In a world that tries to either keep up with the Kardashians or steadfastly avoid them, the Olympics seek to connect with both demographics, on whatever device they choose, to celebrate a sporting phenomenon that is both timeless and timely.

View full sizeGregory Bull, Associated Press file photoWill this be the face of the 2012 Summer Olympics? American gymnast Jordyn Wieber might follow in the footsteps of Mary Lou Retton and Kerri Strug.

Every four years, sports we care almost nothing about suddenly dominate our TVs, internet feeds and newspaper pages.

We watch, read and pay very close attention as athletes attempt to go swifter, higher and stronger while representing their country. It might seem bizarre to us that medals are given for hitting a shuttlecock and throwing a hammer, and yet we are transfixed by the complexity and beauty of both.

It's the Olympics -- the quadrennial event generations grew up watching on TV. Many vividly recall whose living room they were in when seeing Kerri Strug stick the landing or Bruce Jenner stake his original claim to fame.

But in a world that tries to either keep up with the Kardashians or steadfastly avoid them, the Olympics seek to connect with both demographics, on whatever device they choose, to celebrate a sporting phenomenon that is both timeless and timely.

It is at that crossroads the Olympic movement finds itself in London from July 27 to Aug. 12 for the XXX Summer Games, where iconic settings and sparkling new venues will host 10,500 athletes from more than 200 countries competing in 26 sports.

The United States is sending nearly 600 athletes, some you know well, and others you may be eager to watch, once you learn their stories.

Uber Olympian Michael Phelps won't try to duplicate his eight golds won in Beijing, but he won't spend any less time on your TV. The anticipation of Jamaican sensation Usain Bolt's 9.8 seconds of lightning also will saturate your screen.

So, too, will a new crop of pixies who might just be the best U.S. women's gymnasts since the '96 team that rocketed Strug to fame.

Get ready, America, for feisty Jordyn Wieber and incomprehensibly bubbly Gabby Douglas, the replacements for Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin, who after winning nine medals in Beijing made the mistake of turning 20, and that is well over and beyond the gymnastics hill.

Then there's "Blade Runner." South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius has no chance at an individual medal, but every opportunity to inspire the world as the first Olympic runner who has virtually no legs.

View full sizePaolo Giovannini, Associated PressDouble-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius of South Africa will run in the 400 meters at London.

And what of Northeast Ohio's Olympic dilemma, LeBron James? Will you put aside The Decision and root for him while he's wearing USA on his chest?

James is just one of many intriguing storylines that stretch from Ohio to Great Britain.

The Olympics open us up to regular folks with real-life issues. While rejuvenated Westlake rower Margot Shumway quietly is inspired by her cancer-stricken mother, Columbus wrestler Tervel Dlagnev hasn't seen or spoken to his father in four years. Middletown judo athlete Kayla Harrison is a medal contender after making the choice to tell the world about the sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of a former coach.

For pure entertainment, it will not get better than Holley Mangold, a gut-busting humorist with a belt-busting gut. She's the "I'm big and I'm proud" weightlifter from Centerville.

Elyria's Tianna Madison, who seemingly went backward after becoming a world champ at age 19 in 2005, quietly reinvented herself this year as a 100-meter contender.

Akron's Justin (Harry) Lester suffered one of the worst upset losses in U.S. wrestling history four years ago, and has come back with a new name, new rank and renewed hope to finally achieve the promise he first displayed during a sterling high school career.

Speaking of upsets, which are Olympics currency, Cincinnati boxer Rau'shee Warren appears poised to claim the gold many thought would be his in 2008, and his Cleveland teammate, Terrell Gausha, stands ready to shock the world.

They are among two dozen U.S. Olympians with strong ties to Ohio, plus another 11 who will compete for other countries. Ohio sent 32 athletes to Beijing in 2008, 17 of whom won medals, including seven golds. In addition to James, Perrysburg High graduate Anna Tunnicliffe is favored to win her second sailing gold, and veteran women's soccer defender Heather Mitts of Cincinnati is gunning for gold No. 3.

Standing atop the Olympic podium isn't just a pinnacle, it's also an nice payday, and if you're a American wrestler, it's a great payday.

The United States Olympic Committee, which does not receive direct funding from the federal government, pays medal winners $25,000 for gold, $15,000 for silver and $10,000 for bronze, a scale that has been in place since the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Wrestlers have it even better. Gold-medal winners receive an additional $250,000, silver is worth $50,000 and bronze $25,000 from the Living the Dream Fund, a nonprofit started by two businessmen and wrestling fans to encourage top wrestlers to stay in the sport.

"When it's the finals, that's essentially a $200,000 match," said Dlagnev, the Columbus heavyweight. "I don't think of that when I'm in the wrestling room, but it's kind of funny that's how it works out."

Many other Olympians receive privately negotiated medal bonuses from their sponsors, but the vast majority go home with zeroes on the Olympic W-2s.

View full sizeCollin Reid, Associated PressUsain Bolt of Jamaica will attempt to win gold once again in the 100 meters.

The Olympics officially lost their amateur way a couple decades ago, though in reality, much longer than that. Top U.S. athletes are paid year-round to train and compete, though it frequently is not a livable wage and they must try to find other sources of funding through sponsors.

That can mean millions of dollars and a luxury condo on the Chesapeake Bay if you're Phelps. Or, if you're a fringe national team member like Shumway, it means being a professional dog walker and house sitter while renting a friend's spare bedroom.

Stories such as Shumway's are part of the Olympic allure. These are ordinary folks doing extraordinary things in sports that are sometimes, well, pretty ordinary. The Summer Olympics have backyard appeal. We play badminton and trampoline there. Rowing a boat -- how hard is that? It gives rise to the fantasy that any of us could, if we "The Hunger Games" enough, become an Olympic archer.

Of course, that's a ridiculous notion, especially once we see the speed and skill of those athletes at the Olympic level.

Most Olympic sports aren't something we'd care to follow as passionately as we do football, but with 26 sports, there's something for everyone, and that can make good TV for a couple weeks.

Make no mistake, the Olympics are a TV show. NBC bet a huge sum it will go viral not just on your TV, but also on your computer, tablet and smartphone. It paid $1.18 billion for U.S. broadcast rights and is to air more than 600 hours on its main network and four cable networks, NBCSports, MSNBC, CNBC and Bravo. For the first time, it is offering internet viewers live feeds from every event. NBC says a "Live Extra" app can be tailored to watch specific feeds, be it parallel bars or platform diving.

Is that a mind-numbing amount of video? Fear not. Viewed correctly, the Olympics will expand your mind, or at least your vocabulary.

How else would you know the difference between a Fliffus (two summersaults and a half twist) and a Triffus (three summersaults and a half twist) on the trampoline?

A scull is is a rowboat, not a bone, and a sculler pulls two oars, not one.

