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New Orleans Saints GM Mickey Loomis used a device to eavesdrop on opponents, report says

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Greg Bensel, Saints vice president of communications, tells ESPN: "This is 1,000 percent false. This is 1,000 percent inaccurate."

mickey.jpgNew Orleans Saints GM Mickey Loomis.

 The U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Louisiana was told Friday that New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis had an electronic device in his Superdome suite that had been secretly re-wired to enable him to eavesdrop on visiting coaching staffs for nearly three NFL seasons, ESPN's "Outside the Lines" has learned.

Mickey Loomis has been the Saints' general manager since 2002. Sources familiar with Saints game-day operations told "Outside the Lines" that Loomis, who faces an eight-game suspension from the NFL for his role in the recent bounty scandal, had the ability to secretly listen for most of the 2002 season, his first as general manager of the Saints, and all of the 2003 and 2004 seasons. The sources spoke with "Outside the Lines" under the condition of anonymity because of fear of reprisals from members of the Saints organization.

Barr also writes how Greg Bensel, Saints vice president of communications, said Monday afternoon on behalf of the Saints and Loomis: "This is 1,000 percent false. This is 1,000 percent inaccurate."

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league was unaware of the allegations.

Sources told "Outside the Lines" the listening device was first installed in the general manager's suite in 2000, when Loomis' predecessor, Randy Mueller, served as Saints GM. At that time, according to sources, Mueller only had the ability to use the device to monitor the game-day communications of the Saints coaching staff, not the opposing coaches. Mueller, now a senior executive with the San Diego Chargers (he also was an ESPN.com NFL analyst from 2002-05), declined to comment when contacted by "Outside the Lines."

      


Football coach Devlin Culliver decides to leave Harvey for Maple Heights

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MAPLE HEIGHTS, Ohio - Devlin Culliver has decided to become the new football coach at Maple Heights. It comes three months after he had returned to coach at Harvey, where he was the head man from 2006 to 2008.

Devlin Culliver will be the new football coach at Maple Heights, pending school board approval on Thursday. - (Special to The Plain Dealer)

MAPLE HEIGHTS, Ohio - Devlin Culliver has decided to become the new football coach at Maple Heights.

It comes three months after he had returned to coach at Harvey, where he was the head man from 2006 to 2008.

"I had to be selfish this time instead of always building from scratch," said Culliver, who spent the past three seasons as offensive coordinator at Shaw. "I wanted to get into a program that was already going and try to win a state championship. I'm just trying to build on what's there."

Culliver, 44, compiled a 15-15 record at Harvey, leading the Red Raiders to two Northeastern Conference titles. He taught art and will teach the same subject at Maple Heights.

A 1986 graduate of Cardinal Mooney, he played four seasons at defensive back for Ohio University.

Culliver's appointment will have to be approved by the Maple Heights School Board during its Thursday meeting. He replaces Todd Filtz, who resigned to take the Canton McKinley job in March. Filtz was 41-10 in four seasons, with a Division II state championship in 2010.

"Coaches have put this program on the right track," said Culliver. "I want to carry on the tradition."

Tribe fans should enjoy the early success - Comment of the Day

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"They just went on a 9 game west coast swing where they went 7-2 and won 3 straight series -- all on the road. Some of you really need to lighten up and enjoy their early success. Who knows? Maybe they'll get somewhere this year. If not, so what? It's all entertainment anyway." - MiPiaceIlCibo

jason kipnis.JPGView full sizeThe Tribe has had early success this season and fans should enjoy it while it lasts says one cleveland.com reader.
In response to the story Justin Masterson struggles as Cleveland Indians end 7-2 trip with loss to A's, cleveland.com reader MiPiaceIlCibo is enjoying the Tribe's early success this season. This reader writes,

"They just went on a 9 game west coast swing where they went 7-2 and won 3 straight series -- all on the road. Some of you really need to lighten up and enjoy their early success. Who knows? Maybe they'll get somewhere this year. If not, so what? It's all entertainment anyway.

The early signs point to them being competitive. You should really learn to enjoy it."

To respond to MiPiaceIlCibo's comment, go here.

For more comments of the day, go to blog.cleveland.com/comments-of-the-day.

New England Patriots on the clock: Cleveland.com fans' NFL mock draft 2012 - You vote

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With the 27th pick in the first round, the New England Patriots select....Who do you say? This is another pick -- by voting in a poll -- made by you in Cleveland.com's fans' mock draft.

harrison-smith.jpgNotre Dame's Harrison Smith, at about 6-2 and 212 pounds, will likely play strong safety, but could also play free safety, in the NFL.



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 Thursday?


So far, going into this poll for the New England Patriots' selection, you have made 26 picks. Five more polls will go onto Cleveland.com today, Tuesday and Wednesday, 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


16. New York Jets: Courtney Upshaw, LB-DE, Alabama


17: Cincinnati Bengals: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama


18. San Diego Chargers: Whitney Mercilus, DE-LB, Illinois


19. Chicago Bears: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor


20. Tennessee Titans: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina


21. Cincinnati Bengals: Cordy Glenn, OT-G, Georgia


22. Cleveland Browns: Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech


23. Detroit Lions: Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama


24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama


25. Denver Broncos: Michael Brockers, DT, Louisiana State


26. Houston Texans: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford


The 27th pick in the first round of the draft belongs to the New England Patriots. The pick was acquired in a trade with the New Orleans Saints. The Patriots finished the 2011 season with a 13-3 record.


The Patriots' primary needs include defensive end, outside linebacker, maybe a running back, and depth on the offensive line and in the secondary.


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




Three days before draft, Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill has "no clue'' if Browns, Dolphins will draft him

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Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill is in the dark about whether or not the Browns or Dolphins will draft him Thursday night.

tannehill.jpgWhere will Ryan Tannehill go in Thursday night's NFL draft?

CLEVELAND -- Three days before the NFL draft, Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill told the Plain Dealer today he still has "no clue'' the level of interest from the Browns (No. 4) , the Dolphins (No. 8) or any other NFL team in drafting him Thursday night.

 "I thought I would get some kind of feeling from the Browns or some other team, that they'd say something or hint at something that would give me a feeling on where I was going to go, but I really have no clue, Tannehill said in a phone interview today. "I'm in the dark.''

 Tannehill said he had a great visit to Cleveland last week despite the fact he didn't get to spend time here with Browns President Mike Holmgren.

 "My visit got delayed a couple of days because of bad weather here in Texas, so he would've been there if I would've gone when I was supposed to,'' said Tannehill. "He actually had some obligations he had to go to.''

