Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donald Sloan enjoying rare sense of security this season.

Thomas Ondrey, The Plain DealerCavaliers guard Donald Sloan has come through a lot of tight squeezes in his professional basketball career.

Donald Sloan will head into the summer with a nonguaranteed contract for next season. Put another way, he's never had this much security in his brief pro career.

The undrafted point guard is starting to feel at home with the Cavaliers, even as he knows the welcome mat could be yanked from under his feet at any moment.

The coaching staff wants him back in Cleveland next month to begin working on ways to improve his game, particularly his on-ball defending. He will join the Cavaliers in Las Vegas to play for their summer league team in July. And, in all likelihood, he will compete in training camp to be Kyrie Irving's backup.

The former amateur boxer, whom friends in Dallas call "Shake 'Em Fast," enters the off-season not having to worry about whether his agent will call with a job offer.

"[General Manager] Chris Grant talks to me all the time and is like, 'There's a reason we didn't just give you a 10-day [contract], there's a reason why we signed you for the rest of the year and you're nonguaranteed,' " Sloan said. "If I just come out and finish strong and do what I do, maybe that will leave something on the table for them to say, 'OK, maybe we should keep this guy around.' "

Sloan, 24, has had an 18-game audition, including nine starts in place of Irving, who could return later this week after spraining his right shoulder. The reviews have been encouraging. Sloan is averaging 6.3 points and 3.8 assists, while committing just 1.5 turnovers in 23.4 minutes a game.

The Cavs are looking for someone who can play about 15 minutes a game to give Irving a breather. History tells Sloan not to read too much into a few good weeks. In 2010, he played for the Sacramento Kings' summer-league team and signed a one-year, nonguaranteed deal but was waived before the season started.

He has bounced around the NBA Development League, played in the Philippines and had short stints with the Atlanta Hawks and New Orleans Hornets.

When the Cavaliers moved Ramon Sessions at the trade deadline, team Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin and Director of Player Personnel Wes Wilcox recommended Sloan, who was playing with the D-League Erie Bayhawks. The Houston Rockets were also showing interest.

Sloan said signing for the remainder of the season and next season allowed him to relax, as opposed to sweating out 10-day deals.

"I have been in a 10-day situation, and the moment you check in, you feel like, 'I've got to pressure the ball or I've got to get a steal. . . . I've got to do everything I was doing in the D-League so they know I can do it on this level,' " Sloan said. "It's stressful."

Needless to say, the D-League doesn't possess opposing guards as talented and quick as Deron Williams, John Wall and Jameer Nelson.

"I've faced a few monsters since Kyrie has been out," Sloan said, laughing.

Coach Byron Scott wants his point guards to aggressively defend their counterparts, trying to get into their bodies and disrupt the offensive flow. The strategy sometimes leaves a defender vulnerable to getting beat off the dribble. The same thing happened to Irving this season.

Sloan has struggled to keep point guards in front of him. Nelson recorded 21 points and nine assists in Orlando's 100-84 win at The Q on Sunday, a game which concluded the Cavs' stretch of back-to-back-to-back games.

He averaged a solid 10 points and 4.6 assists in the exhausting stretch.

"I think he's getting adjusted to having to guard some of these first-tier point guards," Scott said. "He's a pretty bright young man. I think he'll learn as he goes along."

"I've been very happy with the way he's played."

Outfielder Johnny Damon was in Goodyear, Ariz. on Monday, home of the Indians spring training headquarters, to complete a physical. If he passes, the Indians then will begin the process of seeing how he can help their big-league club.

ANALYSIS

Tony Gutierrez, Associated PressJohnny Damon's bat likely will be able to help the Indians, but where will he play in the field? That is a question that must be answered before Damon makes his way to Cleveland after a stay in Arizona for extended spring training.

Seattle -- It's safe to say Johnny Damon is as close to being a Cleveland Indian as he can get without officially being one.

He arrived in Goodyear, Ariz., Monday to complete a physical that began Sunday in Cleveland. If all goes well, the Indians should make his signing official Tuesday. As much time as it has taken to get from rumor to confirmation, it seems as if Damon should be starting in left field Tuesday against the Mariners at Safeco Field.

Not so.

Damon, 38, probably will go through a couple of days of workouts in Goodyear so the Indians can determine his physical condition. After that, he will start throwing, catching, hitting, running the bases and taking fly balls in the outfield.

Then he will start playing games in extended spring training. The most recent time Damon was in extended spring was 20 years ago. He was the Royals' No. l pick in 1992 as an 18-year-old outfielder from Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, Fla. He played 50 games for the short-season Gulf Coast Royals and hit .349 (67-for-192).

Three years later, he was in the big leagues with Kansas City.

Teams have extended spring training for players who didn't make a full-season minor-league club. Most of Damon's teammates will be at least 20 years younger.

In professional baseball, extended spring training is the equivalent of kindergarten. The refresher course will help Damon. After not going through training camp in February and March, he will need to get a lot of at-bats in a hurry, and extended spring training is perfect for that. Damon will be able to lead off every inning for his team once he reaches that stage of his conditioning.

He will also be able to get plenty of work in the outfield. Damon's ability to play the outfield -- yes, everybody knows he has a weak throwing arm -- will be critical to how he fits on the Tribe's 25-man roster.

Damon played 150 games last year for the Rays but only 16 in the outfield. The most recent time he saw significant time in the outfield was 2009 with the Yankees, when he played 133 games.