An Elliot is a sailboat. A Dobok is a taekwondo uniform.

There are three different kinds of equestrian? Isn't it all just horses jumping over rails? Hardly. Dressage, jumping and eventing are distinct, and if you want to see truly special athletes, they have four legs, rarely give interviews and compete in one of London's coolest venues. Greenwich Park, which dates to 1433, offers sweeping views across the Thames River to St. Paul's Cathedral and beyond.

The setting is part of what will distinguish the London Games. While almost everything about the Beijing Games was modernity in an ancient land, London gives its history room to breathe, much as Athens did in 2004. To be sure, the London Games are distinctly British. Henry VIII's old digs, Hampton Court Palace, will be a dramatic backdrop for cycling time trials, as will the Horse Guards Parade for beach volleyball.

Since the end of the Queen's Jubilee celebration in June, the red-bricked Mall in front of Buckingham Palace has become central to the marathon and road cycling venues.

Tennis? Wimbledon.

Triathlon? Hyde Park.

Sailing? The English Channel.

Soccer fans will appreciate matches at Old Trafford's "Theatre of Dreams," home of Manchester United.

The main cluster of new Olympic venues and villages is in London's famed East End, once the inspiration for Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist," and alternately the home of the city's warehouses, whorehouses and Jack the Ripper. As an industrial center, it was nearly destroyed by German bombs during World War II.

Hardly a tourist destination throughout its gritty history, East End is the London 2012 hub because there now sits the 500-acre Olympic Park. A reclaimed stream and wetlands wind between eight new venues, including Olympic Stadium, and an eye-catching, 377-foot tall piece of modern art known as the Orbit.

This is London's third Olympics. The 1908 Games had a signature moment that survives in Olympic lore. Italian marathon runner Dorando Pietri collapsed five times as he approached the finish, and was carried across the finish line as the winner, but was disqualified for receiving assistance. Sound familiar? Just seven weeks ago, a similar moment occurred at the Ohio state track meet and the two distance runners involved made national headlines, though neither was disqualified.

The 1948 London Games were a powerful appreciation of world peace and perseverance as teams from 59 countries gathered in a city rebuilding from World War II.

The war prevented the 1940 and' 44 Games, and the Olympics resumed in '48, so did Cleveland's prominent role. Jesse Owens made history when he rained on Hitler's parade with four golds at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Appropriately, at the next Olympics a dozen years later, Owens' successor was fellow East Tech grad Harrison "Bones" Dillard. He won the 100 meters in the first-ever photo finish. Dillard's win came as a surprise because he was better known as the world's most dominant hurdler, but he shockingly failed to qualify in the hurdles at the U.S. trials.

Dillard, who turned 89 this month and lives in Richmond Heights, is in great shape and has a sharp recall of his victory 64 years ago. The oldest living 100-meter champ is to be in London to watch Bolt in the highly anticipated men's 100 finals on Aug 5. Dillard and his family will be guests of the timing company whose photo finish technology confirmed his 100 gold medal.

"I'm sure it's going to bring back a flood of memories, particularly since it's going to be in London, the same city where I won my first two gold medals," said Dillard, who won two more in 1954.

"Neither my mother nor my father went to either Olympics. They could not afford it. This time, I'm going to take my daughter and three grandchildren with me. Unfortunately, my dear wife Joy passed almost 2 1/2 years ago.

"But I'm sure we're going to have a good time."

It is, after all, the Olympics.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: twarsinskey@plaind.com, 216-999-4661

On Twitter: @TimsTakePD

In Terry Pluto's Sunday Talkin', he made a mistake when saying Andrew Bynum could sign with any team for five years once he become a free agent in 2013. He can only sign with his current team for five years, other teams for four years.

Here's what the Andrew Bynum contract situation would be if he is traded, an update on my Sunday Talkin' piece.

1. If the Lakers' Andrew Bynum is traded to the Cavs and signs a contract now, it can only be for THREE YEARS.

2. If Bynum is traded and doesn't sign with the Cavs now, he becomes a free agent and can sign with the Cavs for FIVE YEARS in the summer of 2013.

3. If Bynum is traded and doesn't sign with the Cavs now, he becomes a free agent and can sign with any other team for FOUR years in the summer of 2013.

4. I was WRONG to say he could sign with any team as a free agent for five years.

5. If the Cavs want to gamble and trade for him now and hope the EXTRA year convinces him to stay, they can. You can figure he'll be paid about $20 million a year.

6. Nonetheless, it's a gamble because he may take one less year to play elsewhere -- as other players will.

7. My basic point -- that the new rules make it almost IMPOSSIBLE to convince these guys such as Dwight Howard and Bynum to sign now -- is true. But I was wrong when I explained what can happen in 2013.

8. My apologies for not doing a better job with my homework.

Wiggins secured his win with a dominating performance in Saturday's final time trial to extend his already commanding lead. Fellow Briton and Sky teammate Christopher Froome finished second, 3 minutes, 21 seconds behind overall. Vincenzo Nibali of Italy finished third, 6:19 off the pace.

View full sizeAssociated PressBradley Wiggins of Britain, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey is followed by teammate Mark Cavendish of Britain and Peter Sagan of Slovakia, wearing the best sprinter's green jersey as they pass the Arc de Triomphe during the 20th stage of the the Tour de France cycling race over 74.6 miles with start in Rambouillet and finish in Paris, France, Sunday July 22, 2012.

PARIS — Bradley Wiggins has become the first Briton to win the Tour de France, after safely protecting the yellow jersey during Sunday's final processional ride into Paris. He even helped Sky teammate Mark Cavendish earn his fourth straight sprint victory on the Champs-Elysees.

Wiggins secured his win with a dominating performance in Saturday's final time trial to extend his already commanding lead. Fellow Briton and Sky teammate Christopher Froome finished second, 3 minutes, 21 seconds behind overall. Vincenzo Nibali of Italy finished third, 6:19 off the pace.

The last time two riders from the same nation finished first and second in the Tour was in 1984, when Frenchman Laurent Fignon defeated Bernard Hinault.

Roberto Hernandez isn't sure that just because he's using his real name he'll pitch better when he rejoins the Indians.

Thomas Ondrey, Plain Dealer file photoRoberto Hernandez met the media on Sunday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Roberto Hernandez met the press before Sunday's game against Baltimore. The pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona arrived in Cleveland on Saturday night after being granted a visa last week that allowed him to enter the United States for the first time since the end of last season.

The prevailing thought is that Hernandez, freed of the burden of living under an assumed name, will be able to take the mound and pitch better than he has since 2007.

"His mind will be free now," said teammate Ubaldo Jimenez. "He doesn't have to look over his shoulder anymore. Now he can just concentrate on pitching."

Hernandez, speaking through agent/interpreter Charisse Dash, is not so sure.

"I want to forget about the past and move forward," he said. "I don't know if I'll be better, but I'm really going to work at giving what I am as a person and a player."

