The big question on Florida shooting guard Bradley Beal was how big he was, and the answer is 6-4 3/4. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Bradley Beal is winning over a lot of people.

Basketball executives breathed a sigh of relief when the Florida shooting guard measured 6 feet, 4 3/4 inches in his shoes at the NBA combine in Chicago, and reporters and fans come away impressed with every interview he does.

"I like him," said Chris Monter, the Alliance native who is editor and publisher of College Basketball News and Monter Draft News. "He's a really good kid off the court."

On the court, Beal is seen as the top shooting guard in next week's draft, and all indications are that the Washington Wizards plan to take him with the third pick, with New Orleans taking Kentucky power forward Anthony Davis at No. 1 and Charlotte likely choosing Kentucky small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist at No. 2.

However, should Charlotte trade its pick or take Kansas power forward Thomas Robinson, it's possible the Wizards would take Kidd-Gilchrist, leaving the Cavaliers to choose between Beal and North Carolina small forward Harrison Barnes.

"Beal obviously has a very bright future ahead of him, as he already shows excellent fundamentals, a versatile skill-set, a high basketball IQ, and great maturity, despite the fact that he doesn't turn 19 till the day of the 2012 draft," Jonathan Givony, president of DraftExpress.com, wrote on his Web site. "While not oozing with upside, he gets rave reviews from every coach he's worked with, and should continue to improve on his all-around polish in time, making him a relatively low-risk high-reward type prospect."

The best

Bradley Beal, Florida, 6-4 3/4, 201.8: Everything you'd want in a shooting guard -- smooth, fluid, mobile. He has great form on his shot, although he didn't have great results this season (44 percent overall, 34 percent from 3-point range.)

NBC Sports Network video with Bradley Beal

Breaking sports news video. MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL highlights and more.

Best of the rest

Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut, 6-5 1/4, 179.2: Another proven scorer whose clutch shooting helped Connecticut to the 2011 NCAA title. Good size and athleticism, improved his ability to make plays off the dribble this year. Needs to get stronger and tougher.

Austin Rivers, Duke, 6-5, 202.8: A talented player who can create his own shot and get to the rim. Will take and make clutch shots, as he did to beat North Carolina. Not a great athlete or a great defender.

Dion Waiters, Syracuse, 6-4, 221: The one word used to describe him more often than any other is "explosive." Scouts like his body and his strength and the fact that he can create his own shot and/or shoot over people.

Evan Fornier, France, 6-6, 206: Could be the only international player drafted in the first round this year. A hard worker with a decent shot, there are questions about his toughness.

Others to watch: Terrence Ross, Washington; Quincy Miller, Baylor; John Jenkins, Vanderbilt; Doron Lamb, Kentucky; Will Barton, Memphis.

Will the Cavs take one? Adding scoring is a priority, whether they add it in the form of a shooting guard like Beal, or a small forward like Harrison Barnes. Since one of the team’s goals is to get more athletic on the wings, it would appear adding a shooting guard would have to be in the plans.

On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider

LeBron James has changed his game and now is closing in on a championship.

View full sizeMike Segar, Associated PressLeBron James is averaging 30.5 points, 9.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists in a remarkable playoff run for the Heat. His ability to finally excel in the biggest moments is the final step to getting his ring, says Terry Pluto.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- LeBron James is on the verge of his first NBA title -- or being a part of the team that would have the biggest collapse in the history of the NBA Finals.

Don't bet on James and the Miami Heat being the first NBA team to be up 3-1 in the best-of-seven finals and then lose the title. Not this year, and not with how James is playing.

At the age of 27 -- yes, he's still that young -- and in his ninth NBA season, James seems to have figured out what it takes to win big games on the biggest stage.

Yes, the Miami Heat are a talented team. James' teammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are legitimate All-Stars. Shane Battier, Mike Miller, Udonis Haslem and Mario Chalmers are outstanding role players who would start for many teams. But most of this group was together a year ago.

The Big Three of Wade, Bosh and James entered Game 4 of the 2011 Finals with a 2-1 lead over Dallas. With 10 minutes left in that game, the Heat were in front by nine points.

But they lost that game, 86-83, then the next two games. They lost a title to an aging Dallas team that suddenly became America's basketball favorites because Miami arrogance was such that it made Mavericks boisterous owner Mark Cuban seem humble.

Most Cavaliers fans loved every moment, especially those final, fateful minutes.

That was then

The NBA has defined a "clutch" performance as what a player does in the final five minutes of a game when the score is within five points. In the Dallas series, James didn't score a single point in 18 of those minutes. Not even a free throw.

He also seemed frozen, as he didn't drive to even draw a foul and earn a trip to the foul line. He took seven shots and missed them all. In those 18 minutes, his team was outscored by 16 points.

Many Ohio fans smiled and nodded, thinking back to his final playoff series with the Cavs in 2010. Especially Game 5 of the second round against Boston, when James shot 3-of-14 from the field, scored 15 ugly points and looked utterly bored as Boston embarrassed the Cavs, 120-88, at The Q.

The Cavs were up 2-1 in that Boston series, then lost the last three games. Just as Miami did to Dallas. James was 18-of-53 (34 percent) from the field in the final three games of the Boston series, and a lot more seemed wrong than a lack of a supporting cast to help him.

That's what happened in last year's Dallas series, only James couldn't fault his teammates or the front office. He picked his team, thanks to free agency.

This is now

There have been 11 "clutch" minutes in the 2012 Finals, and James has drilled Oklahoma City for 14 points. He's 5-of-6 at the foul line. Outscored by 16 points on the court last year, the Heat is plus-16 this season.

According to ESPN, James' average shot during clutch time last year was a prayer of a 23-foot jumper. It's a 16-footer this year. The reason for the change? James has changed his game. He is playing more inside, with his back to the basket and daring anyone to stop him.

He's playing desperate, and he's playing determined. He's quit messing around. Listed at 6-foot-8 and 250 pounds, the massive James appears taller and heavier. He also can be the strongest man in the NBA when headed to the basket.

All the things that coaches from Paul Silas to Mike Brown to Eric Spoelstra have been asking him to do -- he's suddenly doing. OK, he still doesn't like the pick-and-roll play where he sets a pick. But he's moving without the ball to catch passes near the hoop. He's positioning himself at the low post -- so sturdy, it seems an elephant couldn't move him -- and scoring inside.

He's not shying away from the foul line (worried about missing as he did a year ago). He's piling up the free throws. He averaged 11.4 attempts in the Boston series, 9.3 vs. Oklahoma City, and is making 81 percent in the Finals.

Now what?