After extended spring training, Damon is expected to report to Class AAA Columbus. When the Indians are satisfied he has gotten enough at-bats, he could join them in early May.

Then it will be up to manager Manny Acta on how much he plays. Left fielder Shelley Duncan is off to a fast start. He came out of the Indians' three-game sweep over Kansas City hitting .320 (8-for-25) with two homers and six RBI. Damon and Duncan, former Yankees teammates, seem to be a good fit for a left-field platoon, but Acta rarely manages by such strict guidelines.

Duncan has been on a roll since September, when he hit .265 (22-for-83) with seven doubles, seven homers and 23 RBI. In spring training, he hit six homers to win the left-field job. So Acta would be well-served to find a way to keep Duncan's right-handed bat in a lineup dominated by left-handed hitters.

Damon, at the moment, has signed a minor-league deal worth $1.25 million. He can earn another $1.4 million in performance bonuses. Reports of the deal including no-trade and opt-out clauses based on when injured center fielder Grady Sizemore returns to the lineup were not accurate. There is an agreement in place that will allow Damon's agent, Scott Boras, to request his client's release depending on his playing time and how he fits on the club.

Is it possible Acta could have a roster that includes outfielders Damon, Duncan, Sizemore, Shin-Soo Choo and Michael Brantley?

Much would depend on Sizemore's health. He's still recovering from Oct. 3 surgery on his right knee and March 1 surgery on a herniated disk. If and when Sizemore is ready to play, it's unlikely it would be as a regular. Depending on Acta's needs from the rest of the roster -- the Indians are currently carrying four outfielders -- he could make it work.

Damon batted in every spot in the Rays' lineup last year. In his career, however, he has hit leadoff in 1,573 of his 2,426 games. He spent 38 games there last year and would give Acta an alternative to Brantley, who enters the Seattle series hitting .206.

Acta and General Manager Chris Antonetti spent the off-season talking about contending and putting the best lineup on the field for every game. Damon, based on his performance last year, could help them. But he would have to do it differently. Travis Hafner is a fixture at designated hitter, where Damon played 135 games last year, while the physical demand of playing regularly in the outfield might hurt his production.

Whether Acta can juggle the lineup enough to make that happen, and Damon's skills are still sharp enough to make it worth his trouble, are two questions that are yet to be answered.

Center fielder Michael Brantley, after a 1-for-17 start, is starting to lead the way for the Indians.

Charlie Riedel, Associated PressAfter getting one hit in his first 17 at-bats of the season, Michael Brantley, right, got two hits in the Indians' first inning in Kansas City.

Seattle -- Michael Brantley started the season with one hit in his first 17 at-bats. That's not a beginning for any player, especially a leadoff hitter.

Brantley knew what people outside the Indians' locker room were thinking. He felt differently.

"It was the first 17 at-bats of hopefully 600," said Brantley. "You always want to start off great, but it doesn't always work that way."

Brantley and the Indians hit Kansas City for a three-game series Friday. Hit is probably a bad description. It was more like they bumped into the Royals. Brantley was hitting .059 and the Indians .176.

In the first inning Friday, the Indians scored seven runs on eight hits. Two of the hits belonged to Brantley. In one inning, covering two at-bats, he did more than he had been able to do in the first five games of the season.

"It really is a weird game," said Brantley. "That's why baseball is so fun. That's why I love it."

In the three-game sweep of the Royals, Brantley hit .353 (6-for-17) with four runs and three RBI.

The sweep was fueled by three big innings, and Brantley was a part of them all. He singled and doubled in the seven-run first Friday. He tripled in a five-run third inning Saturday. On Sunday, he started a six-run third inning by beating out a two-out infield single.

"My job is to get on base for the guys behind me," said Brantley. "The more times I get on base, the better chance we have to win. It means our No. 2, 3 and 4 guys are coming up, and they can swing it."

Rally time: What Tribe manager Manny Acta liked about the Indians' big-inning offense was the patience his hitters showed.

"It's something we started doing last year," he said. "We just want to worry about each guy having a quality at-bat.

"This is not basketball. The clock isn't going to run out. That's why outs are so precious.

"You can score as many runs as you can, regardless of how many outs you have. Last year, they believed in the two-out rally that never stops. . . . We take pride in it."

The Indians scored 15 of their 32 runs in the series with two outS.

Long gone: Here's Travis Hafner's description of his 456-foot homer into Rivals, a sports bar beyond the right-field seats at Kauffman Stadium on Sunday: "I was able to stay back on [an] off-speed pitch, put a good swing on it and back-spin it."

It was the first ball hit into the bar since it opened in 2009. The Royals said it was the 10th-longest homer ever hit at Kauffman Stadium.

No problem: Catcher Lou Marson spent a lot of time going to the mound to talk with Ubaldo Jimenez in the first couple of innings Sunday.

Jimenez kept shaking Marson off, and Marson kept going to the mound.

"It was about me," said Jimenez. "I didn't have good command of anything in the first three innings. That's why I was shaking him off. He was calling a good game."

Jimenez threw 112 pitches in five innings but still came away with the win. It was his first start in seven days as he served a five-game suspension for hitting Troy Tulowitzki with a pitch April 1.

"It feels good to be part of the team again," said Jimenez. "It was the first time I've been suspended. It doesn't feel good at all. You don't feel like you're part of the team."