 Tannehill met with Holmgren and other members of the Browns staff at the NFL Scouting Combine in February, and Browns offensive coordinator Brad Childress and quarterbacks coach Mark Whipple attended his Pro Day last month. On the same day, Browns coach Pat Shurmur and general manager Tom Heckert opted for Alabama running back Trent Richardson's Pro Day instead.

 But Tannehill felt right at home during his visit to Cleveland and spoke the same language as the Browns.

 "There are a lot of similarities between the Browns offense and what we did at A&M,'' he said. "We changed things up a little bit, just to be more uptempo and things, but it all goes back to the old West Coast that they run.''

 Tannehill said he's gotten no indication from his college head coach Mike Sherman -- now the Dolphins offensive coordinator -- if Miami will draft him No. 8.

 "I don't think he wants to let on one way or the other and I don't think it will come down to his final decision,'' Tannehill said. "Also, I haven't spoken to him extensively. I'm in the dark about the Dolphins just like any other team. No inside information there.''

 He said the fact he played in a pro-style offense makes up for the fact he started only 19 games at quarterback. And the fact he played in the West Coast would increase his chances of being able to start right away for the Browns.

 "I would love to compete with (Browns quarterback Colt McCoy),'' said Tannehill. "I know he's a competitor, I know he's a fighter, and so am I.''

Cavaliers at Grizzlies: Game preview and Twitter updates

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The Cavaliers look to steal a win in Memphis tonight as they will take on the Grizzlies. Get Twitter updates from Tom Reed and Mary Schmitt Boyer @PDCavsInsider. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.

The Cavaliers look to steal a win in Memphis tonight as they will take on the Grizzlies. 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 8:00 p.m.




rudy gay allen memphis.JPGView full sizeMemphis Grizzlies' Rudy Gay, right, hugs Tony Allen (9) as they celebrate their 93-89 win over the Portland Trail Blazers last Saturday. The Grizzlies take on the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight at home.
(AP) -- A string of lackluster opponents couldn't have come at a much better time for the Memphis Grizzlies, who are attempting to secure homecourt advantage for the opening round of the playoffs. The Grizzlies, though, aren't necessarily making it easy on themselves in those games.

After surviving a late comeback attempt, Memphis will try to stay alive in the race for a top-four finish in the Western Conference by beating another sub-.500 team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, on Monday night.

The Grizzlies' four straight wins have all come over teams with losing records but they've prevailed by an average of seven points in those games. They had to rally from an eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter to pull out an 85-80 victory Friday against league-worst Charlotte and nearly blew a 12-point advantage in the final 4:15 of a 93-89 win over Portland the next day.

Rudy Gay made a key block on a 3-point attempt with five seconds left and had a team-best 21 points during that game.

"Sometimes, we play to the level of our opponents," center Marc Gasol said. "If we play a good team, we play a lot better. If we play the not-so-good teams, we play to their level. That's a part of the process of getting better and being a good team. At least, we get up at the end and realize that we've actually got to win."

Memphis (39-25) is 14-4 over its last 18 with some of those early wins coming on the road against marquee opponents Oklahoma City, Miami and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Grizzlies also recorded home wins over Dallas and the Los Angeles Clippers, who lead Memphis by one game for fourth place in the West.

"Those are the kind of games these guys get up for," coach Lionel Hollins said. "Then after we had that stretch of those teams, all of a sudden, we get a stretch of a bunch of teams that aren't in the playoffs. I can't say we struggled. We haven't been as focused to go out and dominate them."

The Grizzlies and Clippers each have two games remaining with Los Angeles holding the tiebreaker. That means Memphis needs to beat the Cavaliers (21-42), losers in 19 of 24, to maintain its chances of a top-four finish.

The Grizzlies also don't hold the tiebreaker over the third-place Los Angeles Lakers, who lead the Clippers by one-half game in the Pacific Division.

After earning one of its rare wins Friday against New York, Cleveland fell 114-98 in San Antonio on Sunday. Antawn Jamison scored 21 points and Kyrie Irving had 19 during their team's ninth defeat in 11 road games.

"There are (three) games that we have left, but right now, it's just about getting better every day and just having a good momentum going into the summer," Irving said.

Cleveland has lost in each of its last two trips to Memphis after winning three in a row there, but those two defeats have been by a combined nine points. The Grizzlies had four players score 19 or more points, led by Zach Randolph with 29, in a 112-105 win at the FedExForum on Feb. 4, 2011.

Gay, averaging 22.6 points on 50.9 percent shooting over his last 10 games, had 26 points despite an 8-of-20 shooting performance. The Cavaliers put only eight players on the court during that defeat.

Green Bay Packers on the clock: Cleveland.com fans' NFL mock draft 2012 - You vote

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With the 28th pick in the first round, the Green Bay Packers select....Who do you say? This is another pick -- by voting in a poll -- made by you in Cleveland.com's fans' mock draft.

shea-mcclellin3.jpgTalent scouts expect Boise State's versatile Shea McClellin (92) to be able to rush the passer whether it be from end or linebacker.

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 Thursday?


So far, going into this poll for the Green Bay Packers' selection, you have made 27 picks. Four more polls will go onto Cleveland.com today, Tuesday and Wednesday, 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


16. New York Jets: Courtney Upshaw, LB-DE, Alabama


17: Cincinnati Bengals: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama


18. San Diego Chargers: Whitney Mercilus, DE-LB, Illinois


19. Chicago Bears: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor


20. Tennessee Titans: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina


21. Cincinnati Bengals: Cordy Glenn, OT-G, Georgia


22. Cleveland Browns: Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech


23. Detroit Lions: Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama


24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama


25. Denver Broncos: Michael Brockers, DT, Louisiana State


26. Houston Texans: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford


27. New England Patriots: Nick Perry, DE, Southern Cal


The 28th pick in the first round of the draft belongs to the Green Bay Packers. The Packers -- the 2010 season Super Bowl champions -- finished the 2011 season with a 15-1 record, before losing a divisional playoff game to the eventual champion New York Giants.


The Packers' primary needs include defensive end, linebacker, the secondary, backup quarterback and maybe a running back.


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





Browns and NFL draft chat with Dennis Manoloff, Glenn Moore and Waiting For Next Year

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Tonight at 8 p.m., in a special live audio chat, join The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff and cleveland.com's Glenn Moore as they talk Browns and the NFL Draft with Waiting For Next Year's Scott Sargent and Craig Lyndall.

wfny-logo.jpgwaitingfornextyear.com
Who will the Browns pick at No. 4? Will they address the holes at running back and wide receiver? Will they go defense?

