The NCAA delivered unprecedented punishment in the Penn State case and it came wrapped in precedented hypocrisy, Bud Shaw writes in his Spin column.

View full sizeMichael Conroy, Associated PressNCAA President Mark Emmert had plenty of reason to bring the hammer down on Penn State, but he lost Bud Shaw when suggesting that the punishment would help reboot priorities in collegiate sports.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As one myth falls, the NCAA protects another one...

The NCAA did not worry about setting any precedents in the Penn State case, it says, because what happened there would hopefully never happen anywhere again.

Still, NCAA president Mark Emmert couldn't help himself. Instead of standing on firm ground in the name of justice and Jerry Sandusky's victims, Emmert couldn't resist pulling out the signature soap box and climbing aboard to deliver a "message" more appropriate for Hilarities.

"Our goal is not just to be punitive but to make sure the university establishes an athletic culture and daily mindset in which football will never again be placed ahead of educating, nurturing and protecting young people."

He had us at punitive and should've stopped there. Punitive is all anybody could possibly hope for, in part because we all know the culture of big-time sports isn't about to change in any meaningful way. Nor does the NCAA really want it to.

By pretending the punishment dealt Penn State will somehow put big-time football and basketball in their places, Emmert couldn't have looked more ridiculous if he put on a Gallagher wig and finished by smashing a watermelon.

Few can argue Penn State deserved the sledgehammer. Its football program will basically become Division II for a number of years. That's tough. But sad? The term "tragedy" is reserved solely for the boys preyed upon by a monster.

Emmert wants us to believe the NCAA's "statement" will speed the cause of making football subservient to "educating, nurturing and protecting young people."

The $60 million fine levied by the NCAA is, by its own calculation, equivalent to one year's revenue from Penn State football. How many other programs at that level are there around college football? Plenty. Enough to sell a playoff system to the highest bidder.

You'd take the NCAA seriously if it claimed the disciplining of Penn State would serve as a cataclysmic moment for change.

• If it announced all member institutions would cap the salaries of football and basketball coaches to mirror the pay of tenured chemistry profs.

• If it applied the same entrance requirements on revenue-producing athletes as it does on regular students.

• If it declared weekday prime-time TV games obsolete in the name of improving the grades of college athletes.

• If it stopped schools from jumping conferences to chase millions.

• If it said, in retrospect, the Final Four takes kids away from classes they can't afford to miss.

• If every time a coach bolted a program after selling kids on himself and his school that his recruits were as free to leave as Penn State's football players are.

The NCAA could do a lot of things to bring about serious change if it so desired. But lip service is what it does best, so once again the almighty buck stops there.

SPINOFFS

View full sizeTony Dejak, Associated PressNothing says division race contention like obtaining Brent Lillibridge. Wait a second ... perhaps that was supposed to say obtaining Lillibridge doesn't say anything about division contention.

State Farm is pulling signage from Beaver Stadium and will not run commercials on broadcasts of Penn State home games in 2012.

Like a good neighbor...

Sure, Brent Lillibridge was hitting .165 when the Indians acquired him in a trade to take the place of Aaron Cunningham. But, hey, he's a .212 career hitter...

How do you know you're on your way out in MLB? Your replacement is a .212 career hitter. You're up to bat with a man on third and one out and in your last official at-bat with a team you're asked to bunt instead of swing away to hit a sac fly...

Organizers of the London Olympics say use of the words "London," "summer" and "gold" in conjunction with "Games" or "2012" could violate their rights. "Chaotic," "security breakdown" and "blimey" are believed to be fair game...

An International Olympic Committee official says there is a plan to speed up the marching athletes in Friday's Opening Ceremonies. He referred to it as "some device to try to accelerate the march." The Opening Ceremonies promise to be so low-tech compared to the precision and pageantry of Beijing in 2008 that athletes are on the lookout for cattle prods...

By winning, 3-2, in the series opener Tuesday, the Indians made it six of seven against Detroit. That's impressive even if Tuesday's particular formula for an Indians win -- a Travis Hafner triple and a squeeze bunt -- is even less repeatable than my golf swing...

The Steelers signed Mike Tomlin to an extension, which looks like more evidence of rock-hard stability by a rival organization known for it over the years. But they no doubt reserve the right to fire Tomlin if Chris Palmer, Butch Davis, Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini or Pat Shurmur express interest in the job...

Anything that debunks the myth of Joe Paterno is fine by me. Tearing the statue down for instance. But the NCAA's decision to revise the one thing we know he was -- a good football coach -- doesn't make sense. He's still the winningest coach in Div. I history in my book. That was fact, not fiction...

Unless you feel better that the record reverts to Bobby Bowden, who only had to vacate 12 wins at Florida State (known to Florida coach Steve Spurrier as Free Shoes University)...

View full sizeAP fileHe's done well in the world spotlight, and usually gets the girl on or off the screen.

Yahoo Sports! points out it'll be 2020 before Penn State has a full complement of scholarships from freshman through senior classes. Throw $73 million in fines on top of that and that's why some are saying the "death penalty" would've been a lighter sentence...

Definition of a school being in really big trouble with the NCAA: Your players are free to leave and USC is free to recruit them...

SEPARATED AT BIRTH

Golfer Adam Scott and actor Matthew McConaughey -- Glenn Berger, Strongsville

HE SAID IT

"I was 13. I was right there in my important stage of development. I watched absolutely every single game." -- Kobe Bryant on the 1992 Olympic Dream Team, whom he no doubt thought his AAU team could've beaten.

View full sizeAP fileIn the biggest spotlight of his career, this performer couldn't close the deal down the stretch.

HE SAID IT

(And it didn't sound like bragging)

"I feel like I could start right away." -- Browns' new receiver Josh Gordon.

Even after a year out of football -- during which the Browns averaged 13 points a game -- he's probably right.

YOU SAID IT

(The Expanded Midweek Edition)

"Bud:

"Why do all of our representatives and senators appear to be wearing their Italian-made suits at press conferences denouncing the Olympic uniforms being made in China?" -- D. Scott Cunningham

Because the suits match their Bruno Magli loafers.

"Bud:

"After paying Pronk $12 mil and Grady [Sizemore] $5 mil, I heard the Indians sent Nick Hagadone a bill for patching plaster and touch up paint. True or false?" -- Jim, Aurora

False. They're paying Pronk $13 million.