For some Cavaliers fans, it's painful to watch James respond with 40 points, 18 rebounds and nine assists, as he did when the Heat were down, 2-1, vs. Indiana. Or to see James deliver 45 points and 15 rebounds when down, 3-2, to Boston. Miami won the final two games with James averaging 38 points and 13.5 rebounds.

It hurts to see James so serious, as if he truly appreciates that playoff opportunities are few and it's so hard to win a title. He's playing like a man who knows that his time is now. With the Cavs, there was always a sense of "next year" for James.

Next year, the team will make changes to help him.

Next year, he will be a year older, a better player.

Next year, maybe they'll hire a new coaching staff.

Next year there would always be more excuses, more explanations and more exoneration for James when it didn't happen in Cleveland.

James was a great player for the Cavs, a two-time MVP who took the team to the 2007 Finals. He had some incredible playoff performances, such as 48 points against Detroit in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. But with the Cavs, there was always a next year.

But there may not be a next year like this year for the Heat. Wade is an old 30 thanks to all his injuries. The team is a salary cap mess for the next few seasons. James knows he has to make it happen now.

Cavaliers fans have to realize he never would have had this same mindset had he remained in the Cleveland cocoon. One thing going to Miami did was take James out of the realm of Waiting for Next Year.

If James does finally win a title, he's earned it.

But that doesn't mean Cavs fans have to like it. They wish he had played the same tough, mature inside game when he was here.

Struggling at the plate, the KSU outfielder has made an impact with key defensive plays.

View full sizeEric Francis, Associated PressThis grab by Kent State center fielder Evan Campbell was just one of several big plays Campbell has provided the Flashes in their memorable postseason run.

OMAHA, Neb. -- Evan Campbell's batting average of .316 is a sure indication the Kent State center fielder knows how to put the bat on the ball.

But in NCAA Tournament play, his hits have been few and far between. Going into Wednesday night's game against South Carolina, the junior was hitting a miserly .132 in eight NCAA Tournament games.

Yet he has had his moments. Campbell's game-deciding home run against Kentucky was one of his five hits. He has gotten on base enough to score seven of Kent's 35 runs in tournament play. He has been a highlight reel defensively in center.

"Usually, I'm a hitter and defense comes second," Campbell said. "But they always stress to us that you can make more of an impact with your glove than you can with your bat. Obviously, it's been no secret my bat's been asleep the last couple of games. So I'm trying to do as much as I can on defense."

The first memorable defensive play was the game-ending out in Kent's 7-6 Super Regional victory over Oregon. It was literally a game-saving play, as the bases were loaded with Ducks in the bottom of the ninth.

Evan Campbell's catch to stop Oregon in Game 1

Against Florida, Campbell dove at the last second to rob Brian Johnson in the sixth inning.

"That one, I think, was better than the Oregon one," KSU head coach Scott Stricklin said. "We kind of got on him about the Oregon one. I don't know if he needed to dive on that one. He made that a little more dramatic than he needed to. But that one [against Florida] was a great one. Just an unbelievable catch. A big momentum. He's on second base with nobody out if Evan doesn't make that catch."

All of this is being done by a first-time outfielder. Campbell was recruited to Kent as an infielder, and only this season made the switch.

"He's a great athlete," Stricklin said. "That's why we recruited him as a shortstop. We put him out in center and he's gotten progressively better every single day. He's a clutch player."

If Campbell can now get his bat going again, he can become even more of threat.

Back in stride: After getting four hits in its CWS loss to Arkansas, Kent State collected 12 hits against Florida to mark the 40th time this season the Flashes have tallied 10 or more hits. Senior catcher David Lyon led the way with a triple, two singles and an RBI.

Senior shortstop Jimmy Rider, the MAC's all-time hits leader with 353, added a double and two singles for his team-leading 32nd multi-hit game of the season. He also extended his single-season records for hits (106) and doubles (30). Junior first baseman and Louisville Slugger Second Team All-America pick George Roberts went 2-for-4 with two RBI with his 31st multi-hit game.

Did you know: Kent State's 5-4 victory over No. 1 Florida was the second time a MAC school has defeated a team ranked No. 1 in a primary fall (football), winter (basketball) or spring (baseball) sport in conference history. Both were done by Kent State baseball. On March 16, 2003, Kent defeated No. 1 and undefeated Georgia Tech on the road, 5-3.

But the MAC has had other chances in basketball. Ball State took No. 1 (AP) and eventual national champion UNLV to the final seconds before losing, 69-67 in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in 1990. Just over a decade later, Ball State led No. 1 Duke late in the Maui Invitational before 7-0 center Lonnie Jones, suffering asthma, went to the bench, paving the way for an 83-71 Duke win.

Scott Fujita and his former Saints' teammates might be right about aspects of the NFL's bounty investigation, but they don't have much of a case.

View full sizeAP fileIs Roger Goodell a hanging judge of NFL discipline who can't be objective in handing down punishment? Maybe, or maybe not, says Bud Shaw. But what's clear is that the players union agreed to Goodell's authority in the latest labor settlement, so complaints from the targets of the Saints bounty probe seem a bit off-target.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- If it's their day in court they seek, they should be careful what they hope for ...

Scott Fujita claims the NFL has embarked on a "smear campaign." A Hanging Commissioner might seem capable of that.

Roger Goodell is the Hugging Commissioner, too. Would the same guy who all but slow dances with draft picks scapegoat veterans for his own gain?

Why? Because of the concussion lawsuits the league is facing? Then why only four players?

Fujita, Jonathan Vilma, Anthony Hargrove and Will Smith contend their suspensions are short on "due process." If they mean legal due process, they're right.

(Actually, most fans -- we'll call them taxpayers in this case -- are happy this isn't being fought out in court at their expense. The Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds trials were big wastes of money.)

The league has followed the letter of the collective bargaining agreement players signed 10 months ago. That's the only process that matters. Courts in general are hesitant to overturn the terms of negotiated contracts anyway. Fujita contends he never contributed to an injury pool, just a general pool rewarding interceptions, fumble recoveries, etc. The NFL hasn't produced any evidence disputing that.

His suspension, though -- when compared to those of the other players -- appears to take his claim into account. A team leader contributing to an incentive program outside the collective bargaining agreement is a punishable offense. On another team, one not remotely suspected of running a bounty program paying for "cart offs" and such, three games might qualify as sledgehammer justice. Not on the Saints.

More damaging to the players' case is that their former head coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams haven't howled much over Goodell's sentencing of them. Where are the other aggrieved parties stepping up to fight the NFL if, as the players charge, the case against them is so flimsy?

