Veteran outfielder Johnny Damon is in Goodyear, Ariz., site of the Indians spring training headquarters, getting ready to play games in extended spring training. After that, he'll make a stop at Class AAA Columbus and is expected to join the Indians in early May.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerJohnny Damon is in Goodyear, Ariz., getting ready to join the Indians in May.

SEATTLE -- The Indians officially announced the signing of outfielder Johnny Damon to a minor league deal. Damon, 38, is working out at their spring training facility in Goodyear, Ariz., and is expected to join the big league club in May.

Damon has played 17 years in the big leagues. He spent last season with Tampa Bay, but went unsigned this winter as a free agent and did not go to spring training. He'll spend time in Goodyear working on his conditioning before playing games in extended spring training.

He's then expected to play for Class AAA Columbus before joining the Tribe.

"We have to see his physical shape," said manager Manny Acta. "He'll start baseball activities after a couple of days.

"Extended spring is a great way for guys to get in shape and have at bats. . .He's going to have to go play in the outfield as well."

As for how long Damon will be in Goodyear and when he'll move to Columbus, Acta wasn't sure.

"I don't have an exact amount of at bats or days he'll be down there," said Acta. " When we decide he's OK, he'll go to Columbus and play a few games."

The left-handed hitting Damon is a career .286 (2,723-for-9,529) hitter with 1,643 runs, 516 doubles, 107 triples, 231 homers and 1,120 RBI. He has 404 steals in 507 attempts and a career on-base percentage of .353.

Just how he fits into the Indians' lineup will be up to Acta. It's expected that he'll share left field with Shelley Duncan. Damon has spent most of his career hitting in the leadoff spot.

"It's not going to be strictly a platoon," said Acta, on how he'll use Damon and Duncan. "We do want to get Shelley's bat in lineup.

"He's not coming in here with any type of promise. He understands we'll put the best team on the field to win ballgames. If it's Shelley, it's Shelley. If it's Aaron Cunningham, it's Aaron Cunningham. . .whoever is here. If it's Johnny, it will be him."

The former No.1 pick of the Kansas City Royals hit .261 (152-for-582) with 29 doubles, seven triples, 16 homers and 73 RBI for the Rays last year. He scored 79 runs and stole 19 bases in 25 attempts.

Damon played 150 games for the Rays, including 135 at DH and 16 in left field. With Travis Hafner a fixture at DH, it's going to take some lineup juggling to get Damon regular playing time.

"This guy still had a pretty decent season last year," said Acta. "I know we had a lot of injured, but other than Asdrubal Cabrera nd Carlos Santana, who had a better season than him here?"

The Indians signed Damon for $1.25 million with another $1.4 million in performance bonuses. The deal does not include a no-trade clause, but does have an agreement in which Damon can be released if he's not getting playing time or isn't a good fit on the team.

GM Chris Antonetti said he initially talked to Scott Boras, Damon's agent, before the start of spring training. Once spring training started,  Antonetti said he looked to improve the Indians through trades. Toward the end of camp, Antonetti turned his attention back to free agents such as Damon.

"We think Johnny can come in and help our major league club," said Antonetti. "He's going to get the bulk of his at-bats in the outfield and some at DH. Most likely he'll get most of his time in the outfield in left field."  

Acta said that when Damon initially joins the Indians, he's not going to be playing six or seven days a week. That could allow him to continue to work on his swing and conditioning.

Here are what blogs from Cleveland and around the country are saying about the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians.

Here are what blogs from Cleveland and around the country are saying about the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians.

AP fileJustin Blackmon said he enjoyed his trip to Cleveland.

"The Oklahoma State receiver was fairly guarded when speaking about the Browns specifically but confident he will fit in well with the NFL and become the dominant receiver that he is projected to be.

“It was a good visit,” Blackmon said of his visit with the Browns nearly two weeks ago. “I thought it was a great place. I met with a few coaches."

"The most obvious thing about Hill is he is an athletic freak. 6'-4" 215 humans should not be able to run a 4.36 40. Some scouts even clocked him at 4.28. Hill is a legitimate deep threat from day 1. He does an excellent job of catching the ball with his hands and will go up to catch it at its highest point, and he can get high. His vertical jump was more than 5" higher than A.J. Green's last year. He is a tenacious blocker, and selflessly did it for three years on a team who ran the triple option. While that didn't give him too many opportunities to catch the football, when he did, he made the most of it, as evidenced by his average of almost 30 yards per catch last season."

AP Photo/Patrick SemanskyJohnny Damon is officially a Cleveland Indian. Will he make an impact?

"The Indians have a gaping hole and they’re bringing in Damon as a band-aid, and not the “Casey Kotchman one-year band-aid” that we’ve grown somewhat accustomed to in 1B or LF. No, this is more like a 6 to 8 week band-aid as the Indians are really plugging Damon into the lineup until Sizemore is ready to return, at which point (through what looks like a sort of handshake agreement) he can move on via what Anderson calls that “greener-grass clause”.

As for what the Indians are getting in Damon, though some will remember Damon for what he was and not acknowledge him for what he now is, Johnny Damon is not the on-base machine that he’s been in the past and Anderson writes of Damon in his aforementioned B-Pro piece that, “it is fair to write that Damon is no longer the batter he was once. His walk rate (about 8 percent) marked his lowest since 2004. He doesn’t make contact as often as he did before, though he can still keep an at-bat alive by spoiling pitches… Damon is 38 now, and a dramatic improvement is unlikely.”"

"BRYANT BARTLETT: The Mariners’ window is probably coming here soon. GM Jack Zduriencik has a young core of Felix Hernandez, Dustin Ackley, Justin Smoak, Jesus Montero, and Mike Carp to build upon. Those players are only going to improve with another season of Major League experience under their belts and then with the addition of a couple key signings (or trades) the Mariners could put a playoff caliber team on the field as early as 2013."

AP Photo/Darron CummingsLester Hudson has played a huge role in Byron Scott's offense.

"Scott’s offense, as has been discussed before, is predicated upon ball movement coupled with slashing guards and forwards. Thompson, in fact, represents the antithesis of what the Princeton offense asks of its big men due to his penchant to go up with the ball on the vast majority of his touches — he’s what Scott refers to as a “hole” rather than a “hub.” This is not to discount the rookie’s game as the team has been very pleased with what he has provided and are downright giddy regarding what they feel they can do with him given a full off-season which will include private workouts with Zydrunas Ilgauskas. But in the end, Thompson is not a slashing wing who can hit open jump shots when needed."

"Some spots where the Cavaliers can do damage against Detroit is on the boards and around the rim. The Pistons are very poor on the glass, especially on the defensive end. They also aren't too hot at defending the paint and blocking shots.

I find Detroit's future pretty awful due to the Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva deals. They are both barely playable but were given monster contracts in the summer of 2009. It just goes to show that teams like Detroit and Cleveland have to do some crazy and desperate things to lure talent to the north in free agency."

Which round would Terrelle Pryor had landed in the NFL Draft?

Marvin Fong / The Plain DealerTerrelle Pryor

Former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor didn't play his senior year because he dropped out of school to enter the supplemental draft.