Line of the day: In Sunday's 13-7 win over the Royals, Shelley Duncan went 1-for-2 with three runs, three RBI and three walks. In the past 70 years, according to Elias Sports Bureau, Manny Ramirez and Bobby Bonds (1979) are the only other Indians to have a game in which they scored three runs with three RBI in fewer than two hits. Ramirez did it in 1998 and 1999.

Finally: Jason Kipnis leads the Tribe with three homers.

Splitting Division I is half right for Ohio high school football.

Splitting Division I is half right for Ohio high school football.

Concentrating 10 percent of the state's largest schools into a potent new division made sense, given the overwhelming advantage some have in terms of enrollment.

Sticking Avon Lake, with its three-grade enrollment figure of 494 boys, into the same region as St. Ignatius (1,121) in the current alignment was ridiculous, and last week's announcement of the new Division I format was long overdue.

The new Region 1 will be quite a battleground, especially if realignment brings Hudson, Brunswick and GlenOak over from Region 2, plus the planned merger of Berea and Midpark, to compete with St. Edward, St. Ignatius, Mentor, Solon and Cleveland Heights.

This really isn't bad news for anyone, though there will be coaches who spin it that way because a few successful schools will fall into their division.

Some say it's unfair to have 32 of 72 schools in the new Division I playoffs, while 32 of about 108 make it in the other six divisions. Hogwash. The idea is to segregate those mini-college programs and be done with them. Heck, just call that little fraternity "NCAA Division IV." Many of them recruit, ahem, excuse me, "draw prospective student-athletes," to their schools anyway.

Who likes this most? Willoughby South, Massillon and Glenville will drop to Division II. They have a combined 38 playoff appearances, five trips to the state finals and zero titles.

Football is the only sport in which every team does not make the playoffs. This format will help some borderline successful programs experience a playoff weekend. Consider Eastlake North, which was 7-3 last year, but has yet to play in the postseason. One playoff game can spark development from the youth level on up, and it gives a shot in the arm to school pride. That might seem clich , but anything that helps morale inside an Ohio school building these days is a blessing.

Adding a seventh division is the half of the equation fumbled by the Ohio High School Athletic Association. The rationale is to allow more teams to experience the playoffs. A better solution would have been to stay at six divisions and expand the playoffs to six weeks, which might include some first-round byes. Crowning seven state champions inches football closer to the T-ball mentality -- everyone gets a trophy.

Taking home the Division VII state championship trophy might appear to be the county fair version of "thanks for entering your scrawny rabbit, no one goes home without a ribbon." On the contrary, small schools are not the problem. One of Ohio's great strengths is passionate and well-played football from Maria Stein to Mogadore.

Rather, the overall effect of crowning seven champions is troublesome. It cheapens the accomplishment. It also could have an unintended consequence of increasing the private school success rate. With fewer teams in each division, the advantages of schools that draw and choose talent are magnified. The 2010 state finals in Divisions IV, V and VI featured private schools defeating public schools by a combined score of 162-40. That could become more common, unless of course the proposed competitive balance referendum is passed in May and takes some of the edge off, which is its intent, but remains unproven.

Division I football concerns and competitive balance go hand in hand. The OHSAA has done well to get these issues addressed before the public-private debate percolates beyond its control, and Monday it released a simulation detailing how the competitive balance referendum would affect every school in football and seven other sports.

Final judgment can't be passed until after the competitive balance referendum is voted up or down. The new Division I playoff format is a step toward a sensible high school playoff system, even if only a half step.

Jack Nicklaus took time to reminisce about some of his greatest shots, and to marvel at the shot Bubba Watson hit from the trees to win the Masters.

Joe Benton, Associated PressJack Nicklaus celebrates his birdie on the 17th hole in the final round of the 1986 Masters. One hole earlier, he hit a shot that he says was so pure he can still feel it today. Nicklaus won the Masters in 1986 for his sixth green jacket.

Columbus -- A great shot to win the Masters? Jack Nicklaus has a story about that. But to Nicklaus, it's more than just a story -- 26 years later, he can still feel the shot.

Bubba Watson's playoff hook from the woods at Augusta National nine days ago was the latest example of greatness under pressure, the shot that had to be made that way, at that point, to make a win possible. At a preview luncheon for his Memorial Tournament on Monday, an event that raised $275,000 for Nationwide Children's Hospital, Nicklaus explained how those moments never leave you.

"You can still feel the shot the way it came off your hands 30 years later, or 40 years later," Nicklaus said. "I still have that same feeling. I haven't matched it lately, but I do know that feeling.

"That's what you play for. The good players are always able to produce those shots when they have to produce them. Watson produced that shot when he had to produce it. I produced a couple when I had to produce them. Those are the ones you remember."

Except, though he was impressed with the control Watson showed on his shot, Nicklaus wouldn't exactly know about escaping those woods.

"I've never been where he was," Nicklaus said.

Nicklaus, 72, said he doesn't play much anymore, mostly because most of his children and grandchildren don't play the game that often. But his presence at the luncheon -- joining a discussion with defending Memorial champ Steve Stricker that was moderated by ESPN analyst Andy North -- was just one way he remains part of the game. He's also part of the everyday Tour with the advice he hands out to any young player who seeks it -- from Luke Donald to Keegan Bradley to Rory McIlroy. Nicklaus talked with McIlroy after he blew the 2011 Masters and before, maybe not coincidentally, he dominated the 2011 U.S. Open.

