The Phoenix Suns have agreed to a max deal with restricted free agent Eric Gordon, one the New Orleans Hornets are expected to match.
Jimmy Bivins defeated eight world champions in his youth and near-starvation in old age.
Jimmy Bivins, Cleveland's iron-tough boxer who whipped eight world champions in his youth and, decades later, survived after nearly starving in his family's filthy attic, died this morning, July 4, at McGregor Home. He was 92.
During his boxing career -- which spanned the 1940s and 1950s -- Bivins' powerful left jab and equally mighty bravado made him a star whom boxing fans across the country loved to hate.
Yet in retirement, while driving a bakery truck around Cleveland and coaching local kids, many grew to love the grizzled fighter for his gentle and generous ways.
"He was one of the last of the blue-collar workers in boxing," Gene Glen, president of the Lake Erie Assocation of USA Boxing, said Wednesday. "He worked an eight-hour shift and came to the gym and worked out. He was an outstanding person, always fun to be around, always looking out to assist other people."
Gary Horvath, a local boxing champion and coach, said, "Jimmy pulled out all the stops for you."
Bivins was born in Dry Branch, Ga., in 1919, and his family moved north to Cleveland three years later.
It was clear from the start that Bivins was smart, cocky and confrontational.
When he was an honor student at Central High School, he taunted classmates, holding up his grade-A homework, asking if they could do better.
Angry kids chased him home every day until the afternoon Bivins grew weary. He stood and fought. Bivins beat a boy who turned out to be a Golden Gloves champ.
And Bivins never ran again.
He entered organized boxing in 1936 at 112 pounds. Four years later, he turned pro, stacking silver dollars in his shoes to make himself heavy enough to qualify.
His first fight was against a guy named Emory Morgan. Bivins knocked Morgan out in the first round, earning $25. Later that year, after 20 more fights, Bivins clobbered future world champion Anton Christoforidis and earned $2,500.
"The champs of today, they couldn't lick their own lips when I was fighting," Bivins said in recent years. "I'm not bragging. It's the truth."
Bivins knocked the biggest names in boxing onto the mats of the biggest venues in the world. When he came home to Cleveland for an occasional Friday-night match, the event shattered one attendance record after another.
Yet hardly anyone liked him. "They would stand crowded in the rain just to boo him. I never understood it," the late Maria Baskin, one of Bivins' sisters, told The Plain Dealer in 2003. "He was the fighter they loved to hate."
Bivins never let it bother him. Somehow he used their hatred to pump up his bravado. In 1943, when Bivins fought Tami Mauriello at New York's Madison Square Garden, it seemed like no one was in his corner.
Gambling was a no-no, but everyone there knew that the odds makers favored Mauriello.
Frank Sinatra, a friend of Mauriello's, sang the national anthem that night. And everyone also knew that Sinatra bet a bundle on Mauriello.
Bivins wasn't intimidated. When the bell rang, Bivins pummeled Mauriello. "I beat his butt so bad, I made Frank Sinatra cry," Bivins would say later.
It was a sweet victory. Some boxing insiders said afterward that Bivins was the guy who could finally knock Heavyweight Champion Joe Louis from his throne.
Louis, who was in the Madison Square Garden audience that night, might have thought the same thing. But he faced no immediate challenge. Boxing officials had frozen Louis' title while he served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army during World War II.
A couple months after Bivins beat Mauriello, Louis presented Bivins with a cardboard crown and bestowed him with the honorary title of "duration" heavyweight champion.
"You're the champ while I'm gone," Louis told Bivins.
It was a spectacular moment. Bivins, who later joined the Army himself, knew Louis respected him as the No. 1 contender. The two men would surely fight for the title when the war was over.
But it never happened. Louis refused, choosing to fight lesser-ranked boxers instead.
Bivins grew increasingly bitter and, as the years passed, obsessed with the idea of whomping Louis.
"All I wanted was a chance. I deserved a chance," Bivins told people.
In the late 1940s, Bivins finally sparred with Louis in a meaningless exhibition. A few days later, Bivins' wife told police her husband had beaten her unconscious.
Dollie Bivins said the violence erupted while Bivins was telling her how he could earn $500,000 in a fight with Louis. When Bivins paused and asked his wife what she was cooking for dinner, she told him they had no money for food.
Bivins, she said, punched her in the head.
When a reporter called Bivins to get his side of the story, Bivins was watching a film of Louis battling another boxer. He denied hitting his wife. "Maybe our prosperity has gone to her head," Bivins said.
Bivins and Joe Louis wouldn't meet again until 1951, when Louis was trying to make a comeback. Louis bet his whole purse that he would knock out Bivins in four rounds.
Louis lost the bet.
After the fourth round, Bivins was undaunted. Showing off his 79-inch wingspan, he taunted the champ, "I'm still here, I'm still here." Outraged, Louis punched Bivins in the back so hard that he broke a rib.
It was the worst injury Bivins ever suffered. Bivins lost the fight in a split decision but took home his largest-ever purse -- $40,000.
During his career, Bivins boxed in 112 professional fights, accumulating 86 wins, 31 knockouts, one draw and 25 losses. He remains the only boxer ever simultaneously ranked the No. 1 contender in both the light-heavyweight and the heavyweight divisions.
But he never got a shot at a championship belt.
"These guys today don't know what time it is, and they're giving them belts, diamonds," Bivins said through the years. "Somebody owes me a belt."
A new leaf When he was boxing, Bivins' personal life was rocky. His first marriage ended quickly. Dollie, his second wife, divorced him after claiming he beat her. Bivins even described himself as "nasty" during those years.
Things changed in the early 1950s. He married his third wife, Elizabeth, and she calmed him.
He joined the Teamsters, driving bakery and snack trucks, and spent most of his spare time trying to lure street-tough boys into local gyms. Bivins dazzled the kids with his colossal, leathery hands -- nearly the size of catcher's mitts. Each scar, each gnarled knuckle carried with it a different tale of knockouts, broken noses or busted lips.
At first, the boys wandered into the gym just to see Bivins or to hear his bloody stories. But many came back through the years to hear Bivins' blunt, fatherly advice.
Most of the kids were poor like Bivins had been as a boy, and Bivins tried to help them.
He showed them how to land and duck a punch. He warned them about the dangers of drinking and drugs. And he counseled them on women.
"I talked to this doctor at the Cleveland Clinic one time, and he told me if you have sex it takes 72 hours to get your energy back," Bivins told his aspiring boxers. "And that's only one time. Some of these guys go four, five, six times. Shoot, you're digging your own grave."
Once a week, Bivins made sure the boys ate, ate all they could. On Sundays, he cooked a simple but massive feast and carted it to the gym. What he served changed -- pot roast, chicken, noodles -- but the meal always ended with sweet, homemade cobbler and store-bought ice cream.
Boxers came and went. None achieved Bivins' success, but there were some highlights. Kids he coached won Cleveland's Golden Gloves. Young boxers won amateur matches. And in 1988, a Cleveland police officer, Jim Davidson, won the light heavyweight national championship at the Police Olympics in Las Vegas.
Bivins, dressed in white from head to toe, walked the strip with Davidson after the victory. In Cleveland, hardly anyone knew who the old boxer was. But in Las Vegas, a boxing Mecca, everyone seemed to recognize him.
For that night, Bivins was again a star.
Slipping away When Bivins' wife, Elizabeth, died in 1995, his life forever changed. He spent less and less time at the gym. He grew weak and depressed. And finally he quietly moved into the Collinwood home of his daughter and son-in-law, Josette and Daryl Banks.
As months passed, Bivins' boxing buddies worried. No one knew where Bivins was.
In April 1998, Cleveland police found him. They had gone to the Banks house to investigate a report of child neglect. They found no child, but in the attic, they found Bivins.
The former heavyweight had withered to 110 pounds, about 75 pounds below his fighting weight. He was wrapped in a urine-soaked and feces-caked blanket that covered his face. At first they thought he was dead.