"Bud:

"Now that Tim McCarver has received the Ford C. Frick Award from the Baseball Hall of Fame for his contributions in broadcasting, are you a lock to receive next year's J.G. Taylor Spink Award for sportswriting?" -- Jerry Winchell, North Ridgeville

J.G. Taylor Spink insisted on the awards equivalent of a no-trade clause. I'm on his list.

"Bud:

"Now that Browns training camp is opening, I see they have an offensive lineman named Matt Cleveland. Should we be rooting for the name on the front of his jersey or the back?" -- Jeff P

If you're cheering for the name on the back of an undrafted free agent's jersey, cheer fast.

"Hey Bud:

"Is it true Penn State is going to put the Joe Paterno statue in the Paterno Library as a reminder for people to keep quiet?" -- Ron Hollowell, Chardon

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

"Bud:

"Now that Jim Tressell and Joe Paterno have given the Leaders Division a commanding lead in hypocrisy, can the Legends Division do anything to catch up now that Rich Rodriguez is gone?" -- Ignatowski

Repeat winners are legends in their own mind.

"Bud:

"Is it just me, or does it seem like the Indians are building a Lillibridge to nowhere?" -- J. Ladd, Cleveland

Until those repeat winners get designated for assignment.

On Twitter: @budshaw

The Michael Jordan of Indonesian badminton gives the United States its best chance ever at a badminton medal.

View full sizeAP fileTony Gunawan (in mid-swing during the 2006 Korea Open with teammate Candra Wijaya) is eager to do well for the U.S. in the London Olympics nearly a decade after leaving Indonesia. "I've been here for 10 years now, so this is my home," he said Wednesday. "This is my country."

LONDON -- Imagine Michael Phelps coming out of retirement in 12 years and returning to the Olympics and swimming for -- Argentina.

That's Tony Gunawan.

In 2000 at the Sydney Olympics, Gunawan won badminton gold in men's doubles with partner Candra Wijaya and was rewarded with two months of parades around his native Indonesia as well as a small house in the countryside from the government. Indonesia has never won an Olympic gold in any sport other than badminton, so the gold medalists there are hailed as heroes.

Besides Phelps, the other name current doubles partner Howard Bach dropped when asked for a Gunawan comparison was Michael Jordan.

But after Gunawan, 37, finished his Olympic badminton workout with Bach on Wednesday afternoon on the green courts of Wembley Arena, he slipped on his United States Olympic Team T-shirt.

Same guy, new Olympics, different country. Team USA is on the receiving end of this Olympic rebirth, and now the United States has a shot at its first badminton medal as a result.

"He's still greeted as Michael Phelps," Bach said of Gunawan's status in Indonesia. "Because he represents a different country now some people might turn their back on him, but he's always been humble and respects the sport. So he never made enemies."

Gunawan laughed Wednesday when talking about running into some old Indonesian friends since arriving in London.

"We're on good terms," Gunawan said. "It's nothing personal."

But Gunawan admitted that the Indonesian badminton community wasn't so happy when he left the country for the United States in late 2001, chasing a better life for his family as both he and his wife enrolled in American colleges, with Gunawan studying computer engineering.

And when he and Bach were the surprise winners of the 2005 world championships, beating Indonesia and his former partner in the finals?

"I was afraid to go back," Gunawan said with a smile.

That 2005 world championship, when the pair was seeded in the teens, is one of the two reasons Gunawan is back at the Games now. Gunawan expected that to be the last competitive tournament of his life, but they were encouraged to compete so much more after their win that Gunawan dropped the computer engineering and now mainly coaches badminton.

"It was 'The Miracle on Ice,' on the badminton court," Bach said.

The other reason Gunawan is in London is because he conquered one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of his life last September. He passed his U.S. citizenship test after staying up most of the night, unable to sleep.

"I was like, 'Come on, man, you won a gold medal, why are your afraid of a little test?'" Bach said. "But it meant that much to him. He cried afterward."

Among the 16 badminton teams in men's doubles, which begins on Saturday, the Americans are seeded 13th, with their overall world rank No. 21. The pairs are divided into four groups of four teams each, with the top two teams in each group after the round-robin competition advancing to the quarterfinals. The blind draw put Gunawan and Bach in a group with the No. 2-seeded team from Korea, the No. 8 seed from Malaysia and the No. 11 seed from Japan. U.S coach Ben Lee called it the toughest draw of any group.

"I'm really hoping to see them medal," Lee said after their practice Wednesday. "But it'll be a challenge."

Bach is a three-time Olympian, playing with different partners in 2004 and 2008. He reached the quarterfinals in 2008, and after having a son and tiring of the travel, he's retiring after the Games as well.

"I want to try to make my son proud," Bach said, "that his dad didn't just go to three Olympics, he went to the Olympics and came back with something and did something for the sport before he retired."

The pair has beaten some of the top teams in other tournaments this year and taken others to the wire. But watching the practices Wednesday, with three courts placed among bright magenta borders in an arena in which the Beatles played three times, it wasn't hard to tell the difference.

With woman's singles player Rena Wang, ranked No. 57 in the world, the only other U.S. badminton player at the Olympics, Gunawan and Bach spent much of their time on the court hitting the shuttlecock back and forth to each other. When teams from badminton-happy countries like China, Singapore and Malayasia hit the court later, they played full and fast doubles, one team even forcing its doubles pair to play three on two. And the warmups were serious.

The game at the elite level is a match of angles and quick reactions, as players try to eventually force the opposing team into hitting a lob that leads to a chance at an overhead smash, the shuttlecock moving at more than 150 miles per hour at times. Bach said that Gunawan in the playmaker, with a great touch that then sets up finishing shots for Bach to execute.

"It's not a sport for sissies," Bach said. "You can make it a sissy sport if you hit it like a sissy, but we don't drink beer and cook out while we're playing."

As a coach, Gunawan said he has seen the talent level and interest among American junior badminton players grow in the last decade. Bach holds on to the hope of U.S. athletes in many Olympic sports: that something magical will happen to make their sport more popular. He knows a successful champion is the only hope.

For now, the unretired Michael Jordan of Indonesian badminton will have to suffice.

"I don't regret it," Gunawan said of the choice that brought him back to the Olympics under a different flag. "In anything you do, you gain something, you lose something.

"It's kind of strange, but I've been here for 10 years now, so this is my home. This is my country."