Hernandez was 7-15 with a 5.25 ERA in 32 starts last year before being arrested in the Dominican Republic on Jan. 19 for identity fraud.

When the Indians signed Hernandez on Dec. 28, 2000, they believed he was 17. In reality, he was 20.

Hernandez said lying about his age was the only way he could sign a professional contract. As for spending 11 years pitching under an assumed name, Hernandez said, "I tried not think about it, but I knew one day this would happen."

After answering questions for almost a half hour, Hernandez received a surprise from his teammates. They presented him with three birthday cakes representing his jump in age from 28 to 31.

"It's nice to see a friendly face and have a good guy back," said Justin Masterson, who had been planning the birthday cake gag since spring training. "I'm sure a lot of weight has been lifted off his shoulders. He can finally be himself, literally.

"Shoot, I think any of us in a similar situation would have done exactly the same thing. It doesn't make it right, but you can understand. For him, at a point like this, it's better for him to be back here and, hopefully, play some baseball."

Masterson didn't think Hernandez was bothered by pitching as Carmona.

"I think when people asked him for his autograph he might forget which name to write down and that may have effected him," said Masterson, with a laugh. "When you're out on the mound, you're doing your thing."

While Hernandez was granted a visa, MLB imposed a three-week suspension on him. He'll use that time to get ready to join the Indians rotation.

Hernandez will throw a bullpen session Monday at Progressive Field. Then he'll go to the minors where he's scheduled to make three or four starts. The suspension ends Aug. 11.

"I was impressed with his physical shape," said manager Manny Acta. "I know at times he was discouraged, but he never stopped working and that showed."

It's still unclear how Carmona fits in the rotation.

"It's three weeks and a lot can happen in three weeks," said Acta.

The July 31st trading deadline is nine days away.

What is clear is that the Indians are looking at Carmona as a starter.

"He's got to go through the process," said Acta. "I hope everything works out the way we've planned and we can add him."

Today's lineups:

Orioles (50-44): RF Nick Markakis (L),  SS J.J. Hardy (R), DH Jim Thome (L), CF Adam Jones (R), 3B Wilson Betemit (S), LF Chris Davis (L), 1B Mark Reynolds (R), 2B Ryan Flaherty (L), C Taylor Teagarden (R), LHP Zach Britton (0-0, 9.00)

Indians (47-47): RF Shin-Soo (L), SS Asdrubal Cabrera (S), 2B Jason Kipnis (L), 3B Jose Lopez, CF Michael Brantley (L), 1B Carlos Santana (S), DH Shelley Duncan (R), C Lou Marson (R), LF Aaron Cunningham (R), RHP Zach McAllister (4-1, 3.17).

Umpires: H Vic Carapazza, 1B Larry Vanover, 2B Dan Bellino, 3B Jerry Layne.
 
Indians vs. Britton: Brantley is hitting .667 (2-for-3).

Orioles vs. Tomlin: Jones is hitting .545 (6-for-11) with one homers and three RBI and Betemit is hitting .421 (8-for-18) with two homers and four RBI.

Next: RHP Justin Masterson (6-8, 4.29) will face Baltimore's Tommy Hunter (4-4, 5.71) Monday night at 7:05 p.m. STO/WTAM will carry the game.
 

Josh Tomlin was burned early once again by the home-run ball and the Indians hitters continued their second-half fade as Baltimore moved to within one victory of a four-game sweep.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Gulp Time has arrived for the Indians.

After losing for a third straight day to Baltimore, this time by a 4-3 score on Sunday afternoon, things have turned unpleasant for manager Manny Acta's listless ballclub.

They've lost four straight, one shy of their longest losing streak of the season. At 47-48 they're below .500 for the first time since April 14. Sunday's loss, coupled with Detroit's victory over Chicago, dropped the Indians to 41/2 games off the pace in the AL Central.

That would be their biggest deficit of the season.

When asked about his team's downward trend, Acta said: "The sun will come up tomorrow. We still have over 60 games to play. Things can change in a heartbeat in this game."

True, but if the Indians have been playing with a heartbeat since the All-Star break it's been hard to detect.

Tonight they finish their four-game series with Baltimore, a team they pounded in Camden Yards just before the break. Then the Tigers arrive for a three-game series. They just completed a three-game sweep of the White Sox to take a 11/2-game lead in the Central. They've won 16 of their past 21 games.

Asked to grade the importance of the next four games, Shelley Duncan said: "We need to do better if we want to stay in this thing. Tomorrow is a big game. We need to get one out of this series. It's probably the biggest game of the year for us. Then the next three days (against Detroit), each one will be the biggest game of the year."

Too melodramatic on July 22 with 67 games left to play? Perhaps. But anything would be better than the snoozefest the Indians used to mute three great crowds (98,250 total) over the weekend at Progressive Field.

"We have to pull together," said Duncan. "This is a time when we want to be positive with each other and not look at the negatives. This is the time we should put our foot on the gas and not freak out. What did Will Ferrell say in that movie 'Old School', 'Don't freak out! Don't freak out!' "

The Orioles have outscored the Indians, 17-6, in the series.

"We need to do a better job with runners in scoring position," said Duncan.

No kidding. The Indians are hitting .195 (15-for-77) with runners in scoring position since the break.

The only cheers the Indians generated from Sunday's crowd of 28,049 came in the ninth inning. With the Tribe on the verge of being shut out for the third time since the break, Michael Brantley singled and Carlos Santana hit a two-run homer to make it 4-2. It was Santana's third hit of the game.

Jim Johnson, who leads the big leagues with 30 saves, relieved. Duncan greeted him with a double off the 19-foot wall in left. Pinch-hitter Travis Hafner singled to right to make it 4-3, but Johnny Damon flied out to left and Johnson pitched around Shin-Soo Choo to face Asdrubal Cabrera.

Usually that's a good thing for the Indians, but their two-time All-Star is in a deep funk. Johnson struck him out on a 2-2 pitch to end it. Cabrera is in an 11-for-67 skid.

Josh Tomlin pitched the Indians into early trouble for the second time in as many starts.

J.J. Hardy hit a two-run homer in the first to give Baltimore a 2-0 lead. In his previous start, a 4-2 loss to Tampa, Tomlin allowed a two-run, first-inning homer to Carlos Pena.

It is a disturbing trend for Tomlin (5-7, 5.34), who has allowed 14 homers this season. It's especially disturbing with the Indians impotent offense.

The Orioles made it 3-0 on Hardy's single off Esmil Rogers in the seventh. Wilson Betemit's leadoff homer off Jeremy Accardo in the eight made it 4-0.

"The first inning killed Josh," said catcher Lou Marson, "but he pitched well. We should be able to score a couple of runs."