But when the officers asked Bivins if he was OK, he politely responded that he wasn't doing so well. Then he asked the officers how they were doing.
Police initially charged Josette and Daryl Banks with felonious assault. Daryl Banks later pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and was sentenced to eight months in jail. Charges against Josette Banks were dropped after investigators determined that her husband had made all decisions regarding Bivins' care.
Many 78-year-olds might not have survived, but Bivins proved to be as tough as his leathery hands.
He spent most of his remaining years in the Shaker Heights home of his sister, Maria Bivins Baskin. Slowly, he started showing off the road map of his scars again, carefully unfurling his boxing stories to the nurses and visitors who tended him.
When children stopped by , he taught them how to throw a perfect punch, still marveling at the reach of his own long arms.
And, if someone asked, Bivins would tell them about his nemesis, the champ Joe Louis. "Somebody still owes me a belt," Bivins said.
In 1999, a Sports Illustrated article said Bivins may have been the greatest modern heavyweight who never got a shot at the title crown.
The same year, Bivins traveled to New York, where he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Although Bivins was still a little wobbly on his feet, the tuxedo he wore couldn't hide his boxer's physique, thick again after months of good food and decent care.
In 2009, Baskin died, and Bivins moved into McGregor. The Ohio State Former Boxers and Associates threw birthday parties for him there.
"It's been quite a life," Bivins told The Plain Dealer. "It's been quite a life."
According to his family, Bivins outlived his two sons, three sisters and a step-daughter. He left behind a daughter, Josette Banks; four grandchildren and many great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Jimmy Bivins
1919-2012
Contributions: Alzheimer's Association, 23215 Commerce Park Drive, Suite 300, Beachwood, OH 44122, alz.org/cleveland.
Funeral: to be announced.
Arrangements: Lucas Memorial Chapel.The Indians look to take their three-game series against the Angels this afternoon at Progressive Field. First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. Get game updates on Twitter from Paul Hoynes, @Hoynsie.
The Indians look to take their three-game series against the Angels this afternoon at Progressive Field. First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 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.
The Indians place Shelley Duncan on the paternity list to make room for Travis Hafner on the 25-man roster. Duncan can stay on the list for three days with his wife expected to give birth to twins.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Travis Hafner was activated Wednesday and placed in the cleanup spot in the Indians lineup to face the Angels. It will be his first game since May 23 when he left the game because of soreness in his right knee.
The knee required arthroscopic surgery.
The Indians went 16-21 in Hafner's absence. They used seven different players at DH. They hit a combined .252 (28-for-11) with three homers and eight RBI.
"It's good to have him back," said manager Manny Acta. "He's a middle of the order bat that we rely a lot on. Even when he's not hitting, he walks, scares pitchers out of the strike zone and creates traffic on the bases."
Hafner is hitting .242 (32-for-132) with six doubles, six homers and 23 RBI. He has 25 walks, 25 strikeouts and a .380 on base percentage.
To create a spot for Hafner on the 25-man roster, Shelley Duncan was placed on the paternity list. His wife is expecting twins.
Duncan can stay on a list for three days.
"We're going to have to make a more permanent move in the next couple of days, but this was good timing," said Acta. "It gives us the opportunity to think things through for the next couple of days. We all know how things can change in this game."
Today's lineups:
Angels (45-36): CF Mike Trout (R), RF Torii Hunter (R), 1B Albert Pujols (R), DH Kendry Morales, LF Mark Trumbo (R), 3B Alberto Callaspo (S), SS Erick Aybar (S), 2B Maicer Izturis (L), C Bobby Wilson (R), RHP Ervin Santana (4-8, 5.12).
Indians (41-39): RF Shin-Soo (L), SS Asdrubal Cabrera (S), 2B Jason Kipnis (L), DH Travis Hafner (L), CF Michael Brantley (L), 1B Casey Kotchman (L), 3B Jack Hannahan (L), LF Johnny Damon (L), C Lou Marson (R), RHP Derek Lowe (7-6, 4.42).
Umpires: H Jim Wolf, 1B Mike Muchlinski, 2B Jerry Layne, 3B Bob Davidson.
Indians vs. Santana: Choo is hitting .400 (4-for-10) with two RBI and Brantley is hitting .308 (4-for-13) with one RBI.
Angels vs. Lowe: Izturis is hitting .471 (8-for-17) and Hunter is hitting .286 (8-for-28) with three homers and seven RBI.
Next: Josh Tomlin (4-5, 5.85) will face Jeremy Hellickson (4-4, 3.44) Thursday night as the Indians open a four-game series against the Rays at Progressive Field before heading into the All-Star break.
Some of the Indians were grumbling that the umpire called for rain delays on Tuesday night at inopportune times for Indians pitchers.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — There was some grumbling about crew chief Jerry Layne's tarp management Tuesday night. The Indians had one out in the ninth inning with a 9-5 lead over the Angels when Layne called for the tarp because of heavy rain.
The game was delayed 57 minutes. Esmil Rogers, who recorded the first out of the inning, returned after the delay to get the final two.
"I had no problem coming back after the delay," said Rogers, before Wednesday's game. "I'm ready today, too. I'm not here for a vacation. I'm here to pitch."
Vinnie Pestano did the same thing in the eighth. He recorded the first out before the game was delayed 44 minutes by rain. He returned to finish the inning.
Some wondered why play wasn't halted at the start of those innings to save the wear and tear on the arms of Pestano and Rogers.
Well blended: The Indians wore their Chief Wahoo hats Wednesday against the Angels, but the Chief was camouflaged in honor of our military on Independence Day.
Stat of the day: Nick Hagadone has retired 72 percent (18-for-25) of the first batters he's faced to lead Tribe relievers. Joe Smith is second at 71 percent (27-for-38).
-- Paul Hoynes
The Indians offense pounds Ervin Santana for eight runs on six hits Wednesday on the way to a 12-3 victory over the Angels at Progressive Field.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Right-hander Ervin Santana might have set the bar too high for himself when it comes to beating the Indians.
The Indians trounced Santana once again Wednesday in a 12-3 victory over the Angels at Progressive Field. Santana is 1-8 with a 5.03 ERA in his career against the Tribe. His lone victory came last July and he needed a no-hitter to do it.
There was no no-no Wednesday. Not even close.
Santana (4-9, 5.57) allowed eight runs on six hits in 1 1/3 innings. It was his shortest start of the season.
Michael Brantley hit a three-run homer with two out in the first to give the Indians the early lead, but it was an 11-pitch battle against Travis Hafner that seemed to take the steam out of Santana.
Santana started the game with two quick outs. Then he walked Jason Kipnis to bring Hafner to the plate. Hafner, activated from the disabled list before the game, worked Santana for a walk by making him throw 11 pitches.
Brantley followed with his second homer of the season.
The Indians, who have won five of their last seven games, made it 9-0 with a six-run second. Casey Kotchman's three-run homer against one of his former teams was the big hit of the inning. Kotchman's homer, which just cleared the right field fence in front of the Angels bullpen, was his seventh of the season and came off Takahashi Hisanori, who relieved Santana.
Johnny Damon and Lou Marson started the second with singles. Shin-Soo Choo doubled home Damon and Marson scored on Asdrubal Cabrera's grounder to first. Kipnis singled home Choo and Hafner singled to right to chase Santana.
Derek Lowe (8-6, 4.43) used the outpouring of runs to win his first game since June 1. He entered Wednesday's game with an 0-3 record in his last five starts.
The eight victories are one shy of his victory total from 2012 when he went 9-17 with Atlanta. Lowe, pitching with a big lead, allowed three runs and scattered 11 hits in six innings.
Lowe is 8-8 in his career against the Angels.
The Indians added three more runs in the fifth as Kotchman, Jack Hannahan, Damon and Marson opened with four straight hits. Kotchman scored on Marson's single, Hannahan scored on Choo's double play grounder and Cabrera doubled home Damon.