Pryor, who was at the center of the tattoo issues at OSU that eventually led to Jim Tressel leaving as coach, was a third-round selection by the Raiders in the supplemental draft.

ESPN's Bill Williamson writes how as a result, the Raiders surrendered what would have been the No. 77 pick of this draft.

I checked in with Steve Muench of Scouts Inc. to get his view on where Pryor would have fit in this draft class of quarterbacks. Muench said he thinks Pryor would have fit right around the middle of the third round, right in the value area of the pick Oakland used to get him.

Muench said he thinks Pryor likely would have been taken a round or so lower had he not been eligible for the supplemental draft because the year missed could slow his development. Still, Muench said because of Pryor’s immense natural gifts, he’d have a place in this draft.

Williamson writes how Muench thinks Pryor would be the eighth best quarterback prospect this April.

The Tribe look to stay hot on their first road trip of the year as they travel to Seattle to face the Mariners. First pitch is at 10:10 p.m. Get game updates on Twitter from Paul Hoynes, @hoynsie.

The Tribe look to stay hot on their first road trip of the year as they travel to Seattle to face the Mariners. First pitch is at 10:10 p.m. Get game updates on Twitter from Paul Hoynes @hoynsie or click here for a live game box score. You can also download our Cleveland Indians app for Android to get Tribe updates on your mobile device. Read on for a game preview.

View full sizeAP Photo/Elaine ThompsonThe Indians travel to Seattle tonight to face the Mariners and their old skipper, Eric Wedge.

"AJ is the consummate professional athlete. These guys are rare in today's society. Even though fellow NC Tar heel Vince Carter's play was more spectacular than AJ's, AJ is steady with longevity consistent and very productive at a very high level for many many years." - Slimshady

View full sizeScott Shaw, The Plain DealerAntawn Jamison has been a true professional and mentor for the young players says one cleveland.com reader.

"AJ is the consummate professional athlete. These guys are rare in today's society.

Even though fellow NC Tar heel Vince Carter's play was more spectacular than AJ's, AJ is steady with longevity consistent and very productive at a very high level for many many years.

He is a very much important piece of the rebuild because he brings so much to an organization both in practice and in games. A real class act and pro."

A variety of youth events on various local tours is targeted for players ranging in age from 8 to 22.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Contrary to what its name suggests, the Northern Ohio PGA doesn't limit itself to professional golf.

The organization is involved in most aspects of the game, including conducting a highly-regarded junior program that includes players ages 8 to 22 with competition on five levels.

Kenny Novak Tour: Consists of 14 events for players 12-19. A championship will be held at Club Walden in early August.

Junior PGA qualifiers: Four qualifying tournaments are held with the top players gaining entry to the sectional championship at Shady Hollow in late June. The boys and girls medalists at Shady Hollow advance to the Junior PGA National Championship (formerly known as the Westfield Junior PGA). Open to players between 13-18 who have not started college.

The Pups Tour: For players between the ages of 8-11. This is for beginners who understand the game. The tour consists of 10 nine-hole qualifiers. A championship will be held at Mud Run Golf Course First Tee of Akron in early August.

Collegiate Series: Starting its second season, the series gives golfers 18-22 the opportunity to play tougher area courses to prepare them for collegiate golf. The series consists of three events starting in late July.

Adult/Child Tour: An effort to bring families together through golf, the NOPGA offers adults and children a chance to play at Westfield and the public course at Firestone.

For more information go to NorthernOhio.PGA.com and click on junior golf.

Joining in: Firestone, Silver Lake and Quail Hollow -- all part of ClubCorp's international network of 150 golf, country clubs and sports clubs -- will participate in a joint venture with the PGA Tour's TPC Network, the Heritage Golf Group and Golf Channel's GolfNow.com to support the First Tee Campaign for 10 Million Young People.

The attempt is to raise $100 million for The First Tee organization. Silver Lake will host a First Tee tournament on April 30 for all players in northeast Ohio. Entry fee is $50 and all proceeds go to the First Tee program.

All three clubs, working through Golfnow.com, will open their courses for limited tee times to the public, April 23-27. Play is limited to the North and West courses at Firestone. Tee times at each venue must be made through Golfnow.com. Call Silver Lake (330-249-1278), Firestone (330-644-8441) and Quail Hollow (440-639-4000).

Flashes rally at OSU: The nationally-ranked Kent State men's team rallied from a four-shot deficit on Sunday to win the 43rd annual Robert Kepler Intercollegiate tournament by one shot on the Scarlet Course at Ohio State with a 54-hole score of 898. Southern Methodist was second at 899, Indiana was third at 903 and OSU and Northwestern tied for fourth at 906.

It was the fourth team title this season for KSU, which entered the week ranked 18th in the nation. Junior Kevin Miller was fourth, senior Mackenzie Hughes tied for ninth, sophomore Corey Conners tied for 13th and Avon sophomore Kyle Kmiecik tied for 19th. It marked KSU's fifth win at the Kepler.

He's my caddie: Five area caddies have won full housing and tuition scholarships through the Chick Evans Scholars Foundation. Evans Scholars are selected on four criteria: a strong caddie record, excellent academics, financial need and outstanding character.

This year's winners and their college choices are Elyria's Cody Alspach (Ohio State) and Eli Thompson (Miami), Canterbury's Matt Breitenbach (Miami), Westwood's Mark Moskwa (Ohio State) and Kirtland's Lee Seitz (Ohio State). The foundation claims 825 caddies are enrolled in college as Evans Scholars.

Seniors back in Ohio: The USGA awarded the 2016 U.S. Senior Open to Scioto Country Club in Columbus. Scioto, one of the oldest clubs in Ohio, is where Jack Nicklaus learned to play. The Senior Open was played at the Inverness Club in Toledo last year and will be played at Indianwood Golf & Country Club, in Lake Orion, Mich., this year.

On Twitter: @TimRogersPD

The Cavaliers travel to Detroit tonight to face the Pistons in a Central Division matchup. Get Twitter updates from Tom Reed and Mary Schmitt Boyer @PDCavsInsider. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

The Cavaliers travel to Detroit tonight to face the Pistons in a Central Division matchup. Get Twitter updates from Tom Reed and Mary Schmitt Boyer @PDCavsInsider in the box below. Check out the in-game box score here. Read on for a game preview. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

View full sizeAP Photo/Paul SancyaThe Cavaliers travel to Detroit tonight to face Rodney Stuckey and the Pistons in a Central Division matchup.

Browns have a bye in Week 10. Close on Dec. 30 in Pittsburgh.

Joshua Gunter, The Plain DealerBrowns' tackle Phillip Taylor brings down Ravens' running back Ray Rice during Cleveland's 20-14 loss at Baltimore last Dec. 24.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- For the 13th time in 14 years, the Browns will open their new season at home, Sept. 9 against the Philadelphia Eagles. They have only one prime-time game: a Sept. 27 visit to Baltimore on NFL Network at 8:20 p.m.

Unfortunately for the Browns, starting the season at home hasn't been an advantage: they're 1-11 in those games.

