundamental and physical standpoint."

A healed shoulder means the 6-1, 200-pound Chisenhall can resume hitting with power. Last year, he had 18 homers, 26 doubles and two triples in 99 games at advanced-Class A Kinston and added four long balls in 24 games at Akron. Through Wednesday, he had eight homers, 12 doubles and one triple for the Aeros.

Asked how much developing power he might have, Chisenhall said: "I can't worry about labels. I'm more concerned with RBI and average with runners in scoring position than I am with homers."

Third base is relatively new to Chisenhall. He began playing there in the fall of 2008.

"Learning how to play the position is difficult for anybody, I would think -- especially at this level," he said. "I embrace the challenge. I know I can't just go out one day and have it click. It's going to take time, and there will be mistakes. But the mistakes I'm making can be corrected easily."

Bernard, 16, continued to lead the field on a chase of "Are You Better Than An 11th Grader?" on Thursday when he shot a 2-under 69 to take a one-shot lead with a 54-hole score of 7-under 206.

WILLOUGHBY, Ohio -- Michael Bernard is the only player in the Ohio Amateur field who will be required to report to history class on Aug. 11.

He also is the only player who has not had the opportunity to vote, has not attended his senior prom and has not bought a beer for his buddies after a round of golf.

More importantly, he also is the only player in the field of this year's Ohio Amateur to shoot three rounds in the 60s, with a chance to become the youngest winner in the 104-year history of the tournament, which concludes Friday at Kirtland Country Club.

Bernard, 16, continued to lead the field on a chase of "Are You Better Than An 11th Grader?" on Thursday when he shot a 2-under 69 to take a one-shot lead with a 54-hole score of 7-under 206.

Arnold Palmer, Ben Curtis, John Cook and Gary Trivisonno weren't heading into their junior year of high school when they won their Ohio Am titles. Toledo's Frank Stranahan, who would go on to finish second in the Masters and the British Open as an amateur in 1947, was 18 when he won the first of his two Ohio Am titles in 1941.

Bernard, who attends Wayne High in the Dayton suburb of Huber Heights, is on top of the pack -- trimmed to low 40 and ties for the final round -- after Cincinnati attorney Bill Williamson, the 54-hole leader, played the final two holes in 3 over and finished with a 73 for a total of 207.

Dublin's Michael Cress, who was second after 54 holes, is three shots back and shares third place with former Kent State player Tom Ballinger.

Bernard, who did not qualify for last year's state tournament, became the hunted when he took the lead with a par to Williamson's bogey on the 425-yard 18th hole.

"It's obviously different than playing in a few groups back," Bernard said of his final-round strategy. "It is a little different, but my strategy is going to be about the same -- to play good, make good shots and take one shot at a time."

Bernard was two shots behind when he reeled off four straight birdies, narrowly missing an eagle on the scenic 525-yard 10th. He made birdie putts of 12, 18 and 10 feet on the seventh through ninth holes.

At the 10th, which requires a drive of about 250 yards to clear the brush in front of the tee, he reached the green in two and left his eagle attempt on the front edge of the hole for a tap-in birdie.

The leaders will tee off at 10:20 a.m. on Friday, and the event is open to the public.

Cavaliers guard Delonte West reaches a plea agreement on weapons and traffic charges.

UPDATED: 11:03 p.m.

Scott Shaw / The Plain DealerCleveland Cavaliers guard Delonte West has reached a plea agreement on weapons and traffic charges in Maryland.

LAS VEGAS -- Cavaliers guard Delonte West's long-running legal case came to a conclusion with a guilty plea Thursday.

West pled to two misdemeanor weapons charges plus a traffic charge in Prince George's County, Md., but avoided jail time. He had been charged with six weapons counts.

After hearing West say he'd let down his young fans by his actions, Judge Graydon McKee sentenced West to eight months of court supervised electronic monitoring, 40 hours of community service and psychological counseling. The electronic monitoring, which is a form of house arrest, likely would not prevent West from playing or traveling with a team next season. But it depends on the rulings of the districts where West would live and play.