The league claims three people corroborated Vilma's $10,000 offer for a knockout of Brett Favre in the 2009 NFL title game. One of them, the league says, is Williams. A Saints' player recently spoke on behalf of his old defensive coordinator -- in particular about his infamous locker room speech in which he identified specific opponents to target.

"This is going to sound like an excuse, and people don't want to hear an excuse -- that type of language is not just Gregg Williams," linebacker Scott Shanle told reporters. "It goes on in a lot of locker rooms around the league. No one took him literally. It was a way to get you to play fast, violent, nasty and together."

How nasty and how violent is the issue. Fujita and the rest could use an advocate to speak up for them. Maybe a head coach or defensive coordinator.

Anybody? Anybody?

SPINOFFS

View full sizePaul Kitagaki Jr., Sacramento BeeFans keep asking when they'll see "the old Tiger Woods." During his weekend fade last week in San Francisco, Johnny Miller had a different take.

Johnny Miller on Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods during their final-round struggles: "Phil and Tiger are turning back the clock -- to when they were about five [years old]."

Ever wonder why nine out of 10 players wouldn't apologize if they drove into Miller, or hit him with a tee shot? ...

The only reason to sign Manny Ramirez to play left field is if you think Johnny Damon is just too young at age 38. ...

Cleveland ranked as the fifth-highest TV market for the first three games of the NBA Finals, trailing only Oklahoma City, Miami, Tulsa and West Palm Beach. Since so many here claim to be over LeBron James, must be Norris Cole moving the needle. ...

Oklahoma City's Serge Ibaka doesn't think James is a good defender. To which James said, "I don't really care what he says, he's stupid. Everyone says something to me every series then [the media] tries to get a quote. It's stupid."

The media obviously isn't going to get a quote out of him this time. ...

Reason No. 1 not to get too impressed by yourself if you receive an honorary doctorate from a university. Kermit the Frog got one from Southampton College in 1996.

Surprisingly, Southampton is now defunct. ...

Reason No. 2 not to get too impressed by yourself if you receive an honorary doctorate from a university. Mike Tyson has one from Central State.

Actually, that's Reason No. 1. ...

Tyson, by the way, will take his one-man Vegas show to Broadway with the help of Spike Lee. My idea for a title: "The Book of Maiming."

Denmark forward Nicklas Bendtner lowered his soccer shorts to reveal the name of a betting firm across the top of his underwear after celebrating a goal at the European Championship. UEFA suspended him for a game and piled on by fining him $126,000.

If anything can make NFL bounty program justice seem reasonable, that could be it. ...

Jerry Sandusky's attorneys will argue that he has a personality disorder.

And ...?

According to Yahoo Sports, Carl Lewis still "chokes up" remembering his gold medals in 1984. The rest of us have a lump farther down, in our stomachs, when we remember him singing the national anthem in 1993. ...

During the Browns' recent mini-camp, fullback Owen Marecic said when he looked in the mirror over the off-season he was "feeling a little sloppy. So I tried to restructure the body."

Restructuring the body requires a lot of sweat and time in the gym. A much simpler solution for athletes wanting to feel good about themselves physically: Don't look in a mirror without standing next to a sportswriter.

Former Saints player Anthony Hargrove says it is not him saying "Give me the money" during a video the NFL is using as evidence of a bounty program. So who was it, Jeff Dunham? ...

HE SAID IT

"He couldn't keep his story straight and he was a confessed liar." -- New York attorney Stuart Slotnick on Brian McNamee, Roger Clemens' accuser.

But other than that, he was gold, Jerry, gold.

HE TWEETED IT

"If NFL fans were told there were 'weapons of mass destruction' enough times, they'd believe it. But what happens when you don't find any????" -- Saints quarterback Drew Brees.

Nobody dies, for one. And apparently people make strained comparisons between football and war for another.

YOU SAID IT

(The Expanded Midweek Edition)

"Hey Bud:

"If the Browns really are not for sale, can you explain the "Two Men and a Truck" at Browns headquarters the other night?" -- Doug, Westlake

You mean Brad and Case McCoy?

"Bud:

"I heard you on many radio shows last week. Did Randy Lerner order you to be more visible and the face of the P.D.?" -- O. Bill Stone

That's not the body part with which Randy associates me.

"Bud:

"Has anyone been caught using a fake ID to buy $10 beers at Progressive Field?" -- Joe S

During the game? Just Fausto.

"Bud:

"If the gavel at Roger Clemens' trial had fallen and broken, do you think he would have instinctively picked up a broken piece and thrown it at a prosecutor?" -- Chas K

Quite possible. After all, doctors have identified a well-known syndrome called "Vitamin B-12 Rage."

"Bud:

"What makes worse TV -- Chris Berman hosting anything or Sergio Garcia changing from English to Spanish during an interview?" -- Unemployed Walt, Cleveland

Berman trying to speak Spanish.

"Hey Bud:

"Just wanted you to know that this Sunday there will not be a "You Said It" in "Shaw's Spin" from me because I'm off this weekend." -- Doug, Westlake

I'll alert the media.

"Bud:

"At .24 [blood alcohol level], would you call Justin Blackmon a triple threat?" -- Tom Goldy

First-time "You Said It" winners receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection

"Bud:

"Do you think I could sneak my name in the head injury lawsuit against the NFL? I have a string of proof in print right here." -- Michael Sarro

Repeat winners receive smelling salts.

On Twitter: @budshaw

The Indians countered Cincinnati's three-game sweep earlier this month with one of their own at Progressive Field.

View full sizeTony Dejak, Associated PressJustin Masterson was dominating on Wednesday night, allowing just one unearned run and striking out nine in the Indians' 8-1 triumph over the Reds at Progressive Field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- One good sweep deserves another in the battle for the Ohio Cup.

Justin Masterson pitched his first complete game of the season and Johnny Damon and Asdrubal Cabrera homered in a five-run fourth inning Wednesday night as the Indians beat Cincinnati, 8-1, at Progressive Field.

The victory completed a three-game sweep by the Indians after they were swept by the Reds at Great American Ball Park in a three-game set June 12-14.

Masterson, whose streak of 18 consecutive scoreless innings ended in the eighth with an unearned run, pitched his first complete game of the season. Masterson (4-6, 4.07) has allowed one earned run in his last three starts covering 23 innings. He's 2-1 those three games with three walks and 24 strikeouts. He finished the Reds with a flourish by striking out the side in order in the ninth.

Damon hit a two-run homer and Cabrera hit a three-run homer off Bronson Arroyo (3-5, 4.18) to take a 5-0 lead in the fourth. Arroyo, who was 4-1 lifetime at Progressive Field, allowed five run on eight hits in four innings.