The Indians finished with 15 hits. Damon led the way with three. He also recorded his first assist of the season, shocking the 20,979 in attendance by throwing out Albert Pujols in the third as he tried to stretch a single to left into a double. Damon, however, turned it into the final out of the inning.
It was Damon's first assist since 2010. That year he had two, both against the Angels.
Damon, whose arm is far from a weapon, slapped hands with fans along the left field grandstand as he ran to the dugout after the play.
The Indians took two out of three from the Angels. They lead Los Angels, 4-2, this season.
The Tampa Bay Rays start a four-game series against the Indians at Progressive Field starting Thursday.
Indians vs. Rays
Where: Progressive Field.
When: Thursday through Sunday.
TV/radio: SportsTime Ohio Thursday, Friday and Sunday, WKYC Channel 3 Sunday, no TV Saturday; WTAM AM/1100.
Pitching matchups: RHP Josh Tomlin (4-5, 5.85) vs. RHP Jeremy Hellickson (4-4, 3.44) Thursday at 7:05 p.m.; RHP Justin Masterson (5-7, 3.92) vs. RHP Alex Cobb (3-5, 4.94) Friday at 7:05 p.m.; RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (7-7, 4.59) vs. LHP Matt Moore (5-5, 4.17) Saturday at 6:05 p.m.; and RHP Zach McAllister (3-1, 4.11) vs. RHP James Shields (8-5, 4.11) Sunday at 1:05 p.m.
Season series: Last year, the Indians went 2-4 against the Rays. The Indians lead, 69-42, overall.
Rays: They had won two straight before Wednesday's loss to the Yankees but have lost 10 of their past 15 games. Rays outhit the Tribe last year, .289 to .228, with Ben Zobrist leading the way at .286 (6-for-21), with one homer and three RBI. Hellickson was 1-0 and Shields 1-1 against the Tribe in 2011.
Indians: They have won five of their past seven. They were outscored by the Rays, 21-6, last year. During the past six years, the Indians are 18-4 against the Rays at Progressive Field. Asdrubal Cabrera hit .375 (9-for-24), with one homer and three RBI against the Rays. Masterson went 0-2.
Injuries: Indians -- LHP Rafael Perez (left side), CF Grady Sizemore (back) and RHP Carlos Carrasco (right elbow) are on the disabled list. OF Shelley Duncan is on the paternity list. Rays -- C Robinson Chirinos (concussion), OF Sam Fuld (right wrist), OF Brandon Guyer (left shoulder), OF Matt Joyce (oblique), 3B Evan Longoria (left hamstring) and RHP Jeff Niemann (right leg) are on the disabled list. DH Hideki Matsui (left hamstring) is day to day.
Next: All-Star break starts Monday. The Indians resume play Friday in Toronto, where they open a three-game series.
-- Paul Hoynes
Parise, a forward, and defenseman Suter are both 27.
The Minnesota Wild were a starless team in need of a big-time jolt to get the franchise back to the point of being worthy of playing in ''the State of Hockey.''
The jolts don't come any bigger than this.
The Wild landed not one but both of the NHL's top prizes in free agency, signing forward Zach Parise and defenseman Ryan Suter on Wednesday. Each deal is for 13 years and $98 million, according to three people familiar with the contracts who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team did not release details.
''WE GOT 'EM!'' the Wild announced on their Twitter account early Wednesday afternoon, sending shockwaves across the league and through a devoted fan base that was starting to show signs of apathy after missing the playoffs for a fourth straight season.
Parise, the former New Jersey Devils playmaker, and Suter, who paired with Shea Weber on the Nashville blue line, were regarded the cream of what was a thin free agent crop, and each had spent the past four days poring over numerous offers from several teams before making a decision.
''This is a great day in the history of the Minnesota Wild,'' GM Chuck Fletcher said in a conference call.
Maybe THE greatest. The Wild have had a relatively non-descript existence aside from one stirring run to the Western Conference finals in their second season.
Parise knows the history well, having grown up in the Twin Cities. So he recruited his friend Suter to come help out the hometown team.
''We kept in touch throughout this whole thing and we decided that we thought for both of us that the best fit would be Minnesota,'' Parise said in a conference call. ''We're excited that it worked out and we get a chance to play with each other.''
One person said that even the breakdown of the contracts is exactly the same, with both players getting $12 million in each of the first two years. The deals then go down in value, with each player making $1 million in both 2023-24 and 2024-25.
''My parents were so excited when they knew that I was considering coming back home,'' Parise said. ''When I made the decision they were real excited as well. That played a big part. I grew up here, I love coming back here in the summers and I thought 'We enjoy it here so much it would be great to be here year round.'''
And it's a relative homecoming for Suter, who is from Wisconsin, as well.
''It came down to where I felt my family would like to live,'' Suter said. ''My wife's from Bloomington, Minnesota. That had a lot to do with it. . Minnesota has a lot of good young players that I think will help make this team successful.''
With one fell swoop, the Wild have been transformed from a relatively young franchise with very little history of success since being re-established in Minnesota, to an immediate contender.
The Wild got off to a tremendous start to last season before injuries and inexperience caught up to them in the second half. Minnesota endured a dreadful 11-28-7 stretch and finished 12th in the Western Conference.
''We felt if we could add either a top defenseman or a top forward it would really help our team,'' Fletcher said. ''I don't think you ever go in assuming you're going to land both of them. We shot for the moon, and we tried our best.''
For a team that has struggled to put the puck in the net, this was one monster score.
''These signings will resonate well with our fans, with our players and with everybody associated with the team,'' said Fletcher, who added that they still have cap flexibility. ''Our goal in signing them was certainly not to make a splash, it was to make our team better. We feel we are a better team, but our work is just starting.''
Parise was the best forward on the market. He scored 31 goals and 69 points last season in his first year as the Devils' captain. He also chipped in with 15 points in helping the team's surprise run to the Stanley Cup finals, which ended in a six-game series loss to Los Angeles.
Drafted 17th overall by New Jersey in 2003, the 27-year old has 194 goals and 216 assists in 503 career games. He scored 30-plus goals five times.
Suter, also 27, was the top defenseman available this summer. He spent all seven of his seasons in the NHL with the Predators after being selected with the seventh pick in the 2005 draft. The All-Star defenseman had career highs in points last year, with 7 goals and 39 assists.
Parise tried to explain why he needed more than a few days to announce his intentions, saying he was evaluating each team and city that was trying to sign him.
While the Wild celebrated, the players' former teams were left with big holes to fill.
''There's no question we're disappointed,'' Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello said. ''It's a very unfortunate thing when you have a player of his stature that comes right through the ranks and, at this given time a decision is made to go elsewhere. But right now there's nothing we can do about that and our plans are going forward.''
Lamoriello said he met with Parise and his representatives in Toronto on Saturday, and made what he called a competitive offer. In later discussions with Parise, Lamoriello said, the player made clear he wanted an opportunity to play in his home state.
''Zach told me that if it wasn't going home to Minnesota, it would be coming to New Jersey,'' Lamoriello said. ''I respect that.''
The Devils cupboard isn't entirely bare as the team still features Ilya Kovalchuk, Patrik Elias and NHL rookie of the year finalist Adam Henrique. New Jersey also re-signed veteran goalie Martin Brodeur to a two-year contract earlier this week.
The Predators had a similar reaction to Suter's departure.
''It would be an understatement to say that the Nashville Predators are disappointed at this time,'' team GM David Poile said. ''Actually, not disappointed, but very surprised.''
Poile had held out hope that Suter would consider re-signing with the Predators even after becoming a free agent.
Now the Predators need to turn their attention to re-signing their other star defenseman, captain Shea Weber, who is a restricted free agent.
Second-tier free agents such as defenseman Matt Carle and forward Alexander Semin seemed to be waiting for Suter and Praise to reach agreements so that they could offer their talents to teams that didn't get a top target.
The Detroit Red Wings were among the teams to take a run at both players, and were most interested in Suter as a player who could fill in after captain Nicklas Lidstrom retired.
