They’re not measurements anymore, apparently—at this week’s NBA combine in Chicago, players underwent, “Anthropometric Tests.” Whatever you want to call them, here’s a look at how the results of those tests shake out.
By Sean Deveney
Sporting News
I'll Have Another could have become horse racing's 12th Triple Crown winner since 1875, but has been scratched from the Belmont Stakes with an injury. Beginning in 1901, there have been 13 total American and National League batters win baseball's Triple Crown.
CLEVELAND, Ohio --- The Triple Crown bid of I'll Have Another is over, not because of falling short on the race track, but because the thoroughbred has been scratched from Saturday's Belmont Stakes with a swollen left front tendon.
I'll Have Another, with jockey Mario Gutierrez, would have had an opportunity to become racing's 12th Triple Crown winner at Belmont Park in New York.
I'll Have Another had won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, the first two legs of the Triple Crown.
The first year all three races were run was in 1875. Thus, there have now been 138 years, including this year, in which a chase at the Triple Crown could have developed.
It's been 34 years since a horse captured all three crowns. Affirmed, with jockey Steve Cauthen, won the Triple Crown in 1978.
Meanwhile, no major league hitter has won baseball's Triple Crown since 1967, when Hall of Fame outfielder Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox led the American League in all three TC categories: batting average (.326); home runs (44); runs batted in (126).
Yaz was the 13th player since 1901 to accomplish the feat. The AL and the National League could each have a player win the Triple Crown in any season. That means 88 potential Triple Crown seasons -- 44 years in each league -- have gone by since a player was first in his league in batting average, homers and RBI.
The National League began operations in 1875. From then through 1900, two players won the Triple Crown. The American League began play in 1901. Going into this season, then, there theoretically could have been 222 Triple Crown winners (two in each league) in the last 111 years.
With nearly four months left in the 2012 major league season, Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton is being mentioned as a Triple Crown candidate. Hamilton, who led the AL in RBI in 2008 and batting average in 2010, is the American League leader in homers (21) and RBI (58), and is second in batting average (.341).
The Cleveland Gladiators are on strike.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Gladiators players officially went on strike at 2 p.m. today, jeopardizing the playing of tonight's game against the Pittsburgh Power that is scheduled to kick off at 8 at The Q.
As of 7:45, it appeared the Power will win by forfeit. An announcement is expected soon.
The Gladiators are striking on behalf of the Arena Football League Players Union, which is seeking better working conditions from the league, backup quarterback Matt Bassuener said.
Bassuener said that, to the best of his knowledge, the Gladiators are the only team carrying through with a strike this weekend.
"I don't think we're going to play tonight,'' Bassuener said in a phone interview with The Plain Dealer at 5:10. "I don't think it can happen. Obviously, there were negotiations between our attorneys and their attorneys this morning. We heard we might get calls. Then, our president came to meet with us and said that if anything hadn't been worked out by 2, it's actually going down.
"As players, we committed to each other that, even at 2, if they want to come to the table and get a deal done last-minute and it's done by 5, we could still get there in time and be safe to play. But it's past 5, and I haven't hear anything, which pretty much makes it clear.''
As of 5 o'clock, Gladiators players remained at their residences. Employees at The Q were preparing for a game; several said they "had no idea'' whether a game would be played.
As of 6:10, there was no official word whether the game will be postponed. Power players were preparing as if everything is on schedule.
"We don't know anything other than, we're supposed to play tonight,'' Power receiver Randy Hymes said. "We're getting ready for a game. We haven't interacted with any of the Gladiators players. They have not told us a thing.''
An assortment of Gladiators personnel was in the hallway outside Cleveland's locker room. Gladiators coach Steve Thonn spoke with an official in an area off-limits to reporters.
As of 7:15, The Plain Dealer had confirmed that Gladiators management did not pursue replacement players. Word in the building was that an announcement was imminent that the Power would win by forfeit. But Gladiators spokesman Phil Tesar said the team still was trying to round up its players.
Starting quarterback John Dutton was one of several players at The Q, but he said he was there simply to speak with Thonn.
"All I will say is, this is an unfortunate situation,'' Dutton said.
Several dozen fans were in the stands. Pittsburgh players went through warm-ups.
Bassuener, an interim executive vice president with the AFL Players Union, sent a letter to various media outlets today. In it, he said the union is focused on achieving a long-term collective bargaining agreement and recently offered a one-year interim deal that would result in net reduction in player compensation.
But Bassuener said in the letter that “the AFL has shown a complete unwillingness to negotiate in good faith. The union has yet to receive a single piece of relevant financial information from the league through which to base our proposals.''
The letter states that the union wants better safety on the field and to “solidify our union's ability to negotiate as partners to the league.”
"I don't even want to be having to talk to you right now, because this is just an unfortunate situation,'' Bassuener said by phone. "But there comes a time when, if there's no progress being made, something's got to happen.''
The Gladiators' strike caught Thonn off-guard -- at least publicly. He told The Plain Dealer by phone at 3:30: "I honestly don't know what's happening at this moment. I wish I knew more, but I don't. I'm supposed to be getting calls soon. If I had any insight, I would let you know.''
Thonn said he was heading to The Q after the phone call.
Gladiators quarterback John Dutton and receivers Robert Redd and Dominick Goodman could not be reached. Gladiators players spoke nothing of a strike to Thonn or the media this week.
The Gladiators are owned by Dan Gilbert, whose Cavaliers ownership group bought them from Jim Ferraro in January. Neither Cavaliers President Len Komoroski nor Gladiators consultant Bernie Kosar could be reached.
Bassuener said the Gladiators are striking on behalf of the union against the league, not Gilbert's ownership. Because the AFL has a single-entity ownership model, players technically are employees of the AFL, not the individual teams.
"We love playing at The Q and would love to have the opportunity to continue to play at The Q, and all that comes with that,'' Bassuener said.
Tangible labor unrest has hovered over the league since the hours leading to the AFL season opener between the Power and Orlando Predators. Players from both teams reportedly went on strike for less than a day; according to Bassuener, the strike never happened. Players from both teams were fired, Bassuener said, then told they could come back to play if they resigned from the union.
A game was, indeed, played with some replacement players on both sides.
"We've been trying to resolve this behind the scenes ever since, but it hasn't happened,'' Bassuener said. "We've gotten nowhere.''
Bassuener said the timing of the Gladiators players' strike is in part tied to solidarity with Pittsburgh players, whom Bassuener said were treated unfairly during the opening-game off-field showdown.
"We want to appeal to the fans and let them know that we love the fans,'' Bassuener said. "We hope to be back out playing soon. But tonight is about our safety and having a voice at the table with the Arena Football League. It has nothing to do with money.''