Today at 8 p.m., in a special live audio chat, join The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff and cleveland.com's Glenn Moore as they talk Browns and the NFL draft with Waiting For Next Year's Scott Sargent and Craig Lyndall.

What do you think the Browns should do? Tune in, get in on the debate, post your comments and questions for the hosts for one full hour tonight starting at 8 p.m.

In the meantime, read what D-Man (@dmansworldpd), G-Mo (@GlennMooreCLE), Scott (@WFNYScott) and Craig (@WFNYCraig) have to say about the draft on Twitter. We'll see you at 8 p.m.


Memphis Grizzlies' Lester Hudson greets former Cleveland teammates: Cavaliers insider

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Former Cavalier scores 9 points against old team.

Gallery preview

Memphis, Tenn. -- Lester Hudson was at home Monday night in his native Memphis, but he felt a strong tug from the opponent he thought would be his team for the remainder of the season.

The shooting guard, who had a short, memorable stint with the Cavaliers this month, sat in the first row of seats at FedExForum before the game chatting with Cleveland assistant coach Joe Prunty. He received a hug from coach Byron Scott and exchanged pleasantries with former teammates.

The Memphis Grizzlies, who signed Hudson for the rest of the season, have put him up in a hotel. Naturally, it's the same one in which the Cavs stayed Sunday night. It's still hard for Hudson, 27, to believe he's not with the Cavs.

"Of course it was a shock," said Hudson of learning he didn't get a deal done to stay with the Cavs. "I was just feeling comfortable like home. It was very shocking, disappointing to me. I thought I played my tail off to stay around.

"I had a great run in Cleveland. It was a great opportunity for me. I thought I saw the future there. I thought we could do some big things in Cleveland."

Hudson averaged 12.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 13 games with the Cavs. In his last two games before his first 10-day deal expired, he scored 23 and 26 points against Toronto and New Jersey.

Keith Glass, his agent, thought Hudson had demonstrated enough to merit a contract through the end of the season. The Cavs disagreed. Instead, they offered a second 10-day deal, which the agent grudgingly accepted.

The second deal expired on Thursday, and Hudson was so confident he'd remain a Cav, he worked out at the team's practice facility in Independence. But by the time he retrieved his cellphone, Hudson said, his agent informed him negotiations with the Cavs had fallen apart, and he had a deal in place with the playoff-bound Grizzlies.

"It was crazy," Hudson said. "I'm not thinking I'm going anywhere, hands down. My agent didn't think I was going anywhere.

I'm out working at the Cavs' practice facility, trying to get better. After awhile [my agent ] was like, 'We're going with Memphis.' I was like, 'What's going on? Are you sure?' "

"I had to get right out of there because [the Grizzlies] wanted me to come right home."

The Cavaliers offered no guaranteed deal for next season, but neither did the Grizzlies. Instead, the Cavs offered to sign Hudson for the final games and a non-guaranteed deal for next season. It's similar to the deals accepted by Manny Harris and Donald Sloan.

Hudson, who averaged 24.2 minutes with the Cavs, knows he won't receive the same playing time in Memphis barring injuries. But he will get at least one postseason round and have the opportunity to play in front of family and friends.

"It was good to see him," Scott said of Hudson. "It looks like he's happy, which is the important thing."

Before Monday's game, Hudson had made one Grizzlies appearance for five minutes. He has a stall in the Memphis locker room, but he's the only player without a nameplate above it.

No decision yet: Scott said he hasn't reached a decision on whether he wants injured center Semih Erden (ankle) to return for next season. Obviously, that's something he must discuss with General Manager Chris Grant.

The Cavs would have to extend a qualifying offer of about $1.1 million or risk losing the 7-foot Turk to unrestricted free agency.

"I don't know yet," Scott said. "And, I'm just being honest with you."

Erden, who's unlikely to play in the final two games, has averaged 3.5 points and 2.5 rebounds in 28 games. He has shown some offensive flashes, but his sporadic effort has perplexed and riled the coach.

"I think the thing that intrigues everyone about Semih is he has skills, but one of his downfalls is the lack of energy he plays with," Scott said. "If he wants to be in this league and wants to be successful, that's something he has to bring every night. When the season is over, we'll sit down and talk about it and figure out if he can do that for us or not. If he can't, he won't be here, and if he can, he will."

Talking about World Peace: The elbow thrown by the Los Angeles Lakers' Metta World Peace to the head of Oklahoma City's James Harden has been the talk of the league the past 48 hours. Peace, who has a history of erratic behavior, was ejected from the game Sunday, and supplemental discipline from the NBA surely will follow.

Many are offering opinions. Scott believes the controversial Peace deserves a five-game suspension. It's a tough topic for Cavs forward and former Peace teammate Luke Walton.

"I know the type of person he is, or at least the person he has become, and he's really a great guy," Walton said. "He's not out there trying to hurt anyone, but that elbow was definitely vicious and definitely hurt. I was surprised to see that happen."

The former Ron Artest is probably best known for his role in the brawl involving fans at the Palace of Auburn Hills in 2004, when he was a member of the Indiana Pacers.

"He really was a great teammates and I know he has worked very hard to get to where he is in that part of his life," Walton said. "And he's been open about it and donated tons of money and done tons of charity work. That's the type of person he is.

"It's a shame that something like that happens, and everyone starts talking about the other type of person that comes out maybe 1 percent of the time, when 99 percent of the time he's actually doing good things and is a really good person."

Archie Manning says draft flops often lack commitment: Bill Livingston

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"The quarterbacks who are picked in the first round and are declared -- and I don't like the word -- busts, it's not that the scouts were wrong about their ability or their potential. But commitment is such a huge part of it."

manning.jpgArchie Manning poses with his two quarterback sons, Eli, left, and Manning, in May 2008. The elder Manning says draft-day flops often lack the proper drive and commitment.

The NFL scouts everything, including a player's intelligence. But if the player puts himself on the clock in the film room, that's a problem. If a lot of tape is left on the spool measuring preparation, that's trouble.

"Obviously, you have to have some physical ability to play quarterback in the NFL," said Archie Manning, who played 15 seasons in the NFL, 11 of them with New Orleans. "The quarterbacks who are picked in the first round and are declared -- and I don't like the word -- busts, it's not that the scouts were wrong about their ability or their potential. But commitment is such a huge part of it."

In 1998, Indianapolis owned the first pick in the NFL Draft. Two quarterbacks were head-and-shoulders above the rest of the college crop in terms of ability and potential. One was Peyton Manning, Archie's son. The other was Ryan Leaf.