Left-hander Zach Britton (1-0, 3.60), making just his second start of the season, pitched six scoreless innings for the win. The Indians are 10-20 when the opponent starts a lefty.

The Orioles' starters in this series, Miguel Gonzalez, Chris Tillman and Britton, have made eight combined big-league starts this year. Yet they all managed to beat the Tribe.

Perhaps it's too late for Gulp Time.

The former Fausto Carmona made mistakes, and is paying for them, but it's not hard to see why he lied about his identity.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerRoberto Hernandez, with interpreter Charisse Dash, at a news conference on Sunday at Progressive Field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Sports fans in this town are a forgiving bunch, if they think you can help their team win. That's been true for Albert Belle, Chris Perez and pretty much everybody in between.

(Not so fast, Andre Rison.)

Where Roberto Hernandez fits on the public's sliding scale of tolerance for mistakes made is uncertain, since he hasn't pitched since last September and won't until sometime in August.

But empathy should rule the occasion when he next takes the mound -- not only for the circumstances that led to his arrest for identity fraud last January in the Dominican Republic, but for the remorse he's shown.

"I thank God I'm here and that I've been given a second chance," Hernandez said Sunday at Progressive Field after rejoining the Indians and discovering a "No Name" plate next to his locker.

Was he guilty of fraud? Yes.

Was it a concerted effort to deceive? You bet.

Fraud and deceit were perpetrated by the adults in his life when he was 20 and told to change his identity if he wanted to maximize his chances of a big-league career. Hernandez wouldn't say how it all got started or whose idea it was to take Fausto Carmona as an alias. But it wasn't likely hatched by a kid.

As for why he did it, Hernandez said, "I wanted the opportunity to be able to sign."

What he didn't say was that it was part of a Wild West culture that only recently began receiving the "new sheriff in town" treatment from Major League Baseball. Or, as Manny Acta said, "It's been going on for a lot of years. If a guy wasn't 17 or 18, it was tough to get signed."

Could he have fessed up along the way? Maybe when he found himself on the same Indians' team with Roberto Hernandez? Weird.

But when? You're making millions. You're going to willingly jeopardize that to expose a wide-spread practice in which all parties were complicit?

The Indians signed Hernandez for a whopping $9,000. We can't say whether they truly believed he was 17, as his birth certificate claimed. But we can guess if they knew he were three years older, he'd definitely have received less money or maybe not been signed at all.

Big-league clubs were less interested in 19- and 20-year-old Dominicans because language and culture assimilation is often a two- to three-year process. And because the Dominican kids didn't match up physically with American kids the same age.

When the Indians signed Hernandez, they paid to fix a mouthful of teeth gone bad from eating raw sugarcane. He began gaining weight immediately.

This wasn't Jaret Wright coming out of an affluent high school in California, the son of a major-league pitcher. The Indians paid Wright a $1.1 million bonus. They gave a poor Dominican kid with a big arm, Bartolo Colon, $3,000. Hernandez and Colon came from a completely different (third) world than Wright.

The rule in the Dominican, enforced by scouts and fathers, was to maximize a kid's signing bonus and chances by any means possible. The tradeoff: Hernandez lived with the fear of being exposed on a yearly, if not daily, basis.

Last season, a woman claimed on a radio talk show in the Dominican that Hernandez's father, Beato, paid her to do "spiritual work with candlelights and oil" on a birth certificate to enhance his son's baseball opportunity.

In January, she contacted U.S. authorities and Dominican officials about Hernandez's identity fraud after she claimed Hernandez's father didn't pay her $26,000 he owed.

Hernandez's fraud hardly stood out. Colon turned up a year older after post-Sept. 11 scrutiny increased.

Remember Wally Bryan? You probably don't. When the Indians drafted him a few years ago and paid him $575,000, his name was Jose Ozoria and his birth certificate said he was 17. He was really 20, with a name that would've fit nicely in "Leave It to Beaver."

With that case to talk about -- and his own, and a hundred others -- Hernandez has spent the past several months warning Dominican kids about the perils of identity fraud.

In his excellent story on Hernandez and the Dominican baseball culture, The Plain Dealer's Paul Hoynes told of Hernandez handing out T-shirts with the message, "In truth there is triumph."

If there is still a chance for triumph in the AL Central this year, Hernandez could play a key role after serving a three-week suspension -- if only because the Indians' rotation is a leaky raft.

Maybe not living a lie will help. Certainly, an understanding fan base should.

Teammates hope that no longer living a lie will bring peace of mind to the right-handed starter.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerHis Indian teammates presented three birthday cakes to Roberto Hernandez on Sunday when he arrived in the clubhouse, marking the three years he had "aged'' since they saw him last season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- After Roberto Hernandez talked to reporters before Sunday's game against Baltimore, his teammates held a "gathering" for him. At least that's what it was called on the clubhouse message board.

At 2 p.m. Hernandez was presented with three birthday cakes inside the locker room as his teammates sang "Happy Birthday". The three cakes represented Hernandez's leap in age from 28 to 31. The discrepancy was revealed in January when Hernandez was arrested in the Dominican Republic for identity fraud.

It turned out that Fausto Carmona, the pitcher employed by the Indians since Dec. 28, 2000 was really Hernandez. Besides a new name, Hernandez was three years older than the team was led to believe.

Never let it be said that baseball players are an overly sensitive group.

"It's nice to see a friendly face and have a good guy back," said Justin Masterson, who had been planning the birthday cake gag since spring training. "I'm sure a lot of weight has been lifted off his shoulders. He can finally be himself, literally.

"Shoot, I think any of us in a similar situation would have done exactly the same thing. It doesn't make it right, but you can understand. For him, at a point like this, it's better for him to be back here and, hopefully, play some baseball."

The prevailing thought among the amateur psychologists among us is that Hernandez, freed of the burden of living under an assumed name, will be able to take the mound after he serves a three-week MLB-imposed suspension and pitch better than he has since 2007.

"His mind will be free now," said teammate Ubaldo Jimenez. "He doesn't have to look over his shoulder anymore. Now he can just concentrate on pitching."

Hernandez, speaking through agent/interpreter Charisse Dash, was not so sure.

"I want to forget about the past and move forward," he said. "I don't know if I'll be better, but I'm really going to work at giving what I am as a person and a player."

Hernandez, 7-15 with a 5.25 ERA in 32 starts last year, won't have to morph into Pedro Martinez to improve on that.

"I felt it a little on my shoulders last year, but I will not use it as an excuse," said Hernandez.

Manager Manny Acta believes Hernandez should be more relaxed now that his secret is out. As far as pitching better, he's unsure.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerRoberto Hernandez warms up in the outfield before Sunday's game.

"He won 19 games in 2007," said Acta. "At this level, when those guys get out on the mound, they're pretty good at blocking things out."

Masterson agreed.

"I think when people asked him for his autograph he might forget which name to write down and that may have affected him," said Masterson. "When you're out on the mound, you're doing your thing."