"Although we have known our opponents and where we are going to play since the end of last season, there is always a certain amount of anticipation as to how everything will fall into place," head coach Pat Shurmur said in a press release. "I think that opening the year at home against the Eagles will be great for our players and our fans. It will be exciting to play a team, an organization and a coach for whom I have a tremendous amount of respect. It will be a good test for our team."

The Browns will close out the season with two road games, a Dec. 23 contest in Denver against Peyton Manning and a Dec. 30 game at Pittsburgh. It marks the third straight year and fourth time in five seasons that the Browns close the season against the Steelers.

"Ending the year in two of the tougher venues in the NFL also will present a challenge," said Shurmur. "I'm looking forward to kicking off the 2012 season."

For the fourth time in five seasons, the Browns will face the defending Super Bowl champions when they visit the New York Giants on Oct. 7. It will mark the first time the Browns will play in MetLife Stadium. The Browns make their first trip to Dallas and the new Cowboys Stadium on Nov. 18.

The bye week is Nov. 11, the team's latest bye since 2002, which was also in Week 10.

The schedule features plenty of storylines, especially in the final four games:

• Dec. 9 at home against Kansas City, the Browns will face former teammate Peyton Hillis and head coach Romeo Crennel.

• Dec. 16 at home against Washington, the Browns figure to see Redskins rookie QB Robert Griffin III, whom the Browns tried to trade up with the Rams to draft.

• Dec. 23 at Denver, the Browns face Manning, assuming his surgically-repaired neck is holding up.

• Dec. 30 at Pittsburgh, it's a return engagement with linebacker James Harrison, who knocked quarterback Colt McCoy out of the game with a concussion last December.

The AFC North portion of the schedule begins in Week Two with a game in Cincinnati, and the Browns play three division games over five weeks. They don't meet the Steelers until Nov. 25th at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Browns are finished with the Bengals and Ravens by Nov. 4, which marks a dramatic departure from last season, when five of their last six games were against division foes.

The Browns will play eight games against 2011 playoff teams, including two apiece against their three division opponents. The schedule is ranked third-hardest in the NFL and toughest among non-playoff teams. Their 2012 opponents had a combined 135-121 record (.527) in 2011 and only four had losing records: Buffalo, Indianapolis, Kansas City and Washington.

The Eagles will visit Cleveland twice in just over two weeks, including a preseason game Aug. 24.

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

BROWNS 2012 REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE

(Opponent in capital letters for games played at Cleveland Browns Stadium)

Sun., Sept. 9: PHILADELPHIA EAGLES, 1 p.m., FOX

Sun., Sept. 16: at Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m., CBS

Sun., Sept. 23: BUFFALO BILLS, 1 p.m., CBS

Thur., Sept. 27: at Baltimore Ravens, 8:20 p.m., NFL NETWORK

Sun., Oct. 7: at New York Giants, 1 p.m., CBS

Sun., Oct. 14: CINCINNATI BENGALS, 1 p.m., CBS

Sun., Oct. 21: at Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m., CBS

Sun., Oct. 28: SAN DIEGO CHARGERS, 1 p.m., CBS

Sun., Nov. 4: BALTIMORE RAVENS, 1 p.m., CBS

Sun., Nov. 11: BYE WEEK

Sun., Nov. 18: at Dallas Cowboys#, 1 p.m., CBS

Sun., Nov. 25: PITTSBURGH STEELERS#, 1 p.m., CBS

Sun., Dec. 2: at Oakland Raiders#, 4:15 p.m., CBS

Sun., Dec. 9: KANSAS CITY CHIEFS#, 1 p.m., CBS

Sun., Dec. 16: WASHINGTON REDSKINS#, 1 p.m., FOX

Sun., Dec. 23: at Denver Broncos#, 4:05 p.m., CBS

Sun., Dec. 30: at Pittsburgh Steelers#, 1 p.m., CBS

*All times are eastern.

#Games subject to flex scheduling.

............................

BROWNS 2012 PRESEASON SCHEDULE

Fri., Aug. 10: at Detroit Lions, 7:30 p.m.

Thur., Aug. 16: at Green Bay Packers, 8 p.m.

Fri., Aug. 24: PHILADELPHIA EAGLES, 7:30 p.m.

Thur., Aug. 30: CHICAGO BEARS, 7:30 p.m.

Browns finished 4-12 in 2011. Who will they defeat in 2012?

Joshua Gunter, The Plain DealerBrowns fans, here congratulating Josh Cribbs after what has become a rare home team win, hope to have more to cheer about in 2012 than in recent seasons.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The NFL announced the 2012 regular season schedule for its 32 teams on Tuesday night.

The Cleveland Browns will open their 16-game season against the Philadelphia Eagles at Browns Stadium on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 9, at Browns Stadium.

The Browns, as always, will play their AFC Central rivals -- the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens -- twice each. The schedule includes games against all four teams in both the AFC West (Denver, Kansas City, Oakland, San Diego) and NFC East (Dallas, New York Giants, Philadelphia, Washington), and one game each against teams from the AFC East (Buffalo) and AFC South (Indianapolis).

The Browns finished their 2011 season with a 4-12 record. They are a combined 18-46 over the last four campaigns.

What games do you think the Browns will win in 2012?

Irving, who sprained his right shoulder on March 30, endured his most rigorous workout in recent weeks in hopes returning to action.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerByron Scott says Kyrie Irving could possibly return to the court for Wednesday's home game against Philadelphia.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- About 45 minutes before Tuesday night's tipoff, Kyrie Irving was still on the court running to spots for pull-up jumpers and guarding Cavaliers assistant coaches Nate Tibbetts and Jamahl Mosley.

As the season winds down, the 20-year-old rookie is gearing up for a late comeback.

Irving, who sprained his right shoulder on March 30, endured his most rigorous workout in recent weeks in hopes returning to action. The presumptive NBA Rookie of the Year played 3-on-3 after morning shootaround and showed no ill effects. He absorbed hard screens and didn't shy away from contact, Byron Scott said.

"He got hit a couple times pretty good and he didn't seem to flinch," the coach said.

Scott is growing more optimistic Irving will play again this season, and said there's a chance it could be as soon as Wednesday night at The Q against Philadelphia. Irving has missed 10 of the past 11 games.

The point guard worked out twice Tuesday and received treatment on the injured shoulder. Irving said he would not campaign to play against the Sixers.

"It depends on [trainer] Max [Benton] and the medical staff and if they clear me to play along with coach Scott," Irving said. "Right now, it's in my hands, but not really."

In the past 16 months, Irving has had to deal with a significant toe injury, a concussion and sprained shoulder. It's the same shoulder he separated in high school. He has missed 13 games and counting due to the injuries this season.

Does Scott worry the 6-foot-3, 191-pound guard is injury prone?

"I think at his age he's still growing," the coach said. "He hasn't fully matured. He's going to be susceptible to some type of injuries because he's not fully matured yet. When you hit the 25-, 26-, 27-year-old mark and you're getting continuously hurt then you have to take a look at it that closely.

"He needs to get stronger, but he's only 20 years old. We have to keep that in mind. There's no rush to get him bigger or stronger."