Leaf missed his first pre-draft meeting with the Colts and was overweight and unimpressive in his workout. Manning showed up with questions about Indianapolis' offensive philosophy and rebuilding intentions, his curiosity sharpened by painstaking study of the Colts. He didn't so much work out for them as make a ringing statement about himself.

Leaf was one of the great draft busts of all time. Peyton Manning, now playing for Denver, will be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame someday. Peyton won a Super Bowl in Indy. Archie's other son in the NFL, Eli, has won two Super Bowls as quarterback of the New York Giants.

Another epic draft bust was the first pick overall by the reborn Browns in the NFL Draft of 1999, quarterback Tim Couch. Like Archie Manning, who was sacked 396 times, more than all but 10 quarterbacks in NFL history, Couch took a physical beating behind a weak offensive line.

But he also seldom hit receivers in stride because he did not spend extra time studying defensive tendencies. The shortcoming, confirmed by a former Browns coach, is why Couch threw to only what he saw on the field, not to small open spots, which are called "windows" in scout talk.

Of release, arm strength and accuracy, the three components of passing, Manning said, "No. 1 really is knowing where to go with the ball. That's the cerebral part. But then I'd say you have to be accurate."

Archie spoke with Peyton every Sunday night during the latter's 3-13 rookie season. "He took every snap. 'Dad, there's nobody open,' he'd say," said the elder Manning. "He had to realize that receivers are wide-open in high school, open in college, and open for just a split-second in the NFL."

That is why passes have to be thrown on time to precise spots on the field or aimed at specific body areas. The "back-shoulder throw" is almost as indefensible in the NFL as a well-executed pick-and-roll is in the NBA. Eli Manning is one of the best at the play.

Archie Manning, a former high school valedictorian, will be in Cleveland May 8 as the speaker at the Northeastern Ohio Chapter of the National Football annual Scholar-Athlete Awards banquet at LaCentre Conference and Banquet Facility in Westlake.

"The thinking part of the game has always been big," he said. "Mobility helps, but sometimes it comes down to going from the first read for those [mobile] guys to the second and then the third becomes tuck it and run. A player who's not that mobile has to be able to make that third read."

The last part, in a nutshell, describes Bernie Kosar, the quarterback of a generation ago who made the Browns a consistent contender for the last time.

The NFL game, for all the spread influence collegiate football has had on it, is still played primarily in the pocket. "Steve Young [a Pro Football Hall of Famer] will tell you he didn't become a great quarterback until he quit running so much," Manning said.

The top two players in Thursday's NFL Draft, in which Indianapolis again owns the first pick, will be Andrew Luck, the son of former NFL quarterback Oliver Luck from St. Ignatius, who is primarily a pocket passer, and the more mobile Robert Griffin III, who won the Heisman Trophy. Luck will be taken first, although neither he nor Griffin seems to have the commitment problems of Leaf or the schematic bewilderment of Couch.

Archie said neither he nor Oliver Luck ever coached their sons. "I was afraid I would get too involved," said Manning.

Brad McCoy, the high-school coach of current Browns quarterback Colt McCoy, ripped the team last season for its handling of his son after Colt suffered a concussion in a game at Pittsburgh. "That was sort of a bad thing all around," Manning said.

Manning is familiar with all of the top quarterbacks in the draft. He had 28-year-old Brandon Weeden in his camp. "I didn't see that his age made any difference in his ability," said Manning. "A team might not have him for 14 years. But 10 is pretty good."

In the camp also was converted wide receiver Ryan Tannehill. "He's a late bloomer, but that means he has a big upside," said Manning.

As probably the most successful football dad of all-time, Archie said there's no magic formula for raising an NFL quarterback. But a dedicated work ethic is a necessity.

"You're talking about 20- and 21-year-olds, some of them from tough backgrounds, and now people are filling their pockets with money for the first time, and family and friends are hanging all over them," he said. "That's when it comes down to the basics. That's when it comes down to commitment."

Kyrie Irving scores 25 points, but Cleveland Cavaliers lose to Memphis Grizzlies

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Cavaliers come close in final minutes before Grizzlies finish game on 11-3 run.


Gallery preview

Memphis, Tenn. -- Lots of Cavaliers fans wanted to see Kyrie Irving and his sprained right shoulder in street clothes for the remainder of the season for fear of re-injury.

Four games into his return, Irving's opponents are once again the ones worrying about damage control.

The presumptive NBA Rookie of the Year is shaking off the rust the way he often does defenders in the paint. The 20-year-old point guard scored 25 points Monday night in a 109-101 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum.

"That's why we wanted him to come back, just to go out there and get his feet wet and keep accepting the challenge every single night," Cavs coach Byron Scott said. "He's done just that, so I'm very excited about the way he's played the last couple of games especially."

Irving was terrific for the first three quarters in which he scored all his points, but two rare free-throw misses with the Cavs trailing, 100-98, proved costly in the final minutes as the Grizzlies ended the game on an 11-3 run.

In fact, the two rookies -- Irving and Tristan Thompson -- were a combined 1-of-6 at the stripe over the final 2:17. Thompson missed three of his last four attempts after converting his first five.

"He's kind of upset that he missed them, but I think it's good for him to go through that type of experience," Scott said of Thompson, who entered the night as a 54.7 percent free-throw shooter and was perfect in his first five attempts. "It will help him in the long run. His free-throw percentage has gotten so much better. He is shooting with more confidence."

It was a tough way for the center to end an evening in which he registered 12 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots before fouling out with 25 seconds left.

As Thompson develops, he wants to be on the court in the final minutes -- not on the bench because he's a liability at the free-throw line. The grease board in the Grizzlies locker room has a category that identifies the opponents' "poor FT shooters."

Thompson's name was at the top of the list.

"It helps you grow, especially as a young player," Thompson said. "So use it as a learning tool and just go up and knock down the free throws next time in that situation."

His fellow first-year player continues a strong comeback from a shoulder injury that saw him miss 10 of 11 games from March 31 to April 17.

Recall several days ago when Scott said he might not play Irving in all of the last six games? There's nothing porcelain about the kid. He put the Cavs on his slender shoulders through the first three quarters -- shooting 10-of-15 from the field and contributing four assists -- as the visitors played on even terms with the Grizzlies, one of the league's best home teams.

He scored 13 first-quarter points to give the Cavs a 32-26 lead. They led by as many as 10 points in the second quarter against an opponent that didn't rest its starters and is fighting for home-court advantage in the first round.

"I was just taking what the defense gave me, making simple basketball plays and feeding off my teammates," Irving said. "It's kind of what I do every single game."