''We feel good about our offer to Suter and Parise on July 1, and with our chance to adjust our offer to Suter on July 2,'' Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said by phone.
Holland said team owner Mike Ilitch and coach Mike Babcock joined him in making a presentation to Suter. He said they didn't have an opportunity to make a similar presentation to Parise.
Diavoletto, a two-time stakes winner in May and April, is the 5-2 morning line favorite in Friday's Daniel Stearns Cleveland Gold Cup.
NORTH RANDALL, Ohio -- The $100,000 Ohio Derby has the spotlight this week at Thistledown, but Friday's $75,000 Daniel Stearns Cleveland Gold Cup for Ohio-bred three-year-old thoroughbreds may be a more entertaining race for local fans.
Diavoletto, winner of the $50,000 Green Carpet Stakes on the River Downs turf in May and the $50,000 H.B. Noonan Stakes at Beulah Park on a sloppy dirt track in April, has been established the 5-2 morning line favorite. The biggest challenge in the large field of 13 sophomores is expected from trainer Tim Hamm's License to Bling, listed as the early 3-1 pick along with stablemates Mercer's Mark and Brass Buckle from the Blazing Meadows Farm in North Jackson.
To give License to Bling an extra edge, jockey Deshawn Parker will come in from Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort in Chester, W.Va., to ride the son of Too Much Bling. North America's top jockey the past two years, Parker rode the 4,000th winner of his stellar career on May 6.
Prospective ready to roll: Trainer Mark E. Casse of Ocala, Fla., says Prospective, the heavily-favored 3-5 morning line pick in the $100,000 Ohio Derby, is a three-year-old that enjoys life on the road. That includes this morning's van trip from Toronto to Cleveland.
"Before he won the Tampa Bay Derby, we stabled him at Palm Meadows, a 3-hour ride away," said Casse. "Prospective loves to travel. He's a very classy horse, and doesn't get excited about anything."
Casse thought the Tampa Bay Derby was the best example of Prospective's talent, calling him a "hard-knocking horse that usually brings his game. He paces well and comes hard at the end. If there's not a lot of speed, he'll stay close and will do whatever you ask him to do."
A big disappointment for Casse was the Kentucky Derby, where Prospective finished 18th. "Prospective clicked heels with Hansen about 100 yards from the starting gate, and almost threw his jockey," said Casse.
Casse picked the Ohio Derby after winning the $150,000 Victoria Park Stakes at Woodbine on June 12 to get ready for the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N. J. or the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga. The Kentucky-bred son of Malibu Moon has the rail as he goes against Politicallycorrect, Defiant Flyer, Z Rockstar and Swage.
Derby Day doings: The Ohio Derby goes to post at 5:32 p.m., and it isn't the only stakes race of the day. The $50,000 Cleveland Kindergarten Stakes is sending out a dozen two-year-olds, evenly split between fillies and colts. Many are making their first career starts in the 5 1/2-furlong race.
Giveaways, kids' games and prizes are part of the special Ohio Derby program, as well as trackside entertainment. The Reggae Vibes Band is playing from 1-5 p.m. Early arrivals can grab one of 3,500 Ohio Derby baseball caps. Track racing analyst Rich Ruda has a handicapping seminar at noon. The Silks clubhouse restaurant is taking reserved seating, with a $38.95 buffet.
De La Cruz keeps rolling: A seven-day suspension for interference hasn't slowed down jockey Walter De La Cruz, who has a big lead in the Thistledown standings with 41 wins in 132 starts. Jeffrey Skerrett (30 wins) and Alvaro Hernandez-Lopez (27) are trailing the young Peruvian star. Richard Rettele is leading the trainer's standings with 25 winners. Jeff Radosevich has saddled 23, and Gerald Bennett 15.
Big lead: Ryan Stahl is Northfield Park's leading driver with 190 victories, followed by Aaron Merriman (141) and young Tyler Smith (118). Kevin Ehrhardt (35) is Northfield's top trainer, followed by Don Pfister (33) and Calvin Hollar and Larry Clabaugh (29).
Kidd, 39, is second on the NBA's all-time lists in assists and steals.
Kidd, 39, helped Dallas to the 2010-11 NBA championship. Last season, Kidd averaged 6.2 points, 5.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals for the Mavericks in 28.7 minutes per game. Never a consistent shooter, he shot just 36 percent from the field, including 35 percent on 3-point shots."I think I can help," Kidd told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher, adding he felt the Knicks have more "pieces to work with."
With the Mavericks confident they were closing in Thursday on a verbal agreement on a three-year deal with Kidd worth $9 million, sources told ESPN.com that Kidd -- after all-day deliberations with both teams -- has decided instead to leave Dallas to join the Knicks for a similar deal.
The contract can't actually be signed until July 11, which is the first day new NBA contracts can be signed.
The Indians' overall hitting has been inconsistent this season. Brantley, Cabrera, Choo and Kipnis, though, have been productive over the first 81 games of the 162-game schedule.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians, going into their home game tonight against the Tampa Bay Rays, have played 81 games, exactly half of their 162-game schedule.
The Tribe is 42-39 and in second place in the American League Central Division, two games behind the Chicago White Sox.
The Indians' offense was inconsistent, at best, through the first half. A hitting surge over the last seven games has boosted the overall team batting statistics.
Four everyday players, though, have made strong contributions to the Indians' attack through most of the season: left-handed hitting center fielder Michael Brantley; switch-hitting shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera; left-handed hitting right fielder Shin-Soo Choo; left-handed hitting second baseman Jason Kipnis.
Brantley has hit everywhere from first to seventh in the batting order, with most of his at bats in the fifth and first spots. Cabrera has hit in the two- or three-hole all season. Choo batted third or sixth until manager Manny Acta made him the leadoff hitter in May. He has 193 of his 295 at bats hitting first in the order. Kipnis has had 274 of his 319 at bats while in either the second or third spot.
Following are the statistics for the four Indians:
(Key: BA-batting average; G-games; R-runs; 2B-doubles; 3B-triples; HR-home runs; RBI-runs batted in; W-walks; SO-strikeouts; SB-stolen bases in number of attempts; OBP-on base percentage; SLG-slugging percentage; RISP-batting average with runners in scoring position, and hits and at bats with runners in scoring position)
Michael Brantley: .278 BA; 78 G; 36 R; 22 2B; 3 3B; 2 HR; 40 RBI; 21 W; 31 SO; 10-15 SB; .323 OBP; .388 SLG; .305, 25-82 RISP.
Asdrubal Cabrera: .293 BA; 72 G; 41 R; 20 2B; 1 3B; 11 HR; 42 RBI; 32 W; 40 SO; 2-5 SB; .370 OBP; .483 SLG; .314, 22-70 RISP.
Shin-Soo Choo: .292 BA; 75 G; 54 R; 26 2B; 2 3B; 8 HR; 31 RBI; 35 W; 74 SO; 9-10 SB; .380 OBP; .475 SLG; .275, 19-69 RISP.
Jason Kipnis: .276 BA; 80 G; 51 R; 7 2B; 3 3B; 11 HR; 49 RBI; 30 W; 56 SO; 20-21 SB; .341 OBP; .420 SLG; .378, 31-82 RISP.
Which of the four Indians is the team's most valuable offensive player at the midway point of the 2012 schedule?
Marson has hit .393 in his past 20 games, raising his batting average from .074 on May 20.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Scrawled on the clubhouse white board that tells players the schedule for each day was a bit of Indians advance planning on Thursday.
It read: "Mandatory Workout July 12 (except All-Stars and Lou)."
Lou Marson glanced at the board and shrugged his shoulders. Was that really affirmation of how well the Tribe's backup catcher has been playing?
"I guess I need to check," he said.
It seems more likely to be a teammate prank -- particularly since someone also editorialized, "This sucks!" above "Mandatory Workout." But it's also a way for teammates to recognize Marson's recent play. He has hit .393 (24-for-61) in his last 20 games, raising his batting average from a paltry .074 on May 20 to .295. Against the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday, he was 2-for-4 with on RBI.