Hymes said that, if Pittsburgh players had been consulted, they would have advised against a strike.
"Our guys wouldn't have bought into it, because what happened the first time was ugly,'' Hymes said. "I would have told (the Gladiators), 'Do what you do best -- play football.'
"Hopefully, the Gladiators will come to grips with the fact that God blesses you to play this game. And they need to think about the fans. The fans are expecting a game tonight, and if it's not played, you risk turning a lot of them off.''
Tonight's game originally was scheduled to be televised by NFL Network. The league, in what appears to be a pre-emptive strike to a potential strike, decided Thursday to "flex'' the game, meaning it is not on the network.
Arenafan.com reported that negotiations are ongoing as of 6, with nothing new. The league continues to reject an interim deal.
A source familiar with the situation called it "an ill-conceived mess.''
"This never should have happened,'' the source said. "If you think a one-team strike is going to have an impact, you're crazy.''
Westbrook was an Indian from 2001 to June, 2010. Mirabelli says it was a "very thin, weak talent pool," but "I thought we did pretty well." More Indians story links, such as Manny Ramirez's memorable walk-off homer against Dennis Eckersley, with video.
Indians story linksI think considering how it was a very thin, weak talent pool, I thought we did pretty well. We got more upside than I anticipated us getting. I am not saying that they are going to be Major Leaguers as there are no guarantees, but I think we came away with more ceiling than I thought we would going into it.
Here are what blogs from Cleveland and around the country are saying about the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians. Featured today are Deadspin, Waiting For Next Year, Joe Cleveland and Cavs:HQ.
Here are what blogs from Cleveland and around the country are saying about the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians.
"The folks in Northeast Ohio must be pretty stoked this morning. Forty-eight years without a pro sports championship, and just when all looked lost once again, LeBron goes out and does that, and now it's back home for Game 7."
"The Browns imported quite a bit to their offense from this most recent NFL draft between Trent Richardson, Brandon Weeden and right tackle Mitchell Schwartz. Meanwhile Mike Holmgren has been on record predicting a “big jump” for the team this year. If that ever comes to pass, the rookies will certainly be a part of the equation. It’s hard to imagine a scenario where the Browns make a big jump without Trent Richardson being a major factor. In addition to that, it seems to me there is absolutely no way for the team to make a leap without some other breakout performances."
"The Indians will not stand pat. They usually don't at that time of the year. Up until last year, the Tribe was mostly sellers, parting off star players on the verge of free agency to try to replenish their prospects. The trades of Cy Young winners CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee and catcher Victor Martinez in back-to-back years are still hotly debated topics around Cleveland, and those happened two and three years ago.
Last season, the Tribe's 30-15 start prompted new GM Antonetti to become a rare buyer at the deadline. He acquired outfielder Koisuke Fukudome and pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez at the deadline, and then added former Tribe legend Jim Thome in August when injuries depleted the team's bench."
"Beal measured slightly better than expected, allaying some fears that he would come in under 6'3" without shoes like Eric Gordon did a few years ago. But regardless of the measurement, Beal is built close to the ground, and he is going to make a larger impact by driving around and through defenders rather than over them. He is right in that Ray Allen size range, and seems to have sufficient size to be a really good shooting guard.
The bigger concern with Beal is that he has started selling himself as a "combo guard," a guy who can play some point guard as necessary. I am not sure who is telling him to say that, but it is a mistake."
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello reports on his Twitter account that arbitrator Shyam Das ruled in the NFL's favor and dismissed the union's grievance in the bounty case.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns' linebacker Scott Fujita's chances of winning an appeal of his three-game suspension for his alleged role in the New Orleans' Saints bounty system hit yet another snag today.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello reported on his Twitter account that arbitrator Shyam Das ruled in the NFL's favor and dismissed the National Football League Players Association's grievance in the bounty case.
It was the second ruling on a grievance that has gone against the NFLPA.
NFL.com reported Wednesday that the appeals of the four players suspended for the bounty allegations will be held on June 18.
Last week, arbitrator Stephen Burbank ruled that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell does, in fact, have the authority to discipline the players allegedly involved in the Saints' pay-to-injure pool. The union is appealing that ruling.
Fujita, who played for the Saints from 2006-09 before signing a free agent contract with the Browns, will sit out the first three games of the season if the suspension stands up.
There was a sense in James' final days as a Cav that he wouldn't or couldn't take over a big game from the first to the final minute, as he did Thursday.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Could LeBron James have done it here?
I asked myself that while watching James destroying the Boston Celtics with 45 points and 15 rebounds. He scored 30 in the first half as Miami avoided elimination in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, 98-79.
Would that have happened here, had James remained instead of signing with Miami in the summer of 2010? I doubt it.
Sure, he could score 45 on any given night in the NBA. And those 15 rebounds? In his final game in a Cavs uniform, he had 19 rebounds as the Cavs lost, 94-85, in Game 6 of the 2010 Eastern Conference Semifinals in Boston.
That's right, 19 rebounds ... along with 27 points on 8-of-21 shooting.
But there was a sense that night in Boston that James either wouldn't or couldn't take over a big game from the first to the final minute as he did Thursday. Of course, that also has been said about him in his two years with the Heat, at least until Thursday night. Yes, it would be a shocker if Miami loses Game 7 at home to the Celtics, who can probably qualify for AARP discounts at their Miami hotel this weekend.
But maybe not.
Strange things have happened to James and his teams in the playoffs.
LeBron fatigue
Maybe this time, he is motivated to become a champion because no one is interested in any of his excuses.
Had he remained in Cleveland, it always would have been, "They didn't get LeBron enough talent." Or, "The coach doesn't know how to use LeBron." Or, "He plays in Cleveland, and not even LeBron can bring free agents here."
So it was fire the coach (Mike Brown). Allow the general manager (Danny Ferry) to leave. Keep asking LeBron, "Are you happy, what else can we do to make you want to stay?"
By the end of his final season, many had a case of LeBron Fatigue. Was his elbow really hurt? Has Brown lost control of the team? Is James feuding with teammates?
And how could be so passive in that series? He was dreadful in the 120-88 Game 5 loss in what became his final appearance in a Cavs uniform in front of his home court fans. James shot only 3-of-14 for 15 ugly points.
After that game, he said, "I spoil a lot of people with my play." Certainly someone was spoiled, namely the same guy who seemed to grow so cold that he was nearly frozen against Dallas in the 2011 Finals with the Heat.