On the other hand: Time is running out on Anderson Varejao's potential return from a broken right wrist, and Scott acknowledged the fact Tuesday.

Varejao, who hasn't played since Feb. 10, received treatment on a wrist that continues to remain sore, Scott said. The coach was asked if he's ready to talk to the Brazilian about shutting it down for the remainder of the season.

"We are getting close to a conversation, period," Scott said. "We probably will do that sometime this week. It just depends on how the rehab is going. I haven't had a real good idea of how to approach that because I know Andy and, yeah, it's getting pretty close to that time."

He's a man: On the fifth day, Luke Harangody rested -- finally. The Cavaliers forward, playing for the Canton Charge in the NBA Development League playoffs, completed his fourth game in as many nights on Monday.

Sandwiched between the Charge's three-game series win over the Springfield Armour, Harangody was recalled on Saturday and collected 16 points and 10 rebounds in helping the Cavs defeat Washington. In the four games, the forward averaged 16.8 points, eight rebounds and 34 minutes.

"He's a man," Scott said. "We went three in three and were dragging. He went four for four. You've got to give Luke a lot of credit. He plays with that energy every single day."

Cleveland's living Olympic legend was at his alma mater on Tuesday to remember his hero and friend, Jesse Owens.

View full sizePeggy Turbett, The Plain DealerHonored in March with a plaque at the dedication of the Harrison Dillard Track at the Olympian's collegiate alma mater of Baldwin-Wallace, Harrison Dillard spoke with high school students at East Tech on Tuesday as they watched a preview of a new PBS documentary on fellow Cleveland Olympic legend Jesse Owens.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Like everyone else who visited East Tech on Tuesday, Harrison Dillard entered through a metal detector.

Good thing he wasn't carrying his gold medals.

Cleveland's living Olympic legend was at his alma mater to remember his hero and friend, Jesse Owens, while serving as a graceful, yet strong link between their historic accomplishments and the coming Olympics.

Wednesday marks 100 days before the Summer Olympics open July 27 in London, where Dillard's Olympic story began. He won the first two of his four career gold medals at the 1948 London Olympics, in the 100 meters and 4x100 relay. Four years later in Helsinki, he won gold again in the 4x100 and the 110 high hurdles, becoming the first (and still the only) Olympian to win both a sprint and the high hurdles.

Dillard's Olympic journey continues this summer. He and his daughter, Terri, and her three children, will be the guests of Omega watch company at the London Games. Omega debuted its photo-finish timing technology in 1948, and its photo of the 100-meter final proved Dillard to be the winner over teammate Barney Ewell.

Harrison Dillard (in outside lane) wins the 1948 Olympics 100 meters (in Italian)

Dillard remains, in many ways, an extension of Owens, whose four gold medals in Berlin in 1936 remains an iconic moment in sports history. Owens, who was black, ruined what Adolf Hitler and the Nazis planned to be a showcase of "Ayran supremacy."

Dillard won Owens' primary event, the 100, in the first Olympics held after the '36 Games because World War II prevented the Games from being held in 1940 and 1944.

The fact consecutive champs graduated from the same high school and also won four gold medals is part of an historic bond between them. So, it made perfect sense Dillard was seated in the front row of East Tech's auditorium Tuesday morning for a screening of a new film, "Jesse Owens," which premieres May 1 on PBS.

With hundreds of students and staff watching intently, they learned through Emmy Award-winning documentarian Laurens Grant's film about Owens' many successes and challenges. Students reacted strongly to photos and film clips showing Owens' athletic prowess, such as the day he broke three world records and tied another in less than an hour while competing for Ohio State in 1935.

The 53-minute film deals briefly with Owens' time in Cleveland, and mentions neither East Tech nor Dillard. It attempts to shed fresh light on lesser known aspects of Owens' career and life. He was not in favor of the U.S. participating in Germany because of its mistreatment of minorities and Jews, and the American team's participation remains controversial to this day. The film states an oft-repeated story that Owens resisted being a late addition to the 4x100 relay, because he did not want to take the spot of a Jewish teammate. However, the Owens biography "Triumph" by Jeremy Schaap counters that legend, saying Owens instead campaigned to be on the relay in which he won his fourth gold.

The four medals brought Owens fame, but not fortune, and he eventually declared bankruptcy. Dillard said he knew Owens had run against a horse in an exhibition after the Olympics to earn money, but was surprised to learn Owens did so several times while struggling financially.

Cleveland schools superintendent Serena Edwards, an East Tech grad, later drove home that point in a talk with East Tech's 23-member boys and girls track team.

"Life was hard after being a superstar athlete overseas. It's not just about track, it's about the challenges he faced, so think about your own challenges and how you might face them," she said.

Owens died of lung cancer at age 66 in 1980. There's a statue of him at Huntington Park near Cleveland Browns Stadium, and another at Ohio State. One of the four oak tree seedlings he received in Germany for winning gold medals thrives in a courtyard behind Rhodes High School, where Owens ran many of his high school meets.

Dillard, 88, lives in Richmond Heights and is retired from a career in the Cleveland schools' business office. He is a frequent visitor to area high school track meets, including the city championship meet, which bears his name. Dillard said he will return to London this summer proudly to represent Cleveland and East Tech, which is on the corner of East 55th Street and Scovill Avenue.

Fan-produced film of Harrison Dillard winning 1952 Olympic 110 hurdles

East Tech owns a rare, if not unique, place in U.S. track and field history. It produced a pair of four-time Olympic gold medalists and one silver medalist, 1936 high jumper David Albritton. All three were world-record holders.

Dillard said he enjoyed the Owens film, but he seemed to enjoy even more interacting with his fellow Scarabs, some of whom politely asked for his autograph.

"It is humbling that I would be remembered because, after all, my exploits were 64 years ago. It's really touching that people can read or see something that you did, and they identify with you, I guess just like I identified with Jesse," Dillard said.

"I hope that somebody, just one kid, has a dream or hope or wish, and sees this and as a result is willing to put in the time and work to succeed."

At least one East Tech student made the connection Tuesday.

"I feel like I'm part of history," said Tracy McGee, who runs track. "We're just picking up where Jesse Owens and Harrison Dillard left off."

On Twitter: @TimsTakePD

Shortstop returned to Venezuela because of a death in his family. The Indians recalled left-hander Hagadone from Class AAA Columbus.

APNick Hagadone has been recalled from Class AAA Columbus.

SEATTLE, Wash. -- Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera has returned home to Venezuela following the death of his grandfather. The Indians placed him on the bereavement list and he must stay there a minimum of three days and a maximum of seven.

"He'll probably miss the rest of this trip," said manager Manny Acta. "He was pretty shaken up Monday. His grandfather was a very important person in his life.

"Everything started in the Kansas City series where his grandfather started to get sick. Asdrubal wasn't feeling very good about it then." 

To take his spot on the roster, the Indians recalled left-hander Nick Hagadone from Class AAA Columbus.

Cabrera is hitting .282 (11-for-39) with three doubles, two homers and three RBI in eight games. He's scored eight runs.