The Cavs had no comment on West's plea. An NBA spokesman said the league will review the case before deciding on disciplinary action. For similar offenses in the past, commissioner David Stern has suspended players three to five games without pay.

In conjunction with the hearing, police released dashboard camera footage from when West was pulled over on Interstate 495 outside Washington D.C., last September 17. The video shows West weaving in and out of his lane while on a three-wheeled motorcycle with police in pursuit before he pulled over.

West was found with two loaded handguns, a shotgun and a large knife with a significant amount of ammunition.

After two postponements, West was scheduled to go to trial on July 21 before the plea deal was reached. West has said he's been in treatment for bi-polar disorder for the last two years. West declined to comment on the arrest during last season.

The Cavs had several doctors working with West throughout the season which saw him going through numerous emotional times, including missing four practices during training camp without permission. He took an extended leave for the second consecutive year to seek treatment and several times was fined and benched during the season for missing flights or violating other rules.

West, 26, is under contract for one more season with a salary of $4.6 million but he's owed just $500,000 if he's waived by Aug. 3. The Cavs have been looking to trade West and there's a chance he'll be released if he's still with the team in August.

He averaged 8.8 points and 3.3 assists in his third season with the team.

Wing search on: In addition to looking for point guards via trade, league sources said the Cavs have been interested in several free agent wings. Ronnie Brewer, a defensive specialist who averaged 8.8 points and 3.3 assists for the Jazz and Grizzlies last season, is on the radar. Several teams have interest in him, including the Chicago Bulls.

Also on the Cavs' list is forward Rasual Butler, who averaged 11.9 points and 2.9 rebounds for the Los Angeles Clippers. Sources also indicate the Cavs have interest in Antoine Wright, a solid defender who averaged 6.5 points for the Raptors last season, and former Cav Flip Murray, a scoring specialist who averaged 9.9 points with the Bobcats and Bulls in 2009-10.

Wade defends LeBron: In an interview with the Associated Press, Dwyane Wade defended new teammate LeBron James against Cavs owner Dan Gilbert's statements that James quit in the playoff series against the Celtics.

"He's not a quitter," Wade said. "He didn't quit."

"I don't see where you can get where he quit. He just had one bad game. It happens. Kobe [Bryant] had a bad game in the finals. They won. It didn't matter. LeBron's teammates didn't help him out that game and it made the way he played even worse. But he's not a quitter. He didn't quit."

Though Gilbert and many fans seemed to be more perplexed by James' attitude and focus in several of the losses than execution, Wade said it was all the Celtics' defense.

"LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant, guys like that understand what Boston's defense was about," Wade said. "Their defense was built on not letting one player beat them. You either settle for the outside shot or you pass to your teammates. LeBron had one bad game in the playoffs. Other than that, he did what he could do with the defense all watching him."

Roster changes: After one game starting at center, former NBA journeyman Maciej Lampe left the Cavs' summer-league team. He is playing with the Polish National Team later this summer and went to prepare. Also former lottery pick Rashad McCants was scheduled to be on the roster but is no longer with the team. The Cavs play their third summer-league game Friday at 8:30 p.m. vs. the Chicago Bulls. J.J. Hickson leads the summer league in scoring at 26 points a game.

'Twas a strange and fascinating Thursday, this opening round of the 150th anniversary British Open. The past and future trumped the present.

Tim Hales / Associated PressRory McIlroy stormed a defenseless St. Andrews on Thursday, offering a view of the player most consider the future of professional golf posting a seemingly easy 9-under 63.

Bill Dwyre

Los Angeles Times

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland -- 'Twas a strange and fascinating Thursday, this opening round of the 150th anniversary British Open. The past and future trumped the present.

From the depths of memory came lumbering John Daly, 44 now and no longer lumbering. His greatest moment in golf was 50 pounds ago and the 1995 British Open, which he won at this same St. Andrews seaside shrine to the game. His second-greatest moment, with apologies to his 1991 PGA title, might well be the 6-under 66 he shot here Thursday.