After Hernandez finished running and throwing Sunday, he signed for fans along the left-field grandstand. Yes, he signed "Roberto Hernandez."

Hernandez said lying about his age was the only way he could sign a professional contract. As for spending 11 years pitching under an assumed name, Hernandez said, "I tried not think about it, but I knew one day this would happen."

Acta said Hernandez will throw a bullpen session at Progressive Field Monday. Then he'll go to the minors where he's scheduled to make three or four starts. The suspension ends Aug. 11.

"Physically, I feel ready," said Hernandez.

He's been pitching simulated games, bullpen sessions and amateur games in the Dominican Republic waiting for the United States State Department to approve his visa.

"I was impressed with his physical shape," said Acta. "I know at times he was discouraged, but he never stopped working and that showed."

It's still unclear how Hernandez fits in the rotation.

"It's three weeks and a lot can happen in three weeks," said Acta.

The July 31 trading deadline is nine days away.

What is clear is that the Indians are looking at Carmona as a starter.

"He's got to go through the process," said Acta. "I hope everything works out the way we've planned and we can add him."

Finally: Hernandez said the real Fausto Carmona was a "distant relative.' . . . During the news conference, Masterson snuck into the interview room and asked Hernandez, "Who is your favorite Indian?" Hernandez smile and said, "Justin Masterson."

Newspaper beat writers pick Ohio State to finish second in Leaders Division.

View full sizeRick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/MCTWisconsin's Montee Ball is the pick as preseason offensive player of the year.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Michigan will beat Wisconsin in the second Big Ten championship game, according to a poll of 24 reporters who cover the conference. The Wolverines are a solid favorite in the Legends Division, while in the decimated Leaders Division, it's hard to imagine any team but the Badgers getting to Indianapolis.

Wisconsin received 19 votes to win the division, while Ohio State, on a one-year bowl ban, received the other five. If the Buckeyes do win the division, the second-place team will represent the Leaders in the title game. Penn State, meanwhile, is also expected to face a bowl ban when NCAA President Mark Emmert hands down sanctions against the program Monday. The Nittany Lions were picked fifth in the Leaders Division, ahead of only Indiana.

The Plain Dealer was one of two newspapers on the OSU beat to vote in the poll, after starting the first poll a year ago when, for the first time, the conference declined to name conference favorites or players of the year. The (Champaign, Ill.) News-Gazette tabulated the numbers this year. The Big Ten meetings will begin on Friday.

Michigan earned 16 first-place votes in the Legends Division, while Michigan State received seven and Nebraska one.

Wisconsin running back Montee Ball was named the preseason offensive player of the year, earning 14 votes compared with nine for Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson. Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller received the other vote.

Michigan State defensive lineman William Gholston was picked as the preseason defensive player of the year with 11 votes, with the other 13 votes were divided among six players. OSU defensive lineman Johnathan Hankins was third with three votes, while defensive line teammate John Simon got two.

The most popular title game prediction was Michigan beating Wisconsin, with 11 writers voting for the Wolverines. A year ago, Wisconsin beat Michigan State to win the first Big Ten title game. The Badgers had been voted the preseason favorite in the Leaders Division, while Nebraska had been picked to win the Legends.

The NCAA also will ban Penn State from the post-season for four years and reduce Penn State football scholarships from 25 to 15 for four years.

The NCAA has vacated Penn State football's wins from 1998-2011 and levied a $60 million fine against the school because of its handling of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal, according to PennLive.

The NCAA also will ban Penn State from the post-season for four years and reduce Penn State football scholarships from 25 to 15 for four years.

Emmert put the Penn State matter on the fast track. Other cases that were strictly about violating the NCAA rulebook have dragged on for months and even years.

There was no sign that the infractions committee familiar to college sports fans was involved this time around as Emmert moved quickly, no doubt aided by the July 12 release of the report by former FBI director Louis Freeh and what it said about Paterno and the rest of the Penn State leadership.

The investigation focused partly on university officials' decision not to go to child-welfare authorities in 2001 after a coaching assistant told head coach Joe Paterno that he had seen Sandusky sexually abusing a boy in the locker room showers. Penn State officials already knew about a previous allegation against Sandusky by that time, from 1998.

As Penn State awaited its fate, construction workers removed the larger-than-life monument of its Hall of Fame coach. The Paterno family released a statement criticizing Penn State's decision to remove the statue, saying it was made in haste and before all the facts about Paterno's role in the Sandusky scandal were known.

NCAA also vacates Joe Paterno's coaching wins from 1998 through 2011.

AP file photoNCAA president Mark Emmert

INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA has slammed Penn State with an unprecedented series of penalties, including a $60 million fine and the loss of all coach Joe Paterno's victories from 1998-2011, in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.

Other sanctions include a four-year ban on bowl games, and the loss of 20 scholarships per year over four years.

NCAA President Mark Emmert announced the staggering sanctions today at a news conference in Indianapolis. Though the NCAA stopped short of imposing the "death penalty" -- shutting down the Nittany Lions' program completely -- the punishment is still crippling for a team that is trying to start over with a new coach and a new outlook.

Sandusky, a former Penn State defensive coordinator, was found guilty in June of sexually abusing young boys, sometimes on campus.

The sanctions come less than two weeks after a devastating report accused coach Joe Paterno and other top university officials of concealing child sex abuse allegations against a retired assistant coach for years to avoid bad publicity.

Emmert cautioned last week that he had not ruled out the possibility of shutting down the football program altogether -- the so-called death penalty, famously used against Southern Methodist a quarter-century ago -- saying he had "never seen anything as egregious" as the Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.

Eight satellite TV trucks filled the bay directly behind the NCAA headquarters this morning and several more were stationed in a nearby parking lot. More than a dozen TV cameras lined the back of the room where the news conference was being held, and more than 70 media credentials were issued.

The NCAA announcement Sunday came shortly after Penn State took down its famed statue of Paterno, six months to the day since his death from lung cancer. The university said leaving it up would be a "recurring wound" for Sandusky's victims. An accomplished defensive coordinator, Sandusky was convicted of molesting young boys over more than a decade.

The harsh penalties from the NCAA could have repercussions well beyond Penn State's football program, which generates large profits -- more than $50 million, according to the U.S. Department of Education -- that subsidize dozens of other sports at the school. The historic NCAA penalty also is worrisome for a region where the economy is built at least partially on the strength and popularity of the football program.

Emmert put the Penn State matter on the fast track. Other cases that were strictly about violating the NCAA rulebook have dragged on for months and even years. There was no sign that the infractions committee so familiar to college sports fans was involved this time around as Emmert moved quickly, no doubt aided by the July 12 release of the report by former FBI director Louis Freeh and what it said about Paterno and the rest of the Penn State leadership.