"I think it's very flattering to me that these young kids come to a 70-year-old-plus guy and want to find out what's in his head. . . . I'm 50 years older than these guys, and yet, I've had a ton [ask for advice] lately," Nicklaus said. "They're not wanting anything in particular. They're trying to find something that will help them get that extra little edge.

"I'm very flattered by it, and I'm happy to help any of these kids. I just like to see the game get better."

"He's very approachable, and he's a great player," Stricker said. "You put all that together, and he's very helpful. He's such a great guy. He's still giving back to the community he lives in, to the game, to players, and it's cool to see.

"He's very easy to talk to. Some great players may not be that way, but he is. He opens up to anybody who asks."

Thirty-five years from now, it's fair to wonder if Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson will gladly be having the next generation of golf contenders over for lunch.

"They could," Nicklaus said.

If they do, they should dispense the kind of advice that Nicklaus told the crowd he gave to McIlroy. After the Masters last year, he reminded McIlroy that you learn from your losses. Then he sent him a note after the U.S. Open to remind him how to learn from his victories as well.

"You put that combination together, then you understand yourself pretty well," Nicklaus told the crowd.

By the time Nicklaus got to the tee at the par-3 16th hole at the Masters in 1986, he knew all that. So as his 5-iron flew at the pin, the shot practically going in before setting up an easy birdie, Nicklaus' son and caddy, Jackie, said, "Be right."

Picking his tee from the ground, Nicklaus responded with what he said Monday was the cockiest thing he ever said on a golf course.

"It is."

He remembers what he said after the shot. Just as he remembers how it felt when he hit it.

Memorial notes: The tournament is at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, from May 31 to June 3. . . . Nicklaus is a loyal OSU football fan and said this of new coach Urban Meyer: "He's been a winner every place he's been. I think he's a pretty good guy to come in at this point in Ohio State's program." But Nicklaus said he attended only one OSU game last season because his grandson, Nick O'Leary, is a tight end at Florida State, and he went to all the Seminoles' games. . . . Nicklaus friend and rival Tom Watson was chosen by the tournament's Captains Club as the honoree for this year's Memorial, even though he is still an active player. Most honorees are retired, but Nicklaus said he doesn't have a vote in the Captains Club, and they wanted Watson. "I'm delighted," Nicklaus said. "Tom is a great player and great friend, and it'll be nice to honor him." . . . Nicklaus often tinkers with Muirfield, but the major change this year is an expansion of the driving range, not anything on the course. . . . Few players have been announced for the field, but Nicklaus said Mickelson told him he will be there.

(Re-posted from last April) First of a five-part series, with links to game stories, videos, etc. Not a ranking of the 100 best players drafted by Cleveland, but an estimation of the 100 best Browns' picks weighing contribution versus pick investment.

Plain Dealer file photoRunning back Leroy Hoard eludes the would-be tackle of New England's Maurice Hurst during the Browns' 20-13 wild card playoff win over the Patriots on Jan. 1, 1995 in Cleveland Municipal Stadium.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

(UPDATE: Re-post from last April, as the 2011 NFL draft approached. The other four installments will be posted daily, Tuesday through Friday)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Today we begin our countdown of the Cleveland Browns' 100 best draft picks of all-time. Today, Nos. 100 through 81. Each of the next four days, we will count down the next 20 best.

This is not a ranking of the 100 best players drafted by Cleveland. Instead, it's an estimation of the 100 best Browns' picks in terms of value. Simply, a Player A taken by the Browns with, say, the 120th overall pick, turned out to be a better pick for value than did a Player B who might have contributed a little more but was a 55th overall pick.

Only players who played at least three seasons with the Browns after being picked by the team in the annual draft were considered.

Players acquired through a rare supplemental draft, such as Bernie Kosar, Kevin Mack and Mike Johnson, aren't included because the mechanics of the supplemental draft are not comparable to the regular draft.

Browns greats such as Otto Graham, Marion Motley, Lou Groza, Dante Lavelli, etc., aren't included, as they began their Browns' careers in the All-America Football Conference.

Performance with the Browns only is considered. For instance, future Hall of Famers Doug Atkins, Willie Davis, Henry Jordan and Dick LeBeau were Browns' draft picks from 1953-59. LeBeau was cut by the Browns before playing for them. The other three were traded by the Browns after just two seasons each as part-time players.

Playoff game performances were considered. Statistics are only for what a player did with the Browns. Statistical considerations in the rankings recognize that the game has become more pass-oriented in the last 30 years or so. Also, some players' values are enhanced by what the Browns eventually got for them in trades.

Only occasionally is it considered who the Browns didn't take. The value of 1976 picks Mike Pruitt (seventh) and Dave Logan (65th) shouldn't be diminished because they and no other team selected future Hall of Fame tackle Jackie Slater until the Los Angeles Rams took him 86th.

Positions: Offense -- QB, quarterback; RB, running back; FB, fullback; WR, wide receiver; TE, tight end; C, center; G, guard; T, tackle; PK, placekicker; P, punter; Rtn, kickoff and/or punt returner; LS, long snapper.

Defense -- E, end; T, tackle; NT, nose tackle; LB, linebacker; CB, cornerback; S, safety; DB, cornerback and safety.