A few groups behind him strode the future, a 21-year-old from Northern Ireland named Rory McIlroy, who did Daly three better with a 63 and mused later that he had given some thought near the end to a 62, knowing that the best British Open round ever, anywhere -- and, for that matter, any major championship round -- is 63. Equaling the greats of 150 years apparently was less than completely satisfying for the leader of golf's tomorrow.

Then there was Tiger Woods, at 34 the game's No. 1 player, its present standard-bearer. Daly and McIlroy set their sights on tomorrow. Woods sets his on Jack Nicklaus' major records.

Yet on a day that somehow remained nearly windless along a stretch of ocean that almost never quits exhaling and was wet enough to make greens and fairways soft, Woods shot a nice 67 and got upstaged.

Tim Hales / Associated PressSlimmer and sober -- but certainly not nondescript with his colorful wardrobe -- John Daly ripped it once again around the Old Course to create an unexpected story line for the Open.

It wasn't so much that everyone failed to recognize how well Woods had positioned himself for the next three days, nor how forgiving and playable this unforgiving and unplayable course was. It was, simply put, that the Daly and McIlroy stories were a fresh change from sole focus on Woods' stone-face march toward redemption. All his body language, all his news conferences seem to point to the same thing: Win a major and all will be forgiven.

Perhaps.

But in the interim, there was a man walking these sacred fairways in his pajamas, and proving there is no need for a dress code at St. Andrews. Daly was in a pink shirt, baby blue sweater vest, and pants that appeared to be modern art gone bad. He called the pants his "Paiseltine." He has been wearing combinations of these for months, in sort of an attempt to call attention to himself, because his game no longer did.

"The good thing about them," Daly said of his pants, "is you can get dressed in the dark, and any shirt is going to match."

He has had the lap-band procedure to control his weight, and said he weighs "between 190 and 195 pounds," that he can no longer drink beer because it won't stay down and that he especially misses vitamin D milk.

"I used to drink half a gallon a day," he said of milk. "When you used to be as hung over as I used to be, it was great. Got rid of everything."

Clearly, when you have been through four wives, several bouts with alcohol and weight, and even some problems with people who collect taxes, a calm day at your favorite golf course and a great opening round of 66 means everything. Asked if the oft-used description of him as the "Wild Thing" should be changed, Daly pondered and said, "Mild thing?"

Daly now finds peace and stability in girlfriend Anna Cladakis, who followed him Thursday in a skirt that matched his pants, and in his friends and adopted family at Red Hill Country Club in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., where he said he goes often as a haven. Some country clubs have their own traveling pro. Red Hill has its recovering pro.

McIlroy is recognizable not by his pants, but by thick, black, curly hair flowing from under his cap. He is also recognizable as a prodigy, a status probably beginning with the day he shot a round of 61 at a difficult course in Northern Ireland named Royal Portrush. He was 16 then.

Many picked him to win this event because, much like Daly, he plays the course by merely hitting drives over all those dreadful pot bunkers positioned to swallow up shots of the shorter hitters, those who can hit it only a measly 320 yards.

McIlroy said his run began with an eagle at No. 9. That's a par four of 352 yards.

"I hit driver off the tee to 15 feet," he said, casually, "and holed the putt straight up the hill."

That had the air of Daly's description of his second shot on the No. 17 Road Hole, which flew over the 495-yard par four: "... Had 171 and tried to chip a seven-iron."

McIlroy was asked to describe his previous rounds at St. Andrews, six as an amateur and two as a pro, before Thursday's 63. He paused, then reported, "69, 69, 67, 68, 67, 68, 65, 69." To his credit, he added, "I've never played St. Andrews when the weather has been that bad."

Woods, who has played in all sorts of bad weather here, did a couple of TV interviews after his round and drifted away, as is his option. No need to face the same questions in the same big room.