The investigation focused partly on university officials' decision not to go to child-welfare authorities in 2001 after a coaching assistant told Paterno that he had seen Sandusky sexually abusing a boy in the locker room showers. Penn State officials already knew about a previous allegation against Sandusky by that time, from 1998.

The leaders, the report said, "repeatedly concealed critical facts relating to Sandusky's child abuse from authorities, the university's board of trustees, the Penn State community and the public at large."

Sandusky is awaiting sentencing after being convicted last month of sexually abusing 10 boys over 15 years.

Emmert had warned Penn State last fall that the NCAA would be examining the "exercise of institutional control" within the athletic department, and said it was clear that "deceitful and dishonest behavior" could be considered a violation of ethics rules. So, too, could a failure to exhibit moral values or adhere to ethics guidelines.

The Freeh report also said school had "decentralized and uneven" oversight of compliance issues -- laws, regulations, policies and procedures -- as required by the NCAA.

Recent major scandals, such as improper payments to the family of Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush while he was at Southern California, and players at Ohio State trading memorabilia for cash and tattoos, have resulted in bowl bans and the loss of scholarships.

Current NCAA rules limit the so-called "death penalty" to colleges already on probation that commit another major violation. That was the case when SMU had its program suspended in the mid-80s, the last time the punishment was imposed on a major college football program.

NCAA leaders have indicated in recent months they are willing to return to harsher penalties for the worst offenses.

"This is completely different than an impermissible benefits scandal like (what) happened at SMU, or anything else we've dealt with. This is as systemic a cultural problem as it is a football problem. There have been people that said this wasn't a football scandal," Emmert told PBS recently. "It was that but much more. And we'll have to figure out exactly what the right penalties are. I don't know that past precedent makes particularly good sense in this case because it's really an unprecedented problem."

Paterno, who had been major college football's winningest coach, won 409 games for the school in his 46 seasons as head coach.

As Penn State awaited its fate, construction workers removed the larger-than-life monument of its Hall of Fame coach. The Paterno family released a statement criticizing Penn State's decision to remove the statue, saying it was made in haste and before all the facts about Paterno's role in the Sandusky scandal were known.

The bronze statue, weighing more than 900 pounds, was erected in 2001 in honor of Paterno's record-setting 324th Division I coaching victory and his "contributions to the university." Penn State President Rodney Erickson said he decided the sculpture had to come down because it "has become a source of division and an obstacle to healing."

Reaction to the fines was swift on Twitter:

In its news release, NCAA details penalties levies against Penn State, including a $60 million fine, four-year bowl ban, loss of scholarships and other penalties.

The NCAA announced unprecedented penalties against Penn State on Monday morning. Here is the NCAA's news release on the penalties levied against the school.

By perpetuating a “football first” culture that ultimately enabled serial child sexual abuse to occur, The Pennsylvania State University leadership failed to value and uphold institutional integrity, resulting in a breach of the NCAA Constitution and rules. The NCAA Division I Board of Directors and NCAA Executive Committee directed Association president Mark Emmert to examine the circumstances and determine appropriate action in consultation with these presidential bodies.

“As we evaluated the situation, the victims affected by Jerry Sandusky and the efforts by many to conceal his crimes informed our actions,” said Emmert. “At our core, we are educators. Penn State leadership lost sight of that.”

According to the NCAA conclusions and sanctions, the Freeh Report “presents an unprecedented failure of institutional integrity leading to a culture in which a football program was held in higher esteem than the values of the institution, the values of the NCAA, the values of higher education, and most disturbingly the values of human decency.”

As a result, the NCAA imposed a $60 million sanction on the university, which is equivalent to the average gross annual revenue of the football program. These funds must be paid into an endowment for external programs preventing child sexual abuse or assisting victims and may not be used to fund such programs at the university.

The sanctions also include a four-year football postseason ban and a vacation of all wins from 1998 through 2011. The career record of former head football coach Joe Paterno will reflect these vacated records. Penn State must also reduce 10 initial and 20 total scholarships each year for a four-year period. In addition, the NCAA reserves the right to impose additional sanctions on involved individuals at the conclusion of any criminal proceedings.

The NCAA recognizes that student-athletes are not responsible for these events and worked to minimize the impact of its sanctions on current and incoming football student-athletes. Any entering or returning student-athlete will be allowed to immediately transfer and compete at another school. Further, any football student-athletes who remain at the university may retain their scholarships, regardless of whether they compete on the team.

To further integrate the athletics department into the university, Penn State will be required to enter into an “Athletics Integrity Agreement” with the NCAA. It also must adopt all Freeh Report recommendations and appoint an independent, NCAA-selected Athletics Integrity Monitor, who will oversee compliance with the agreement.

Effective immediately, the university faces five years of probation. Specifically, the university is subject to more severe penalties if it does not adhere to these requirements or violates NCAA rules in any sport during this time period.

“There has been much speculation on whether or not the NCAA has the authority to impose any type of penalty related to Penn State,” said Ed Ray, Executive Committee chair and Oregon State president. “This egregious behavior not only goes against our rules and Constitution, but also against our values.”

Because Penn State accepted the Freeh Report factual findings, which the university itself commissioned, the NCAA determined traditional investigative proceedings would be redundant and unnecessary.

“We cannot look to NCAA history to determine how to handle circumstances so disturbing, shocking and disappointing,” said Emmert. “As the individuals charged with governing college sports, we have a responsibility to act. These events should serve as a call to every single school and athletics department to take an honest look at its campus environment and eradicate the ‘sports are king' mindset that can so dramatically cloud the judgment of educators.”

Penn State fully cooperated with the NCAA on this examination of the issues and took decisive action in removing individuals in leadership who were culpable.

“The actions already taken by the new Penn State Board of Trustees chair Karen Peetz and Penn State president Rodney Erickson have demonstrated a strong desire and determination to take the steps necessary for Penn State to right these severe wrongs,” said Emmert.

Did the NCAA get it right in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal?

APNCAA President Mark Emmert, left, announces penalties against Penn State as Ed Ray, NCAA Executive Committee chair and Oregon State University president, looks on at right, during a news conference in Indianapolis today.

The NCAA today hit Penn State's football program with a $60 million fine and the loss of all coach Joe Paterno's victories from 1998-2011, in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.

Other sanctions included a four-year ban on bowl games, the loss of 20 scholarships per year over four years and five years; probation. Though the NCAA stopped short of imposing the "death penalty"; shutting down the Nittany Lions’ program completely — the punishment is still crippling for a team that is trying to start over with a new coach and a new outlook.

The NCAA said the $60 million is equivalent to the annual gross revenue of the football program. The money must be paid into an endowment for external programs preventing child sexual abuse or assisting victims and may not be used to fund such programs at Penn State.

“Football will never again be placed ahead of educating, nurturing and protecting young people,” Emmert said.

Do you think the NCAA's sanctions were appropriate?