As a career .228 hitter, it's a significant improvement.
"I don't really want to think about it or talk about it," Marson said before Thursday's opener of a four-game series against Tampa Bay. "I just want to continue it. I just try to see the ball, and try to keep it simple, have a quality at-bat. I don't want to think about it."
Meanwhile, it is a legitimate question as to whether manager Manny Acta has to find a way to work Marson into the lineup more often. He's played 32 games this season in relief of everyday catcher Carlos Santana, who started Thursday's game but has struggled with the bat.
"He helps give me more peace of mind whenever I want to rest Santana," Acta said, "but we can't forget that Santana is our everyday guy. Every one of us wishes that everyone on the bench and on the field was playing up to their capabilities, and this is what we envisioned a long time ago out of Lou."
Marson at least thinks he has shown the ability to play more often.
"I feel like I want to do good on both sides of the ball," he said. "I have the ability to do that. I still feel like I can play every day. So when I get in there, I'm going to do everything I can to prove I can be an everyday catcher and get in the lineup."
Nice to see you: As the series opened Thursday, Tampa media quickly descended upon two former Rays -- Casey Kotchman and Johnny Damon. Both played the 2011 season in Tampa Bay, as Kotchman hit .306 while Damon batted 261.
Kotchman, a St. Petersburg native, said he still keeps an eye on how his old team is doing. "Those are my roots," he said, "and it was a fun time to play there."
Baby Duncans: Outfielder Shelley Duncan and his wife, Elyse, welcomed twin boys, Walker and William, to the family Thursday.
Duncan was placed on the paternity list Wednesday to make room for Travis Hafner on the roster. Duncan is eligible to stay on the list for a maximum of three games, so the Indians must make a roster move by Saturday.
New labor agreement speeds the signing process, as both new Cavaliers will take part in next week's summer league.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller became NBA rookies officially on Thursday when they signed their first contracts with the Cavaliers.
Waiters, the shooting guard from Syracuse who was the No. 4 pick, signed a four-year deal (two years, plus two team options) worth $16.7 million, according to the rookie wage scales in the new collective bargaining agreement. Zeller, the center from North Carolina who was the No. 17 pick by Dallas whose rights were then traded to the Cavs, signed a four-year deal (two years, plus two team options) worth $7.4 million.
The two players are expected to take part in the summer league in Las Vegas, July 13-20, along with Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson.
Swap intact: How does the trade of Steve Nash from Phoenix to Los Angeles impact the Cavaliers?
Only marginally.
In last season's deadline deal that sent Ramon Sessions and Christian Eyenga to the Lakers for a first-round pick, Luke Walton and Jason Kapono last March, the Cavs also received the right to swap their least favorable first-round pick in the 2013 draft with the Lakers. The Cavs have their own pick next year, as well as a first-round pick from Miami in the LeBron James deal.
The deal still stands, only now that least favorable pick will go to the Suns, who own the Lakers' first-round draft position. The pick is lottery protected, so in the unlikely event that Kobe Bryant and Nash can't get the Lakers into the playoffs, the Cavs would not be able to swap picks.
If, for example, the Heat have the best record in the NBA next season and the Lakers have the sixth-best, the Cavaliers would take the Lakers' draft pick and the Suns would draft last in the first round, in place of the Heat.
Harangody signs: Forward Luke Harangody signed the Cavs' one-year, $1.1 million qualifying offer and will return to the team, agent Mark Bartelstein confirmed on Thursday.
"He's excited about returning and is working hard toward earning a bigger role,'' Bartelstein said.
Harangody, who spent much of last season helping the Canton Charge to the D-League semifinals in the team's first year of existence, averaged 2.9 points and 2.5 rebounds in 21 games with the Cavs. He averaged 19.4 points and 12.6 rebounds in 16 games with Canton.
Harris to Houston: Manny Harris has signed to play with Houston in the summer league in Las Vegas, his agent, Henry Thomas, said Thursday. Harris, a fan favorite, was waived by the Cavs last week. He averaged 6.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 26 NBA games last season. He also averaged 21.4 points and 7.9 rebounds in 17 games in Canton.
Varejao ready to go: Center Anderson Varejao, who missed 41 games last season with a broken right wrist, had nine points and four rebounds as undefeated Brazil (3-0) beat Greece, 78-71, in the championship game of the Eletrobras basketball tournament, an exhibition warmup tournament for the Olympics last week in Sao Paulo, Brazil. This week Brazil will compete against Argentina, Chile and Spain in another exhibition series in Buenos Aires.
Roy to Wolves: Brandon Roy has come to a verbal agreement with Minnesota according to a person in Roy's family, The Oregonian reported Thursday night. The Cavs had some interest in the former Portland guard, who was forced into early retirement because of recurring knee problems.
The debate on how well the South African double amputee will fare in London is a sign that the differences between Paralympians and Olympians can be bridged.
Australia's Channel Ten covers the Oscar Pistorius debate
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- If you're reading the sports page, you probably know the name Oscar Pistorius -- named this week as the first amputee to compete in the Olympics. He will run in the 400 meters and 4x400 relay for South Africa in the London Games, which begin July 27.
But have you heard of Jerome Singleton? He knows the answer to that, so he introduces himself this way: "Hi. My name is Jerome Singleton, Jr., and I am the fastest amputee in the world."
Faster than Pistorius? He gets that a lot.
"T-H-E. The fastest amputee in the word," he said, grinning.
Singleton, a former intern at NASA Glenn Research Center, owns a wit and mind every bit as quick as his left foot and right running blade. He can call himself the fastest amputee because he is the reigning 100-meter world champion for single- and double-amputees.
He beat Pistorius for the gold medal at the 2011 International Paralympic Committee world championships, diving across the line to win by .002 seconds. It was Pistorius' first loss in seven years, including a win over Singleton by .03 for the 2008 Beijing Paralympics gold medal.
Jerome Singleton's 100-meter victory over Oscar Pistorius in 2011
"Muhammed Ali had Joe Frazier. Magic Johnson had Larry Bird. Oscar Pistorius has -- you're looking at him," Singleton said.
But at the Olympics, which precede the Paralympics in London, Pistorius will be more concerned with LaShawn Merritt, the U.S. Olympic Trials 400 champ who recently expressed concerns Pistorius is using improved technology to his advantage. The IAAF regulates the tension, size and weight of the blades, and Pistorius says he has used the same "Cheetah" design for seven years.
Singleton, who has an applied physics degree from Michigan, has a unique perspective. As much as they are rivals, Singleton is very much in Pistorius' corner for this somewhat controversial Olympic gig. Singleton explains that, as a single amputee, he has a slight advantage at the start against double-amputee Pistorius because Singleton has a full leg to push off at the start. That start advantage is multiplied by able-bodied athletes.
Over distances longer than 100 meters, Pistorius' quick leg turnover is more of a factor. Singleton -- part of a NASA Glenn team that studied an oil-free turbo-machinery project for use in a Mars lander -- said the use of blades is a wash in the 400.
The greater point, he said, is the notion this is a controversy at all is a sign of equality between differently abled competitors.
"To get to the Olympics, that shows God-given talent," Singleton said. "To get to the Paralympics, you have to have God-given talent, and you have to have the human will to try to take a part in it."
Here are the facts: In the 400, Pistorius' best times are 45.07 seconds last year and 45.20 this year. The latter time ranks him 30th in the world among able-bodied athletes (Merritt is No. 1 at 44.12). A 45.20 would have been good enough for sixth at the U.S. Trials.
Pistorius' second-place finish at the recent African Championships (45.52) convinced South African officials to loosen their unusually strict requirement of meeting the Olympic 'A' qualifying standard (45.30) three times in a year (Pistorius had done it twice).
"He's proven the things that are still possible for someone who has two artificial legs to go out there and compete -- not just compete, but really compete -- with able-bodied athletes," said Sanya Richards-Ross, the world's top-ranked women's 400 sprinter. "A time of 45.0 is really impressive."