Thursday, James played as if he had a lot personally at stake -- something that rarely seemed evident here. Perhaps leaving the Cleveland comfort zone and going to his hand-picked team in Miami is what James needs. Obviously, the Heat have more talent than the 2009-10 Cavs, but the difference is not huge.
Besides, James dominated the ball on Thursday, often reducing his teammates to spectators as he made 12 of his first 13 shots ... inside and outside.
Cavs fans have seen it before.
His own game
Some fans wondered if James would have responded better to the stronger hand of current coach Byron Scott. But coaches seem irrelevant to James. He plays his own game, his own way.
He doesn't like to set picks in the pick-and-roll, a play that would be unstoppable with Dwyane Wade handling the ball.
After a while in Cleveland, he didn't want Anderson Varejao to set picks for him. He'd wave away the Cavs big man, preferring to isolate and go one-on-one. The same often happens in Miami as he dribbles down the 24-second clock, looking for a shot or to make a pass right before it expires.
In the meantime, I confess a strong bias to hoping the Cavs can build a true team with young star Kyrie Irving, not around their point guard.
With James, there was a sense of the Cavaliers being stuck. They were too good to get a meaningful draft choice, but not good enough to become a true power. He didn't think he'd win a title here. He began to think that he wasn't being appreciated. For all the thrills on the court, there was a real frustration away from it because of all the baggage and attention that comes with James.
Who knows if these Cavs with Chris Grant and Scott can draft enough players to assemble a homegrown team such as Oklahoma City, but I find it fascinating to watch them try.
As for James, he may finally win a title. Or not.
But I doubt it would have happened here.
You've never seen a Triple Crown champion? Just check out these videos.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Yes, we're pretty bummed, too.
With I'll Have Another's inflamed tendon, the Triple Crown drought extends for a 34th racing season. There's nothing we can do about that, but we can help you enjoy the spectacles of the last three Triple Crown champions.
First, the most recent, in 1978.
Affirmed's third and final neck-and-neck duel with Alydar in the 1978 Belmont
A year earlier, Seattle Slew turned back all comers, particularly in a Belmont Stakes performance that saw a series of rivals get within Slew's hindquarters only to run into an invisible wall that denied any closer access.
So dominant was Slew that jockey Jean Cruget stood up in the saddle with still about 20 yards to go to the wire.
Seattle Slew slays the field in the 1977 Belmont
Then, of course, there is Secretariat. Big Red ended what seemed at the time as an interminable gap of 25 years between Triple Crown winners and remains the horse by which all others are measured.
Secretariat moves "like a tremendous machine" to history in 1973
Maybe next year.
The Tribe head to St. Louis to start a three-game series with the Cardinals. First pitch is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. Get game updates on Twitter from Paul Hoynes, @hoynsie.
The Tribe head to St. Louis to start a three-game series with the Cardinals. First pitch is scheduled for 8:15 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.
Thoroughbred jockey and trainer Tony Rini, 71, says horse racing's Triple Crown is more difficult to win that the Triple Crown of baseball.
By Tony Rini
Special to The Plain Dealer
(Editor's note: Cleveland native Tony Rini, 71, won more than 2,500 races in his stellar 23-year career that began in 1959 at Ascot Park and Thistledown. His career ended in 1982 when an accident left him with a paralyzed left arm and metal rods in his back. After a year of recovery, Rini began his career as a trainer. He races a stable of thoroughbreds at Thistledown. His son, Wade, is a jockey. He contributed this piece before Friday's scratch of I'll Have Another from Saturday's Belmont Stakes.)
To compare the degree of difficulty between thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown and Major League Baseball's Triple Crown is interesting. Both are extremely difficult to achieve, a reason why neither sport has seen a Triple Crown for so long.
But I think horse racing's Triple Crown is not only harder to win, but also as time goes on is getting to be even more of a challenge than being the best in baseball in home runs, batting average and runs batted in.
It's not just because there are more than 20,000 thoroughbred horses born every year, with a large percentage never even making it to the races, much less to their 3-year-old season when they'll be eligible for the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont. It's that the horse that wins all three stakes must be far superior to its competing crop of 3-year-olds.
The short distances of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes work against a Triple Crown winner. With a huge field of 20 horses in the Kentucky Derby, so many bad things can happen. Even a great horse can be interfered with or blocked.
In 1978, I rode Chief of Dixieland against the last Triple Crown winner, Affirmed. Affirmed was at the head of that class in 1978, and so good he was simply toying with his biggest rival, Alydar, in the Triple Crown races. Affirmed still had to be at his best for narrow wins.
Also, with horse racing, injuries are always a factor. Thoroughbred race horses are injury-prone, simply because of the way they're put together. They have to endure the stress of speed and with a jockey on their back, something the average horse never has to experience.
Some say a trainer or jockey enters into the equation, but horses make jockeys and trainers. A top jockey can give a horse a very narrow advantage, but the wrong game plan can cause a horse to lose. A trainer has a better chance of screwing up a horse by either over-training or under-training it. Usually it's over-training.
I realize bats and balls are very different than many years ago. So are golf clubs and golf balls, a reason players can hit a ball a lot farther than ever before.
In this era, however, horses in the U.S. are bred for speed -- not necessarily endurance, as they are in Europe and the rest of the world. Endurance and speed are necessary ingredients for a Triple Crown winner.
A thoroughbred horse weighs between 900 and 1,200 pounds for some of the really big horses. They have thin legs to carry that large body, with bones that really are not designed to sustain that type of speed. It takes a perfect physical specimen to race against the very best over the short five weeks when the Triple Crown races are run.
I could never understand why in 1973 jockey Ron Turcotte allowed Secretariat to win the Belmont in his Triple Crown year by 31 lengths. Turcotte should have eased Secretariat in the stretch and won by five or six lengths.
Having ridden Our Native against Secretariat in the 1973 Arlington Invitational, I can tell you Secretariat was a completely different species of thoroughbred than the rest of the 3-year-olds that year.
There may have been a couple of clumps of Triple Crown winners in horse racing, including Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977) and Affirmed (1978). That was 34 years ago.
The Triple Crown is unlikely to be accomplished by a horse of the future.
-- As told to Plain Dealer Reporter D'Arcy Egan
The Indians open a stretch of six straight games in National League parks tonight. Since there is no DH under NL rules, the Tribe's pitchers have to hit.
ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- For the next six games and nine of the next 15, certain Indians pitchers are going to have to swing the bat. Whether they want to or not.
The Indians start a stretch of six straight interleague road games tonight with a three-game series against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. After this series ends, they'll play a three-game set in Cincinnati from Tuesday through Thursday. All six games will be played in National League parks where the DH is banned.
Then it's back to Progressive Field for a six-game homestand before concluding interleague play for the year with a three-game series in Houston to start a 10-game trip.