Key: ranking number, player, position, year drafted, round/overall pick number, college, years with Browns:

100. Jim Copeland, G-C, 1967, 10/255, Virginia, 1967-74. Versatile backup played on five playoff teams and was an important contributor on four of them. A special teams standout.

99. Dave Puzzuoli, NT, 1983, 6/149, Pittsburgh, 1983-87. Played in every game except the three with "replacement players" during the 1987 strike. Provided strong inside pass rush, his landmark moment being the sack of John Elway that temporarily de-railed "The Drive."

98. Bobby Franklin, S-CB, 1960, 11/127, Mississippi, 1960-66. Started four years in the secondary. Held on place-kicks for the legendary Lou Groza. Excelled at the task during an era when place-kick execution was erratic for most NFL teams, but usually not for the Browns.

Video: Highlights of the 1964 Browns last two regular season games, and their 27-0 win over the Baltimore Colts in the NFL championship game. Six minutes into the video, Franklin (24) celebrates Lou Groza's field goal that gave the Browns a 3-0 lead over Baltimore (videos are from youtube.com):

Franklin's greatest game was on Dec. 11, 1960, when he intercepted three passes and ran back two of them for touchdowns during the Browns' 42-0 rout of the Chicago Bears at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. The Plain Dealer's Browns History Database includes PD game stories on every regular season and playoff game in Browns history. The late Chuck Heaton, The PD's longtime Browns beat writer, wrote about the big day for Franklin and the Browns.

97. Steve Everitt, C, 1993, 1/14, Michigan, 1993-95. Wasn't the dominating player the Browns hoped he would be, but was steady in the team's last three seasons before the move to Baltimore.

96. Eric Wright, CB, 2007, 2/53, UNLV, 2007-10. A surprisingly poor 2010 season, when he was picked on by opponents, followed three solid campaigns.

95. Brodney Pool, S, 2005, 2/34, Oklahoma, 2005-09. Good enough at coverage that he played some cornerback early in his Browns career. Suffered four concussions as a Brown.

94. Jim Shofner, CB, 1958, 1/11, Texas Christian, 1958-63. A reliable starter his last five seasons, he intercepted 20 passes and recovered seven fumbles. Was 1-6 as Browns' interim coach in 1990.

Plain Dealer Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot's game story on Shofner's debut as the Browns coach.

93. Ken Carpenter, RB-Rtn, 1950, 1/13, Oregon State, 1950-53. As a young player on a star-studded veteran roster, didn't get an abundance of touches -- 8.3 per game -- but was productive when he got them.

92. Rickey Bolden, T-G-TE, 1984, 4/96, Southern Methodist, 1984-89. Missed 34 games with injuries. His talent was evident, usually lining up at left tackle as Bernie Kosar's chief pass protector.

91. Fair Hooker, WR, 1969, 5/124, Arizona State. Made clutch catches to help aging Browns' teams in 1971 and 1972 make the playoffs. In a 1972 playoff game at Miami, caught a 27-yard fourth-quarter touchdown pass from Mike Phipps to give Cleveland a 14-13 lead. Dolphins followed with a season-saving touchdown drive, and went on to become Super Bowl champs with the only perfect season in NFL history. Chuck Heaton wrote about the Browns' 20-14 loss to the Dolphins on Dec. 24, 1972.

Video: Fair Hooker (No. 43) catches some passes from Bill Nelsen in Part 1 of the 1971 Browns highlight film:

90. Scott Nicolas, LB-LS, 1982, 12/310, Miami (Fla.), 1982-86. Didn't miss a game, made eight starts one season at LB, and was a special teams standout -- including as the long snapper.

89. Larry Williams, G, 1985, 10/259, Notre Dame, 1986-88. Good enough to make 33 starts for a diversified Browns' offense that featured a veteran line.

88. Henry Sheppard, G-T, 1976, 5/130, Southern Methodist, 1976-81. Missed just three games. Started 42 games at left guard and 16 at right tackle from 1977-80, helping the "Kardiac Kids" of 1979-80 to many improbable comeback wins.

87. Dennis Northcutt, WR-Rtn, 2000, 2/32, Arizona, 2000-06. Caught 276 passes. Finished among the NFL's top five in yards per punt return in four seasons.

86. Preston Carpenter, WR-RB, 1956, 1/13, Arkanasas, 1956-59. Had a big rookie season as a running back and kickoff returner. Along came Jim Brown, though, and Carpenter made a successful transition to wide receiver.

85. James A. Jones, DT, 1991, 3/57, Northern Iowa, 1991-94. Didn't miss a game and made 49 starts. Scored touchdowns on an interception return, and when coach Bill Belichick called his number for a 1-yard TD run and a 1-yard TD reception.

84. Leroy Hoard, RB, 1990, 2/45, Michigan, 1990-95. Made the 1994 Pro Bowl team with 890 rushing yards and 445 receiving yards. Then had a fine game in the Browns' 20-13 wild card playoff win over New England -- Cleveland's only postseason win since 1989.

Video: Immediately in this video of the 1989 season Rose Bowl game between Michigan and USC, Leroy Hoard makes plays that had to impress NFL scouts:

83. Bob McKay, T-G, 1970, 1/21, Texas, 1970-75. Missed 17 games with injuries, but was an above-average blocker when healthy. Traded to New England for established cornerback Ron Bolton, who gave the Browns several good seasons.

Joshua Gunter, PDSean Jones (26) and Andra Davis during a 2008 training camp practice.