Casey Kotchman started the rally with a one-out single. Damon followed with a two-run homer to right for a 2-0 lead. Damon went 2-for-2 with two walks to get his average above .200 for the first time since May 6.

The Indians kept the pressure on Arroyo as Lonnie Chisenhall and Shin-Soo Choo walked. Cabrera followed with a three-run homer to right center for a 5-0 lead.

Chisenhall completed the Tribe's scoring with a three-run double in the seventh.

Masterson allowed just three hits, while striking out nine. He did not walk a batter, while throwing 69 percent (76-for-110) of his pitches for strikes.

With the season series ending in a draw, the Indians keep possession of the Ohio Cup because they won five of the six games between the two teams last year.

The Reds' only run was unearned. Jay Bruce reached on Cabrera's error to start the eighth. Todd Frazier doubled him to third and he scored on Willie Harris' grounder.

In his last four starts, Masterson has allowed four earned runs in 29 innings for a 1.24 ERA. He has 27 strikeouts and six walks in that stretch.

From almost the moment the Browns chose the Cincinnati product in the third round of the NFL draft, Hughes has dealt with skepticism. Watch video

View full sizeGus Chan, The Plain DealerRookie defensive lineman John Hughes has some summertime fun chasing down youngsters during Wednesday's Browns Youth Football Camp at the stadium.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- On an jalapeno-hot morning inside Cleveland Browns Stadium, John Hughes tried matching the fervor of dozens of youth football campers, many of whom stood eye to belly button with the 6-foot-2, 320-pound defensive tackle.

With his white cap turned backward atop his unruly mop of hair, Hughes passed and punted balls, pursued kids around the field grabbing at their flags and even engaged in a little trash talk during the hour-long session hosted by Browns rookies on Wednesday.

"No way you're gonna catch me," one blonde-haired boy yelled. Hughes smiled and darted after the youngster.

Another doubter, another challenge.

From almost the moment the Browns chose the University of Cincinnati product in the third round of the NFL draft, Hughes has dealt with skepticism. He knows some fans were hoping for a play-making receiver. He has heard analysts describe the pick as "a reach," and read how the Columbus native would have been available much further down the draft board.

They are entitled to their opinions, Hughes said, and he takes no offense to them.

"It doesn't hurt because I know my capabilities and I can't wait to go out there and show them," Hughes said.

It's an attitude he's developed over the past four years while trying validate the faith loved ones and coaches have placed in him.

Critics are nothing new to Hughes, who scared off some major college recruiters because of suspect work ethic and academics. It wasn't long ago he had to stand before the woman who raised him and explain why he was failing math at Gahanna Lincoln High School. The disappointment in the face of a 79-year-old grandmother stings more than an irate sports talk caller questioning his credentials as the No. 87th overall pick.

Since leaving high school, coaches have witnessed substantial growth in a defensive lineman who graduated in December with a degree in criminal justice.

"John has matured on and off the field," Bearcats defensive line coach Steve Stripling said, noting Hughes' internship at a Cincinnati-area youth detention center. "I have seen him become hungrier and quicker over the last two years. He has taken on the responsibility to make himself a better player."

Hughes, 24, said he learned from his own mistakes and the those of others to evolve into a defensive lineman who registered 51 tackles -- including 12-1/2 for loss -- and five sacks during his senior season. He enters training camp next month as one of several candidates looking to start alongside Ahtyba Rubin in the Browns' defensive interior. He will battling veterans Scott Paxson and Brian Schaefering, along with sixth-round pick Billy Winn. Paxson drew first-team reps during minicamp and organized team activities.

Even before the Browns lost Phil Taylor to a torn pectoral muscle in May, they wanted to add depth at the position. Their starters were overworked with Rubin taking the second-most snaps (86 percent) among NFL defensive tackles last season.

Browns coach Pat Shurmur said it's difficult to evaluate rookie linemen prior to training camp because of the lack of contact drills. What little Shurmur has seen of Hughes and Winn he likes.

"They use their hands well," he said. "It looks like they can separate from blocks well ... I think those guys are competing to be one of our defensive tackles and that's why we drafted them."

Count Hughes among those who were a bit surprised by his third-round selection. His family had planned a draft party for April 28, a day after the Browns picked him. Hughes said he's tried to tune out the criticism, but concedes in moments of boredom he's done a few Google searches on the Internet.

"It's not easy because it's everywhere," Hughes said of draft analysis. " It is motivation, but I just try to avoid it when I can. Usually, when I type in my name, the [late] film director John Hughes pops up anyway."

The rookie paused.

"I'm a fan of his 'Home Alone' movies."

He is thrilled to once again be playing so close to home, affording his grandmother, Esther Hughes, the opportunity to attend games. She just retired two weeks ago, Hughes said, from driving school buses.

"She worked her entire life and I never heard her complain once," he said. "She always stayed on me. She kept me on the right path even when I sometimes strayed."

Time will tell if the Browns or the skeptics are right about Hughes. Until then, he'll just keep tracking ball carriers at the stadium whether they're pros in hip pads or seven-year-olds with flags streaming behind them.

KSU will face South Carolina at noon on Thursday, with the game televised by ESPN2.

Kent State players including Eric Dorsch, front, wait in the dugout as heavy rain drenches pre-game warmups before an NCAA College World Series elimination baseball game against South Carolina in Omaha, Neb., Wednesday, June 20, 2012. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

OMAHA, Neb. -- Kent State's College World Series run took a pause Wednesday night as rain postponed its elimination game with South Carolina until noon Thursday. Should Kent win, the Golden Flashes will play again at 9 p.m. against Arkansas, the team that defeated KSU in its opening CWS game, 8-1.

"That's what happens when you get in the losers bracket," KSU head coach Scott Stricklin said. The game will be telecast on ESPN2.

After five days of sun and blue skies, thunder and lightning was followed by rain just as the teams took the field to warm up at TD Ameritrade Park. Short breaks in the rain prompted the teams to emerge from their locker rooms, but NCAA officials made their final decision 90 minutes after the scheduled 8 p.m. ET start.

Once the rains arrived, Stricklin said he began to prepare for Thursday.

"The guys were ready to go, but we were prepared for the possibility of playing two games," he said.

Wednesday's starter, Tyler Skulina (11-2, 3.63 ERA) will start the morning game. If the Flashes go again at night, Stricklin said he has several possibilities.

"David Starn (11-4, 2.48 ERA) is an option," Stricklin said. "Ryan Mace (2-3, 3.61) is an option. We're in good shape pitching-wise."

On the field, the Golden Flashes could also get a boost with the return of DH Jason Bagoly, the hitting star of Kent's 5-4 Monday win over Florida. Bagoly who spent Tuesday and Wednesday back in Austintown for the funeral of his mother, Cheryl McHenry, who died unexpectedly last Thursday.