More than 1,500 athletes 50 and older will compete in 19 sports in the Ohio Senior Olympics this week, a preview to the 2013 National Senior Games that will be held in Cleveland.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- George Riser thinks he has a future in the National Senior Games that are coming to Cleveland next summer.

"What is an inspiration to me is seeing people in their 90s and 100s participating," Riser said.

Riser, 88, a former high school football and track coach, has been competing in the senior games for 20 years and has the medals to prove it. A World War II Navy veteran who competed in track and field at Ohio University, he is entered in five events -- the 50 meters, 100 meters, 1500-meter race walk, shot put, discus and hammer -- in the 2012 Ohio Senior Olympics this week, a qualifying event for next summer's Senior Games.

Riser maintains he competes much the same way he did in college in the 1940s. "I just use the same principles," he said. "It's all technique and conditioning."

The Ohio Senior Olympics, which will draw 1,500 athletes ages 50 and older in 19 sports, actually began last Saturday with the archery competition at Case Western Reserve University, but the majority of competitions begin Thursday, starting with golf at Little Mountain, tennis at Cleveland State, racquetball at the Veale Center in Cleveland and cycling at Cuyahoga Falls.

In addition, the Ohio Senior Olympics Hall of Fame induction dinner will be held Thursday night at Windows on the River. Reservations for the dinner, which costs $30, are still being accepted. Contact bmccrodden@clevelandsports.org. The event will conclude with a triathlon on Aug. 5 at the Mentor Headlands State Park.

For schedules or more information on the 2012 Ohio Senior Olympics, visit www.ohioseniorolympics.org.

The Sports Commission, in conjunction with the 2013 National Senior Games, will kick off its Year of Vitality series presented by Medical Mutual of Ohio with the free Cleveland Senior Walk at 10:30 a.m. Friday in Gateway Plaza, between Progressive Field and Quicken Loans Arena. Registration begins at 9:15 a.m. Participants can choose between a half-mile and a one-mile walk. Each participant will receive a T-shirt and healthy snacks and can take part in health screening and activities before and after the walk.

The 2013 National Senior Games are expected to draw 14,000 athletes and bring in $35 million to the Greater Cleveland area.To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mschmitt@plaind.com, 216-999-4668

On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider

Eddie Johnson scored in the 91st minute to give the Major League Soccer All-Stars a 3-2 victory over Chelsea.

AP Photo/Michael PerezChelsea FC's Marko Main, right, of Germany, works the ball around MLS All-Stars' Steven Beitashour, of the San Jose Earthquakes, during the first half of soccer's MLS All-Star game, Wednesday, July 25, 2012, in Chester, Pa.

CHESTER, Pa. (AP) — Fans stuffed the parking lots hours before the All-Star game, tailgating and having a blast until they could rush inside PPL Park to bang drums, sing songs, and, for the first time in four years, cheer the MLS stars in a win in one of the league's showcase games.

Eddie Johnson made them wait until the very end to really go wild.

Johnson scored in the 91st minute to give the Major League Soccer All-Stars a 3-2 victory over Chelsea on Wednesday night.

Just when the game appeared on the brink of being decided by penalty kicks, Johnson, of the Seattle Sounders, broke free for the winner from the top of the box and sparked the MLS All-Stars to a win over an international team for the first time since 2008.

"That's what Coach brought me here for," Johnson said. "I was just trying to pay it back."

Chris Wondolowski and Chris Pontius also scored for the MLS All-Stars at PPL Park, the home of the Philadelphia Union.

Frank Lampard and John Terry scored for Chelsea, the touring English Premier League team.

Los Angeles Galaxy star David Beckham received the loudest pregame ovation only hours after arriving from London. Beckham, his pink shoes as bright as the lights that lit up the field, was set to head back to London immediately after the game because he has a role in the opening ceremony at the Olympics.

AP Photo/Michael PerezMLS All-Stars' Chris Wondolowski, center, of the San Jose Earthquakes, celebrates with Justin Marrow (15), also of the Earthquakes, and Thierry Henry (14), of the New York Red Bulls, after scoring against Chelsea FC during the first half.

Beckham thrilled the fans when he set up for a free kick, though the ball was headed out.

Beckham, Thierry Henry and Landon Donovan led a star-packed MLS squad in a competitive game against a Chelsea team warming up for their season.

For the rest of the All-Stars who aren't London bound, playing just outside Philadelphia was the next best thing. Plus, there was a taste of London outside of PPL Park where the globally popular Blues had a pair of championship trophies stationed in a tent and a line of fans waiting to pose next to them for some pictures.

Fans packed the entertainment area where kids could kick around balls, and everyone from Tony Meola to Freddy Adu signed autographs.

A stadium-record 19,236 fans packed the state-of-the-art stadium nestled on the bank of the Delaware River.

The Sons of Ben, the Union's popular fan club, beat drums and sang songs all game long, then led a rousing ovation when Union defender Carlos Valdes checked in off the bench. They also made a "Landykake" sign in the form of the logo of Philadelphia's popular Tastykake snack line.

"This is a great atmosphere. The fans are dedicated, loyal and loud," Wondolowski said. "I love playing here."

The fans also delighted in chanting "Your captain is a racist!" at Terry. Terry, the Chelsea captain, was acquitted July 13 in London's Westminster Magistrates' Court of charges he racially abused Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand during a Premier League game last October.

"I'm just concentrating on football," Terry said.

D.C United coach Ben Olsen led the MLS All-Stars and saw a familiar scene in the 73rd minute when United teammates Dwayne De Rosario and Pontius connected for the tying goal. De Rosario made a sharp pass to Pontius and he pounded it past Ross Turnbull for the tying score.

"It's great to come out here with the D.C. staff, and to be able to get the goal against a team like Chelsea, it's pretty special," he said.

Pontius was the game's MVP. It was a triumphant celebration after he sustained a season-ending broken leg last September.

"I didn't think I would be here, to be honest with you, not with the way everything went," he said.

Chelsea, in the midst of a U.S. tour, had scored two straight goals to seemingly take control.

Lampard scored in the 58th minute when he was open off an arching pass and easily booted the ball into the net for a 2-1 lead. Terry had scored a header in the 32nd minute to make it 1-1.

Wondolowski, the San Jose star who leads MLS with 17 goals, took advantage when Chelsea failed to clear the ball and left an open net for a goal in the 21st minute.

The MLS stars celebrated as "Philadelphia Freedom" was blasted through the stadium.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber gave a "shoutout to the city of Philadelphia," during the postgame trophy presentation.