Besides, on this day, Daly and McIlroy had the better answers.

Going into Thursday night, McBride was batting .362 (21-for-58) with nine homers and five doubles in his last 15 games.

UPDATED: 11:33 p.m.

Indiansprospectinsider.comAkron outfielder Matt McBride has been on a hot streak at the plate for the Aeros, and slugged his 14th homer of the season Thursday night.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Clippers 6, Tides 1: Carlos Carrasco (8-4, 4.10) allowed one unearned run in leading Columbus to an International League win Thursday in Norfolk, Va.

The right-hander went seven innings and allowed two hits and one walk while striking out six. Clippers DH Wyatt Toregas (.333) hit his second home run of the season, and RF Jordan Brown (.300) had two hits and an RBI.

Notes: RHP Josh Tomlin (8-3) is fourth in the International League with a 2.58 ERA. In 15 starts and three relief appearances, he's struck out 66 while allowing 30 walks, 72 hits and eight home runs in 94 1/3 innings. ... Going into Thursday night's game, 3B Jared Goedert led the entire Indians organization in batting average (.325), home runs (22) and RBI (64). Since being promoted from Akron to Columbus, he was batting .326 with 15 homers in just 132 at bats -- one homer per every 8.8 at bats. Goedert had a combined 23 doubles and 54 runs with the Clippers and Aeros. ... RH reliever Bryce Stowell was a combined 2-0 with seven saves and an 0.71 ERA in 50 2/3 innings, covering two appearances with Columbus, after 11 outings with Advanced A Kinston and 14 with AA Akron. Stowell's combined numbers this season included 78 strikeouts -- nearly 14 per nine innings pitched -- and just 32 hits allowed. Last season was Stowell's first in professional baseball, and he was a combined 4-6 with a 4.76 ERA in three games at A Lake County and 19 at Kinston. He struck out 77 batters in 70 innings, however. ... IF Luis Valbuena was hitting .351 (20-for-57) with five doubles, one triple and three homers in 15 games since being sent to Columbus by the Indians. ... Since being promoted from Akron, IF Cord Phelps was hitting .348 (31-for-89) with 10 doubles, two triples and three homers in 24 games. ... The Clippers were 55-36 and held a 7 1/2-game lead over Indianapolis in the International League West Division. Columbus finished 57-85 last season. ... RHP Josh Tomlin pitched a scoreless inning, fanning one and giving up one hit, as the International League all-stars defeated the Pacific Coast all-stars, 2-1, in Wednesday night's Triple-A All-Star Game in Allentown, Pa. OF Jose Constanza entered the game in the eighth inning as a pinch-runner and didn't bat.

AA Akron Aeros

Aeros 6, SeaWolves 1: DH Matt McBride (.276) clobbered his 14th homer of the season, 2B Jason Kipnis (.293) had three hits and starting pitcher Kelvin De La Cruz (2-5, 5.28) threw six strong innings to push the Aeros past Erie (Pa.) in an Eastern League game in Akron.

De La Cruz, a left-hander, allowed one earned run on four hits and two walks in six innings. He struck out five. Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera was 2-for-4 with a double as he continued his rehabilitation assignment after two games with Class A Mahoning Valley.

Notes: Going into Thursday night's game, McBride (.274) was batting .362 (21-for-58) with nine homers, five doubles and 18 RBI in his last 15 games. He had reached base in his last 41 road games. ... OF Tim Fedroff (.267) was on a 12-game batting streak, going 22-for-48 (.458) with four doubles. ... RH starter Alex White, in his first professional season after being taken by the Indians in the first round of the 2009 draft, is 4-4 with a 1.53 ERA in 10 starts with the Aeros after being promoted from Kinston, where he was 2-3 with a 2.86 ERA in eight starts. White has given up just 73 hits in 103 combined innings. ... LH starter Nick Hagadone continues to be brought along slowly after having Tommy John elbow surgery two years ago, but his 60 2/3 innings pitched is the most in his four-year professional career. Hagadone, a combined 2-3 with a 3.56 ERA at Akron and Kinston this season, has struck out 69 but walked 47. ... The Aeros helped the Western Division to a 10-3 win over the Eastern Division in Wednesday night's Eastern League All-Star Game in Harrisburg, Pa. OF John Drennen slugged a two-run homerun, singled and scored two runs. 3B Lonnie Chisenhall was 1-for-3 with an RBI, one run and a walk. ... RHP Paolo Espino struck out three in one hitless and scoreless inning.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Nationals 6, Indians 1: Kinston RF Lucas Montero (.264) singled twice, and CF Donnie Webb (.220) doubled and scored in the K-Tribe’s Carolina League loss to Potomac in Woodbridge, Va.