"The pitchers have been hitting for two months," said manager Manny Acta. "We're going to let them swing the bat."
Josh Tomlin, who starts against the Cardinals tonight, went 2-for-2 with an RBI last year.
"Tomlin is very good athlete," said Acta. "He can do all that stuff -- bunt and swing the bat. He used to be a position player in his amateur days."
Acta said Ubaldo Jimenez and Derek Lowe, long-time National League pitchers, are good at getting a bunt down in the right situation. Jimenez faces the Cardinals on Sunday.
"Justin Masterson can swing the bat," said Acta. "We saw that last year. Everyone brings a different dimension. Our best (pitcher) athlete, Joe Smith, will probably not even get an at-bat. He probably won't be in the game that long."
Opponent named: Left-hander Jaime Garcia, scheduled to face the Tribe on Sunday, has been placed on the disabled list. The Cardinals will start rookie right-hander Joe Kelley in Garcia's place. He's 2-5 with a 2.86 ERA in 12 starts for Class AAA Memphis.
We miss you Pronk: DH Travis Hafner, on the disabled list after undergoing surgery on his right knee, wouldn't have played in this six-game swing through St. Louis and Cincinnati. But Acta would still love to have him on the bench.
"I'd rather have the big guy coming up as a pinch-hitter in a National League park," he said. "That's a pretty good weapon to have."
Tonight's lineup:
Indians (30-26): RF Shin-Soo Choo (L), SS Asdrubal Cabrera (S), 2B Jason Kipnis (L), C Carlos Santana (S), CF Michael Brantley (L), LF Johnny Damon (R), 1B Casey Kotchman (L), 1B Casey Kotchman, RHP Josh Tomlin (2-3, 5.32).
Cardinals: (30-28): SS Rafael Furcal (S), RF Carlos Beltran (S), LF Matt Holliday (R), 1B Allen Craig (R), 3B David Freese (R), C Yadier Molina (R), 2B Daniel Descalso (L), CF Shane Robinson (R), RHP Jake Westbrook (4-5, 4.23).
Indians vs. Westbrook: Damon is hitting .167 (3-for-18).
Cardinals vs. Tomlin: The Cardinals have never faced Tomlin.
Umpires: H Mike Winters, 1B Wally Bell, 2B Mark Wegner, 3B Brian Knight.
Next: RHP Justin Masterson (2-3, 5.32) vs. RHP Kyle Lohse (5-1, 3.21) Saturday at 7:15 p.m.
Tight end Cameron begins his second season. McCoy, on the Dan Patrick Show, talked about Browns' QB situation, and says he doesn't remember anything from the hit put on him by Steelers' linebacker James Harrison, causing a season-ending concussion. More Browns' story links.
Browns story links"I think he’s flashed out here in a way that we didn’t see him flash last year in training camp," Pat Shurmur said. "I feel like based on what he’s done here in the offseason, he’s positioning himself to make an impact for us.”
He wasn't utilized in 2011, but could see a larger role in 2012 due to injury concerns surrounding Ben Watson and Evan Moore.
His 6'5" frame and excellent athletic ability could earn him significant playing time with rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden's strong arm slinging the ball downfield.
After all, big-target tight ends are usually rookie quarterback's best friends.
On the tube MARBLEHEAD, Ohio -- "My job is to make people want to go fishing," said Hank Parker, the longtime host of "Hank Parker's Outdoors Magazine" on NBC Sports Network and Pursuit Channel. "I love to fish and promote the sport. And there is no better way to spend time with kids." The celebrated bass tournament fisherman has...
MARBLEHEAD, Ohio -- "My job is to make people want to go fishing," said Hank Parker, the longtime host of "Hank Parker's Outdoors Magazine" on NBC Sports Network and Pursuit Channel.
"I love to fish and promote the sport. And there is no better way to spend time with kids."
The celebrated bass tournament fisherman has been a top-rated video angler since starting his show 27 years ago. A survey a few years ago found Parker's wide smile and soft voice was a big hit among young anglers.
It was evident Parker, who has a combined 10 grandchildren with his wife, Martha, instantly found a new fan in Brooke Pitts, 12, of Lancaster, Ohio. Her father, Mark Pitts, an executive at Rocky Boots in Nelsonville, finagled a fishing trip with his daughter and Parker, convincing him that Brooke was surprisingly proficient with a difficult-to-cast bait casting reel.
"I'm not much of a fisherman, and I told Hank that Brooke could never get enough fishing," said Pitts. "Hank offered to include Brooke in a TV shoot."
Parker had been on the road for two weeks but wanted to test the largemouth bass around the western Lake Erie harbors and the smallmouth bass on Lake Erie. The calm winds, warm weather and Parker's passion for bass fishing sealed the deal.
Parker launched at Tibbels Marina on East Harbor just after dawn, a gateway to Lake Erie island area. Joining him was local bass pro Matt Vermilyea, owner of Economical Bass Baits in Perrysburg, to provide a camera boat.
With Brooke Pitts joining Parker on the bow of his bass boat as they left the busy marina, the two began casting whacky worm rigs and quarter-ounce spinnerbaits around breakwalls and weed beds.
It didn't take long for the fish to cooperate. The tall former bass pro and the pint-sized schoolgirl hauled in 2- and 3-pound largemouth bass. Parker's smile and his steady banter never faded through the morning.
Parker fished the Bass Angler Sportsmen's Society pro tournaments for 13 years and competed in 13 straight Bass Masters Classics, tagged the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing, and won the 1979 Classic on Lake Texoma.
"I fished in tournaments and did the TV show for five years, then quit fishing tournaments," said Parker. "Trying to do both simply took all the fun out of the game."
More often than not, Parker fishes for the cameras by himself.
"I like to talk about what I'm doing to catch fish, about boat presentation and the lures that work in certain situations," he said. "It gives me the chance to tell people just what I learned from the last fish. I can tell them that maybe I'm a little thick-headed, like Forrest Gump, and maybe I should have caught one earlier. But I want to tell them what a fish just did, and why.
"You can't do that with a guest."
Parker is pretty sure he knows what he'd be doing if he hadn't had a knack for catching big bass in tournaments.
"I just love redfish," he said, showing off his trademark smile. "If I had gone to Venice, La., when I was 16, I'd still be down there right now in a pair of cut-off blue jeans and a T-shirt, trying to guide.
"My buddy, Capt. Ron Price, had a guide party three or four years ago. Someone asked him if that was Hank Parker still over in that same bay I'd been fishing for hours, catching big bull reds. The guy told Price I'd get tired of it pretty soon."
Price had a short reply. "Nope. He won't."