"I watch the MLS and it's improving year after year," Terry said. "You can see that in the players, as well."

Watch live today at noon as Pat Shurmur will join the crew on PD Sports Insider to talk about training camp, his second year as head coach and more.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerPat Shurmur will join us on PD Sports Insider live on Thursday at noon.

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

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

Glenville High School graduate Terrell Gausha talks about competing for Olympic gold. Watch video

Branson Wright and Bill Lubinger were set to interview Doug Lesmerises today on SBTV about the Olympics, but he stepped aside for Olympic boxer Terrell Gausha.

Gausha, a Cleveland native, is in London going for the gold in the middleweight division. Ukraine's Ievgen (Evhen) Khytrov is the reigning World Champion but Gausha tells Wright and Lubinger how it doesn't matter who he goes up against, because he's focused on gold, not who he fights.

Gausha also talks about why he trained in Los Angeles instead of in Cleveland and why it's hard to describe his boxing style.

SBTV returns on Friday as Mary Kay Cabot will answer your questions about the Browns in her  'Hey, Mary Kay!" segment of the show.

Mary Kay Cabot, Plain Dealer's Cleveland Browns beat writer, previews the key position battles to watch as the team begins training camp on Saturday. Watch video

The Zips game against the Cowboys will be shown on ESPNU.

JOHN KUNTZ | THE PLAIN DEALERAkron's Demetrius Treadwell fights for a loose ball during a game last year against Cleveland State at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland. (John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer)

Indians will trail the first-place Tigers -- now tied with the White Sox -- by either three or five games after facing 2011 Cy Young and MVP winner Verlander. Minor league shortstop Lindor similar to a young Derek Jeter? Links to more Indians stories.

Associated PressThe Indians face one of baseball's elite pitchers, Justin Verlander (photo), in tonight's game against the Tigers.

They are similar players in size, stature, ability and the big thing here…make-up.

That’s where Lindor takes the next step. If you talk to this kid, he is everything that folks make him out to be…a star, without acting like it. He’s a leader, and every Lake County player that I’ve talked to has raved about his demeanor, both in the clubhouse and on the field.

He’s a special player folks…and it won’t take long to see him in the bigs. As a matter of fact, don’t be surprised to see a multi-level move next season…and Lindor in the bigs in 2014. He’s that ready.

The Indians take on Detroit tonight at Progressive Field. Get in-game updates and talk about the game.

The Indians wrap up their series tonight against the Tigers at Progressive Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 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 and also for your iPhone to get Tribe updates on your mobile device. Read on for a game preview.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerZach McAllister pitches for the Indians tonight.

Former U.S. international and ESPN analyst Taylor Twellman said this was the best All-Star format in American sports. I thought about it and had a hard time disagreeing.

AP PhotoMLS All Stars' Dwayne De Rosario, center, of D.C. United, holds the trophy with teammates after defeating Chelsea FC 3-2 in soccer's MLS All-Star game, Wednesday, July 25, 2012, in Chester, Pa.

AP PhotoChelsea FC's Romelu Lukaku, right, drives the ball past MLS All-Stars' Carlos Valdes during the second half of soccer's MLS All-Star game.

AP File PhotoSure, you're (probably) not a fan of LeBron James, but you're cheering for the USA at the Olympics, right? I thought so.

AP File PhotoManchester United goal keeper Edwin van der Sar signs autographs following a training session for the 2010 MLS All-Star Game. A record 70,728 fans watched Manchester United defeat the MLS All-Stars 5-2 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.

Bud joined Adam "The Bull" and Dustin Fox to talk about the Browns and Pat Shurmur.

Plain Dealer columnist Bud Shaw.

Joe Paterno was one of the greatest college football coaches, strictly going by on-the-field results. By vacating 111 of his victories, the NCAA tries to deny that simple truth.

View full sizeAssociated Press fileThe 409 wins that Joe Paterno accumulated as Penn State's coach are a reflection of his ability on the field. Stripping 111 of them from his record to prove the NCAA's righteous anger over the school's sex abuse scandal is a pointless distortion of history, says Bill Livingston.

CHICAGO -- In angels and demons, the current re-make of Joe Paterno's life, the forces of light haven't shown up lately. But the others certainly have, both those he summoned and those he didn't.

Just seconds into a promotional film that ran before Big Ten media day even began Thursday at the Hyatt Regency-McCormick Place, the narrator mentioned the (Amos Alonzo) Stagg Championship Trophy, which is awarded to the winner of the conference with the division names of "Leaders" and "Legends." Originally, the bauble was called the Stagg-Paterno Trophy. But it, like Paterno's legend and his record as the all-time leader in major-college victories, isn't what it used to be.

In the Leaders Division, Ohio State and Penn State are both banned from bowl appearances and conference title considerations, the Buckeyes for one year, the Nittany Lions for four. All either can do is be spoilers because their games will count in the standings.

Bill O'Brien, the new Penn State coach, said he plans to sell his players on "play[ing] six to seven bowl games a year before 108,000," a swell idea except State College, Pa., is not Pasadena, New Orleans or, for that matter, Jacksonville, where the Buckeyes ended their first losing season in a generation on Jan. 1 in the Gator Bowl.

Clearly, O'Brien was trying out a little of the "Let's Pretend League" magic Kevin Mackey used during his controversial turn as Cleveland State's basketball coach in the 1980s.

A particularly vindictive ruling by the Mid-Continent Conference (now the Summit League) stripped CSU's conference games of any meaning except what Mackey could give them. At the time, the Vikings were on probation for breaking recruiting rules in pursuit of 7-foot-6 Sudanese center Manute Bol. (He never played a minute for CSU).

In 1988-89, the Vikings actually led the conference standings -- if their games had counted. Which they certainly did in Mackey's "Let's Pretend League." CSU even hung a LPL championship banner, but it was removed after the conference harrumphed self-importantly.

Which steers the conversation to the NCAA, a self-important bureaucracy if ever there was one. The assumption of vast, sweeping, nearly imperial powers by NCAA president Mark Emmert, which he used to hit Penn State hard and make sure the Lions stayed hit this Monday, was popular nationwide.

Still, Emmert did not so much circumvent a little matter known as due process as blow it off. Jerry Sandusky's horrors involved criminal behavior, not NCAA rules. So did their cover-up.