"He's taking a flight out at 10 a.m.," Stricklin said. "He still has some family things to do [Thursday] morning. He wants to make sure. This is something we're very sensitive to, his needs and his family's needs. Leaving at 5 a.m. is not a good option for him. We talked about that. We gave him the option.

"He lands in Omaha about 1:20 p.m. We're going to get him here as soon as we possibly can, and see what happens. We feel very good about Nick Hamilton, he's been our DH for most of the year. But we need all of our troops here to win these games, and Jason's going to be here, we hope, for the end of it."

Several Northeast Ohioans will play a prominent role in what promises to be a memorable day for the hammer throw.

View full sizeAP fileAshland resident A.G. Kruger enters Thursday's U.S. Olympic Trials in the hammer throw with his invitation to the London Olympics practically assured. "I just need to make a really good throw to compete," says Kruger, who was an Olympian in 2004 and 2008.

EUGENE, Ore. -- This place is to track and field what Cleveland is to football and, well, football.

From Track Town Pizza to the lone luggage carousel at the Eugene Airport, signs proudly welcome more than 1,000 of the nation's best athletes to "TrackTown USA" as it celebrates the return of the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials Thursday through July 1. If the athletes themselves are in a celebratory mood the next 11 days, they can hoist a TrackTown Triple Jump Pale Ale brewed at Rogue Ales, a few blocks from Hayward Field.

With the University of Oregon's athletic year over -- thanks to Kent State's super regional baseball triumph last week -- it's all track, all the time in the place where distance legend Steve Prefontaine thrived and died young, and where a little shoe company called Nike got its start.

That the track Trials are here and Nike headquarters are up the road in Beaverton is no small coincidence. Nike was the invention of legendary Oregon track coach Bill Bowerman and one of his former runners, Phil Knight, who was instrumental in bringing the Trials back here in 2008.

It seems to have found a long-term home.

Thursday, Nike brings part of the trials directly to its corporate campus. Several Northeast Ohioans will play a prominent role in what promises to be a memorable day for the hammer throw.

The men's and women's competition will be held at Nike's world headquarters in a temporary stadium nestled between the Tiger Woods Conference Center and the Lance Armstrong Sports & Fitness Center. Nike is giving its employees a half-day paid vacation and instructions to cheer the hammer throwers.

"They're being paid to watch the hammer throw!" remarked Ashland University track coach Jud Logan.

For their money, they will see not just the best the U.S. has to offer, but also one of the best sports success stories in Northern Ohio. The top two men and the closest thing to Olympic team locks at the trials are two-time Olympian A.G. Kruger, who has lived in Ashland and trained with Logan for several years, and Ashland University grad Kibwe Johnson.

Kruger and Johnson are the lone Americans who have achieved the Olympic 'A' standard, or minimum throw. They could finish as low as ninth and still make the U.S. team, as long as three others do not beat them with the Olympic standard of at least 255 feet, 11 inches. That's unlikely, as only two others qualified with throws better than 243 feet.

"Not that we're not going out to try to make the team, but that helps our mentality. Now, I just need to make a really good throw to compete," Kruger said.

Kruger, 33, is focused is to do well in the Olympics after failing to make the finals in 2004 and 2008 with poor throws (233-7 and 227-7) that were well below his best efforts.

"Any time you make the Olympics, it's great, but sooner or later you're going to get called on your performances, and he'd like to right that ship in terms of his legacy," said Logan, a four-time Olympian in the hammer. "He'd like to put himself in position to make the team and put together a training plan and to be in the top nine in London.

"A.G. looks as confident as any we've seen from him. He realizes what he needs to do."

Johnson now trains in Canada, but Kruger and Logan are bringing along one of the country's best young throwers in recent Ashland grad Ryan Loughney. He is ranked ninth by Track and Field News and is coming off his third straight NCAA Division II national championship.

The New York native has competed in more than 15 meets this year in multiple events, while most of his competitors have had a light schedule while training specifically for the trials.

"He's not leaking oil, but it's still very, very late in the season for him," Logan said.

Competing in women's hammer are the University of Akron's Valerie (Wert) Frazier of Lexington, recent Ohio State Big Ten champ Alexis Thomas of Huber Heights and Findlay University's Jessica Rowland.

As of Wednesday, the Vikings said the slot receiver was not on the market.

View full sizeAP fileThe Browns are not believed to be interested in unhappy Vikings receiver Percy Harvin.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Whether the Minnesota Vikings eventually deal disgruntled wide receiver Percy Harvin, it's highly unlikely it will be to the Browns.

It's believed the Browns do not have interest in acquiring the wideout, who reportedly asked for a trade after citing multiple grievances with the Vikings on Tuesday.

Many outside the organization believe the Browns could use an upgrade at the position. The team was tied atop the NFL in dropped passes last season. But dealing for the versatile Harvin -- who caught 87 passes for 967 yards and six touchdowns last season, while rushing for an additional 345 yards -- is not expected to be in their plans.

As of Wednesday, the Vikings said the slot receiver was not on the market. Harvin is arguably the most dynamic all-around player on the team, which like the Browns, is thin at wideout. He is in the fourth-season of a five-year deal.

"We have no interest at all in trading Percy Harvin," Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman told the Associated Press. "We drafted Percy Harvin here. He's a key part of our organization."

Harvin played under Browns offensive coordinator Brad Childress, who coached the Vikings from 2006-10, but their relationship was rocky at times, according to reports. Childress had Harvin removed from a 2010 practice, and the coach and player later had to be separated, according to a 1500 ESPN Twin Cities report.

Full day: Browns rookies took part in a youth football camp Tuesday and Wednesday at Browns Stadium. The first-year players also toured the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Wednesday and attended the Indians game, where quarterback Brandon Weeden threw out the first pitch.

Rare win: Former Browns defensive lineman Andrew Stewart won a lawsuit to earn his NFL pension, FOXSports.com reported Wednesday. A federal judge sided with Stewart in his case against the Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle NFL Player Retirement Plan, which supplies retirement and disability benefits to eligible players.

U.S. District Judge William Quarles Jr. ordered the plan to provide Stewart with permanent disability benefits because he suffered leg and hand injuries. These rulings are very rare. The only other time a player earned a judgment against the retirement plan, according to the report, was when the estate of Pittsburgh Steelers center Mike Webster won a judgment in 2005.

Stewart played all 16 games for the Browns as a rookie in 1989 but never played in a regular-season game again after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon in training camp the following year. He later suffered knee and hand injuries in practices with Cincinnati and San Francisco.