Hagadone, who lives in Seattle, will help a weary bullpen. He did not allow a run in four appearances, covering 5 1/3 innings, at Columbus. He struck out five, walked one and allowed two hits. Hagadone had a great spring, posting a 2.52 ERA (three earned runs in 10 2/3 innings) in nine appearances. He struck out seven and allowed 12 hits.

The left-hander pitched at the University of Washington from 2005-07.

The Tribe's two main left-handed relievers, Rafael Perez and Tony Sipp, have been struggling. Perez has a 7.36 ERA (three earned runs in 3 2/3 innings), while Sipp is 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA (five earned runs in 3 1/3 innings).

Scouts have noted that Perez's velocity is down from last year.

Said one scout, "He usually pitches at 87 mph to 88 mph. I had him at 80 mph to 82 mph. He's getting people out because he knows how to."

Perez's best pitch is a slider. Fangraphs.com says the velocity on the slider has dropped from an average of 85.7 mph last year to 81.7 mph this year. Perez was sidelined with a sore left shoulder in spring training. 

Jason Donald replaced Cabrera at shortstop for Tuesday night's game against the Mariners.  Acta said third baseman Jack Hannahan will backup Donald.

Damon at work: One wait is over for Johnny Damon. Now another begins.

The Indians made it official Tuesday when they announced the signing of Damon to a minor-league contract. Now the countdown is on as to when he'll join the big-league club.

"I don't have an exact amount of at-bats or days that he'll be down there," said manager Manny Acta.

Said Damon, 38, from the Indians' spring training complex in Goodyear, Ariz., "I don't think it will take that long. But when the Cleveland Indians get me, I need to be ready to go. I hope they keep playing like they did against Kansas City over the weekend."

Damon finished his physical Monday in Goodyear. He said he passed "with flying colors." On Tuesday, he played catch, hit, took fly balls in the outfield, ran and hit the weight room. He'll probably repeat that for a few days before he starts playing extended spring-training games. The next stop will be Class AAA Columbus and then on to Cleveland.

The left-handed hitting Damon is a career .286 hitter with 1,643 runs, 516 doubles, 107 triples, 231 homers and 1,120 RBI. He has 404 steals in 507 attempts and a career on-base percentage of .353.

Just how he fits into the lineup will be up to Acta. It's expected that he'll share left field with Shelley Duncan. Damon has spent most of his career hitting in the leadoff spot.

"It's not going to be strictly a platoon," said Acta. "We do want to get Shelley's bat in lineup.

Acta and GM Chris Antonetti said Damon's playing time is going to have to come in the outfield. He played just 16 games in the outfield, all in left, last year for Tampa Bay. He spent the rest of the time at DH, but that job belongs to Travis Hafner.

As to where Damon will bat, Acta said, "I'll answer that the day before he gets here. That should give you plenty of time to speculate."

The former No.1 pick of the Kansas City Royals hit .261 (152-for-582) with 29 doubles, seven triples, 16 homers and 73 RBI for the Rays last year. He scored 79 runs and stole 19 bases in 25 attempts.

"This guy still had a pretty decent season last year," said Acta. "I know we had a lot of injuries, but other than Asdrubal Cabrera and Carlos Santana, who had a better season than him here?"

The Indians signed Damon for $1.25 million with another $1.4 million in performance bonuses. The deal does not include a no-trade clause, but does have an agreement in which Damon can be released if he's not getting playing time or isn't a good fit.

Finally: Left-hander T.J. House was named the Indians' minor-league player of the week. He's 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in two starts at Class A Carolina. House has 17 strikeouts in 13 innings and has not allowed an earned run.

On Twitter: @hoynsie

Detroit led, 61-38, at halftime and scored the first 16 points of the third quarter.

View full sizeDuane Burleson, Associated PressDetroit's Greg Monroe, left, and Charlie Villanueva make sure Samardo Samuels has no chance of getting this shot to the rim during the first half of the Pistons' romp Tuesday night.

Auburn Hills, Mich. -- The arena was as empty as the win columns for the respective teams.

At game time, there was no life in The Palace, a venue that once attracted sellout crowds and national television networks when the Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons dueled for Eastern Conference supremacy as recently as five years ago.

Tuesday night, it was up to the clubs to create their own energy. The Cavaliers did not generate enough to light a 40-watt bulb.

They played little defense, showed less resilience and were humiliated in front of about 6,000 fans by an opponent with just three more victories than them.

Final score: Pistons 116, Cavaliers 77.

Don't let the scoreboard fool you. The outcome wasn't nearly as close. The Cavaliers were down, 100-50, to become just the fifth NBA team in the past 20 years to trail by at least 50 points after three quarters, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

As the five Cavaliers assembled at the scorers table to start the final quarter, an injured Anderson Varejao, dressed in a sports coat and dark slacks, told teammates: "Fight it." But there was scant resistance from a team that hasn't held a lead in the past two games. The 39-point margin of defeat tied the worst of the season and marked the fourth time the Cavaliers have lost by 35 points or more.

It was the type of performance that usually gets owner Dan Gilbert's Twitter finger itchy.

"Worst game we've played in a long time," Cavs coach Byron Scott said in a 42-second postgame news conference. "Give the Pistons a lot of credit. They played 10 times harder than we did and were ready to play from the start of the game until the finish. Looked like we were a step or two slow on every play, especially on the defensive end."

The Cavaliers played without Alonzo Gee, a late scratch due to an ankle injury, and remained without Kyrie Irving (sprained shoulder), who could be available today against Philadelphia. But Scott didn't want to hear about the lack of depth or about playing for the sixth time in eight days.

"No excuses," he said. "Everybody has the same schedule, so there are no excuses."

The Cavaliers have endured more epic setbacks. They lost by a franchise-record 55 points to the Los Angeles Lakers last season and have been slapped around by the Chicago Bulls a couple of times this season.

But these were the 23-38 Pistons, a team that began the night among a cluster of seven battling for positions fourth through 10th at the bottom of the standings. As draft lottery pingpong balls go, this one passed like a kidney stone.

In a quiet Cavs locker room, Antawn Jamison was asked how the Cavs could get whipped by an opponent with such a poor record.

"I'm with you, my brother," Jamison said. "I'm still trying to figure it out. The one thing you can control is effort. We played hard but not the way we're supposed to play."

Jamison, 35, had a dreadful night. He finished 0-of-10 from the field and had three points. His plus-minus rating was a staggering minus-47. Starting point guard Donald Sloan was a minus-46. Every starter was minus-38 or worse.

"I can ill afford, especially with what we have now, to come out and compete the way I did," Jamison said. "I have to bring it every night until the season is over, and tonight I didn't bring it, and it seemed to trickle down to the rest of my teammates."

The Pistons, led by point guard Brandon's Knight's 28 points, dominated the game from the early moments to the final horn. They outscored the Cavaliers, 42-28, in the paints and 25-7 in fast-break points.

After being thoroughly dominated in the first half, the Cavaliers surrendered the first 16 points of the third quarter. Bell Biv DeVoe, the halftime act imported from the 1990s, moved their feet more than the Cavs did on defense.

Through three quarters, the Pistons were shooting 67.9 percent.