Notes: RH reliever Austin Adams finished for the Indians, giving up two runs (one earned) in four innings. Adams is 1-0 with a 1.62 ERA in four games (one start) for Kinston, striking out 21 in 16 2/3 innings. He began the season at Lake County, where he was 2-4 with a save and 3.54 ERA in 13 appearances (eight starts). Adams struck out 61 in 53 1/3 innings with the Captains. ... RH starter Joseph Gardner (7-4, 2.71) pitched seven one-run innings to get credit for the Indians' 3-1 win over Potomac on Wednesday night, making him a combined 8-4, 2.85 with 111 strikeouts in 98 innings for the Indians and Lake County this season. Overall, he has held opponents to a .188 batting average and just four homers. ... RH reliever Brian Grening (3-3, 4.00) has struck out 19 in his last 14 innings, and 33 in 27 innings for Kinston. He began the season at Class AA Akron, where he was 0-0 with a 4.91 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings. ... Montero (.264) is 13-for-34 with three triples and a double in his last eight games. ... Right-handed batting 3B Kyle Bellows (.256) is batting .301 (62-for-206) against right-handed pitchers, with 10 doubles, three triples and seven homers. Against lefties, he's batting .145 (12-for-83) with four doubles.

A Lake County Captains

Captains 6, River Bandits 1: SS Casey Frawley (.264) and CF Delvi Cid (.242) each had three hits, DH Chris Kersten (.294) hit his third home run and the Captains beat Quad Cities in a Midwest League game in Davenport, Iowa.

Righty Trey Haley (5-4, 4.86) went five innings, allowing one earned run on two hits and one walk while fanning seven.

Notes: Going into Thursday night's game, RH closer Preston Guilmet (1-1, eight saves, 2.78) had struck out 37 and walked three in 22 2/3 innings. Of the 22 outs he had recorded against left-handed batters, 15 were by strikeout. ... IF Chris Kersten (.296) was batting .361 (13-for-36) with four doubles, one triple and seven RBI in his last 10 games. ... OF Delvi Cid (.236) was second in the Midwest League with 39 stolen bases (in 47 attempts). Since the all-star break, Cid was batting .311 (23-for-74) with two doubles, one triple and one homer.

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Cyclones 7, Scrappers 4: Mahoning Valley right-handed reliever Julio Ramirez (0-1, 54.00) allowed four runs in two-thirds of an inning as the Scrappers lost in a New York-Penn League game in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Notes: Going into Thursday night's game, LH reliever Nick Kirk (0-0, three saves, 2.70) had struck out 18 and walked one in 10 innings. ... OF Brian Heere had drawn 18 walks and was 10th in the New York-Penn League with a .416 on-base percentage despite batting .228 (13-for-57). Heere was 11-for-29 (.379) with 10 walks, two doubles and a homer in his last nine games.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

The Crushers were idle on Thursday

Notes: Crushers RH pitchers Josh Roberts (1 2/3 innings), Travis Risser (one inning) and Jeff Cinadr (2/3 inning) combined to pitch 3 1/3 scoreless innings for the East Division all-stars in their 9-2 loss to the West Division in Wednesday night's Frontier League All-Star Game in Marion, Ill. ... 3B Andrew Davis is second in the Frontier League with a .344 batting average, and RHP Josh Roberts (5-0) is fifth with a 2.25 ERA and tied for fifth in wins. ... Since the season's first six games, Davis is batting .366 with 10 doubles, one triple, five homers and 32 RBI in 42 games. ... The Crushers host the Windy City ThunderBolts on Friday night.