Josh Tomlin allows two runs in seven innings and the Indians' left-handed lineup produces when it counts Friday night to beat the Cardinals.
When he's right, Tomlin works fast, lives in the strike zone and gets a lot of outs early in the count. He can beat a team and be back in the locker room icing his right shoulder before they realize he's gone.
In the Indians' 6-2 victory over the Cardinals, that's exactly what happened. It took Tomlin only 76 pitches to go seven innings before Tribe manager Manny Acta called for the bullpen.
"Tomlin did a fantastic job," Acta said. "He attacked the strike zone early in the count. I'm sure the Cardinals not being very familiar with him had something to do with it.
"He can sneak up on people who haven't seen him. Before they open their eyes, he's in the seventh inning with 76 pitches, and that was the case tonight."
Tomlin (3-3, 4.96 ERA) allowed two runs on eight hits in seven innings. He threw 68 percent of his pitches for strikes in his first career start against St. Louis.
"I figure everybody swings early against me because they know I throw a lot of strikes," Tomlin said. "For me, it's throwing a quality pitch down in the zone or out of the zone."
Tomlin did more than pitch. He went 1-for-3 with a single in the sixth inning. He's 3-for-5 the past two years in interleague play.
"If you're going to have to hit, you might as well try to be a baseball player," said Tomlin, a former college infielder. "It's fun to be a part of the game on the defensive side and the offensive side."
In the Tribe's first game at Busch Stadium since 2006, Acta went with eight left-handed hitters against former Indian Jake Westbrook (4-5, 4.25). Lefties were hitting .309 (38-for-123) against the Westbrook coming into the game.
The left-handed attack hit only .259 (7-for-27) against Westbrook, but it was enough for the win.
"We better hit the right-handers because we've scuffled against the lefties," Acta said.
The Indians are 26-13 against right-handed starters and 5-13 against lefties.
Westbrook, facing the Indians for the first time in his career, allowed four runs, three earned, on eight hits in six innings. He struck out seven and threw 69 percent of his pitches for strikes.
"We're familiar with Jake," Acta said. "Our guys knew if they tried to pull him, they'd be beating the ball into the ground because he has a good sinker."
The Indians took a 2-0 lead in the first as Asdrubal Cabrera and Jason Kipnis hit consecutive singles to put runners on first and second. Carlos Santana's double off the fence in left made it 1-0 as Kipnis stopped at third.
Michael Brantley's grounder to second made it 2-0.
Westbrook retired eight straight before finding trouble again. Santana started the fourth with a walk. Brantley singled to right to extend his hitting streak to 16 games. It's the longest active streak in the big leagues.
"He's really locked in," Acta said.
Brantley is hitting .361 (22-for-61) during the streak.
Johnny Damon forced Brantley at second on a grounder as Santana advanced to third. Casey Kotchman's grounder to second made it 3-0.
The Indians made it 4-0 with an unearned run in the fifth. Shin-Soo Choo started the inning by reaching base on first baseman Allen Craig's error. It was one of three errors the Cardinals made in the game after arriving in St. Louis at 3:30 a.m. Friday following a 10-game trip.
Singles by Cabrera and Kipnis delivered Choo. It looked like Westbrook might not make it out of the inning, but he caught a break when Santana scorched a ball toward the right-field alley that second baseman Dan Descalso caught with a dive. Westbrook retired the next two batters to end the inning.
Damon padded Tomlin's lead with a two-run homer off Maikel Cleto in the seventh to make it 6-0. It was Damon's second homer as an Indian, the first coming May 27 against the White Sox.
Tomlin came out for the seventh and lost his shutout. Matt Adams hit a two-run, pinch-hit single to center to make it 6-2. Tomlin ended the inning by retiring Carlos Beltran on a high fly ball to the track in right field.
The Indians, 2-2 in interleague play this year, improved to 3-1 on this nine-game trip. They climbed to within a half game of first place in the American League Central following a loss by the Chicago White Sox.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158
On Twitter: @hoynsie
The 30-year-old Pavlik improves his unbeaten streak in Las Vegas to 12-0 with the victory over the lightly regarded Sigmon.
LAS VEGAS — Kelly Pavlik's comeback tour continued with relative ease Friday night at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
The former middleweight champ from Youngstown stopped his second straight opponent, defeating 25-year-old Scott Sigmon by seventh-round TKO after ref Jay Nady was advised by a ringside doctor that a cut over Sigmon's eye was too severe to continue.
"I felt good. I could have probably ended things a little bit earlier, but the kid showed some guts," Pavlik said. "I did what I could do and beat him to a pulp. He took a great punch, a great body shot. I spent a little too much time on the inside thinking that he would get tired. He was in great shape."
The 30-year-old Pavlik (39-2, 34 KOs) improved is unbeaten streak in Sin City to 12-0 with the victory over the lightly regarded Sigmon (22-4, 12 KOs)'.
"The Ghost" certainly was more spectacular against the Virginia native than he was a year ago when he held off Alfonso Lopez by majority decision in Las Vegas.
Perhaps it was Sigmon's "Ghostbuster's" theme song during his walkout that irked Pavlik. Sigmon didn't gain any brownie points before the bout when he blasted Pavlik on Facebook, Twitter and in numerous media outlets after an earlier spring matchup between the two never materialized.
That showed from the opening bell as Pavlik, who ended a 10-month layoff on March 31 with a second-round knockout of Aaron Jaco in San Antonio, pushed the pace.
He controlled Sigmon in the first round with his jab and powerful body blows.
Things went much the same in the second stanza as Pavlik staggered Sigmon with a left hook. While his younger opponent looked for openings, Pavlik began teeing off with stronger punches and bloodied Sigmon's nose during the round.
Pavlik started stalking Sigmon, the heavy underdog who had never fought a championship-level opponent before, at the beginning of the third. Sigmon, however, was able to slow Pavlik's attack a bit by getting inside and holding onto the long-armed Pavlik.
After more tie-ups in the fourth a fan in the audience yelled at Sigmon, "You know you want to quit."
Sigmon, who was tied up on the ropes, yelled back through is mouthpiece, "No I don't."
He tried to show his energy by jumping off the ropes and mounting a quick offensive in the fifth. However, his short shots from the inside didn't seem to faze Pavlik, who answered with a series of big body shots before bloodying Sigmon's head, much to the crowd's delight.
Sigmon held on despite heavier shots in the sixth, but a big right hand from Pavlik ended the seventh round. The doctor took a look at the cut and initially decided to allow Sigmon to continue, but the contest was called a minute later.
"It was good. The kid took a beating, but it was good for us," said Pavlik's trainer, Robert Garcia. "We needed the rounds. He started off the first round a little jumpy with his punches, but he corrected that right away.