"As soon as we touch down [in Cleveland], I am not watching any 'SportsCenter' or reading any papers until Thursday or Friday," Jamison said. "You just want to get a game like this out of your system and move forward."

Jamison said he doesn't expect this effort will continue in the final six games. He thinks the team will play harder. But on this night, when the Cavs didn't come to play, it's hard to know what to believe.

After all, The Palace attendance was listed at 11,595.

Athletes from more than 200 countries are gearing up for the 17-day festival, including a potentially strong contingent from Ohio.

View full sizeAP photoPutting in a little close-order drilling on Monday, 260 guardsmen from the Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots and Welsh guards mark 100 days before the Summer Olympics in London outside the Horse Guards Parade in central London.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Say what you may about Queen Elizabeth II, she puts up with a lot these days. She'll need a dune buggy, not a gilded carriage, to get to her front door this summer. They are turning the grand boulevard in front of her home, Buckingham Palace, into a beach.

Welcome, your Royal Highness, to the London Summer Olympics. You have 100 days left to get used to the idea of seeing bikini-clad women playing volleyball outside your window. She'll have the best seat in the house, if she wants it, to witness American's Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh attempt to win their third straight beach volleyball gold medal.

That's just one of many storylines developing in 100 days in advance of the Opening Ceremonies on July 27. Athletes from more than 200 countries are gearing up for the 17-day festival, including a potentially strong contingent from Ohio. In 2008, Ohio's 32 Olympians won 17 medals, including seven golds.

Here are 10 stories to follow between now and the closing ceremonies Aug. 12 -- five for Ohio and five for the world:

Ohio

1. Are you over "The Decision?" If not, it might be difficult to root for a U.S. men's basketball team featuring Akron native and former Cavalier LeBron James. An alternative is to adopt Brazil and cheer current Cavalier Anderson Varejao.

2. The U.S. won just one gold and two bronze wrestling medals in 2008. Ohio figures prominently in USA Wrestling's aggressive efforts to improve, and the state is sending 16 wrestlers to the Olympic Trials Saturday and Sunday in Iowa, City, Iowa. Akron native Justin Lester (Greco-Roman) and Columbus resident Tervel Dlagnev (freestyle) are among Team USA's best medal hopes. Dlagnev is one of nine qualifiers from the Ohio Regional Training Center in Columbus.

3. If Euclid's Jessica Beard can make the U.S. team, she stands an excellent chance of winning a gold medal in the 4x400 relay. She ran on the World Championship gold-medal relays in 2009 and 2011, but the 400 field at the Olympic Trials in June will be deeper than it has been in many years.

4. Elyria's Tianna Madison could be Greater Cleveland's comeback kid. She won the world outdoor long jump gold medal at age 19 in 2005, but has rarely been heard from since, until capturing the 60-meter silver medal at the world indoor meet last month. She could be poised to make noise in the 100 or the long jump.

5. Two new faces to watch are Upper Arlington's Abby Johnston (synchronized diving) and Oak Harbor's David Wukie (team archery). Both are having terrific world cup seasons and are medal contenders in London.

World

1. Can Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt recapture his Beijing magic? He won three gold medals and set world records in the 100 meters, 200 and 4x100 relay, but hasn't been at that level since. If he's healthy, he could at least repeat his medal performance, if not the world marks.

2. Repeating history is less likely for U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps. He won a record eight gold medals Beijing, and has indicated it's unlikely he will swim eight events. With 16 career golds (14 gold), his immediate goal is to win three more medals and become the most decorated Olympian in any sport.

3. While Phelps might absorb much of the spotlight, the better swimming story is the U.S. team as a whole. Ryan Lochte beat Phelps twice at the 2011 world championships and is one of numerous medal favorites. Natalie Coughlin and Missy Franklin will dominate on the women's side. USA Today predicts the U.S. will win 27 medals, but National team director Frank Busch says the team can surpass the 31 it won in Beijing.

4. Women's boxing is an Olympic sport for the first time, and the U.S. will send Queen Underwood, Marlen Esparza and 16-year-old sensation Claressa Shields of Flint, Mich., to a qualifying tournament in China next month. They must finish among the top eight to fight in London.

5. South African double-amputee and 400-meter runner Oscar Pistorious is attempting to become the first amputee runner to compete in the Olympics. He uses two carbon-fiber blades to run. He has met the Olympic standard once (45.30 seconds), and needs to do it one more time to secure a berth. He also plans to compete in the Paralympics.

Akron drops home game to Bowie, Carolina falls at Wilmington (Del.), errors plague Captains in loss.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Clippers 5, Indians 1: RHP Corey Kluber (3-0, 2.81 ERA) allowed one run and struck out seven in six innings, and C Matt Pagnozzi (.346) homered as Columbus won an International League game Tuesday in Indianapolis.

Kluber gave up six hits and walked one. RHP Chen Lee (2.57) and RHP Chris Ray (2.45) combined for three scoreless innings of relief for the Clippers. Lee earned his first hold, and Ray notched his third save. Pagnozzi also singled, drove in two runs and scored twice.

2B Cord Phelps (.316) doubled and drove in a run for Columbus. CF Trevor Crowe (.405) and 3B Lonnie Chisenhall (.345) each went 0-for-5. Top Pirates prospect Starling Marte led off and played left field for Indianapolis. He went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and is hitting .239.

AA Akron Aeros

Baysox 4, Aeros 2: Host Akron fell to Bowie (Md.) in Eastern League play at Canal Park. LHP T.J. McFarland (2-1, 2.30) allowed three runs, four hits and two walks in 4.2 innings for the Aeros. He struck out three. LF Jared Goedert (.385) and 1B Chun-Hsiu Chen (.278) each had two hits for Akron.

Advanced A Carolina Mudcats

Blue Rocks 5, Mudcats 3: DH Jeremie Tice (.243) had a two-run double, but Carolina lost a Carolina League game in Wilmington, Del. Mudcats starting pitcher Clayton Cook (2.31), a RHP, left after giving up one run, one hit and one walk in one inning. RHP Dale Dickerson (0-1, 5.06) allowed two runs, two hits and three walks in 11/3 innings. Carolina 1B Jesus Aguilar (.361) doubled and walked. Mudcats CF Tyler Holt (.350) went 0-for-4.

A Lake County Captains

Whitecaps 5, Captains 2: LHP Elvis Araujo (0-3, 3.00) gave up one earned run in six innings, but host Lake County lost to West Michigan in Midwest League action. Four Captains players were charged with errors, leading to two unearned runs. RF Jordan Smith (.314) tripled and scored a run for Lake County, and 2B Robel Garcia (.182) and LF Bryson Myles (.214) each drove in a run. Captains SS Francisco Lindor (.309) went 1-for-3.

The Indians overcame a seven-run deficit to beat Seattle and win their fourth game in a row with a 9-8 victory at Safeco Field.

Elaine Thompson, Associated PressChris Perez celebrates after getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth to earn a save in the Indians' 9-8 win in Seattle.

Seattle -- Win by the big inning, lose by the big inning.

The Indians did a little of both Tuesday night, but when it counted they did just enough to beat Seattle, 9-8, at Safeco Field for their fourth straight victory.