Irving played 26 minutes through three quarters but did not see the floor again until the game's final 4:09 with the Grizzlies leading, 98-94. He had played nearly 30 minutes in Sunday night's loss in San Antonio.

Scott said he wanted to leave the second unit in the game as long as he could to buy Irving and Antawn Jamison (17 points, nine rebounds) as much rest as possible.

"I thought I would come back a little earlier than I did," Irving said. "But I respect Coach Scott's decision. I know he's looking out for me."

Irving seemed unable to regain his rhythm after sitting for about 11 minutes. He attempted only one shot from the field the rest of the way, and the 88.0 percent free-throw shooter clanged two off the back of the rim.

"He had been sitting there for a while, was a little cold and wasn't loosened up," Scott said. "We know how he is at the free-throw line. He's pretty much money. So it's a little shocking that he missed both, and that got the train rolling for the next four free throws we shot."

Memphis placed six players in double-figure scoring, led by Marc Gasol and Marreese Speights, who had 17 points each. Tony Allen had 13 points and set a franchise record with eight steals.

Former Cavaliers guard Lester Hudson, who signed with the Grizzlies last week, added nine points, all in the second quarter.

Hudson entered the game to start the second quarter. He and Cavs backup point guard Donald Sloan had an entertaining five-minute stretch in which they took the ball at each other. They traded drives to the basket and jump shots.

Memphis coach Lionel Hollins played Hudson the entire quarter but not again after halftime. Hudson finished 3-of-6 from the floor. Sloan answered with nine points on 3-of-6 shooting.

Manny Harris also had a decent night with 11 points and three steals.

Cleveland Browns' Josh Cribbs clocked driving 103 mph

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Cribbs, who was driving his 2010 Bentley toward downtown Cleveland, was pulled over in the 60 mph zone around 8:45 p.m. on March 9.

cribbs.jpgCleveland Browns' Josh Cribbs chats while sitting court side during the Cavs/Bucks game in the first quarter in February at The Q.

CLEVELAND, Ohio Cleveland Browns player Josh Cribbs will have to ride the bench at Cleveland Municipal Court next month with the other accused scofflaws after a sheriff's deputy cited him for driving 103 mph on Interstate 71 near the Fulton Road exit last month.

Cribbs, who was driving his 2010 Bentley toward downtown Cleveland, was pulled over in the 60 mph zone around 8:45 p.m. on March 9.

The standout special-teams player and wide receiver Tweeted Monday about his brush with the law from his @JoshCribbs16 handle: "Yes I was pulled over for speeding, going too fast, luckily the police were on the job. Wasn't going that fast the entire time obviously but wrong is wrong, gotta face the music just like anyone else:(."

Some congratulated Cribbs for taking responsibility for his actions.

Cribbs also gave props to officers who pulled him over. "Much Respect to the police officers who pulled me over! I will lead better on the road now as well as on & off the field!!!"

He is scheduled to appear in court May 4.

Former Browns receiver Brian Brennan to get lifetime honor

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Brennan will receive the Dino Lucarelli Lifetime Achievement Award on Tuesday, May 8, when the Northeastern Ohio Chapter of the National Football Foundation holds its 24th annual Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet at LaCentre Conference and Banquet Facility in Westlake.

brennan.jpgBrian Brennan hauls in a touchdown for the Browns in an exhibition game on Aug. 15, 1987.

From staff reports

Former Browns standout Brian Brennan will receive the Dino Lucarelli Lifetime Achievement Award on Tuesday, May 8, when the Northeastern Ohio Chapter of the National Football Foundation holds its 24th annual Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet at LaCentre Conference and Banquet Facility in Westlake.

Brennan was a fourth-round draft pick in 1984. The wide receiver played nine seasons in the NFL and was with the Browns from 1984 to '91. He is now an executive for KeyBank and was inducted into the Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.

College Football Hall of Famer and New Orleans Saints standout Archie Manning, father of Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Peyton and Eli, will be the speaker. He is in his fifth year as The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame chairman.

Other honorees will include David Gilbert, CEO of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, who will receive the 2011 Distinguished American Award for his work in attracting amateur athletic events to Greater Cleveland.

This year's Lee Tressel College Coach of the Year is former Dayton head coach Mike Kelly.

Also, Plain Dealer sportswriter Tim Rogers and late PD sportswriter Don Friedman will be awarded the Dick Zunt Ohio Sportswriter of the Year Award. Rogers has been in the newspaper business in Greater Cleveland since 1970. Friedman worked for years at the Cleveland Press before finishing his career at The Plain Dealer.

Tickets are $50 each or $500 for a table of 10. Call 440-788-7472 for more information.

Other honorees:

College Postgraduate Awards

Akron: Zachary Kasparek. Ashland: Gregg Berkshire. Baldwin-Wallace: James Basar (Brunswick). Case Western Reserve: Bryan Metlesitz (North Royalton). John Carroll: Emmett Lydon (Rocky River). Kent State: Kyle Reese (Olmsted Falls). Mount Union: Alex Ferrara (Independence). Oberlin: Jake Hochendoner. Walsh: Patrick Kane. Wooster: Anthony Steratore. Youngstown State: Andrew Johnson.

High School Scholar-Athlete Winners

Avon: Matt Eckhardt. Avon Lake: Jake Young. Benedictine: Joe Nawalaniec. Brecksville-Broadview Heights: Kyle Graham. Brunswick: Scott Suren. Canton McKinley: Tyler Foster. Cleveland Heights: Bryce Jones. Holy Name: Dan Dreher. Warren Howland: Daniel Moody; Anthony Stanko. Hudson: Jake Hart. Kirtland: Christian Hauber. Lakeview: Austin Haines. Mayfield: Larry Pinto Jr., Ray Guerrini. Mentor: Jack Hanley. Orrville: Mason Monheim. Riverside: Tyler Burdorff. Solon: Nathan Hoff; Cory Stuart. Southern: Kyle Exline. St. Edward: Chris Connors, Sam Grant, Gregory Kuhar, Sam Martello. St. Ignatius: Timothy Shenk, Mike Svetina, Blake Thomas, Eric Williams. St. Vincent-St. Mary: Matthew Perry. Trinity: Ryan McSweeney. University School: Cole Boehmer. Walsh Jesuit: Ross Martin.

Ron Stoops Assistant Coach of the Year: Roger Patterson, Boardman.

Inspiration Award: Anthony Bagliano, Eastlake North.