The NCAA went even more emphatically overboard in stripping Paterno of 111 victories in games from 1998, when the first allegations of Sandusky's misconduct occurred, through Paterno's last game in 2011. The ruling meant Paterno went from having the most victories ever in major-college football to the 12th-most.

"Vacating" victories is what the procedure is called. It means a game simply becomes null and void. If Penn State won a game in the time period, the Lions received no credit. Nor did the losers receive a victory by forfeit. Let's just pretend it never happened.

Reducing the NCAA ruling to absurdity, the Penn State-Ohio State game of 2010, a 38-14 victory by the Buckeyes, becomes a non-game on both sides. OSU's season was vacated in the tattoos scandal and had the game turned out differently, a Penn State's win would have fallen victim to Emmert's eraser.

Maybe it was old buckeye-leaf hat at Ohio State, where they know how to make people disappear. Vengeful Andy Geiger, the former athletic director, eradicated running back Maurice Clarett's huge contributions to the 2002 national championship team. Geiger developed a personal dislike of Clarett, so he ordered Clarett's likeness to be cut out of a mural saluting the team at the Buckeye Sports Cafe, where former-coach Jim Tressel held his weekly news conferences.

Vacating victories is a particularly wayward stance with Penn State. Such a measure is usually reserved for teams that seek unfair competitive advantages. But Penn State was never even subjected to a probe of misconduct regarding the NCAA rulebook.

Big Ten coaches here backpedaled like defensive backs covering speed burners when asked about the vacated victories. "Players play, coaches coach, referees referee," said Wisconsin's Bret Bielema.

Which left the NCAA to do what -- czar?

"I didn't know that Joe Paterno," said Ohio State's Urban Meyer of the Paterno of the cover-up.

No one else did, either. The Paterno everyone knew was one of the great coaches.

It's fatuous to decree he wasn't.

On Twitter: @LivyPD

Indians right fielder Shin-Soo Choo has been hot since moving into the leadoff spot in mid-May.

View full sizeChuck Crow, Plain Dealer file photoIndians right fielder Shin-Soo Choo has taken to the leadoff spot in the Cleveland lineup since he was moved there in mid-May.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Much has been made of the correlation between Shin-Soo Choo's move to the leadoff spot and his increase in productivity.

Choo entered tonight's game against Detroit hitting .318 with 24 doubles, 11 homers and 27 RBI in 63 starts since May 14. He owned an on-base percentage above .380 in that span and had raised his average from .235 to .294.

To Choo, though, what makes for a good story is not necessarily a cause-and-effect relationship.

"I think I could be doing this anywhere in the order -- third, cleanup, fifth, sixth,'' he said. "I like hitting leadoff, but I don't need to be there to be a good hitter.''

In 2009 and 2010, Choo was a .300 hitter and run producer while batting primarily third, cleanup and second. He entered this season with a .291 career average in 544 games.

Where this season is concerned, Choo points to a change in mindset that began in the latter half of May. He made a conscious decision to clear his head as much as possible.

"I stopped over-thinking everything,'' he said. "Right now, I'm just playing the game and enjoying it. I'm not worried about what is out of my control.''

Choo has not ceased being a clubhouse rat. He arrives early and stays late, pressing, as he is fond of saying, to get "better, better, better.'' But instead of stewing, he is relaxing. He has been able to let go of issues -- bad at-bats, losses, expectations from native Korea -- before they eat at him.

"I talked to guys on this team, guys who have played a long time, and they were very helpful,'' he said. "If I hit the ball hard and make an out, I'm just moving on to the next at-bat. And if I have a bad game, I'm not taking it home with me.''

Choo said that, yes, the clearing of his head extends to speculation about his future. The Indians have Choo under their control through next season, but with Scott Boras as his agent, odds of Choo re-signing with Cleveland appear long. If he continues to play well, sustaining or building on his .290-plus average with extra-base pop, he figures to become too pricy for Tribe ownership.

The Indians' recent struggles, combined with numerous teams seeking a hitter or two before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, has fueled speculation that the front office might consider moving Choo if an offer overwhelms it.

"I'm not thinking about what might happen this year, what might happen next year,'' he said. "All I care about is what I'm doing now. I'm playing for the Indians and having fun.''

Choo said his goals are to be healthy and play every day. He missed six games earlier this season because of a hamstring issue.

"My goals aren't stats-based,'' he said. "That way, if I go 0-for-4, I can live with it because I know I was healthy.''

Choo will bat leadoff tonight against right-hander Justin Verlander, the reigning AL Cy Young and MVP. The previous time the two faced each other, May 24 at Progressive Field, Choo went 1-for-3 with a homer and walk. The Indians won, 2-1.

Choo led off the Tribe first with a homer deep to right. It came on Verlander's third pitch, a 1-1 change that stayed up. Verlander gave up two runs on six hits in eight innings.

Mr. Consistency: Verlander entered tonight having pitched at least six innings in 62 consecutive regular-season starts. The previous time he did not work at least six was Aug. 17, 2010, against the Yankees in the Bronx (five innings, five hits, three runs).

Verlander's streak is the longest in the majors since Steve Carlton's 69-gamer from Sept. 13, 1979-April 13, 1982. It is the longest run by a Tigers pitcher since at least 1918.

"That is really impressive,'' Tribe reliever Joe Smith said. "At the same time, it's not all that surprising when you consider the type of stuff Verlander has. He seems to be able to dial it up whenever he needs to, which enables him to get out of jams.

"Against him, you're not sitting there wondering if you're going to get him out by the sixth, even if his pitch count is up. He's one of those guys who goes out with the mentality that it's his game, and he's going to finish it. When he falls a little short, it's still a very good start.''

Cab fare: Smith said Verlander's teammate, third baseman Miguel Cabrera, is the best hitter in the majors. Cabrera entered with a .328 average, .582 slugging percentage, 24 homers and 82 RBI in 98 games.

Cabrera, 29, hit career homer Nos. 299 and 300 on Sunday against the White Sox. He socked No. 301 against Smith on Tuesday. Cabrera is a career .318 hitter.

"He's under 30, he has 300 bombs and he's not even a DH yet,'' Smith said. "I think he could hit .400 if he wanted to -- he's that good. When he's done, I think he'll have some of the best offensive numbers of all time.''

Searching: Smith entered tonight with a 6-2 record and 3.19 ERA in 43 appearances. He had given up 33 hits in 42 1/3 innings, walked 15 and struck out 31.