"He had a great performance. We're going back to watch the fight to see what we can correct, but it was a good night."
Pavlik credits a great deal of his improvement over the past year to his newly acquired trainer. The Oxnard, Calif.-based Garcia said Pavlik picked up steam in his second camp under his tutelage.
"The first time it took us a couple of weeks to really get adjusted. This time he came in like it's his home," said Garcia, who replaced Pavlik's longtime trainer Jack Loew.
"The first time after being off for more than a year, he was little more tired. It was more difficult to get started. In between these camps he only took two weeks off, so it's a lot easier to stay in great shape. He was fresh and ready to go."
Popular light heavyweight and Notre Dame grad Mike Lee got the card going with a unanimous decision victory over Eliseo Durazo. Undefeated Las Vegan Jesse Magdaleno followed up with a first-round TKO over Carlos Valcarcel in a super bantamweight bout.
Andy Samuelson, Special to The Plain Dealer
Kevin Millwood leaves the game after six innings with an injury, and five relievers combine to finish the no-hitter.
SEATTLE — Kevin Millwood and five relievers combined on the third no-hitter in Seattle Mariners history, a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night.
The no-hitter was the fourth in the majors this season, joining gems pitched by the Angels' Jered Weaver, the Mets' Johan Santana and White Sox right-hander Philip Humber, who threw a perfect game at Seattle in April.
But this one was the least conventional, tying the record for most pitchers in a no-hitter.
"Those guys got all the tough outs," Millwood said. "First six, it is what it is. I've seen a lot of people do that. From seven, eight, nine -- those guys got all those outs and that was special to see."
Exactly a week after Santana pitched the first no-hitter in Mets history, Millwood cruised through six innings, giving up only a walk. But after throwing his first warmup pitch for the seventh he felt a twinge in his groin and was pulled.
Seattle's bullpen never wavered, finishing the no-hitter when Tom Wilhelmsen retired Andre Ethier on a routine grounder to second base that ended a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
"That was unbelievable. I've never been a part of anything like that with that many guys coming in and keeping the no-hitter intact," said Kyle Seager, who drove in Ichiro Suzuki with a two-out single in the seventh.
The Dodgers nearly got a hit when speedy Dee Gordon led off the ninth with a slow roller to shortstop. Brendan Ryan, who had just entered as a defensive replacement, charged in and fired to first, where umpire Ted Barrett called Gordon out on a bang-bang play.
Gordon and manager Don Mattingly argued. Replays were inconclusive.
Elian Herrera then lined out to Ryan before Ethier's grounder ended the first no-hitter for the Mariners since Chris Bosio pitched one against Boston on April 22, 1993. Seattle's other no-hitter was thrown by Randy Johnson against Detroit on June 2, 1990.
"I just tried to block it out, stay within myself and execute pitches," Wilhelmsen said after earning his third save. "How tremendous was that, man?"
It was the 10th combined no-hitter in big league history and the first since six Astros accomplished the feat at Yankee Stadium on June 11, 2003. Roy Oswalt started that interleague game for Houston but left two pitches into the second inning with a strained right groin.
The 37-year-old Millwood, who spent much of last season in the minors, threw a no-hitter all his own for the Philadelphia Phillies against San Francisco on April 27, 2003.
After the final out of this one, catcher Jesus Montero ran around with his arms in the air and jumped into Wilhelmsen's arms for a somewhat-awkward celebration.
But this was no ordinary feat: The Dodgers entered with the best record in the majors and the second-highest batting average in the National League.
"This was a lot better than having it against you, that's for sure," said Seager, whose brother Corey was selected by the Dodgers in the first round of Monday's amateur draft.
Millwood came out to warm up before the seventh when the game took an odd turn. He threw one warmup pitch and stopped himself from throwing a second as he felt something wrong. Mariners manager Eric Wedge and trainer Rick Griffin came out to check on Millwood, who was replaced by Charlie Furbush.
It was later announced that Millwood had a mild right groin strain. The right-hander, who struck out six and threw 68 of Seattle's 114 pitches, said he actually felt it on the next-to-last pitch of the sixth.
Furbush retired Gordon to start the seventh, but committed a two-base throwing error on Herrera's grounder, giving the Dodgers their first scoring chance. Furbush struck out Ethier, and Wedge went to hard-throwing rookie Stephen Pryor (1-0) to face Juan Rivera.
Rivera went down on strikes but Pryor started the eighth by walking Bobby Abreu and Jerry Hairston Jr. on nine pitches. Lucas Luetge was next in line and got the first out of the inning on James Loney's sacrifice bunt.
That brought up A.J. Ellis and Seattle turned to one-time closer Brandon League, recently demoted from that role. League got Ellis to hit a sinking liner to left and defensive replacement Chone Figgins made a running catch. His strong throw home kept pinch-runner Alex Castellanos at third base.
League then struck out Tony Gwynn Jr. to end the inning.
"Really, I had visions of winning that game without a hit," Mattingly said. "First and second, I'm thinking wild pitch, sac fly. With League in the game, that split, you never know."
The previous no-hitter against the Dodgers was thrown by Atlanta's Kent Mercker on April 8, 1994. Weaver and Jose Arredondo combined to hold the Dodgers hitless for eight innings in a 1-0 Dodgers win in 2008, but that game doesn't count as a no-hitter under the rules baseball adopted in 1991 because the Angels only had to pitch eight innings.
Seattle's run came in the seventh inning thanks to a two-out rally started by Suzuki's infield single. He stole second, Dustin Ackley walked and Seager came through with his 23rd two-out RBI of the season. His line-drive single off reliever Scott Elbert (0-1) glanced off the glove of a leaping Gordon and dropped in left field.
Millwood also took a no-hitter into the sixth inning May 18 at Colorado and finished with a two-hitter. He retired his first 12 batters Friday before a leadoff walk to Rivera in the fifth.
The closest the Dodgers came to a hit off Millwood was Gordon's bunt leading off the fourth. Seager ran in from third for a fine barehanded pickup and threw out Gordon by a half-step.
"At that point of the game, it was still so early," Seager said.
The next time you travel domestically or abroad, pack a Browns cap and see what social doors are you are unable to unlock. Call it creative marketing.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- My colleague tried to mask her annoyance when I walked into an Italian joint in a fancy Toronto entertainment district last February wearing a coat, a tie and a Browns ball cap.
The restaurant had received some mean online customer reviews suggesting that the food was good but that the staff was condescending. I thought that setup created a perfect opportunity to use a ball cap to test my new hypothesis that the Browns helmet logo remains a form of international social currency.