Indians Minor League Report: Clippers, Aeros lose; Captains win

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Columbus' Matt LaPorta is hitting .305, with 18 hits in 59 at-bats. He has four home runs and 7 RBI.

columbus clippers new logo.jpg

Mud Hens 5, Clippers 3

Toledo jumped out to a 5-0 lead in an International League game, and held on to defeat Columbus. The Clippers scored a pair in the top of the seventh, but the rally died with Chad Huffman and Matt LaPorta striking out swinging. Starting pitcher Toru Murata (0-1) took the loss. He gave up five hits and three runs, all earned, in four innings.

Notes: Cord Phelps reached base for the 44th consecutive game dating back to last season. LaPorta is hitting .305, with 18 hits in 59 at-bats. He has four home runs and 7 RBI. Lonnie Chisenhall is hitting .315 in 73 at-bats. He also has four home runs, and 12 RBI.

AA Akron Aeros

Baysox 2, Aeros 0

Akron managed only four hits against a trio of Bowie, Md., pitchers, and lost an Eastern League game on the road. Lefty Eric Berger (0-3) was the starting and losing pitcher. He gave up three hits and two earned runs in four innings. Bryan Price and Cody Allen each tossed two scoreless innings in relief for Akron. The Aeros registered a season-high 12 strikeouts: Berger 6, Price 4, and Allen 2.

Notes: It was a chilly 43 degrees at game time. The Aeros’ Jared Goedert was 0-3, snapping his 11-game hitting streak.

Advanced A Carolina Mudcats

Mudcats 5, Hillcats 4

Carolina was out-hit, 10-8, but still won its Eastern League game against visiting Lynchburg, Va. Jeremie Tice slugged his second home run, a two-run shot in the second. Mike Rayl (2-2) pitched five innings and picked up the win. He struck out five and held the Hillcats to one run on four hits. Jose Flores pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save.

A Lake County Captains

Captains 11, Cougars 8

Lake County combined speed and power to win an afternoon Midwest League game at Kane County, Ill. Bryson Myles stole home in the fourth inning, and had three stolen bases for the day. Luigi Rodriguez and Francisco Lindor slugged back-to-back home runs in the eighth. In the fourth inning, Lake County sent 12 men to the plate and scored six times. The big blow was a two-out, three-run triple by Todd Hankins.

 

Golfer Ben Curtis improves his putting, wins a tournament

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His two-shot victory in the Valero Texas Open on Sunday was the fourth of his PGA Tour career, but his first since the 2006 84 Lumber Classic. It was worth $1,116,000 and a two-year Tour exemption.

ben-curtis.jpgBen Curtis during a press conference on Monday at Royal St. George's Golf Club.

Ben Curtis has returned from many a road trip, but on Monday his family greeted him at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport as he returned home as a champion for the first time in 2,045 days.

That's how long it had been between victories for the 2003 British Open champion from Kent State. His two-shot victory in the Valero Texas Open on Sunday was the fourth of his PGA Tour career, but his first since the 2006 84 Lumber Classic. It was worth $1,116,000 and a two-year Tour exemption. Curtis, 34, plans to play each of the next four weeks. Before completing his plans to play in this week's Zurich Classic of New Orleans, Curtis took time to answer some questions in a phone interview from the family's home in Stow.

So, what was the reunion at the airport like?

The best.

Been a long time between wins. Did this give you a sense of relief?

Yes, but more a sense of satisfaction, knowing that you can compete. During the last couple of years, I was hitting the ball well but struggled with the putter. I kept working and always felt that if I could get the putter working, I would be OK. But, winning brings a lot of good things.

Among them, the luxury of playing where you want and when you want, for the most part. You've never been a guy to play four or five weeks in a row.

Now that the kids are getting a little older, it should be a easier to make the schedule. But, it's never easy. It gets harder each time to say goodbye to Candace and the kids [Liam 5, Addison 4].

One of the TV commentators said you made a putting adjustment. We heard that [Kent State coach] Herb Page had something to do with it. What was the adjustment?

Actually, Herb mentioned it a few months ago. He watched some tape of the '03 British Open and said that it looked like I had my right hand more over the top of my left back then. I tried it but it felt uncomfortable so I really didn't work hard at it until last week. I guess it worked pretty well.

After your perfect drive on the 17th hole, it looked like you would be home free. Then came the second on 17. What happened?

The ball came to a stop in an old divot and it was sitting down there just enough to make me think about it. The last thing I said was, 'Don't hit it fat, don't chunk it.' Then, I bladed it over [the green]. As it turned out, I would have been a lot better off had I chunked it and left it short. But, it worked out.

It worked out because of the great putt from 22 feet after your chip ran past the hole. Talk about that.

I thought the chip shot was one of the best shots I hit all week, really. It was a pretty tough shot. I had to get it up the hill and get it to stop on the same level as the hole. It had just a hair too much speed, but I gave myself a putt at it.

And the putt?

To be honest, it was one of the easiest I had all day. It was one of those putts that was easy to read. The city skyscape was in the background about 20 miles away but you could still see it and everything broke toward the city on that hole. I knew it was going in when it was about eight feet away

I know you never lost faith in yourself and you never stopped believing. But, was there ever a time when those doubts started to creep in?

Definitely. You start thinking about those things. But I always felt I could get it back and I'd be OK. I always felt I was close. I never felt I had totally lost it. I hit the ball well. It's just like Herbie always said. 'If you work hard, good things are going to happen.'

Nice boots, by the way. I bet you never won a pair of cowboy boots for winning a golf tournament before.

Actually, we played in a college tournament in El Paso and they gave us a pair of boots. These will go in the trophy case.



Indians return from wild and wacky road trip

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The trip lasted nine games over 10 days and included two bench-clearing incidents, hit batters, late-inning heroics, a $750 fine for a stray Tweet and a five-game suspension. Most importantly, it included a 7-2 record for the Indians.l

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It started with a seven-run first inning and ended with a holy man bending a metal frying pan into the shape of a taco with his hands.

Throw in two bench-clearing incidents, a five-game suspension, a bust by the Major League Baseball Tweet Police, the signing of a golden oldie outfielder and playing six of nine games without All-Star shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, and that my friends, is a trip to remember.

tribepix.jpgCleveland Indians third baseman Jack Hannahan goes after Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Jonathan Sanchez, as Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas tries to intervene, after Sanchez hit the Indians' Shin-Soo Choo with a pitch in the third inning at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, on Saturday.

Granted, it would not have been as memorable if the Indians hadn't gone 7-2 on the 10-day tour through Kansas City, Seattle and Oakland. After thrashing about at Progressive Field in a disappointing five-game effort to start the season -- not that a lot of people were watching outside the 43,190-plus who showed up for the 16-inning season opener -- the trip vaulted the Indians back into prominence in the American League Central.