At 5-4 they are above .500 for the first time this season.  

After taking a six-run fourth-inning roundhouse to the chin, the Indians bounced off the floor and staggered Seattle with a seven-run fifth inning. But there was no knockout on this night.

The best the Indians could do with their seven-run inning was tie Seattle, 8-8. It took a two-out single by shortstop Jason Donald in the seventh and some of the Tribe's best relief pitching of the young season to win it.

Donald, subbing for Asdrubal Cabrera, who left the team Monday following the death of his grandfather in Venezuela, singled to right field off Tom Wilhelmsen to score Travis Hafner and break the tie. Hafner singled to start the seventh off lefty Charlie Furbush (0-1).

"I didn't hit it that hard, but I hit it in the right place," said Donald, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI. 

It didn't hurt that the Indians were playing at Safeco. It was their 11th win in the past 13 games at the Mariners' green jewel of a ballpark.

"It was a great comeback," said manager Manny Acta. "Justin Masterson struggled and put us in a deep hole, but it's a team effort. These guys came out swinging and they never gave up. We knew we had enough outs left to come back."    

Trailing, 8-1, entering the fifth, the Indians answered Seattle's big inning with a flourish.

Led by Carlos Santana's three-run homer, they scored seven runs on seven hits to make it 8-8. They did most of the damage against former Indians right-hander Kevin Millwood.

Jack Hannahan opened with a double. Donald singled and Michael Brantley reached on Brendan Ryan's error at short to score Hannahan. Jason Kipnis singled to load the bases. Throughout his career Millwood, 38, has made a reputation of limiting the damage in such situations. But on Tuesday night he was not able to hold the Indians down.

Shin-Soo Choo, the former Mariner, hit a two-run single to make it 8-4. Santana made it 8-7 when he pulled a 1-1 pitch into the right-field seats for his third homer of the season. It gave the Indians at least one homer in their first nine games of the season and 16 overall.

"The one Santana hit tonight got us right back in the game," said Acta. "Once he hit it, we knew he had an opportunity to come back and win the ballgame." 

Right-hander Erasmo Ramirez relieved. He retired Hafner for the first out of the inning, but the Indians kept reaching base. Shelley Duncan walked, Casey Kotchman doubled and Hannahan walked to load the bases.

Donald tied it with a sacrifice fly. It was the Indians' second sacrifice fly of the season -- both belong to Donald.

Seattle manager Eric Wedge finally brought in a lefty, in this case Charlie Furbush, against an Indians' lineup that featured six left-handed hitter. Furbush retired Brantley to end the inning.

Starter Justin Masterson lost his control and just about everything else in the fourth as Seattle scored six times to take an 8-1 lead. In consecutive at-bats with the bases loaded, Masterson walked Ryan and hit John Jaso to force home runs and give the Mariners a 4-1 lead.

Chone Figgins followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 5-1. The sac-fly was the second out of the inning, but it did Masterson no good.

He walked Dustin Ackley to reload the bases and then gave up consecutive singles to Ichiro Suzuki and Justin Smoak, who had a career high four hits. Suzuki's single drove in two runs and Smoak drove in another for a 8-1 lead. Nick Hagadone relieved to end the inning.

Hagadone, who joined the team from Class AAA Columbus before the game, turned in a scoreless fifth as well. Hagadone, who lives in Seattle, was pitching in front of family and friends.

"I grew up 45 minutes south of here," said Hagadone. "I was a diehard Mariners fan. I grew up trying to hit like Ken Griffey Jr. I was a big Randy Johnson and Edgar Martinez fan.

"I loved the Mariners. So this was really special for me. It's something I've wanted to do since I was a little kid and it happened tonight."

Rafael Perez (1-0),  Joe Smith, Vinnie Pestano and Chris Perez followed Hagadone with four scoreless innings of relief. Chris Perez got the first out in the ninth, but Kyle Seager singled and was replaced by pinch-runner Munenori Kawasaki. He went to third on Jesus Montero's bad-hop single that hit Donald in the mouth. Perez retired Michael Saunders on a fly ball to short left, but walked Ryan on four pitches to load the bases. He finally slammed the door by getting Jaso to fly out to left for his third save.

Donald was down for several minutes.

"I didn't even get glove on that ball," said Donald. "It got all face. It hit me right in the lip. I don't know if my girlfriend is going to want to date me after this."

Donald said the ball screamed double play off the bat.

"I'm think this is two, game over," said Donald. "There was a lot of loose dirt on the infield and the ball was doing some funny things.

"It was out of it after it hit me. I needed some time to figure out where I was and what the same situation was. Luckily, Chris was able to get those next two outs."

Acta and Donald said he'd be back at short Wednesday night. Cabrera is expected to miss the rest of the trip.

How off was Masterson?

In his first two starts, he allowed four earned runs on 10 hits and four walks in 13 innings. Tuesday night, he allowed eight runs on seven hits and four walks in 3 2/3 innings.

"It was a game of offenses and bullpens, neither of which I'm a part of," said Masterson. "Their offense put up a six spot. Our guys said, "We'll put up a seven spot.' It's nice that our guys have my back.

"They scored a bunch of runs for me and our bullpen came in and shut the door."

Millwood, after four solid innings, wasn't a whole lot better than Masterson. He allowed seven runs, six earned, on nine hits. He faced six batters in the fifth and didn't record an out.

The Indians took a 1-0 lead in the first when Brantley singled, stole second and scored on Hafner's two-out single.

Jaso's homer in the third put Seattle on top, 2-1, and gave an indication of things to come for Masterson. It was his second career homer off Masterson.

The depleted Cavaliers haven't held a lead in the past eight quarters

View full sizeDetroit Pistons Brandon Knight (7) celebrates his third-quarter dunk with teammate Rodney Stuckey (3) as Omri Casspi walks off the court.

With the 16th pick in the first round, the New York Jets 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 PressOffensive tackle Jonathan Martin, here at Stanford's Pro Day on March 22, is one of three or four Cardinal players expected to be drafted in the first round.

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, G, Stanford

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

13. Arizona Cardinals: Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

14. Dallas Cowboys: Mark Barron, SS, Alabama

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

The 16th pick in the first round of the draft belongs to the New York Jets. The Jets finished the 2011 season with an 8-8 record.

The Jets' primary needs include offensive tackle, wide receiver, outside linebacker and safety.

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

(Re-posted from last April) Second 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 photoBrowns running back Bo Scott (35, right) follows the blocking of center Bob DeMarco (left Browns blocker) and Hall of Fame guard Gene Hickerson (right Browns blocker).

CLEVELAND, Ohio

(UPDATE: Re-post from last April, as the 2011 NFL draft approached)

Today we continue our countdown of the Cleveland Browns' 100 best draft picks of all time, with picks Nos. 80-61.

Browns best all-time picks Nos. 100-81 were posted on Monday. Nos. 60-41, 40-21 and 20-1 will be posted Wednesday through Friday.

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:

80. Clinton Burrell, CB-S, 1979, 6/151, Louisiana State, 1979-84. Won a starting cornerback job for two seasons -- though one was shortened by injury -- and started at strong safety another two years. Came up with 10 turnovers in 24 games during the Browns' 1980 and 1982 playoff seasons.