82. Sean Jones, S, 2004, 2/59, Georgia, 2004-08. Bounced back from a knee injury that cost him his rookie season. Intercepted 14 passes in his three seasons as a starter.

81. Daylon McCutcheon, CB, 1999, 3/62, USC, 1999-2005. Developed into a pretty good cover corner and was one of the team's best tacklers. Started 96 games, but couldn't get back on the field after having microfracture knee surgery

With the 14th pick in the first round, the Dallas Cowboys select....Who do you say? This is another pick -- by voting in a poll -- made by you in Cleveland.com's fans' mock draft.

Associated PressAlabama's Mark Barron (4) after intercepting a pass thrown by Louisiana State quarterback Jarrett Lee (12) during LSU's 9-6 overtime win last Nov. 5. Alabama then defeated Louisiana State, 21-0, in the national championship game.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns and NFL fans, who do you say the league's teams should pick in the first round of the draft on April 26?

Through April 22, via polls, we're asking you every day to make first-round picks for each of two teams. The polls go up on cleveland.com at approximate 12-hour intervals, around 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. each day. We list 10 prospects for you to pick from in each poll. On April 23-24, you'll be asked to make the picks for each of three teams (at approximate eight-hour intervals) both days, completing the 32-pick first round.

Here's who the fans have selected so far:

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

2. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

3: Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, Southern Cal

4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne, CB, Louisiana State

6. St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

8. Miami Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

9. Carolina Panthers: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

10. Buffalo Bills: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

11. Kansas City Chiefs: David DeCastro, guard, Stanford

12. Seattle Seahawks: Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

13. Arizona Cardinals: Melvin Ingram, defensive end, South Carolina

The 14th pick in the first round of the draft belongs to the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys finished the 2011 season with an 8-8 record.

The Cowboys' primary needs include offensive tackle, center, the defensive line and either safety spot.

Continue to check The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com for Browns and NFL coverage.

The Browns have hosted Ohio State offensive tackle Mike Adams and Nevada middle linebacker James-Michael Johnson, according to Aaron Wilson of scout.com.

APMike Adams shows his blocking technique during the NFL Combine.

CLEVELAND -- Add Ohio State offensive tackle Mike Adams to the long list of tackles that have made pre-draft visits to the Browns.

Adams, a projected first-rounder, has visited the Browns, Steelers, Rams and Bills, according to Aaron Wilson of scout.com.

Wilson also reported that the Browns hosted Nevada middle linebacker James-Michael Johnson, a projected second- or third-rounder.

Adams could be on the Browns' radar with their No. 22 overall pick. They're looking for their starting right tackle and have also hosted Georgia's Cordy Glenn, USC's Matt Kalil, Stanford's Jonathan Martin and California's Mitchell Schwartz.

Adams started the final eight games of the 2011 season after being suspended for the first five games for selling his 2008 Big 10 championship ring. He was still voted the team's top offensive lineman.

Johnson is one of several middle linebackers the Browns have hosted. Another was Utah State's Bobby Wagner. Last season, Johnson started all 13 games, making 100 tackles, including 5.5 for a loss.

Here is the list so far of the Browns 2012 pre-draft visits and workouts:

Ohio State offensive tackle Mike Adams. 
  
Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon.

LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers.

LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne.

Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins.

Nebraska linebacker Lavonte David.

Notre Dame receiver Michael Floyd.

South Carolina CB Stephon Gilmore.

Georgia ORT Cordy Glenn (workout only).

Louisiana-Lafayette tight end Ladarius Green (workout only).

Virginia Tech CB Jayron Hosley.

West Virginia linebacker Bruce Irvin.

Nevada Middle linebacker James-Michael Johnson.

Syracuse DE Chandler Jones.

USC Offensive tackle Matt Kalil.

Boise State running back Doug Martin.
 
Stanford offensive tackle Jonathan Martin.

Illinois defensive end Whitney Mercilus, an Akron native.

Cincinnati running back Isaiah Pead (3/12) (workout only).

USC defensive end Nick Perry.

Alabama running back Trent Richardson (also private workout).

California offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz.

Midwestern guard Amini Silatolu (workout only).

San Diego State punter Brian Stahovich (workout only).

Oklahoma offensive tackle Donald Stephenson (workout only).

Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill (also private workout).

Utah State linebacker Bobby Wagner.
 
Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden.

Virginia Tech running back David Wilson.

Baylor wide receiver Kendall Wright

NORWOOD SIGNS TENDER: Browns receiver Jordan Norwood has signed his tender as an exclusive rights player. Norwood saw action in 14 games with four starts in 2011, registering career-highs with 23 receptions for 268 yards and one touchdown.

HECKERT PRESSER: Browns GM Tom Heckert will hold his pre-draft press conference Thursday at 10 a.m.

The Tribe has taken advantage of scoring with with two outs.

APManny Acta

Reporter Sheldon Ocker writes on Ohio.com how the Cleveland Indians have been a clutch hitting team when it comes to producing runs with two outs.

Scoring in that situation is a necessity if a team is going to win enough games to contend for the postseason.

Even in the first four games of the season, when the Indians scored a total of 14 runs, nine were driven in after there were two outs in the inning. The problem wasn’t a scarcity of two-out runs, but runs of any kind.

Since then, the offense has come alive with 38 runs in the past four games, 19 scoring after the second out of the inning.

Ocker writes about the biggest rally of Sunday’s 13-7 win over the Kansas City Royals was the six-run third, when all the scoring came after two were out.