A win Sunday would have brought them home in a first-place tie with the big-money Tigers, but the pre-game exertions of chaplain/strongman Donnie Moore may have left the Indians over-amped. Manager Manny Acta's bench-clearing lineup played a part as well, but it's a long season and players need to play.

The Indians won games by big scores and small ones. Most of all, they won them late, which meant The Bullpen Mafia, after sleeping with the fishes against Toronto and Chicago at home to start the season, is back.

Closer Chris Perez, when his freedom to Tweet wasn't being violated, saved five games on the trip. In the past six games, the pen allowed two earned runs in 19 innings.

The Indians left havoc in their wake as well.

Since the Indians left Kauffman Stadium, the Royals have lost seven straight to run their losing streak to 11. 'Perhaps Perez's "You hit us, we hit you. Period." Tweet was still ringing in their ears. The burst of self-expression cost Perez $750.

Or maybe it was Travis Hafner's 456-foot homer that bounced into a sports bar named Rivals behind the right-field seats in the fifth inning of the final game of the series. By the way, guess who happens to be in town tonight for the start of a three-game series at Progressive Field. Yeah, it's the Royals.

Left-hander Jonathan Sanchez, who started the hard feelings between the two teams April 14 when he hit Shin-Soo Choo with a pitch for the second time in less than a year, will be starting tonight for the Royals. If baseball is anything, it's symmetrical, the past is rarely forgotten because it keeps repeating itself.

In Seattle, the Indians took two out of three. They overcame an 8-1 deficit in the series opener for a 9-8 victory. In the final game of the series, Josh Tomlin matched former Cy Young winner Felix Hernandez pitch-for-pitch through eight innings, but the Indians trailed, 1-0. In the ninth, after Hernandez was knocked out of the game because of his pitch count (126 pitches, 75 strikes), Jack Hannahan hit a two-run single for a 2-1 victory.

The White Sox followed the Indians to Seattle. On Saturday, right-hander Phil Humber threw a perfect game. Humber is Tomlin's off-season workout partner. When Tomlin called to congratulate Humber, he told him he had picked up valuable information on how to pitch the Mariners from watching Tomlin's eight-inning victory Wednesday.

Tomlin, nicknamed the Little Cowboy by Acta, threw 74 percent (71-for-96) of his pitches for strikes against the Mariners. Humber hit 70 percent (67-for-96) in his perfecto.

The Indians beat Oakland, 4-2, Friday. Earlier in the day in Goodyear, Ariz., Johnny Damon took his first at-bats in extended spring training after officially signing a $1.25 million minor-league deal with the Indians on Tuesday.

On Saturday, Damon played left field and hit a home run. He's expected to join the Indians sometime in early May. A few hours after Damon's homer, Jeanmar Gomez pitched 51/3 innings to beat the A's, 5-1. The next day, he dropped his appeal and started serving a five-game suspension for hitting Kansas City's Mike Moustakas in response to Choo getting hit by Sanchez.

Acta and Hannahan also were ejected. When Sanchez hit Choo, it was the third time he had been hit in the first seven games of the season. He has not been hit since.

Team bonding is one thing. Victory is something totally different. The big picture for the Indians is suddenly a bit brighter after they opened their road season by winning three straight series for the first time in 24 years.

"I'm happy about the way we played on the road," said Acta. "Now we have to go back, get the longjohns out and play ball at home."

Besides long underwear, a little heat from the road can only help. Not to mention the return of Cabrera, who was activated from the bereavement list Monday and will start at shortstop tonight.

Testing, testing: Damon played seven innings in left field Monday in an extended spring game in Goodyear. Look for him to report to Class AAA Columbus some time this week.

Finally: To make room for Cabrera being activated from the bereavement list, left-hander Nick Hagadone was optioned to Class AAA Columbus.

Tristan Thompson wants to be dependable at the line when game is on the line for Cleveland Cavaliers: Days of Wine-n-Gold

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The 21-year-old has raised his free-throw shooting percentage nearly nine points in the past six weeks

Cavaliers lose to Jazz 109-100View full sizeCavaliers Tristan Thompson, shown here against Utah, had a good night against Memphis until he stepped to the foul line late in a 109-101 loss
MEMPHIS – Cavaliers rookie Tristan Thompson wants to be on the court in the final minutes with games on the line. And right now that’s not an issue in late April with the team eliminated from the playoff race.

The 21-year-old center had another good game Monday night in a 109-101 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. Thompson contributed 12 points, nine rebounds and four blocks against a big, physical opponent.

But in the closing minutes he and fellow rookie Kyrie Irving combined to miss five of six free throws as part of an 11-3 Grizzlies’ run to close the game. Irving is an 88 percent free throw shooter so his two misses with the Cavaliers trailing by two points were a rarity. Not so for Thompson, who’s converting at a 54.7 percent clip. He had made five of his first six attempts before missing three of his last four.

Coach Byron Scott said Thompson felt badly after the game despite its meaningless nature. The youngster has shown improvement at the stripe. Thompson had been shooting 46 percent in early March before Scott made a slight adjustment on where he stands at the line.

But as with anything involving Thompson and Irving it’s all about the future. The big man wants to evolve to a point where Scott would never think of subbing him out in the late moments of a close game because of his free-throw issues.     

The grease board inside the Grizzlies locker room has a category that identifies the opponents’ “poor FT shooters.”  Thompson’s name was at the top of the list.

“I can trust him, but I still thinks he needs to get a little better,” Scott said. “He had another game where he went up there and knocked two down. Tonight just wasn’t his night as far as free throws are concerned.”

Thompson is having a decent finish to the season, averaging 11 points and 8.2 rebounds in the past five games. He’s looking forward to a busy offseason that will include Summer League in Las Vegas and tutorials with former Cavs All-Star center Zydrunas Ilgauskas in hopes of improving his offensive game. The Cavs want him to develop some range on his jump shot and a few more power moves in the low post.

But to deliver such plays, particularly at crunch time, he has to be on the court not on the bench as free-throwing shooting liability.

“It’s situations young players embrace,” Thompson said. “Especially having veterans like (Antawn Jamison) and them trusting us to make plays and get fouled. It means a lot. They’ve got confidence in us, so we’ve got to go up there and knock them down.”  


Baltimore Ravens on the clock: Cleveland.com fans' NFL mock draft 2012 - You vote

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With the 29th pick in the first round, the Baltimore Ravens select....Who do you say? This is another pick -- by voting in a poll -- made by you in Cleveland.com's fans' mock draft.

rueben-randle2.jpgLouisiana State's Rueben Randle has good size and hands, and runs strong routes.