Even though the numbers appear to be solid, Smith is not pleased. "For some reason, this year has been a battle against myself from day one,'' he said. "I just haven't been able to get a long streak going. It's been up and down, up and down.''

Smith relies on a fastball/slider combination. He said the slider has been inconsistent, at best.

"When you're a two-pitch pitcher, and you're throwing the slider maybe 50 percent of the time for a quality strike, that hurts,'' he said. "I've got to be able to throw that thing for a strike whenever I want.''

Conference coaches differ on the pursuit of Penn State players given a chance to transfer.

View full sizeM. Spencer Green, Associated PressWhether it's referring to the Buckeyes as "Ohio" or having his players referred to as "That Team Up North," Michigan's Brady Hoke isn't worrying about fans irritated by such slights.

CHICAGO --Does Michigan coach Brady Hoke regret calling Ohio State "Ohio"?

"No," said Hoke on the first day of the Big Ten media days. "Ha-ha."

"Ohio" was the term Hoke used upon getting the job. The effect, at least in the eyes of OSU fans, was to tie it with the Mid-American Conference school in Athens. Michigan basketball coach John Beilein adopted the practice. Twice, Beilein had to stop himself just before adding "State" after a Wolverines loss to the Buckeyes in Columbus last season.

It did seriously irk the Bobcats. When the NCAA Basketball Tournament selection committee matched the Wolverines and the actual Ohio, the Mid-American Conference tournament champion Bobcats, in the first round, Michigan lost, 65-60. Walter Offutt, an OSU transfer to Athens, clinched the victory in the final seconds.

Did Beilein ever bring the matter up to Hoke?

"No," said Hoke. "I've done that ever since I came here. Ha-ha."

Just a wild guess, but Beilein probably didn't find it all that amusing.

Chief Illiniwek calling: Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, asked if he had a problem with Big Ten coaches "soliciting" [recruiting] Penn State players, who are free agents by the NCAA's ruling on the child abuse sex scandal, said, "I have a problem with that."

He repeated, "I have a problem with that."

Wisconsin's Bret Bielema said much the same thing.

"I'd be lying if I didn't say we didn't look at the roster to some degree," said Hoke, "but we've kind of made a decision that we're going to stay and recruit the guys and keep our business, our business."

"We're respectful of Penn State, but we have a job to do," said Michigan State's Mark Dantonio, more openly.

Then there was new Illinois coach Tim Beckman, formerly Toledo's head coach, who defended sending eight assistant coaches to Penn State as soon as the meat market opened.

"We did not go onto their campus. We only talked to individuals that would be willing to meet with us. We did not go after them. They had the opportunity to come to us if they would like to come to us and speak to us," said Beckman.

The picky on/off campus distinction aside, Beckman might as well have said, "Hey, we need help. The NCAA has said it's all legal, cry me a river."

Beckman channels Woody: Seeking to add fire to Illinois' in-state rivalry with Northwestern, Beckman said, "We call it the team upstate. And I'm not scared to say that."

Well, yeah. But only because Woody Hayes -- who always referred to Michigan as "That Team Up North," a term Meyer's has copied -- isn't around.

Wishful thinking? Meyer said he wouldn't put Penn State in the category of an non-competitive program. "I'm so tired of hearing that Penn State is dead. Look at Southern Cal. They rebounded pretty well," said Meyer.

The Trojans, serving a two-year bowl ban and a three-year reduction of 30 scholarships in all, would have won the South Division of the Pac-10 last year in Lane Kiffin's second season as coach, had they been eligible.

You say East, I say Leaders: Meyer said of the bowl ban, "It's odd. Its uncomfortable. I see Zach Boren walking across the hall and he deserves to play for a championship. He's earned it. John Simon is one of the hardest-working guys I've been around in my years as a coach. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel for those guys?

"Yeah, we can go win that East ... not the East. The Leaders. I've been in the East for a while. We can go win that thing."

Slowhio (and so are all the other Legends and Leaders): Meyer did nothing to counter the national picture of the Big Ten as a slow, plodding, plowhorse conference, citing "speed in the defensive front seven" and then "speed overall" as the biggest reason for the SEC's national dominance.

Slow, slower, slowest: Not to say the wireless Internet at the headquarters hotel was as slow the Big Ten is according to Meyer, but the OSU coach was thought to be recruiting Windstream as soon as he left the podium.

On Twitter: @LivyPD

Cavaliers will play one game on ESPN - at home against the Chicago Bulls on Dec. 5.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerThe Cavaliers and Bulls will play on ESPN on Dec. 5 in Cleveland. It is the Cavs' only ESPN game of the season, although they will be featured three times in national telecasts on NBA TV.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cavs will open the 2012-13 season at home Oct. 30 against the Washington Wizards. After another home game against the Chicago Bulls on Nov. 2, the Cavs will play six straight games on the road, ending with a game at the new home of the Brooklyn Nets on Nov. 13.

The NBA released the Cavs' schedule -- along with all the other teams -- Thursday night.

The Cavs will play one game on ESPN -- at home against the Bulls on Dec. 5 -- and will have three games nationally televised on NBA TV: Nov. 18 at Philadelphia, Nov. 26 at Memphis and Feb. 23 at Orlando.

LeBron James and the NBA champion Miami Heat will visit The Q on March 20 and April 15, while former Cavs coach Mike Brown and the Los Angeles Lakers will make their only appearance in Cleveland on Dec. 11.

All the Cavs games except the Dec. 5 game on ESPN will be broadcast in high definition on Fox Sports Ohio and aired on the Cavaliers Radio Network and flagship station WTAM AM/1100.

Breaking down this weekend's series in Minneapolis.

View full sizeCharles Rex Arbogast, Associated PressThe slugger who got away -- Minnesota's Josh Willingham -- leads the Twins' offense in this weekend's series in Minneapolis.

Where: Target Field, Minneapolis, Minn.

When: Friday through Sunday.

TV/radio: SportsTime Ohio; WTAM AM/1100.

Pitching matchups: Indians RHP Josh Tomlin (5-7, 5.34 ERA) vs. Twins LHP Scott Diamond (8-4, 3.16), Friday at 8:10; RHP Justin Masterson (7-8, 4.12) vs. RHP Samuel Deduno (1-0, 3.94), Saturday at 7:10 p.m.; RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (8-9, 4.97) vs. LHP Francisco Liriano (3-10, 5.31), Sunday at 2:10 p.m.

Season series: Indians lead, 3-2. They lead, 374-351, all time.