Plain Dealer reporter Mary Kay Cabot contributed to this report.

Jessica Porvasnik holds a three-stroke lead in her quest to become the first repeat winner of the Cleveland Junior Open.

AVON, Ohio -- Hinckley Township's Jessica Porvasnik holds a three-stroke lead in her quest to become the first repeat winner of the Cleveland Junior Open, after shooting a 2-under 70 Wednesday at Red Tail Golf Club.

Porvasnik, who carded a 71 in Tuesday's first round, is 3 under for the tournament. Second-place Kari Bellville of Granger, Ind., is at even par after her second-round 70, and is the lone golfer within seven strokes of Porvasnik going into Thursday's third and final round.

Stow's Ian Holt is second in the boys competition after shooting a 4-under 68, moving to even par for the tourney. Holt is two strokes behind Evan DeRoche of Key West, Fla. DeRoche fired a 70 to improve to 2 under.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the event features 71 boys and 24 girls, ages 12-18, from 17 states and three countries. The boys division plays the course at 6,937 yards while the girls division plays at 6,072 yards.

Once the presidents sign off — and that seems likely — major college football's champion will be decided by a playoff for the first time starting in 2014.

AP file photoBig Ten Commissioner Jim Delany speaks to reporters during Big Ten media day in Chicago on July 28, 2011.

CHICAGO — The BCS commissioners are backing a playoff plan with the sites for the national semifinals rotating among the major bowl games and a selection committee picking the teams.

The plan will be presented to university presidents next week for approval.

Once the presidents sign off — and that seems likely — major college football's champion will be decided by a playoff for the first time starting in 2014.

"We are excited to be on the threshold of creating a new postseason structure for college football that builds on the great popularity of our sport," Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick said Wednesday.

All 11 commissioners stood shoulder-to-shoulder behind Swarbrick, who read the BCS statement from a podium set up in a hotel conference room.

The commissioners have been working on reshaping college football's postseason since January. The meeting Wednesday was the sixth formal get-together of the year. They met for four hours and emerged with a commitment to stand behind a plan.

"I think we're very unified," Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany said.

The commissioners refrained from providing specifics of the plan in their announcement.

Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott did say the two semifinals would be worked into the existing major bowls and the site of the national championship game will be bid out to any city that wants it, the way the NFL does with the Super Bowl.

People with firsthand knowledge of the decision tell The Associated Press the semifinals of the proposed plan would rotate among the major bowls and not be tied to traditional conference relationships.

They also said that under the plan a selection committee would choose the schools that play for the national title.

The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the commissioners did not want to reveal many details before talking to their bosses.

"I am delighted," said SEC Commissioner Mike Slive, who has supported a four-team playoff for years and whose league has won the last six BCS titles. "I am pleased with the progress we have made. There are some differences, but we will work them out. We're trying to do what is in the best interest of the game."

There was some debate about whether to have semifinal sites rotate between the current BCS bowls — the Orange, Sugar, Rose and Fiesta — or link the sites of the games to traditional conference affiliations. By linking sites to leagues Southeastern Conference teams could host games at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans and Pac-12 and Big Ten teams could host games at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

But the logistical issues that come with not having the sites for the semifinals set in advance were too big a problem. Now it will be possible for Ohio State and Oregon to play a semifinal in Miami, the site of the Orange Bowl.

How the teams will be selected has also been hotly debated; the current Bowl Championship Series uses a combination of polls and computer rankings.

There are still major details to be worked out, such as who exactly makes up the selection committee, but college football will take a page from college basketball, which uses a committee of athletic directors and commissioners to pick the teams for its championship tournament.

Scott has pushed for conference champions to be given preference for the playoff, but said he was comfortable that a committee would emphasize that and strength of schedule. He stopped short of saying the committee was part of the proposed plan.

"My position has evolved on that," Scott said about the selection committee. "There's a positive impression about the role that the basketball committee has played for basketball, and I think there's been a consensus that the current (football) system is pretty flawed in a lot of ways."

The 12-member BCS Presidential Oversight Committee meets Tuesday in Washington. The commissioners and Swarbrick all stressed that ultimately the decision lies with the presidents. And that they will have more than just one model to talk about at their meeting.

The Big Ten and Pac-12 presidents have both expressed support for the so-called plus-one model, which gives the BCS a new look by selecting the championship game participants after the bowls are played instead of creating a pair of national semifinals.

"I'm comfortable both of those will still be discussed at the president's meeting," Delany said.

Discussed, yes. But unless something unexpected happens in Washington, a playoff will take another step to becoming a reality.

Highlights include Kent State vs. South Carolina in a College World Series game at noon (and the winner of that game vs. Arkansas at 9 p.m.); and, Game 5 of the Oklahoma City-Miami NBA Finals at 9 p.m.

Indians starter Justin Masterson pitched a complete game, allowing one run and striking out nine as the Tribe defeated the Cincinnati Reds, 8-1, at Progressive Field. The Plain Dealer's Paul Hoynes breaks it down with interviews from Masterson and Indians manager Manny Acta.

Indians starter Justin Masterson pitched a complete game, allowing one run and striking out nine as the Tribe defeated the Cincinnati Reds, 8-1, at Progressive Field. The win completed a three-game sweep of their interstate rivals and kept the Indians in first-place in the A.L. Central. The Plain Dealer's Paul Hoynes breaks it down with interviews from Masterson and Indians manager Manny Acta in this video from CineSport.

Check out photos and reaction as Browns rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden threw out the first pitch before Wednesday's game between the Indians and Reds at Progressive Field.

AP PhotoBrandon Weeden throws out the first pitch at the Indians game on Wednesday.

Browns rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden threw out the first pitch before Wednesday's game between the Indians and Reds at Progressive Field.

Weeden, a former pitching prospect for the Yankees, missed up and in into the right-handed batter’s box, but he had good zip on the ball.

More importantly, he walked away with his million-dollar arm intact.

Weeden and about 20 other Browns rookies watched batting practice.

Here's what people on Twitter are posting about Weeden's first appearance on the mound in four years.

Paul Hoynes contributed to this report.

Today, live at noon, on PD Sports Insider, join Bud Shaw, Dennis Manoloff and cleveland.com's Glenn Moore, to talk about the latest Cleveland sports news. Tom Reed will join the crew to talk Browns.

Watch PD Sports Insider live at noon every Thursday on cleveland.com

Note: To turn off audio alerts in the chatroom, click on the round button on bottom left of the chat room, then preferences. Uncheck all audio options and save.