I wasn't trying to be an "ugly American," but I had work to do.
As soon was we entered the dimly lit, exposed-brick converted warehouse with a high ceiling, we were approached by the maitre d' who inquired about our reservations in a tone best described as deeply skeptical. He was making quick judgments.
Then his eyes rested on the orange logo on my ball cap, and a very different expression came over his face. He no longer struck the pose of someone attempting to guard the doors. He was all of a sudden a fan – a Browns fan.
"Cleveland Browns. I know a lot about your team's history," Christian announced with a broad smile.
"I know all about The Drive, The Fumble and what John Elway did to you guys. I know all about the team's move to Baltimore and how your city got another team," he said, lessening the smile, so as not to appear to enjoy our pain.
"You guys are some of the best fans in the world."
I winked at my colleague and resisted an urge to gloat as Christian led us to one of the better tables in the restaurant and immediately starting sending complimentary glasses of champagne.
It turns out that Christian is a devoted sports fan, mostly of basketball and soccer, but he also knows his NFL football, especially the Browns. He's never been to Ohio. It's just something, he said, he picked up along the way.
Amazingly, we did a quick form of bonding, because of a hat.
That same Browns cap served me well in recent months as I've traveled. Sports are a form of social currency, and the Browns brand remains remarkably well known in sundry places. What I found interesting, if not encouraging, about the international sports fans I encountered in Latin America and Turkey (places where soccer is called football) was that they didn't just refer to our hometown team as the "Browns." They referred to them by the full name: The "Cleveland Browns."
I like that. It suggests that the sporting brand, as well as the city's name, still registers and commands respect, at least among sports fans.
Not only did I find men in Argentina, Brazil and Turkey who wanted to discuss the Browns with me. They also routinely used the Cleveland connection to segue into delightful riffs on the man who now plays for the Miami Heat.
That's the point here: People who have little in common and who may have a limited connection or understanding of a country and its politics are somehow able to find a connection through culture, especially the culture of sports. And those are connections at which Cleveland continues to excel. We are an identifiable and loyal brand, even though our football team, especially, has given us precious little to cheer in decades.
We have shrunk as a city and continue to struggle with our identity. Yet, through sports, we still cast a surprisingly familiar shadow on the world stage. Few cities in the world our size (if any) boast the wide array of cultural, sporting and educational offerings we bring to the table. That's what continues to make us remarkable and, yes, competitive.
We can't forget that.
The next time you travel domestically or abroad, pack a Browns cap (even to Pittsburgh -- I've done it) and see what social doors you are unable to unlock. It's the little things that help build relationships and cities.
Thanks to that beat-up old Brown's cap, a maitre d' in Toronto now says he wants to visit Cleveland, in part, because this "social scientist" wore a cap into his restaurant.
Call it creative marketing.
Highlights include Indians at St. Louis, Kent State at Oregon in a Super Regional game, and Game 7 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals -- Boston at Miami.
CLEVELAND, Ohio
Today's TV and radio sports listings
AUTO RACING
11 a.m. Pocono 400 qualifying, Speed Channel
1 p.m. Canadian Grand Prix qualifying, Speed Channel
2:30 p.m. Pocono 200 (tape), Speed Channel
4:30 p.m. EMCO Gears Classic, Speed Channel
8 p.m. Firestone 550, NBCSN
1 a.m. Global Rallycross Championship (tape), ESPN2
BASEBALL
4 p.m. Houston at Chicago White Sox, WGN
4 p.m. Washington at Boston, MLB Network
7:15 p.m. INDIANS at St. Louis, WJW; AM/1100
7:05 p.m. Altoona at AKRON AEROS, AM/1350
7:05 p.m. LAKE COUNTY CAPTAINS at Lansing, AM/1330
10 p.m. Oakland at Arizona, MLB Network
COLLEGE BASEBALL SUPER REGIONALS
Noon Stony Brook vs. Louisiana State, ESPN2
2 p.m. North Carolina State vs. Florida, ESPNU
3 p.m. Saint John's vs. Arizona, ESPN2
5 p.m. Arkansas vs. Baylor, ESPNU
6 p.m. Florida State vs. Stanford, ESPN2
8 p.m. Oklahoma vs. South Carolina, ESPNU
9 p.m. Texas Christian vs. UCLA, ESPN2
11 p.m. KENT STATE at Oregon, ESPNU
CYCLING
11:30 p.m. Criterium du Dauphine, stage 6 (tape), NBCSN
12:30 a.m. Tour de Suisse, stage 1 (tape), NBCSN
GOLF
7:30 a.m. Nordea Masters, Golf Channel
2 p.m. Wegmans Championship, Golf Channel
3 p.m. St. Jude Classic, WOIO
7:30 p.m. The Tradition (tape), Golf Channel
GYMNASTICS
1 p.m. Visa Championships, WKYC
HOCKEY
3 p.m. AHL finals, Game 4, Norfolk at Toronto, CBSSN
8 p.m. NHL finals, Game 5, Los Angeles at New Jersey, WKYC
HORSE RACING
3 p.m. Belmont Stakes undercard, NBCSN
4:30 p.m. Belmont Stakes, WKYC
MOTORSPORTS
5 p.m. AMA Motocross, NBCSN
NBA PLAYOFFS
8:30 p.m. East finals, Game 7, Boston at Miami, ESPN
SOCCER
11:45 a.m. Euro 2012, Netherlands vs. Denmark, ESPN
2:30 p.m. Euro 2012, Germany vs. Portugal, ESPN
TENNIS
9 a.m. French Open, women's final, WKYC
TRACK AND FIELD
3 p.m. adidas Grand Prix, WKYC
Behold our friendly columnist's stream of consciousness on athletes who let the good times flow a little too much.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The term "Whiz Kids" in sports originally referred to the 1950 Philadelphia Phillies, a band of precocious, pennant-winning bonus babies who averaged just over 26 years of age. The term has since acquired more sinister connotations, based less on "kids" than "whiz."
Two Ohio State football players, senior tight end Jake Stoneburner and junior tackle Jack Mewhort, have been suspended indefinitely by the team until the resolution of second-class misdemeanor charges filed against them. The new "Whiz Kids" allegedly double-bogeyed the area outside a tavern called the Bogey Inn near the Muirfield Village Golf Course in suburban Dublin in the wee-wee hours (2:30 a.m.) of the morning of June 2.
Both players, along with a third man not affiliated with the OSU football team, fled on foot from Shawnee Hills police. Two of the suspects were found hiding between cars in a parking lot used for the golf tournament. The third gave himself up after a chase in the woods when his pursuers threatened to use police dogs. Pleas that the young gentlemen were merely watering the greens were unavailing. The suspects will be arraigned Monday in Delaware County.