Norman Chad won't be watching the Olympics this year, but thinks some unknown athletes could help out the United States.

View full sizeAP Photo | Jae C. HongIOC President Jacques Rogge poses in front of the Olympic rings during his visit to the Athletes' Village at the Olympic Park. The London Olympics begin this week.

1. China had the most gold meda ls in 2008 and probably will eclipse the United States this time around in total medals.

2. While our days of world dominance are over, there is one area in which America again might be the top dog — the decathlon!

Best I can tell, we are now behind China in everything: Population, productivity, athletic prowess, cheap Chinese carry-outs and, of course, the flow of money. China is America's biggest creditor. We owe the Chinese $1.2 trillion, and that doesn't even include the juice on Donald Trump's latest real-estate scams.

I won't notice anything because my TV won't be on.

(I'm done with the Olympics, my friends. They once seemed special as a quadrennial event; now, with the Summer and Winter Games rotating in even-numbered years, it seems as if another Olympics starts every eight months. The thrill is gone — it's just a piece of pricey programming that NBC stretches out every evening as far as it can before giving you a winner.)

(Over 17 days, the Summer Olympics will be on NBC 2721/2 hours, on the NBC Sports Network 292 1/2 hours, on Telemundo 173 hours, on MSNBC 155 1/2 hours, on CNBC 73 hours and on Bravo 56 hours; there will be commercial interruptions. Overall, including live online streaming of all events, NBC will provide a total of 5,262 1/2 hours of Olympic programming, give or take a five-minute Pat O'Brien sexually graphic voice-mail message. I take solace in the fact that if ESPN had the Olympic rights, all these numbers would be tripled.)

(So I will disappear in conjunction with the Olympic fortnight. I will go where there are no TVs, no Facebook or Twitter, no Internet, no Starbucks or Subway, no cellphonecharging stations, no Jay Leno or Jimmy Kimmel and, like Thoreau at Walden Pond, gaze at algae and reflect, with a can of PBR in one hand and the 1997 score sheet from my 242 game in bowling in the other hand.)

On the other hand, on the 100th anniversary of the modern decathlon's inclusion in the Olympics, that event might lift U.S. spirits.

In a bygone era of simpler times — a "bygone era of simpler times" generally is defined as anything preESPN and pre-Internet — America dominated the decathlon as it dominated the world.

Starting with Jim Thorpe in 1912, the United States won decathlon gold 10 of 14 times. Bob Mathias, Rafer Johnson, Bill Toomey and Bruce Jenner became household names as the de facto "greatest athlete in the world."

But after Jenner in 1976, the United States won only one decathlon gold medal — Dan O'Brien in 1996 — until Bryan Clay did it again in 2008.

And, now in London, the United States will have a one-two punch to totally restore decathlon dominance here: Ashton Eaton, who broke the world decathlon record last month at the U.S. Olympic trials, and defending world champion Trey Hardee.

It's easy to cheer on Eaton, whose fiancée, University of Oregon senior Brianne Theisen, is a Canadian Olympic heptathlete. Granted, decathletes and heptathletes — like lawyers and judges or medical examiners and morticians — should not date one another, but you have to credit the grit of any couple that first tackles the hardest Olympic event and then will tackle the hardest human feat (marriage).

Anyway, though I will not be watching, I'm rooting for Eaton and Hardee. The decathlon once symbolized America's ability to be the best across the board in multiple areas. Now we're only good at one thing — reality TV, which, more or less, is what the Olympics have become.

Columbus scored three in the seventh, while Akron fell victim to a blown save.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerCorey Kluber is 10-7 with a 3.65 ERA this season in Columbus.

Penn State's president says the school will move forward. "The NCAA ruling holds the University accountable for the failure of those in power to protect children and insists that all areas of the University community are held to the same high standards of honesty and integrity."

The NCAA ruling holds the University accountable for the failure of those in power to protect children and insists that all areas of the University community are held to the same high standards of honesty and integrity.

The NCAA also mandates that Penn State become a national leader to help victims of child sexual assault and to promote awareness across our nation. Specifically, the University will pay $12 million a year for the next five years into a special endowment created to fund programs for the detection, prevention and treatment of child abuse. This total of $60 million can never reduce the pain suffered by victims, but will help provide them hope and healing.

The NCAA penalty will also affect the football program. There is a four-year ban on all post-season games, including bowl games and the Big Ten Championship game, and a future reduction in the number of football scholarships that can be granted. We are grateful that the current student athletes are not prevented from participation because of the failures of leadership that occurred. Additionally the NCAA has vacated all wins of Penn State football from 1998-2011.

We also welcome the Athletics Integrity Agreement and the third-party monitor, who will be drilling into compliance and culture issues in intercollegiate athletics, in conjunction with the recommendations of the Freeh Report. Lastly a probationary period of five years will be imposed.

It is important to know we are entering a new chapter at Penn State and making necessary changes. We must create a culture in which people are not afraid to speak up, management is not compartmentalized, all are expected to demonstrate the highest ethical standards, and the operating philosophy is open, collegial, and collaborative.

Since receiving Judge Freeh’s preliminary recommendations in January, the University has instituted several reforms. Today we accept the terms of the consent decree imposed by the NCAA. As Penn State embarks upon change and progress, this announcement helps to further define our course. It is with this compass that we will strive for a better tomorrow.

Penn State will move forward with a renewed sense of commitment to excellence and integrity in all aspects of our University. We continue to recognize the important role that intercollegiate athletics provides for our student athletes and the wider University community as we strive to appropriately balance academic and athletic accomplishments. Penn State will continue to be a world-class educational institution of which our students, faculty, staff and alumni can be justifiably proud.

The Opening Ceremonies are Friday, with a dress rehearsal tonight. Watch video

LONDON - The Plain Dealer has arrived in London, where after a stretch of bad weather the sun is shining just four days before the Opening Ceremonies. Many athletes are already in London or are training in nearby European cities. The Games immediately start rolling after the kickoff Friday.

Cleveland boxer Terrell Gausha, for instance, has his first fight on Saturday, while Columbus-area diver Abby Johnston will dive for a medal in the 3-meter synchronized diving on Sunday. They are among the 25 Ohioans who are part of Team USA.

You can already tell how packed the city will be. London businesses have asked many employees to work from home during the Olympics, but at one tube stop near the Olympic Park, there was already a bottleneck on the stairs coming off the tube, with people at a standstill, and that was with a fraction of the fans who will be there on days of competition.

The action at the Olympic Park tonight is a dress rehearsal for the Opening Ceremonies. (We are still in dress rehearsal stage, too. Our luggage is still in Canada, or perhaps flying across the Atlantic from Toronto by now.)

It's almost time.

For now, check Cleveland.com in the coming days for more news as we speak with athletes  ahead of the competition days.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Does your high school varsity football team have an interesting slogan you're using as motivation or as a theme for the 2012 season? We want to know about slogans across the area for an upcoming feature story and are inviting football coaches, players, parents -- you name it -- to email us.