Indians update: Indians are 23-24 on road. ... They entered Thursday at 15-6 in one-run games, 7-40 when they get out-hit. ... They are 5-11 on Saturdays and 6-10 on Sundays. ... Masterson lost to Diamond, 6-3, June 3 at Progressive Field. ... RHP Derek Lowe owns two of Tribe's victories over Minnesota this year; RHP Joe Smith has the other.

Twins update: Last in AL Central, a season-worst 18 games below .500 (40-58). They were swept by White Sox in three-game series that ended Wednesday afternoon in Chicago. ... Twins are 19-30 at home. ... DH/LF Josh Willingham is hitting .271 with 25 homers, 72 RBI and a .563 slugging percentage. CA Joe Mauer is hitting .328 with a .420 on-base percentage. ... Mauer is a career .338 hitter in 92 games against Cleveland.

Injuries: Indians -- OF Grady Sizemore (back), LHP Rafael Perez (left lat) and 3B Lonnie Chisenhall (right ulna) are on disabled list. RHP Carlos Carrasco (elbow) is out for the season. Twins -- 3B Trevor Plouffe (right thumb) is day to day. RHP Carl Pavano (shoulder), RHP Matt Capps (shoulder) and RHP P.J. Walters (shoulder) are on disabled list. RHP Scott Baker (elbow) is out for the season.

Next: Trip continues with three games against Royals beginning Tuesday.

"I don't think there's any hurry to get rid of anybody right now," the Browns head coach said during an appearance on PD SportsInsider on cleveland.com. Watch video

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer"You need to have a good quarterback room, and I see a bunch of guys acting in a very professional way," Browns head coach Pat Shurmur (left, with Brandon Weeden on Wednesday) said Thursday about Browns QBs Weeden, Colt McCoy, Seneca Wallace and Thad Lewis.

BEREA, Ohio -- Pat Shurmur likes the way Colt McCoy has handled himself on and off the field during this summer of competition with Brandon Weeden and thinks there's a realistic chance McCoy could be around come opening day.

"I don't think there's any hurry to get rid of anybody right now," the Browns head coach told The Plain Dealer Thursday during an appearance on PD SportsInsider on cleveland.com. "I guess the conversation becomes how he's going to handle it if he's not the starter. Colt's a professional and he's actually done everything that I've asked him to do. He's handled his work well, and in my opinion, he's handled his comments with the media well.

"He can't always control what gets said around him -- I think I've learned that as well. All you can worry about is what you say and do and I think Colt's functioned in a very professional way."

Shurmur was apparently referring to a recent tweet by McCoy's younger brother Case, who exclaimed that "Cleveland is only going downhill!" in response to a fake tweet that his brother had been traded to the Eagles.

That said, Shurmur acknowledged he can't predict how the backup QB battle plays out, where McCoy, Seneca Wallace and Thad Lewis are vying for the job. Despite speculation that McCoy will be traded, he said it's realistic that both veterans could return.

"I don't have a crystal ball, so I can't say exactly what's going to happen, but I do think they've made improvements, which is important," said Shurmur. "We've added some young talent around them that has helped make things look smoother."

He said he's noticed a difference in McCoy from last season, when he had no off-season to work with the new staff and learn the West Coast system.

"Colt made a couple of throws [Wednesday] where he threw to the fourth guy in the progression," said Shurmur. "Now, it's not obvious to anybody, but he would've gone 1-2-3 and ran last year. He went 1-2-3 and threw it to four pretty smoothly. That only happens because you go through the process and I think he's improved.

"At this point, I can see any of the scenarios that you're mentioning -- and again I can't wait to name the starter so we can stop talking about this."

He said McCoy and all of the quarterbacks on the roster fit his criteria for a backup: mobility and the ability to function without many reps during the week.

"I think [McCoy's] very smart," he said. "You're talking about all the guys we have on our roster. They're smart and they can move around and they can go out and execute without getting a bunch of reps."

He said all four are working well together.

"I watch that room closely," he said. "You need to have a good quarterback room, and I see a bunch of guys acting in a very professional way."

Shurmur addressed a number of other topics:

• On if the Browns knew about Josh Gordon's third failed drug test: "We were pretty aware of probably all of the things that have been talked about in his background. Josh has put himself -- through his own behavior -- through some adversity. We feel as though that's behind him.

"We've talked to numerous people. We have relationships with people around the college ranks at both schools that he attended. We visited with him at length. We did a lot of work behind the scenes to assure us that this type of behavior won't happen again. He understands the importance of what he's going to go through now as a pro athlete, and we're going to help him in every way possible to make sure it doesn't. We feel like this is behind him."

• On acquiring a veteran receiver/mentor: "I like the group we have. At this point we don't have our sights set on bringing in anybody specific. At the receiver position, even though you don't have great age or experience there, it doesn't mean that somebody doesn't know his job well and can't help a young person. Within the group that we have at receiver and other positions, we'll make sure those guys act like pros."

• On Josh Cribbs as a receiver: "I'm not going to try to minimize his role or say exactly what it's going to be, but we do know that he's an outstanding special teams player and we feel like that's where he's made his mark that's where we expect him to not only play well but show leadership. We'll continue to try to find ways to get him the ball on offense."

• On his camp message: "We're going to talk about doing what we can to win football games and win the division because that assures you a spot in the playoffs. And once you're in the playoffs, then you have a chance to play in and win the biggest game of them all.

"I can't control what gets outside this building or how what's happening inside this building is perceived. What I can control is helping these guys develop thought processes that keep this team together and keep us moving forward. It does me absolutely no good to worry about the rest of it."

• On finding reps for running backs Montario Hardesty and Brandon Jackson: "Every team uses more than one running back throughout the course of a game and the season. They have to have some of the same characteristics as the backup quarterback because throughout the week, they definitely don't get as many reps."

Practice update: The veterans reported Thursday and will practice Friday in a closed session. The first open practice is Saturday from 8:45-11:15 a.m. in helmets and shorts. The first full-pad practice is Sunday from 8:45-11:15 a.m.

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

With a head for boxing and a hot hand, Cleveland's Terrell Gausha is hoping to roll to a medal in London. Watch video

LONDON – He's a little short for his weight class and a bit raw on the international stage, yet as Team USA looks to rediscover its past boxing success at the Olympics, Cleveland middleweight Terrell Gausha might be who his country is looking for.