About the show: PD Sports Insider airs live every Thursday at noon. Co-hosted by Bud Shaw, Dennis Manoloff and cleveland.com's Glenn Moore, the show features a timely and lively debate of the biggest sports topics of the day and gives readers a chance to interact directly with PD sportswriters and columnists.

Viewers have to the opportunity to ask questions and post comments in a live chat room during the show. They can also email their video questions during the week.

After countless ups and downs, the 804th game of LeBron James' career may be the one that ends his title quest. Story includes video from Wednesday's press conferences.

Video: As the Miami Heat look to close out the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 5 on Thursday, Erik Spoelstra, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Scott Brooks, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant talk to the media.

MIAMI -- LeBron James has never been here before.

He's been in nearly every imaginable situation everything over his nine seasons marked by three MVP awards, three trips to the NBA Finals with two teams and one decision that changed everything.

And now this: For the first time, he's one win from a championship.

"I have a job to do," James said Wednesday. "And my job is not done."

The job might get done Thursday night, when the Miami Heat - up 3-1 in this title series - host the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 5 of the finals. Even after leaving Game 4 late with a cramp, James is on the cusp of finally becoming a champ. He was swept in his first finals trip in 2007, then he and the Heat fell in the 2011 title series in six games.

Miami Heat small forward LeBron James, left, and shooting guard Dwyane Wade talk during practice, Wednesday, June 20, 2012, in Miami. The Heat play Game 5 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

After countless ups and downs, the 804th game of his career may be the one that ends his title quest.

"I have no idea what I'll say before we go out there," said James, who got treatment against Wednesday but said soreness that followed the cramps in his left leg was easing. "It kind of just comes to me when I'm getting ready to go out there and stand on the floor. But hopefully whatever I say will inspire our guys to go out and give a good show."

James joined the Heat in 2010 after Miami convinced him that he would have enough help to win a championship - more specifically, that he wouldn't have to carry the load by himself, like he did so many times in Cleveland over his first seven seasons. The Heat were keeping Dwyane Wade, adding Chris Bosh and filling out the roster with a mix that would be best described as unconventional.

If that axiom - more options are better - actually needed to be proven, it was done in Game 4. James could not finish the game, though he returned after the first wave of cramps hit and delivered a key 3-pointer. With James watching the final minute, Wade and Mario Chalmers helped close out the Thunder, Miami winning 104-98 to move one win away from the franchise's second championship.

"This team, I think we understand that the moment is the biggest thing," Wade said. "We're excited about the possibility of playing better, doing things better defensively, but also offensively. We don't feel like we've played our best game yet, and we feel that's still to come."

The Thunder expect the same from themselves. At least, they hope that's the case.

No team in finals history has successfully rallied from a 3-1 series deficit, or even forced as much as a Game 7 when presented with that scenario since the league went to its current 2-3-2 finals format in 1985. But Oklahoma City's losses in this series - in each of the last three games - have come by four, six and six points, respectively.

A play here, a bounce there, this series might look a whole lot different. And that's why the Western Conference champions are conceding nothing.

"We didn't get here just to make it here and say we did," Thunder star Kevin Durant said. "We made it to the finals. We want to come in here and we want to try to get a title. It's all about keep competing until that last buzzer sounds, and that's what we're going to do. That's the type of city we play for, a city that never gives up. That's the type of team we are. We're going to keep fighting, keep fighting, and we'll see what happens tomorrow."

Russell Westbrook scored 43 points for the Thunder in Game 4 - and they were for naught. It was the second time in these playoffs that someone had scored at least that many against the Heat. And like Boston's Rajon Rondo, who dropped 44 on Miami in the Eastern Conference finals, Westbrook walked off the court with a loss.

"I can't really be too happy about what I (did) because we didn't win," Westbrook said. "It doesn't matter. There's probably a lot of different guys that put up so many points or so many amount of rebounds, and nobody remembers it. The only thing that people remember is if you won the championship, and that's all that matters."

It might take more than leg cramps to keep James off the court for too long in Game 5.

He was his usual self in practice on Wednesday, laughing with teammates while shooting a few free throws, looking at ease. And most importantly to Miami, he was moving without too much pain.

James had to be carried off the court in the fourth quarter of Game 4, unable to walk to the bench. A lot of fluids and rest later, some of the bounce was back in his step on Wednesday.

I feel a lot better than I did last night. That's clear," James said. "I'm still a little (sore) because of the muscles just kind of being at an intense level, very tight. I'm still sore. I was able to get some treatment last night. I was able to get some treatment this morning. ... And also with the game being basically at midnight tomorrow night, I have all day tomorrow, too, to prepare. I should be fine by tomorrow night."

It's a 9 p.m. tipoff, actually, but the point is made.

By Thursday night, James will be ready for the championship stage. And so will his team. What started on Christmas Day in Dallas, watching the Mavericks hoist the banner that will forever commemorate their championship celebration on Miami's home floor last year, could end as the perfect turnaround story for the Heat.

"You've got to absolutely immerse yourself into the process and the focus," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "It's Game 5. We want to treat it as a Game 7. But we are preparing for Game 5 to protect our home court and to take care of that business. It's been well documented the experience we went through last year and the pain and all that. It doesn't guarantee anything. Experience is a great teacher. You know, hopefully all those experiences will help us."

James says they've already helped him.

He could not have seemed more relaxed on Wednesday. The chance he's waited nine years for comes on Thursday night, and James appeared totally comfortable in anticipation of that moment.

I've experienced some things in my long but short career, and I'm able to make it better of myself throughout these playoffs and throughout this whole year, and that's on and off the court," James said. "I'm just happy that I'm able to be in this position today and be back in this stage where I can do the things that I can do to make this team proud, make this organization proud, and we'll see what happens."

-- Tim Reynolds, Associated Press

Follow Tim Reynolds at twitter.com/ByTimReynolds

SOLON, O. - Solon senior cornerback/receiver Darian Hicks gave Michigan State his oral commitment late Wednesday night, a little over four months after receiving the scholarship offer.   "I visited there last week, went to the spring game and attended camp there,'' said Hicks.

SOLON, O. - Solon senior cornerback/receiver Darian Hicks gave Michigan State his oral commitment late Wednesday night, a little over four months after receiving the scholarship offer.
 

"I visited there last week, went to the spring game and attended camp there,'' said Hicks.

 Penn State, Indiana, Illinois, Boston, West Virginia, Iowa and Purdue are some of the schools who offered Hicks.
 

"I visited Indiana and Illinois but I like the coaching staff at Michigan State and the facilities and campus are amazing,'' said Hicks.
 

The 5-10, 172-pounder accounted for 41 tackles and two interceptions on defense last season and 25 receptions, good for 275 yards and two touchdowns on offense. Hicks also averaged almost 42 yards on kick returns and four touchdowns.
 