Perhaps the most important thing about Pistorius competing in the Olympics isn't how well he will do. It's what it will do for disabled athletes. The 25-year-old already is a beacon for Paralympians.
"We're thankful he's part of the movement," Singleton said.
The light Pistorius shines on disabled athletes reflects all the way to Ohio. The Ohio High School Athletic Association last month became one of the few states to approve wheelchair events at the state track meet, which can be attributed in part to the impact Pistorius has had on the worldview of disabled athletes.
Pistorius being an Olympian as well as a Paralympian isn't a debatable issue, it's an embraceable one.
On Twitter: @TimsTakePD
Tomlin (5-5) limited the Rays to one run and two hits, easily the right-hander's best outing since April.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Just to prove that they are not shallow and one-dimensional, the Indians tried something different Thursday. Just to mix things up.
They don't need buckets of runs, as they've been scoring in the last handful of games. They don't need loads of hits or power from every hitter.
Instead, the Tribe used a sparkling performance from right-hander Josh Tomlin, blasts of power in the form of three solo home runs, and some stringent and flashy defense to score a 3-1 victory over Tampa Bay in front of 26,577 at Progressive Field.
The Indians improved to 43-39 in winning their sixth game of their last eight. Tomlin showed a trait against the Rays that he has rarely displayed this season -- consistency. Of the 24 batters he faced, he threw 17 first-pitch strikes. He tossed only 30 balls in 88 pitches, total, had a sharp curveball and an extra fiery fastball.
All of it resulted in just two hits over seven innings. He did not walk a single batter and had three strikeouts.
"It's good to see him go seven and have the command he had," Cleveland manager Manny Acta said. "He only worries me when he doesn't have command and he's walking guys because that's not his game. Today, he pitched the way he's capable of -- not walking guys and first-pitch strikes."
It was Tomlin's second consecutive victory, bumping his record to 5-5. In a roller-coaster season, it is his first glimpse of putting together a string of strong outings.
"It feels good to contribute and to give your team a chance to win," Tomlin said. "If I can go that deep in a game and give it to the bullpen like that, we have a good chance to win."
Setup man Vinnie Pestano earned one strikeout in the eighth inning, and closer Chris Perez earned his 24th save of the season while allowing one hit in the ninth.
Giving Tomlin and the bullpen support were three solo shots from Shin-Soo Choo, Michael Brantley and Travis Hafner. Each home run was to right field, and each came with its own achievement.
Choo's homer came in the first inning, setting the tone for the Indians and giving them the early 1-0 lead. It was the fourth time he's led off an Indians game with a home run.
Brantley followed with his second home run in two days -- bumping his season total to three -- with a second-inning shot to right that raised questions of whether the center fielder is turning into a power hitter.
"Absolutely not," he quickly corrected. "I just try to put good swings on the baseball. Wherever they go, they go."
And Hafner's enormous blast in the eighth -- his seventh of the season -- came one day after he was activated since going on the disabled list May 30 for right knee surgery. "That was a big homer," Acta said. "Huge for us."
All of it gave cushion to Tribe pitchers, even if the hitting wasn't quite up to Cleveland standards of late. In nine games prior to Thursday's, the Indians were batting .325 with six double-digit hit totals, averaging 6.8 runs per game. In the past seven games, they'd scored a total of 53 runs.
Against the Rays, Indians fielders came to the rescue more than the bats. In the second, third baseman Jack Hannahan stabbed a sharp grounder from Rays center fielder B.J. Upton.
In the fourth, second baseman Jason Kipnis had a heads-up snag on a sharp liner from DH Carlos Pena to shallow right field.
In the sixth, Choo's leaping catch at the right field wall saved a certain long hit from Rays right fielder Ben Zobrist.
And in the eighth, right fielder Aaron Cunningham fielded a shallow single from shortstop Elliot Johnson and launched a rocket to throw Johnson out at second when he tried to go for two.
"That's how you win games -- you pitch and you catch the ball," Acta said. "Our defense has been our strength, pretty much, along with our bullpen."
Along the way, the Tribe watched as Tampa Bay's Luke Scott set the Rays' club record for futility, extending his hitless streak to 0-for-39.
Tribe batters didn't struggle that much against the Rays. But only with Tomlin's dazzling pitching and solid fielding were the Indians able to notch the victory.
"There's only 27 outs and you've got to take care of them," Acta said. "We're not a team right now that is going to be outslugging teams every night."
For one night, at least.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: jvalade@plaind.com, 216-999-4654
To salvage his season, Ubaldo Jimenez needed a towel, a mirror and determination to learn how to throw again.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ubaldo Jimenez shows you the towel.
Actually, it's a towel with a baseball sown into it, with holes for him to grip it. The Indians pitcher takes it almost everywhere. When he has a few minutes, he stands in front of a mirror and mimics his throwing motion, gripping the towel and the ball.
He's checking...
• The left shoulder. Is it straight at the batter or flying out in the direction of first base?
• The right hand behind his back. Is it stopping as he sort of hooks the ball as he rocks back, or does he keep it moving?
The towel. The mirror. The windup.
This is how Jimenez is working to put himself back together, to become something resembling the pitcher who was 15-12 with a 3.47 ERA in 2010 for Colorado. He'd love to be the All-Star who was 19-8 with a 2.88 ERA in 2010.
"I want to show people why [the Indians] traded for me," he said Thursday.
Last July 31, the Tribe sent top prospects Drew Pomeranz and Alex White along with Joe Gardner and Matt McBride to the Rockies for Jimenez. He was supposed to help the Tribe duel Detroit for the Central Division title. Instead, Jimenez was 4-4 with a career-high 5.10 ERA after the deal, and was hammered by Detroit (2-3, 6.35 ERA).
"I know what people were saying," said Jimenez, who then pauses.
"They traded four guys for this guy ... and he has nothing."
And what was Jimenez thinking?
"The same thing," he said Jimenez. "I didn't know what was going on with me."
It was easy to guess. Jimenez was 27 and had three years left on a modest contract. Why else would the pitching-desperate Rockies trade him unless he was hurt? At the very least, something had to be wrong with a pitcher who should have been entering into the prime of his career.
His fastball dropped from an average of 96 mph in 2009-10 to 93.9 in 2011. It was about 92 mph after he joined the Indians.
"I had some small injuries," he said. "I never was really healthy last year. But I went to spring in great shape."
And had a hard time breaking 90 mph.
"I knew something was wrong," he said.
But he didn't know what.
On an island
Derek Lowe wasn't with the Tribe last summer when Jimenez arrived, but can guess how he felt.
"You switch leagues and everything is different," he said. "New town. New team. New teammates. And the expectations. You don't want to be the reason a trade goes bad."
The 39-year-old Lowe is on his fifth team. This was the first time that Jimenez had been traded.
"The problem with having a bad start with a new team is no one there saw you when you had success," he said. "If you had been with the team for seven years and were a good player -- and then you have a bad start -- people say, 'don't worry about it. You'll come around.'"
There are coaches who know you, and you trust them. There are teammates who believe in you because you helped them win games.
"But the new guy who struggles, it's like no one knows what to say to you," said Lowe. "They don't know you that well. They kind of leave you alone, and you can feel like you're on an island."
That was especially true for Jimenez, who is polite and extremely quiet.
"He is extremely hard on himself," said Tribe bench coach Sandy Alomar. "He's not the kind of guy to say, 'No matter what, I'll get paid.' He's an extremely hard worker. There was a lot at stake in that deal, and everyone knows it -- including him."
Jimenez went from a guy who occasionally hit 100 mph with the Rockies to throwing 90 mph earlier this spring -- the average major-league fastball. Pitching coach Scott Radinsky studied hours of video, comparing Jimenez's windup with the Rockies to here.
Jimenez always has had a lot of moving parts in his windup. The right arm hooks behind his back, the left shoulder can point in different directions. At times, he appears like a man about to slip and fall down a flight of stairs as he rocks back and then forward toward the batter.