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 Thursday?


So far, going into this poll for the Baltimore Ravens' selection, you have made 28 picks. Three more polls will go onto Cleveland.com today and Wednesday, 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


16. New York Jets: Courtney Upshaw, LB-DE, Alabama


17: Cincinnati Bengals: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama


18. San Diego Chargers: Whitney Mercilus, DE-LB, Illinois


19. Chicago Bears: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor


20. Tennessee Titans: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina


21. Cincinnati Bengals: Cordy Glenn, OT-G, Georgia


22. Cleveland Browns: Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech


23. Detroit Lions: Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama


24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama


25. Denver Broncos: Michael Brockers, DT, Louisiana State


26. Houston Texans: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford


27. New England Patriots: Nick Perry, DE, Southern Cal


28. Green Bay Packers: Shea McClellin, DE-LB, Boise State


The 29th pick in the first round of the draft belongs to the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens wnet 12-4 in 2011, before defeating the Houston Texans in a playoff game and losing to the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game.


The Ravens' primary needs include the offensive line, linebacker, safety and general youth in several areas.


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





After 14 months, undefeated Shawn Porter more than ready: Boxing Insider

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After a standout amateur career and early success as an undefeated pro, Porter landed in boxing limbo as he has not fought in 14 months. That ends Saturday in Atlantic City, N.J.

shawn porter.JPGShawn Porter of Stow hasn't had a bout in 14 months.

You don't have to tell undefeated Cleveland welterweight Shawn Porter or his father and trainer, Ken, about the vagaries of the fight game.

After a standout amateur career and early success as an undefeated pro, Porter landed in boxing limbo as he has not fought in 14 months. That ends Saturday in Atlantic City, N.J., where Porter (18-0, 13 KOs) takes on 39-year-old Patrick Thompson (18-17-1, 8 KOs) in an eight-rounder on the undercard of the nationally televised Bernard Hopkins-Chad Dawson light heavyweight title fight.

"It has been a lot of ups and downs," said 24-year-old Shawn Porter, when asked if the inactivity was tough to take. "But, no, I'm still young, and I've been training. The last two or three weeks, the enthusiasm has stepped up."

Ken Porter said a contract dispute with promoter Brian Young of Memphis-based Prize Fight was the reason for the disruption. The fighter has separated from Young, who got the boxer 10 bouts in Tennessee and Mississippi.

"Shawn is a free agent," said Ken Porter, who will handle his son's affairs. "It's all behind us now."

Saturday's original opponent was welterweight Dashon Johnson (13-5-3, 4 KOs). Ken Porter said the opponent pulled out of the bout, and they agreed to take on the older Thompson and move up to 154 pounds.

"We didn't want to get pulled off the card," said Ken Porter, referring to the weight issue. "We expect to get a highlight on HBO."

Shawn Porter said he is not concerned with ring rust or putting in rounds with this return. He wants to make an immediate statement to get promoters interested and his career back on the fast track.

"More than anything, I need to look good on HBO and in Atlantic City," said Shawn Porter, who trained for a time in Cincinnati with World Boxing Organization super featherweight champ Adrien Broner. "It's not so much about rounds as performance."

Gloves finale: The 84th Cleveland Golden Gloves amateur tournament wrapped up with a marathon 23-bout show Saturday night at the Brook Park Community Center. With a 30-minute delay to the scheduled 7 p.m. start, plus an intermission, the final match did not end until after 1 a.m.

To that end, first-year Golden Gloves President Terry Gallagher said that issue would be addressed next year with an earlier start in the works. Other than that problem, Gallagher said he was pleased with the overall organization of the tournament.

Ghost sighting: It looks as if Youngstown's Kelly Pavlik (38-2, 33 KOs) will meet Scott Sigmon (22-3, 12 KOs) of Virginia on June 8 as the main bout on the ESPN2 "Friday Night Fights" at the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas. It is the night before Manny Pacquiao faces Timothy Bradley at the MGM Grand. This date: Harold Johnson stopped Von Clay in the second round, knocking him down three times to retain the National Boxing Association light heavyweight title in Philadelphia in 1961. It was the first time the three-knockdown and eight-count rules were used in a championship bout. Friday: The ESPN2 "Friday Night Fights" are in Austin, Texas, where Cleveland's undefeated Yuandale Evans (16-0, 12 KOs) takes on Javier Fortuna (18-0, 13 KOs) of the Dominican Republic in a 10-rounder at 130 pounds. It's the opener at 10 p.m.

The feature is a bout between the Ukraine's Ismayl Sillakh (17-0, 14 KOs) and light heavyweight Denis Grachev (11-0-1, 7 KOs) of Russia.

Showtime's "ShoBox" series comes on an hour later with a super middleweight match between International Boxing Organization champ Thomas Oosthuizen (18-0-1, 13 KOs) and Marcus Johnson (21-1, 15 KOs) in Miami, Okla., at 11 p.m.

Saturday: Heavyweights Seth Mitchell (24-0-1, 18 KOs) and Chazz Witherspoon (30-2, 22 KOs) will open the HBO telecast at 10:15 p.m.

Hopkins (52-5-2, 32 KOs), at age 47, will get his rematch against Dawson (30-1, 17 KOs) in the main contest. After they met last October, the bout was ruled a no contest when Hopkins was injured being thrown to the canvas in the second round.

Tuesday, April 24 television and radio sports listings for Cleveland and Northeast Ohio

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Highlights include Kansas City at the Indians.

chris-perez.jpgChris Perez couldn't protect a lead during the Indians' Opening Day loss to Toronto, but since then, he's converted all six of his save opportunities. The Indians host the Kansas City Royals tonight at 7:05, in a game that will be televised on SportsTime Ohio and broadcast on WTAM/1100-AM.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today's TV and radio sports listings

BASEBALL

Noon LAKE COUNTY CAPTAINS at Kane County, WELW/1330-AM

7:05 p.m. Kansas City at INDIANS, SportsTime Ohio; WTAM/1100-AM

(Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Indians coverage)

7:05 p.m. AKRON AEROS at Bowie, WARF/1350-AM

8 p.m. N.Y. Yankees at Texas, MLB Network

10 p.m. Chicago White Sox at Oakland, WGN

BOWLING

7 p.m. Women’s USBC Queens, ESPN2

CYCLING

5 p.m. Tour de Romandie prologue (tape), NBC Sports Network

NBA

8 p.m. Miami at Boston, TNT

10:30 p.m. Phoenix at Utah, TNT

NHL PLAYOFFS

7:30 p.m. Florida at New Jersey, NBC Sports Network

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