Hicks, who has yet to declare a major, is penciled in at cornerback.

 "They said I'd have a chance to play receiver and also special teams,'' said Hicks. "It's about a 3 1/2 hour drive so my family will be able to see a lot of the games.''

 Hicks, who will sign his national letter of intent in February, will join former Comet/now-Spartan freshman receiver Tres Barksdale in East Lansing.

 "Tres told me there's no other way than to be a Spartan,'' said Hicks.
 Obviously, Hicks listened.

One more win, and LeBron James will be an NBA champion. How will you handle it, Cleveland?

AP PhotoLeBron James could win his first NBA title by helping the Heat beat the Thunder in Game 5 tonight.

MIAMI  — LeBron James has been called heartless, callous, narcissistic, cowardly and selfish.

And that was just in one letter from Dan Gilbert, the man who used to pay him to play for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

One more win, and James will have to be called something else: NBA champion.

It could happen Thursday, when the Miami Heat play the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. The Heat lead the best-of-seven series 3-1. They could clinch the championship with a win in the same arena that hosted the infamous "Yes. We. Did." party for James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh upon their formal signings in Miami on July 9, 2010 — one day after he made the regrettable choice to announce "The Decision" in a televised special.

"I haven't even really looked at it as just one game away," said James, the league's reigning MVP for a third time. "I look at it as this is our next game. As crazy as it sounds, I haven't got caught up in it. I won't get caught up in it because I'm not going to let ... you know, the human nature is to automatically think about after we win it, what are we going to do? I'm not there. I won't get there until those zeros hit and I see that we won."

Vilified for both exercising his right to leave Cleveland and for the manner in which he announced the move, James has spent two years in Miami chasing that elusive first championship. He remains one of the world's most polarizing athletes, not to mention one of the world's best-paid both on and off the court, with his annual income recently estimated by Forbes to be $53 million.

But apparently, when it comes to LeBron James, enormous money and fame is not enough to satisfy everyone. He needs a title.

And if it happens ...

"Perceptions better change, OK?" Heat forward Mike Miller said. "You would be looking at a three-time MVP and a world champion. There's a very, very, very, very, very short list of those. A very short list. The way I've seen him improve in just the two years I've been around him, I've seen the maturation the whole time, and it's a scary thought because it's not going to stop. It's a freight train right now."

James' successes are celebrated. His failures might be more celebrated.

When the Heat lost last year's finals to the Dallas Mavericks, all the blame went James' way, and with good reason. He averaged three points in fourth quarters of those six games. The most common complaint, one that James acknowledges is true, is that he didn't make enough plays in the biggest moments. He managed only eight points in the loss that turned the series around and spun it in the Mavericks' favor.

"Old Lesson for all," Gilbert tweeted a few minutes after Dallas won the championship in Miami. "There are NO SHORTCUTS. NONE."

Gilbert didn't mention James by name in the tweet — or in his letter that came out shortly after The Decision. He didn't have to, either.

The Heat are understandably biased when it comes to perceptions about James. Some of Miami's competitors are as well.

"He does the right thing," Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "When he makes the right pass and the guy misses the shot, he's criticized. When he forces a shot in a double team, he's criticized. It's the way it is for him, for whatever reason. He's competitive as heck. He's one of the most powerful players to ever play the game. And maybe it isn't enough. I don't know."

Rivers said he thinks only one athlete might be able to relate to what James has to deal with — Tiger Woods.

"Tiger over the last two or three years," Rivers said. "Other than that, no one. No athlete that I can ever remember being under the scrutiny — definitely in basketball. I've never seen anyone under the scrutiny that LeBron James is under."

So in these playoffs, instead of trying to defeat the scrutiny, James is trying to ignore as much of it as he can.

He hasn't been taking phone calls or tweeting. He's not watching much television. Instead of reading articles about him or the playoffs, he's been reading books, something that now seems to be part of his pregame ritual. ("It slows my mind down," James said.)

"He's just focused, you know, just like the rest of this team," Wade said. "He has a goal, and he wants to reach that goal, and he doesn't want nothing to stand in his way, and he doesn't want himself to stand in his way. He wants to make sure once you leave the game or you leave the series, you can say, I gave it my all. I don't know if we all could have said that last season."

James' free-agent courtship officially lasted about a week, The Decision went on for an hour, and the words that changed so many aspects of James' life that night took only four seconds to say that night.

"I'm going to take my talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat," James said, that unforgettable phrase.

He did it for this reason, for this moment, to get the ring that he's wanted for so long. If he gets it, everything that happened over the past two years doesn't get erased. But it may seem a lot more worthwhile.

"When you've got a guy who's probably achieved all the individual accolades that you can probably achieve at the highest level of basketball and doesn't have a title, it's kind of like ... it's just not complete, not whole," Heat forward Udonis Haslem said. "For him, it gives him an opportunity to close another book, another chapter in his book."

-- Tim Reynolds, Associated Press

Follow Tim Reynolds on Twitter at twitter.com/ByTimReynolds

Video: After sitting in the fourth quarter of Game 4, can LeBron James overcome his cramps and perform in Game 5 of the NBA Finals? Sports Illustrated's Will Carroll and CineSport's Tara Petrolino chat.

Charles Barkley joined 106.7 The Fan in Washington D.C. this morning to talk about the NBA Finals. Speaking specifically on LeBron James possibility winning his first ring tonight against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Barkley stuck up for the city of Cleveland while bashing the fans in Miami.

AP Photo/Elise AmendolaCharles Barkley stuck up for the city of Cleveland, while bashing the fans in Miami during a radio interview.

Barkley: “If you’re successful, a lot of people aren’t going to like you. That’s just the way it is. I always used to use this analogy: Everybody hates the homecoming queen because she’s pretty. All the ugly girls hate the homecoming queen. And all the dumb kids hate the smart kids. That’s just the way it is. LeBron James, first of all he has to take some responsibility [for] the way he did the stuff last year leaving Cleveland, the decision, coming on stage talking about not five, not six, seven championships. So he deserves some blame, but like I say, he’s a great kid, he’s a great, great player. … If you look at his résumé right now, the only thing he’s missing is a championship, and he’s gonna get that done [Thursday]. And no telling how many championships they’re going to win. … I wish he had stayed in Cleveland, because those fans in Cleveland, man, they’re fantastic. They don’t even have real fans here in Miami, they’re front-runners.“

Browns will hold a Family Night Practice at the stadium on Aug. 8

View full sizeChuck Crow/The Plain DealerBrowns training camp is open to the public beginning on July 28 at their Berea training facility.