The Tribe suggested some problems with his motion, but Jimenez thought he could figure it out without any significant changes.
In the middle of April, Jimenez approached Radinsky.
"[Tribe minor-league pitching coach] Kenny Rowe always says when a guy hits his low point and comes to you, you have him," said Radinsky. "It's when you know that things actually will begin to look up."
Radinsky showed Jimenez the before and after pictures, the problems with the right arm and left shoulder.
"In his eyes, you could see the light went on," said Radinsky. "But that's just the start."
Working his way back
Who knows how it happened, how Jimenez lost his natural motion and the velocity. Was it because he tried to pitch with a groin pull last season? Was it because he saw his fastball slowing down that he tries to throw even harder, and that made it worse because he couldn't regain his natural motion?
"When I made the adjustments, I felt like a robot," said Jimenez. Nothing felt right. Not the old way. Not the new way. No way.
"[Radinsky] warned me that it was going to get worse before it got better," said manager Manny Acta. And it did, as Jimenez was 3-3 with a 6.75 ERA in May. But Jimenez was determined to make it work. He took the towel and practiced his new motion, day after day -- four or five times in front of the mirror.
"I used the towel when I was in Colorado," he said. "But we added the ball to it here. Rad even had me go into the clubhouse during the game to practice."
Lowe watched how Jimenez relentlessly reworked his windup. He noticed how Jimenez never made excuses for his poor performances early this season, and how he faced reporters after every game -- good or bad, and answered the sometimes painful questions.
"Because a guy is quiet and English isn't his first language, you may not think he really cares," said Lowe. "This guy cares -- a lot. He is a good person."
In his first 10 starts, Jimenez was 5-4 with a 5.79 ERA and leading the league in walks. He has made six starts since June 1, going 2-3 with a 2.89 ERA. His walks are down, his fastball is averaging 92-95 mph, and he has hit 96 at times.
"It's starting to click," he said. "I'm getting some of my power back. I'm starting to feel like myself again."
Anderson has won the Pro Stock auto event at Norwalk twice in the previous five years, plus the prestigious K&N Horsepower Challenge the last two years.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- If you are going to bet on any drag racer to win something this weekend at Summit Motorsports Park, then the odds favor Greg Anderson.
At 51, he may have gotten behind the drag wheel late in life at 37, but Anderson has made up for it, particularly at Norwalk, where the NHRA Nationals fields of Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock motorcycles will floor it this weekend.
Anderson, a product of Duluth, Minn., has won the Pro Stock auto event twice in the previous five years, plus the prestigious K&N Horsepower Challenge the last two years at Norwalk. In 2010, he pulled the double, winning both events, which also included a bonus from the NHRA. That year was also the latest of his four Pro Stock season titles.
He seems headed for another in 2012. After 11 events, Anderson has advanced to the championship round eight times, winning four. Not bad for a self-taught former crew chief for 12 years with Pro Stock icon Warren Johnson.
"I graduated from high school, went to Atlanta, and started working for Warren right after that," Anderson said. "That was my college coaching. School of hard knocks."
Anderson did not ease his way into the driver's seat until 1998. Unlike many drivers who have tried various racing disciplines before locking in on one, Anderson has only been a drag racer.
"Not even go-karts," he admits.
Yet that crew chief apprenticeship, knowing the ins and outs of the car from headlight to tail light, is what Anderson said is the key to his success.
"That's a small advantage I have over a lot of the other drivers, absolutely," he said Thursday, spending the afternoon in Cleveland with his family, prior to what is sure to be a hot and steamy three days at the drag strip.
Anderson, who leads Pro Stock with 995 points, finished second -- with some grief -- last week in Chicago. He lost to Erica Enders, who became the first woman to earn a Pro Stock victory.
"She's been knocking on the door the last year and a half, to be honest," Anderson said. "There have been two or three races before this one when I met her in the final round and she absolutely could have won, but we held her off."
Enders is fifth in the standings, 300 points behind Anderson.
Get in Line: Jason Line will lead Saturday's K&N Horsepower Challenge field as the No. 1 seed for the second consecutive season. Seeds are determined by points generated in the calendar year between challenges. The winner will earn $50,000. The runner-up will earn $10,000, the two semifinalists $3,000 each, and the four first-round finishers $2,500 apiece.
"This is our biggest pay check," said Anderson.
After decades of touting the in-game experience, the NFL is trying to mimic the at-home experience for stadium goers.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- From his seat in Section 501 at Cleveland Browns Stadium, season-ticket holder Tim Rychel often text messages a friend in Cincinnati to find out what's happening in the game he's attending.
Sometimes, the 30-year-old Shaker Heights man seeks clarity on a controversial play. Other times, he inquires about a replay not available to fans in the stands. Occasionally, he wants to know why his fantasy league player is standing on the sidelines instead of in the huddle.
Rychel's cell phone is equipped with applications to answer these questions. But in a stadium filled with 65,000 people, he said there's usually not enough bandwidth to check his Twitter account or browse the Internet.
"It can get frustrating not knowing what's going on," Rychel said. "I'm lucky when I can send texts to my friend [Jeff Nye], who's watching the Browns game at home on a big screen with access to all the fantasy stats."
The NFL, which has witnessed a 4.5 percent decline in attendance over the past five seasons, recognizes a problem and is preparing to address it. After decades of touting the game-day experience, league officials are trying to make stadium goers feel more at home. Everything from installing wireless Internet to adding more replays to improving scoreboard quality is in the works.
While the economic downturn is being blamed for diminishing crowds in every sport, NFL officials acknowledge the confluence of high-def TV, wireless communication and the explosion of fantasy sports has made it tougher for some fans to leave the couch or barstool for the tailgate lot.
It's no longer just a matter of saving money on parking and concessions, it's being able to enjoy the Sunday NFL experience in its totality, which for some fans means keeping tabs on other games and their fantasy teams.
"With a lot of young fans today we know that football and technology are in their DNA, so we are trying to give them access to everything fans at home are able to receive," said Brian McCarthy, vice president of league corporate communications. "We don't want fans to be penalized for coming to games."
The Browns did not want to publicly comment on the matter.
The league hopes to include free wireless in every NFL stadium by 2013. The Browns had planned to offer it last season, a league source told The Plain Dealer, until they received word of the NFL initiative and opted to wait.
Starting this season, however, fans in all stadiums will get the chance to see the same replays that referees watch while ruling on challenged calls. In coming years, the league also hopes those fans will watch the controversial plays unfold on crystal clear scoreboards like the ones installed in new stadiums in Dallas and New York.
The NFL remains the most lucrative sports league on the planet with all 32 of its franchise ranking among Forbes' 50 most most valuable teams in 2011. But with the average NFL ticket prices reaching $77.34 last season, according to Team Marketing Report, the league understands it needs to offer fans more incentives to attend games.
A recent Wall Street Journal report noted that full season-ticket subscriptions are available on 20 of the 32 team Web sites and franchises such as the Indianapolis Colts -- once boasting a 16,000-seat waiting list -- now have 1,900 season-ticket seats available.
The Browns, which played at 90 percent home capacity last season, are advertising full season plans and three-game packages starting as low as $99 on their Web site.
Any wonder the league is relaxing its television blackout rules to allow for local broadcasts of games even when as few as 85 percent of tickets are sold?
Years of losing in places like Cleveland and Cincinnati -- which had an NFL-worst 75.2 percent home capacity last season -- have helped drive fans out of the stadiums.
But as the league continues to attract more TV and online viewers, CNBC sports business reporter Darren Rovell said the challenge to sell season tickets also increases. The sophisticated broadcast quality and the advent of secondary online markets such as StubHub makes Rovell wonder why fans still purchase season tickets.
He believes the in-stadium initiatives, which will include developing cell-phone technology that lets fans listen to players wearing microphones on the field, is "horribly reactive." Rovell doesn't think a league that, according to the Wall Street Journal, will earn $27.9 billion on broadcasting rights from 2014-22, is that interested in accommodating fans in the stands.