Members of Shaw's football team wore shirts proclaiming

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Does your high school varsity football team have an interesting slogan you're using as motivation or as a theme for the 2012 season?

We want to know about slogans across the area for an upcoming feature story and are inviting football coaches, players, parents -- you name it -- to email us.

Send an email to Plain Dealer columnist Terry Pluto at tpluto@plaind.com with the school name, slogan and story behind it and your contact information.

Read what bloggers are saying about the Browns, Indians and Cavaliers.

View full sizeAP fileJosh Gordon has Browns fans excited about what he can bring to the team in 2012.

Dawgs By Nature: "In part one of our wide receiver preview, I asked the following question: "When will WR Josh Gordon become a full-time starter alongside Greg Little?" 83% of fans believe he will take Mohamed Massaquoi's starting role away from him prior to or at the halfway point of the season, which is a much higher amount than I expected. I fell into that category, too, but I was on the outskirts (by the eighth game of the season). I don't think Gordon will take over because the team is struggling, but rather because he'll gradually improve week-by-week. I also don't think Massaquoi will be a true No. 2 starter - that is, I think we'll see a lot of two man sets that have Greg Little and either Massaquoi, Gordon, or Joshua Cribbs." » Read more

Indians

WaitingForNextYear: Reality has finally set in, Tribe fans. The team that has been up, down, up and down again, has fallen under .500 for the first time since the middle of April. Here is the thing – this is who they are, an average team capable of losing eight of nine or winning eight of nine. They have so many flaws. The starting pitching is completely inconsistent from start to start. The bullpen has exactly three guys you can count on. The order is too left-handed heavy and gets little to nothing offensively from both corner infield spots, left field, and DH. You have an underachieving catcher who was supposed to become one of the best in the league this season. Read all of that, and its incredible to think they have been over .500 this long. » Read more

Cavaliers

CAVS: the blog: "100 more days until the regular season starts. Based on all accounts, Kyrie looked amazing working out with the Olympic team this summer. The roster includes a legitimate NBA big man rotation. Waiters, Gee, Gibson, Casspi and Walton ... OK, the wings still need work, but next year continues to look like another step forward for Ohio's favorite NBA team." » Read more

Most of Browns' off-season moves attempted to address offensive shortcomings. Links to more Browns stories.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerThe Browns have hopes that Jordan Cameron, going into his second season, will emerge as a play-maker at tight end.

9. Who is the top fullback?

Comment: It’s Owen Marecic, provided he can bounce back after suffering two concussions last season as a rookie. Seventh-round pick Brad Smelley could challenge, but Marecic is in the driver’s seat. Marecic lost 10-15 pounds since last season, and like Little, he believes that he’ll benefit from changing his body.

10. Will second-year tight end Jordan Cameron emerge as a playmaker?

Comment: Shurmur has gushed about Cameron’s improvement in the offseason. With starter Benjamin Watson trying to come back after suffering three concussions last season and Evan Moore’s disappearance from the game plan at times, Cameron should certainly get chances to show what he’s got. As an athlete, he’s the real deal. As a football player, he’s still unproven.

"The intensity and discipline I have put myself through has been utterly amazing and life-changing," Elyria native writes in her latest entry from London.

APElyria native Tianna Madison finishes strong during a 100-meter semifinal at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Oregon.

Sprinter Tianna Madison of Elyria is blogging about the London Olympics exclusively for The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com. Madison, 26, will run the 100-meter event Aug. 3-4 and the 4x100 relay Aug. 9-10 in Olympic Stadium. A 2003 graduate of Elyria High School, Madison was the 2005 world long jump champion. This is her first Olympics. She lives and trains in Florida.

The Olympics are just around the corner, and that familiar burn in my chest is my body's way of alerting me that it's ready to get fiercely and unapologetically competitive.

On the flip side, my life has completely been turned upside-down. I now call hotels my home, my super-strict diet has given way to what the local restaurants have to offer, and I can't just walk to my refrigerator and drain several bottles of water to stay hydrated.

All these things are just part of the journey, and although they add a little stress, it doesn't matter. The blocks can slip in my race, I can fall on my face, take last, or not even make the final and I'd be fine. From the start on Sept. 16, 2011 to today, I have given this everything I have, and I mean everything. The intensity and discipline I have put myself through has been utterly amazing and life-changing.

I've been in three different countries in less than two weeks. As I was standing in the passport-control line, I looked at all the stamps in my passport. A couple more trips overseas and I'll have to request more pages -- trips to Russia, China, Qatar, Spain, Turkey and Monaco to name a few, and I haven't seen a thing in those countries beyond the hotel I was staying in or the track where we trained and competed.

An athlete who travels and uses that time to sightsee as a tourist would run the risk of weakening their legs. So what I typically do is check into my hotel room and immediately shift into recovery mode: line up the bottles of water to rehydrate after a day of travel, stack the pillows, put my legs up, or do a quick yoga or stretch routine to get the blood flowing and the heart pumping faster.

It's recommended that you try to stay awake to allow your body to adjust to the new time zone, but I never am able to. What can I say? I'm a fan of the nap.

With all of these little stresses at play, I understand now how important it is to surround myself with a proper support system. For many years, my support system wasn't very strong, and I had allowed myself to be engrossed in this distraction. I made the decision on my own to break free of the stress that came from maintaining those ties. I have no current involvement with family members in my hometown and haven't for some time.

Now, I truly believe I have the world's best support team! My financial team manages and tracks down money I've earned, they make sure I never see a bill and that I always have the money to cover them.

My business team is working virtually around the clock on the launch of my new company, Club 360.

My social media team monitors the web for me and closely works with me to orchestrate my activity online.

And last, but most certainly not least, I have two personal assistants who are single-handedly responsible for nailing the details. As they say, "Life is in the details!" One of them, knowing I was stressed about having to travel alone and on extremely short notice, dropped what she was doing, bought a ticket, and boarded the plane with me to London. The other, from her office in Tampa, booked our hotel rooms, found us restaurants we'd enjoy, and sent us pictures of what was happening at home while we were away. I am honored by this unselfish team in Tampa, and truth be told, without them I would not be here today.

The key is in managing the stress and making the adjustments, from London, where I ran my slowest race of the year; to Monaco last week, when I ran 10.99; to training camp, where just hours ago I made an adjustment to my block start and the last half of my race that will definitely make a difference at the Games!

So here we go everyone. I'm happy, healthy and consistent, and with the support of readers like you, my team, and family in Tampa I'm going to put it all on the line. I'm going to give it everything I have, draw strength from all the hard workouts, remember everything I had to do to get here, and I'm going to hold nothing back.

An attitude like that toward life and competition is worth more than its weight in gold.

-- Tianna Madison