79. Jeff Faine, C, 2003, 1/21, Notre Dame, 2003-05. A solid player on mediocre, at best, offensive lines. Traded to New Orleans for the pick used to take D'Qwell Jackson. The Browns had just signed the Saints' star center, Cleveland native LeCharles Bentley, as a free agent. Bentley never played again, suffering what turned out to be a career-ending knee injury at the start of Browns training camp.

78. D'Qwell Jackson, LB, 2006, 2/34, Maryland, 2006-10. Has played 49 games, all as a starter, and missed 31 -- including 26 in the last two years -- with injuries. Seemed headed for stardom when his 188 tackles in 2008 led the NFL. Still, at age 27, has a chance. (Ranking made prior to the 2011 season)

Video: D'Qwell Jackson as a linebacker at Maryland (videos are from youtube.com):

77. Bo Scott, RB-Rtn, 1965, 3/32, Ohio State, 1969-74. Delayed his NFL career four years by playing in the Canadian Football League. Averaged 28.9 yards on 25 kickoff returns in his first Browns season. The next three years, he probably made as many big plays as any skill position player on the team.

The Plain Dealer's Browns History Database includes the PD game stories on every regular season and playoff game in Browns history. Bo Scott had two short touchdown runs in the Browns' 38-14 romp over the Cowboys in a 1969 playoff game at Dallas. The late Chuck Heaton, The PD's longtime Browns beat writer, wrote the game story. Unfortunately, the Browns have not won a playoff game on the road since.

Video: Early in this segment from the Browns' 31-21 win over the New York Jets on Sept. 21, 1970 -- the first game as ABC kicked off its famed Monday Night Football series (Chuck Heaton's game story) -- Bo Scott scampers around left end for a touchdown:

76. Ryan Pontbriand, LS, 2003, 5/142, Rice, 2003-10. Has a strictly defined but very important role, and seldom makes a mistake. Made the Pro Bowl teams for his work in the 2007 and 2008 seasons. (Ranking made prior to the 2011 season)

75. Reggie Camp, DE, 1983, 3/68, California, 1983-87. Totaled 35 sacks, including 34 in his first four seasons, when he started every game.

74. Kevin Johnson, WR, 1999, 2/32, Syracuse, 1999-2003. Browns offense struggled during most of his 4 1/2 seasons, but he was tough and productive, with 315 receptions for 3,836 yards and 23 touchdowns.

73. Gerry Sullivan, T-C-LS, 1974, 7/171, Illinois, 1974-81. Missed one game in his career. Made just 26 starts, but he was reliably effective and on the field much more than that number indicates.

72. Kamerion Wimbley, LB, 2006, 1/13, Florida State, 2006-09. The team's best pass rusher during much of his time with the Browns, but wasn't very consistent after an outstanding rookie season. Browns had reportedly debated whether to draft Wimbley or current Ravens star Haloti Ngata at No. 12, then flipped picks with Baltimore and got a sixth-round pick from the Ravens, who selected Ngata. Four years later, some observers thought the Browns under-valued Wimbley when they traded him to Oakland for a third-round pick.

71. Ahtyba Rubin, DT, 2008, 6/190, Iowa State, 2008-10. Based on how he played the last 1 1/2 seasons, Rubin could become a star if he can make the transition from playing in a 3-4 defense to playing in a 4-3. (Ranking made prior to the 2011 season)

70. Junior Wren, S, 1952, 24/288, Missouri, 1956-59. Started his last three seasons and played well, helping the Browns cope with the gradual loss to age of what had been one of the game's all-time great secondaries.

69. Tony Peters, CB-S, 1975, 4/82, Oklahoma, 1975-78. Played all 58 games and made 51 starts, before the Browns traded him to Washington -- where he excelled -- for fourth-, fifth- and 10th-round picks.

68. Walt Sumner, CB-S, 1969, 7/176, Florida State, 1969-74. A starter during almost all of his six seasons, he helped the Browns go 43-24-3 his first five seasons, before enduring a then-franchise worst 4-10 1974 camapaign.

Video: Highlights of the Browns' 38-14 rout of the Cowboys in a 1969 season divisional playoff game in Dallas. Walt Sumner intercepted a Craig Morton pass and returned it 88 yards for a touchdown and the Browns' final score.

67. Carlton Massey, DE, 1953, 8/95, Texas, 1954-56. Made one Pro Bowl team. Helped a dominating Browns defense hold the powerful Lions' and Rams' offenses to 10 and 14 points, respectively, as the Browns won the 1954 and 1955 championship games.

66. Jim Kanicki, DT, 1963, 2/23, Michigan State, 1963-69. A solid starter his last six seasons with the Browns. Played a great game in the Browns' 27-0 championship win over the Colts in 1964.

65. Ross Fichtner, S, 1960, 3/33, Purdue, 1960-67. Intercepted 27 passes and returned three for touchdowns. A second-team all-NFL pick in 1966.

Fichtner intercepted three passes and returned them for 98 yards in the Browns' 30-21 win over the Cowboys on Oct. 23, 1966. Chuck Heaton wrote the game story for The Plain Dealer.

64. Anthony Henry, CB, 2001, 4/97, South Florida, 2001-04. Led the NFL with 10 interceptions as a rookie, and totaled 17 as a Brown. Left for the Cowboys as a free agent after four seasons.

63. Andra Davis, LB, 2002, 5/141, Florida, 2002-08. Played middle linebacker in the 4-3 and left inside LB in the 3-4. Had seasons of 149 and 138 tackles. Started 87 games in his last six Browns seasons.

62. Dale Lindsey, LB, 1965, 7/97, Western Kentucky, 1965-72. A starter for seven seasons, sometimes at middle linebacker, sometimes on the outside. A year too late for the 1964 title team, but he was a steady key to the Browns going 75-36-1 during his career.

Video: Highlights of the Browns' 31-20 upset win over the Cowboys in a 1968 playoff game at Cleveland Stadium. Dale Lindsey (51) intercepted a Don Meredith pass early in the third quarter and returned it for a touchdown and a 17-10 Browns lead. They led the rest of the way.

Plain Dealer Browns beat writer Chuck Heaton wrote the game story about the 31-20 Browns win.

61. Charlie Hall, LB, 1971, 3/68, Houston, 1971-80. Played all 146 games during his steady career, and started all 132 after his rookie campaign. Always played outside with his solid pass coverage

Get your Indians questions ready and join Indians beat writer Paul Hoynes today at noon as he talks Indians baseball. Paul with talk about the Tribe's win over the Mariners last night and about their four-game winning streak on the road.

Paul Hoynes answers your Indians questions on Wednesdays at noon.

Get your Indians questions ready and join Indians beat writer Paul Hoynes today at noon as he talks Indians baseball.

Paul with chat with cleveland.com's Glenn Moore about the Tribe's win over the Seattle Mariners last night and about their four-game winning streak on the road.

You can jump in the chat room and ask your questions as well as interact with other users and respond to Hoynsie's remarks, or you can just listen. The chat will also be made available shortly after its completion in mp3 format.