A guy on the upswing. A hot hand in boxing gloves.

"I think that's played a role for Terrell, but he's also a very talented boxer with great skill and a technical mindset," Anthony Bartkowski, the executive director of USA Boxing, said Thursday as the boxing team trained at a gym not far from Olympic Park. "So there's very little we needed to do with him in that regard. Now it's just harnessing all that energy."

USA Boxing shook up its qualifying format for these Games, no longer granting automatic qualification to the winners of the 2011 Olympic Trials. In any other Olympics, Gausha, who didn't even take part in the trials, wouldn't be here.

"He would have been on the outside looking in," Bartkowski said. "But this allowed us to keep the team a little bit fresh."

So Gausha, who qualified two months ago, was there Thursday, moving through training stations with his 11 teammates -- eight other men and three women -- during about a 90-minute workout. He circled around the ring, turning his body and throwing punches on command. He pounded the heavy bag with strength and for speed. A 24-year-old with a 4-year-old daughter, Ty'era, Gausha did look fresh.

When other teammates led chants, mentioning different things they'd sacrificed to train for the Olympics, Gausha smiled and responded along with the whole team, answering, "Someone's gonna have to pay."

If he keeps circling and smiling, he could keep moving through his weight class, after emerging as a popular underdog pick. Thanks to that lack of international experience, Gausha is not among the 37 boxers ranked at middleweight by the International Boxing Association. But with a scoring system that requires technical skill and lots of activity, Gausha might have a shot not just because of his hot hand, but because his head is right.

Asked for Gausha's greatest strength, team veteran Rau'shee Warren of Cincinnati, who is fighting in his third Olympics, said, "It's his mind. He's got all the skills in the world, but if you're weak up here you have no plan going into the ring."

Gausha has a plan. To preserve both his legs and his focus, Gausha will sit out Friday's Opening Ceremony because his first fight is Saturday. He plans to be in bed by about 9:30.

That focus will be helped Saturday by the presence of both his mother and older sister, after fundraisers in Cleveland did enough to get them plane tickets and part of their housing in London. Family friend Noel Salwan said that $8,500 was accrued through donations and T-shirt sales, his mother also selling BBQ chicken meals for $8 a piece and raffling off a TV she bought in her effort to get to London.

"It's always good to have someone to share the moment with you," Gausha said. "Because they helped me to get to this point. It helps me know that what I'm doing, I'm doing that for a reason. And when I see them it just reminds me."

He doesn't need much prodding, though, to invoke everyone he feels he is fighting for. With a billboard on Ontario Avenue celebrating his Olympic achievement, which caused him to tear up when a friend sent him a photo of it, Gausha is invested in the people at home, just like they invested in him.

"I fight for my country, and that's a big thing for me," Gausha said. "When you're coming up, you fight for your city and your state and your region, but now it's the whole country, it's bigger than that.

"But that billboard showed me that there are people behind me and that my city loves me. And I love my city."

It was Olympic coach Basheer Abdullah who suggested that Gausha's height (5-10) and inexperience were his greatest hurdles. But Abdullah also praised his fundamentals.

"Fundamentals win in every sport. We like our chances with Terrell," Abdullah said. "He does some great things, like keep his hands up and always box on angles."

The boxing draw will be held this afternoon, so Gausha doesn't yet know his opponent or the time of his bout Saturday. He just feels he'll be prepared for whomever it is.

"I think I'm a well-rounded boxer and I'm able to adjust to any situation," Gausha said. "I just want the gold, and whatever it takes, I'm ready."

Friday's Opening Ceremony likely will be an emotional release of the anticipation that has built during the four years since Beijing.

View full sizeRobert Gauthier, Los Angeles TimesYorkshire police officers inspect the grounds around the Olympic Stadium in London in the final hours before Friday's Opening Ceremonies.

LONDON -- On the last day of all the days before the Summer Olympics, gymnast McKayla Maroney wanted to stop time Thursday.

"It's really exciting to know it's here, and I don't even want it to be here yet. I want to take it all in, so I can keep it forever," said Maroney.

But time stops for no one, not even a 16-year-old who was on the cover of Sports Illustrated last week, and is part of a U.S. team preparing to take the Olympics by storm next week.

Friday's Opening Ceremony likely will be an emotional release of the anticipation that has built during the four years since Beijing, the seven years since London was awarded the Games, and the lifetime of effort for many Olympians. It gets real for the 10,000 athletes and the 20,000 media here to report on their every move, to say nothing of the seven-plus million fans expected to attend in person, or the four billion anticipated television viewers.

The Opening Ceremony could draw the largest gathering of heads of state on British soil, about 120, from the 205 countries expected to compete. Whether an event originally designed to promote cooperation among nations can still contribute to that effort remains to be seen, but on Thursday, Olympic officials made it clear it should not be associated with political squabbling in the United States.

A pro-President Obama Super-PAC created an ad using previous Opening Ceremony footage as a metaphor for claims that Mitt Romney shipped jobs overseas. Romney and First Lady Michelle Obama are to attend Friday.

The United States Olympic Committee complained Thursday, and the ad was pulled.

"Using Olympic themes and images needs to stop," USOC spokesman Patrick Sandusky said in a statement. "Tomorrow we will celebrate America's finest athletes' accomplishments and watch Team USA march in the parade of nations. For anything even remotely negative to be associated with that time-honored, inspirational moment would be extremely unfortunate."

Also unfortunate will be the absence of many athletes who will conserve energy for the weekend rather than participate in the long ceremony. Among the missing will be the women's gymnastics team and swimmers Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte. Aside from a few soccer games held Wednesday and Thursday, the Games kick into gear Saturday with 19 of the 26 sports in action, and medals awarded in 12 events.

The Phelps-Lochte duel in the 400-meter individual medley begins the swim program with a bang. Phelps won eight gold medals in Beijing, but Lochte beat him in this event at the U.S. Trials last month.

Cleveland boxer Terrell Gausha, whose first match is Saturday, and Cleveland native Lee Kiefer, one of America's best hopes for fencing gold Saturday, also will skip the ceremony.

Phelps admitted Thursday that his anticipation of the Games has been emotional at times. The three-time Olympian plans to be retired by the Closing Ceremony on Aug. 12.

"I have had a lot of moments where I'll be more emotional because these are the last competitive moments I'll have in my career," he said.

Time marches on, and Friday it marches with the athletes in the Opening Ceremony.

On Twitter: @TimsTakePD