Remember when there really was a "crack of the bat" in amateur baseball? You can hear it again in Lorain, where former Indians Kevin Rhomberg and Joe Charboneau are involved with a summer team for college players -- the Lorain Ironmen.

Gene J. Puskar / Associated PressThanks to amateur summer leagues such as the Prospect League, aspiring baseball players get the chance to test their skills with wooden bats.

LORAIN, Ohio -- How would you like to play 58 baseball games in 66 days, in a league crossing seven states? How about spending more hours on a bus than on a diamond, sharing a motel room with three guys and a diet that relies a lot on fast food or the Country Buffet?

Finally, how would you like to be a college player and swing a wooden bat?

"My son loves it," said Tribe radio broadcaster Tom Hamilton, whose son, Nick, plays third base for the Lorain Ironmen of the Prospect League. Hamilton will play for Kent State next season, where Flashes coach Scott Stricklin is a huge fan of the Prospect League.

"The more kids can play in the wooden bat leagues, the better," said Stricklin, whose Flashes have been to the NCAA tournament in the last two seasons.

For years, there were only a few summer wooden bat leagues for college players, in places such as Cape Cod and Alaska. When high school and college players sign pro contracts, they have to leave their aluminum bats behind -- and pick up an old-fashioned piece of wood.

"It's a real shock for them," said Kevin Rhomberg, who played for the Indians in 1982-84. He also had a 10-year college coaching career, five seasons each at Lakeland Community College and Cleveland State.

View full sizeThe logo of the Lorain Ironmen of the Prospect League, where young baseball talents learn the skills needed to succeed with wooden bats and tough schedules.

He's now one of the owners (along with Bob Schenosky) of the Ironmen, a first-year franchise in the Prospect League. Rhomberg serves as everything from general manager to a guy who helps out grilling hamburgers.

Along with college coaching, Rhomberg, 54, scouted for the Indians for a few years. He owned a baseball academy. He owned pieces of two Frontier League franchises, and even ran for (and lost) Clerk of Courts in Lake County.

Now, he hopes to capitalize on the growing market for wood bat summer leagues, as coaches such as Stricklin want their players to have that experience -- even if they don't have a pro future.

"It makes you a better hitter, because the sweet spot on the bat is half that of an aluminum bat," said Stricklin. "It turns you into a more disciplined hitter."

The Ironmen have a 16-19 record with nearly 1,200 team at-bats -- and not a single home run.

"We play at the Pipe Yard [in Lorain], where it's 320 down the lines, 380 in the power alleys and 405 in center field," said Rhomberg. "It's bigger than some major-league parks."

Only five of 15 teams have more than eight homers this season.

The Ironmen played at home Thursday night, then embarked on a trip to Butler, Pa., then to Chillicothe, back to Lorain, then to Beckley, W.Va. That's five games in five days in four cities.

Tickets are $3 and $5, the crowds are in the 300-to-1,000 range. For information, check lcironmenbaseball.com.

Players are recommended by college coaches and pro scouts. The Ironmen have a strong local flavor. While most players in the league are from Division I schools, Lorain's best pitcher is Phil Brua (Avon) who plays for Division III Oberlin. He made the league's all star team along with Matt McAllester (Westlake, Ashland), Billy Urban (Gilmour, St. Bonaventure) and Austin Ingraham (Willoughby South, St. Bonaventure).

"It's like being on a summer rookie-league team in the minors," said Tom Hamilton. "The kids are at the park each day at 3 p.m. to do fundamentals. [Former Indian] Joe Charboneau is the batting coach, and he's really helped my son. They have some rough trips. You find out how to play when you're tired and hurt -- and if you really love baseball."