One supposes that had Stoneburner, who will be a prominent part of new coach Urban Meyer's whiz-bang offense this fall, and Mewhort, the Buckeyes' best returning offensive lineman, been from Yellow Springs, home of Antioch College, their actions might have been construed simply as displays of school spirit.
They are hardly the first football players to be nabbed. Texas has an illegal irrigation problem, too. Decades ago, police arrested Dallas Cowboys quarterback Craig Morton after spotting him in the act of "sprinkling the infield" behind a billboard.
In the same general time period, Darrell Royal, the celebrated University of Texas coach listened, unimpressed, to a long monologue before the 1972 Cotton Bowl by Penn State's Joe Paterno, who said his scrawny little team had scant chance, even though it had no less than Franco Harris in the backfield. Said Royal, "Joe, you're peein' on my leg."
Locally, ESPN's Gary Miller, while covering the 1997 American League Championship Series between the Indians and Baltimore, was charged with public indecency at a nightclub in The Flats called the Basement. Skirting the long men's room lines, Miller used a nearby window instead. Unfortunately, an off-duty policeman stood outside -- and below -- it.
Clearly, this new concept of "streaming sports" must be curtailed. Still, it's not as if the two Buckeyes were apprehended with a "Whizzinator," a device designed to foil drug tests with powdered, "clean" urine, as was former Minnesota Vikings running back Onterrio Smith in 2005.
Some people in sports have things to hide, some don't. Years before the baseball players union finally agreed to drug testing, former Indians manager Pat Corrales had no problem with the idea. "They can test me all they want. All they'll find is Colorado Kool-Aid," said Corrales, referring to Coors beer.
A former NBA coach in the 1960s, who shall remain nameless, once explained how to avoid the fate of Stoneburner and Mewhort, even when behind the wheel of a car. His method was to pull to the side of the road, use the car to shield his lower body from the view of passing drivers, raise the hood, and peer intently under it, all while adjusting his own fluid levels.
It is difficult to consider Stoneburner and Mewhort archfiends, even after the torrent of scandals in Columbus in the past year. Many men -- whether on a golf course, or in the woods hunting (but preferably not while fishing), or even on the wetlands around the Bogey Inn -- have, from time to time, stepped outside mainstream practices.
On Twitter: @LivyPD
Sharapova won the trophy at Roland Garros about three years after dropping as low as 126th in the rankings after shoulder surgery that threatened her career.
PARIS -- The picture she posed for at the beginning foreshadowed a mismatch in the making: 6-foot-2 Maria Sharapova standing at the net, towering over an opponent nearly 10 inches smaller than her.
The pictures snapped at the end told a different story: Sharapova, down on her knees after a tougher-than-expected win, head buried in her hands, celebrating after completing a comeback three years in the making and cementing her name among the greatest in tennis.
The Russian star won the French Open on Saturday, defeating her tiny Italian opponent, Sara Errani, 6-3, 6-2, in the final at Roland Garros to complete the career Grand Slam.
"I believe in my game," Sharapova said. "I think that's one of the reasons I'm sitting here with my fourth one and winning Roland Garros, because I always believed I could be a better player."
Second-seeded Sharapova, who was guaranteed of moving to No. 1 in the rankings regardless of the result, jumped to a quick 4-0 lead against the 21st-seeded Errani, who was in her first Grand Slam final. But Errani battled back on a cool, blustery day in Paris, turning what had the makings of a blowout into an 89-minute endurance contest, filled with long rallies that forced Sharapova to find another gear.
Eventually, Sharapova's bigger serve and bigger groundstrokes wore down the 5-41/2 Errani.
"She won many points with her serve or in the first two or three shots," Errani said. "It was difficult. I couldn't play long points like I wanted to play."
When Errani netted a short backhand on the third match point, Sharapova dropped gingerly to the clay to start the celebration, then reached back and looked heavenward -- a long, hard road back to the top finally capped with the only major title that had eluded her.
Sharapova won the trophy at Roland Garros about three years after dropping as low as 126th in the rankings after shoulder surgery that threatened her career. She rededicated herself to the game and made a special effort to improve on red clay, the surface on which she moved to 16-0 this year.
Chris Evert on the meaning of Maria Sharapova's French Open title
She did it knowing it wasn't really necessary. She's a millionaire many times over, her endorsement cachet full -- as comfortable on the red carpet as she now is on the red clay.
"I've had so many outs and I could've said I don't need this," she said. "I could've said, 'I've got the money, I've got the fame, I've got the career victories and Grand Slams.' But when your love for the game is bigger than those things, that's when you continue to get up."
She added this year's French Open title to championships at Wimbledon in 2004, the U.S. Open in 2006 and the Australian Open in 2008 to become only the 10th woman to win all four major tournaments, joining players such as Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Serena Williams and Billie Jean King.
It was Sharapova's 27th overall career title. She'll be back at No. 1 in the WTA rankings Monday for the first time since June 2008, though this win reminded her of a scene a few years before that.
Back in 2004, Sharapova was 17, just becoming a name on the tennis scene when she swept into Roland Garros and made a surprise trip to the quarterfinals. A preview of things to come: A month later, she won Wimbledon and everyone knew her name.
"I thought when I won Wimbledon at 17, that would be the most treasured moment in my career," she said. "But when I fell down on my knees today, I realized this is extremely special, even more so."
The lopsided score in the final wasn't all that unexpected, given the size, experience and power advantage Sharapova brought to her first meeting with Errani. But really, the score didn't tell the whole story.
Errani, who won the doubles title Friday and will move to the top 10 in singles for the first time Monday, struck a victory for any athlete, from the pros to the playground, who has ever looked up at an opponent towering over them by a foot and said, "Hey, maybe I can do this."
Despite spinning serves in at 70-80 mph, while Sharapova was topping out in the 115 mph range, Errani played Sharapova toe-to-toe for the better part of the hour and a half, especially after she overcame the jitters in the shaky opening games.
Eventually, Sharapova's power game won out but Errani fought to the bitter end -- showing the savvy to hit two drop shots that won points in the final game, each of them sending Sharapova scrambling toward the net, only to arrive a split second late.
Still, Sharapova finished the match with 25 winners from the baseline compared to four for Errani, while committing 29 unforced errors to 11 for her opponent. Sharapova also led in aces, 6-0, including one that set up the third and final match point -- the one match point that had been missing in an otherwise stellar career.
"It's a long journey," she said. "It started from a very young age and it's not over yet. I'm not sitting here and saying I'm done because I'm far from it. I have a lot more in me to achieve."