Why was it the most significant rally of the game? Because it wiped out a three-run deficit and enabled the Indians to keep the lead for the duration.

“Six runs after two outs was key for us,” Indians manager Manny Acta said. “And the way we did it was putting up good at-bats.”

More Cleveland Indians

Johnny Damon is getting closer to Cleveland, via Arizona (Cleveland.com)

Tribe at Seattle Mariners preview (CantonRep.com).

Seattle Mariners want to step it up a notch, starting against the Tribe (Seattle Times).

The Mariners play their first series at home this season against the Tribe (Tacoma Tribune).

How will Johnny Damon fit in with the Tribe (MLB.com)?

With the 15th pick in the first round, the Philadelphia Eagles select....Who do you say? This is another pick -- by voting in a poll -- made by you in Cleveland.com's fans' mock draft.

Associated PressLouisiana State defensive tackle Michael Brockers is one of the premier run-stoppers in the NFL draft.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns and NFL fans, who do you say the league's teams should pick in the first round of the draft on April 26?

Through April 22, via polls, we're asking you every day to make first-round picks for each of two teams. The polls go up on cleveland.com at approximate 12-hour intervals, around 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. each day. We list 10 prospects for you to pick from in each poll. On April 23-24, you'll be asked to make the picks for each of three teams (at approximate eight-hour intervals) both days, completing the 32-pick first round.

Here's who the fans have selected so far:

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

2. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

3: Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, Southern Cal

4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne, CB, Louisiana State

6. St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

8. Miami Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

9. Carolina Panthers: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

10. Buffalo Bills: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

11. Kansas City Chiefs: David DeCastro, guard, Stanford

12. Seattle Seahawks: Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

13. Arizona Cardinals: Melvin Ingram, defensive end, South Carolina

14. Dallas Cowboys: Mark Barron, strong safety, Alabama

The 15th pick in the first round of the draft belongs to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles finished the 2011 season with an 8-8 record.

The Eagles' primary needs include outside linebacker, safety, depth on the offensive and defensive lines and a backup quarterback.

Continue to check The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com for Browns and NFL coverage.

Do rookies make that big of a difference for NFL teams?

APBrowns cornerback Sheldon Brown.

In an interview at the end of last season, Cleveland Browns cornerback Sheldon Brown said:  “If you're depending on a draft pick to come in here and change your life, then you're kidding yourself.”

CantonRep.com reporter Steve Doerschuk respectfully disagrees. He writes how it depends on the draft pick.

Tell me Adrian Peterson didn’t make a difference as a 2007 rookie when, in his NFL debut, he ran for 103 yards and caught a 60-yard touchdown pass in Minnesota’s season opener — a 24-3 win over Atlanta.

Tell me it wasn’t Peterson who single-handedly overcame the Bears in a 34-31 win at Soldier Field. The rook was in his fifth NFL game when he ran for 224 yards and three touchdowns in that one.

Ask Brad Childress, who was Peterson’s head coach that year, how much a rookie changed a game against San Diego. Peterson ran for 296 yards and three more scores in a 35-17 win — against a team that otherwise went 11-4.

Doerschuk also writes how rookies like quarterback Matt Ryan changed life for the Atlanta Falcons in 2008, and how rookie Ndamukong Suh changed life for the Detroit Lions in 2010.

More Cleveland Browns

Ohio State's Mike Adams visits the Cleveland Browns (Cleveland.com).

Pat Shurmur believes offseason goals are attainable (Ohio.com).

Is Justin Blackmon an smokescreen for the Browns (ESPN.com)?

The Browns begin the offseason pumped (The News-Herald).

Some NFL fans will have to learn a lesson before returning to a stadium.

APNFL fans who fight in the stands will not only get kicked out, but they will have to pass an exam before allowed back in.

The NFL has a recent history of cracking down on violence in the stands by unruly fans. The league will take it a step further this season. Unruly fans kicked out this year will not be able to return to the stadium for a game until they pass a code-of-conduct exam.

New York Post reporter Gary Buiso writes the idea was hatched by a licensed psychotherapist, The Post has learned.

“We’re not trying to squash anyone’s passion. We’re just trying to say don’t be violent,” said Dr. Ari Novick (right), the Californian who’s the brains behind the program.

Requirements will vary depending on the stadium, but most of the time the stadium louts will have to pass the test before being allowed back in, he said.

The classes, writes Buiso, are an effort to stem the rising tide of ugly stadium behavior that has included everything from bare-knuckle brawls to lewd Jets fans who screamed obscenities at women until they exposed their breasts in a rude Gate D tradition at the old Giants Stadium.

Anticipation is building as the NFL Schedule will be announced tonight at 7 p.m. Who will the Browns play on national TV? How many wins can you count?

AP PhotoThe Browns will play Peyton Manning in Denver in 2012. Date and time to be determined.

Anticipation is building as the NFL schedule will be announced tonight at 7 p.m. on the NFL Network and nfl.com. ESPN will air a 3-hour special dissecting the schedule at the same time.

We already know the season will kick off on Wednesday, Sept. 5, when the Super Bowl champions New York Giants host the Dallas Cowboys. The game was moved to Wednesday to avoid conflict with President Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention the next night.

We also already know which teams the Browns will play this season. At home, the Browns will host Baltimore, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Diego, Washington and Buffalo. They'll travel to Baltimore, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, New York Giants, Oakland, Pittsburgh and Indianapolis.