"There is nothing worse than having to watch a game again when you get home," Rovell said. "I hear that from fans a lot: 'I didn't see everything because I was at the game.'"
Rychel admits he's one of those fans.
Because of lucrative TV contracts, the NFL is not as reliant on ticket sales as other leagues. But the perception created by sections of vacant seats concerns the league. There were occasions when the Browns have played to a half-empty stadium in recent seasons as the team fell out of playoff contention.
Season-ticket holder Kevin Alten said last year when the weather turned foul he considered not making the two-hour drive from Cambridge in order to follow his fantasy team at home and channel surf for other games on his DirectTV Sunday Ticket package. Alten said his smart phone's online access is virtually useless in the stadium. Others interviewed said coverage can vary depending on seat location, but agreed it's often spotty.
Rychel repeatedly has mentioned the need for improved cell/Internet service in season-ending surveys conducted by the Browns. Team officials were prepared to wire the stadium at a cost up to $5 million last season, a league source said, but held off to comply with the 2013 league rollout. The NFL will have four test markets this season, McCarthy said. The Browns aren't expected to be one of them.
Some stadium goers haven't waited for the league to get the replays and fantasy information they desire. Browns season ticket holder Matt Hasel purchased a hand-held device called FanVision which gives users the opportunity to watch other NFL games, see replays of the games they are attending and monitor fantasy players. FanVision and competitors like YinzCam operate on a radio frequency and aren't dependant on cell or Wi-Fi bandwidth.
Hasel said the four-inch, high-definition screen has made him popular with surrounding spectators. He purchased the device, also available for auto racing and college football, on eBay for $50. New ones retail at $150 with a season subscription cost of $99.
The Browns provide the units to suite and club-seat holders and rent them at stadium kiosks. Understanding that most people don't want to carry two devices to a game, FanVision developers are trying to invent a cell phone application.
The league, meanwhile, says its committed to catering to the demands of a multi-tasking fan base. Starting last season, all stadiums were required to provide the NFL Red Zone channel which shows plays from around the league within the 20 yard line.
Not everyone is clamoring for changes, though.
There are some fans who just want to attend games for the action on the field and not be distracted by the expansion of technology. But those who crave it say it only mirrors a society in which kids exchange Facebook messages with friends while eating dinner with their parents.
Rychel is happy to know the NFL plans to one day supply free wireless to fans. He has another request of the Browns, one that doesn't involve technological upgrades.
"It would be nice to see them win some more games."
More than 3,000 athletes, representing 174 teams from around the world, march with the flags of their countries to begin the seventh annual Continental Cup International Youth Sports Festival.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Thursday night at Cleveland Browns Stadium, more than 3,000 athletes, representing 174 teams from around the world, paraded with the flags of their countries — much like the Olympics — to kick off the seventh annual Continental Cup International Youth Sports Festival.
“I think our hope is that it feels like [the Olympics] for these kids,” said David Gilbert, president and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission. “I’m very emotional now looking around, that we can promote the city in a positive way. Very few will play in international competition, and this is as close to the Olympic experience as they may ever get and we are proud it is here in Cleveland.”
Athletes snapped pictures and sang their national anthems as they were announced. The Columbian soccer teams jumped up and down, while the girls soccer team from St. Catharines, Canada, was led out by one team member carrying another who snapped pictures of everything going on.
“This is something else,” she shouted to another member, before breaking out into a Canada chant. The team from Puerto Rico screamed the commonwealth’s name as its turn came to walk around the stadium, and, of course, when the U.S contingent was announced, the crowd of more than 6,000 let out its loudest roar of the opening ceremonies.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the night came when the Norwin Freedom exited the tunnel. Instead of flying a flag with their team colors, the team dressed in black and walked with a banner that said “Steeler Country” and each of the girls waved Terrible Towels. It drew jeers from many in attendance.
“Now I know what [Steelers center] Maurkice Pouncey feels like when he walks out of this tunnel,” said Shannon Gwynn, whose mother came up with the idea.
The boys from Rwanda, who traveled 15 hours to get to Cleveland, were in awe of everything going on.
“This is very nice, I have enjoyed it much,” Anderson Neza said as he walked and looked at the fans who cheered his team when it was announced. “I really like the buildings here. It’s a lot different than the country.”
Following the parade, athletes were seated in the stands, where they got to watch a performance by the Cavalier Girls, the Cavs’ Scream Team and an international scream team. The evening was capped off by a fireworks display.
More than $3 million is expected to be pumped into the Greater Cleveland area over the weekend.
Matt Pawlikowski, Special to The Plain DealerWalleye and yellow perch fishing continue to be good around Lake Erie despite the recent storms and hot, steamy weather. White bass are being caught all along the Lake Erie shoreline.
Walleye and yellow perch fishing continue to be good around Lake Erie despite the recent storms and hot, steamy weather. White bass are being caught all along the Lake Erie shoreline. The dog days of summer have slowed fishing on inland lakes. Berlin Reservoir is a top spot for walleye, LaDue Reservoir is producing bass catches, and catfish are being caught everywhere.
Cleveland area
Yellow perch are being caught off the Gold Coast, Cleveland Browns Stadium and Euclid Hospital in 36 to 40 feet of water. To the west, perch are being caught in 35 to 42 feet of water around the Lorain Sand Bar and from Beaver Creek to Avon Point. Perch are hanging around the hump northwest of the mouth of the Grand River in 40 to 42 feet of water.
Schools of walleye moved a little farther off Cleveland, with catches in 68 to 72 feet of water. Worm harnesses and Stinger spoons have been a good bet for walleye and steelhead trout. Gold and purple are the dominant lure colors.
The walleye are a bit scattered west of Cleveland, with Avon Point a hot spot around the humps in 35 to 40 feet of water. The area around the weather buoy north of Vermilion continues to be a top location to cast and troll for walleye. To the east, walleye and some steelhead trout are being caught northeast of Geneva and northeast of Conneaut in 65 to 72 feet of water.
White bass have moved in around the Cleveland shoreline. Anglers are casting agitators trailing Wiggle Spoons and Fuzz-E-Grubs in white or chartreuse, or casting a jig with a plastic twister tail. The smallmouth bass season has begun. Bass are being caught on jig-leech, tube jigs and drop-shot rigs from rocky humps and bumps around most major harbors.
Western Lake Erie
Drift-and-cast anglers are catching good numbers of 16- to 21-inch walleye around D Can, west of Rattlesnake Island. West Sister Island is a hot spot for smaller walleye. There has been a good near-shore walleye bite between Huron and Vermilion. Walleye are being caught off Old Woman's Creek in 20 feet, and off The Castle just east of Cranberry Creek in 32 feet on crawler harnesses with gold blades. Yellow perch fishing has been best off The Castle in 32 feet of water.
Inland lakes, reservoirs
The Berlin Reservoir water level is down 7 feet and dropping, but the walleye are biting. Anglers are drifting with worm harnesses north of U.S. 422, or anchoring and working jig-nightcrawler rigs. Walleye fishermen are targeting points and deep-water dropoffs. There are low water conditions around the reefs between U.S. 224 and the railroad bridge.
Mosquito Reservoir walleye fishing has been slow, with worm harnesses catching a few fish around the south end of the lake. Largemouth bass fishing is still very good and lots of catfish are being caught. Water levels are down about 4 feet at Mosquito, and about 10 feet at West Branch Reservoir. West Branch muskies have been biting. LaDue Reservoir has been a good spot for big largemouth bass.
Bass fishing has been slow all around the area. Some bluegill are back on shallow-water beds.
Fishing tournaments
KSU LaDO Bass Series (LaDue Reservoir) How they finished: 1. Pete Balishin and Correy Petz, 5 bass, 16.91 pounds, $471; 2. Gary Pridemore and Mick Maloney, 5, 16.20, $308; 3. Matt Byrnes, 5, 14.10, $196. Big Bass: Tyler Evinsky and Joe Evinsky, 5.01 pounds, $140.