Every team will be on national TV at least once.

Here's a look at some of the local buzz about the NFL schedule's release tonight on Twitter.

Eye, 6-1 as a pro, will face Anita "El Tigre" Rodriguez on Friday at the I-X Center. Watch video

Cleveland, Ohio -- Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, hosted by Chuck Yarborough.

Today's guest is mixed martial arts fighter Jessica Eye, one of four fighters from Independence's StrongStyle Martial Arts and Fitness gym who are on the card at Friday's Bellator 66 at Cleveland's I-X Center.

Bellator 66 is Cleveland's first foray into a major professional mixed martial arts event.

Eye, 6-1 as a pro, is facing Texan Anita "El Tigre" Rodriguez in a catchweight fight on a card headlined by a rematch between Shinya Aoki and Eddie Alvarez. But it's her fight and that of middleweight tournament semifinalist Brian Rogers that are catching the eye and attention of a growing legion of Cleveland mixed martial arts fans.

Urban Meyer hopes to improve his receiving corp of wide receivers.

Associated PressOSU football coach Urban Meyer

The wide receiver position will be a major concern for Ohio State coach Urban Meyer. And heading into the next season, he recently said the current group of receivers lacks playmakers.

David Briggs of The Toledo Blade writes that in public, Meyer speaks highly of tight end Jake Stoneburner and running back Jordan Hall but rarely the receivers, a backhanded challenge that is heard loud and clear.

"It definitely gets on our nerves, but at the same time we use that as motivation," sophomore wideout Evan Spencer said of the criticism. "We use that as a challenge. He's saying that 'we need to step up.' We're saying, 'OK, let's step up.'?"

Receivers coach Zach Smith, the grandson of former OSU coach Earle Bruce, said Meyer's hard line stems from his high expectations for the group.

Both believe the group's ceiling is high.

The blessing and curse for OSU's wideouts is Meyer's ability to analyze their every move, writes Briggs.

More Ohio State Buckeyes

Highland golfer Jessica Porvasnik commits to Ohio State (Cleveland.com).

Urban Meyer's past is raising some doubts (Dayton Daily News).

New mindset in OSU football (Lima News).

Former OSU basketball player talks about new book and Urban Meyer (The Lantern).

Zach Boren expects to see more action in Meyer's offense (The Columbus Dispatch).

What will the Indians do with Johnny Damon? Is there enough at-bats? Should the Browns look at Ryan Tannehill at No. 4? Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto answered those questions and more in his weekly podcast.

View full sizeAP Photo/Dave EinselIs Ryan Tannehill on the Browns' draft radar? Terry Pluto sure hopes not.

What will the Indians do with Johnny Damon? Is there enough at-bats? Should the Browns look at Ryan Tannehill at No. 4?

Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto answered those questions and more in his weekly podcast with cleveland.com's Glenn Moore.

Among other topics discussed:

• Is Trent Richardson still the pick for the Browns at No. 4?

• Should the Browns make trades to move up in draft?

• Should the Cavs bring back Antawn Jamison next season?

• Can Travis Hafner keep this up all year?

You can download the mp3 or listen with the player to the right.

Be sure to also like Terry Pluto on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.

The rookie has missed nine of the last 10 games

View full sizeJoshua Gunter/The Plain DealerCleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving participated in morning shootaround Tuesday in Auburn Hills.

High school pick from the 2008 draft is off to a fast start for the Class A Carolina Mudcats.

SEATTLE -- Left-hander T.J. House has been named Indians minor league player of the week.

House, a 16th round pick in 2008 out of Picayune (Miss.) High School, is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA after two starts with Class A Carolina. The 23-year-old lefty has 17 strikeouts and two walks in 13 innings, while not allowing an earned run.

He leads the Carolina League in strikeouts and is averaging 11.8 strikeout per nine innings.

This is House's third straight season in the Carolina League. Last year he was 6-12 with a 5.19 ERA in 25 games, including 24 starts for Class A Kinston. He struck out 89, walked 66 and allowed 133 hits in 130 innings.

"I hope the Indians don't let Damon get in Shelley Duncan's way, and they probably will. Duncan appears to be their only player that can hit a home run with guys on base. Plus, the theory of "upgrading" the left field position defensively goes out the window with Damon. He can't throw a ball thru a wet napkin from ten feet. Damon will be a distraction for the Indians who can't figure out the obvious." - Gino

View full sizeAssociated PressShelley Duncan shouldn't lose any playing time to Johnny Damon says one cleveland.com reader.

"I hope the Indians don't let Damon get in Shelley Duncan's way, and they probably will. Duncan appears to be their only player that can hit a home run with guys on base. Plus, the theory of "upgrading" the left field position defensively goes out the window with Damon. He can't throw a ball thru a wet napkin from ten feet. Damon will be a distraction for the Indians who can't figure out the obvious."

ELYRIA. O. - Elyria's junior lineman Tracy Sprinkle has given Ohio State University and first-year coach Urban Meyer his oral commitment. The 6-5, 260-pounder accounted for 81 tackles, 13 assists and eight sacks last season.

ELYRIA. O. - Elyria's junior lineman Tracy Sprinkle has given Ohio State University and first-year coach Urban Meyer his oral commitment.

The 6-5, 260-pounder accounted for 81 tackles, 13 assists and eight sacks last season.