The Americans, with Phelps as the anchor, dominated the 800 relay.

View full sizeAP Photo/Daniel Ochoa De OlzaUnited States swim team members, from left, Conor Dwyer, Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, and Ricky Berens pose with their gold medals after their win in the men's 4 x 200-meter freestyle relay at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Tuesday, July 31, 2012. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa De Olza)

LONDON – Michael Phelps grabbed one gold and one silver medal Tuesday on the way to Olympic history. Phelps is now the all-time leading medalist at the Olympics with 19, passing former Soviet gymnast Larissa Latynina.

Phelps has 15 golds, two silvers and two bronze medals.

Phelps opened his night in the 200 butterfly, his specialty that he had won at the previous two Olympics. After touching the wall ahead at the 50, 100 and 150 meter marks, Phelps faded in the final 25 meters, gliding to the wall while Chad le Clos of South Africa got in a final stroke. That made the difference, as le Clos won the gold by .05 seconds, 1.52.96 to 1:53.01 for Phelps. The American had led by .58 going into the final 50 meters.

This was Phelps' first defeat in a major international 200 fly since 2003.

About 15 minutes after receiving his medal, Phelps was back in the pool to anchor Team USA in the 800 relay. When the Americans earned a silver in the 400 relay on Sunday, Phelps swam a fast second leg while Ryan Lochte was chased down on the anchor leg.

This time, Lochte led off the event, followed by Conor Dwyer, Ricky Berens and Phelps. He could coast home, as the Americans won by more than three seconds.

“I told those guys I wanted a big lead, and they gave it to me,” Phelps said. “I just wanted to hold on, and I thanked them for being able to allow me to have this moment. It has been a pretty amazing career, but we still have a couple races left.”

Remaining for Phelps, who is retiring after these Olympics, are the 200 IM, 100 butterfly and the 400 medley relay. Phelps has one gold, two silvers and a fourth-place finish so far in London.

Former quarterback Rich Gannon of CBS Sports and SiriusXM NFL Radio ranks the Browns last, saying "Will probably start a rookie QB, RB & WR. Need I say more?"

John Kuntz, The Plain DealerMost national observers aren't very optimistic that Browns' fans will have much to cheer for this season.

Here are what blogs from Cleveland and around the country are saying about the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians. Featured today are The Cleveland Fan, The Cleveland Sports Report and Waiting For Next Year.

Here are what blogs from Cleveland and around the country are saying about the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians.

"Who stands to risk the most from an ownership change? It could be Holmgren himself, and his handpicked staff. Haslam will be eager to make his mark as an NFL owner, and if the Browns once again disappoint on the field this season, the odds of Haslam cleaning house and bringing in his own people go way up.

As it is, Holmgren was brought in to serve as the organizational figurehead because Lerner is so camera-shy. With a new owner, a new dynamic develops with Holmgren, and that might be enough to hasten Holmgren's exit from the organization.

You should be more concerned about the futures of GM Tom Heckert and head coach Pat Shurmur anyway. They are the primary football decision-makers. It is within the owner's rights to hire his own people, but it would still be another chapter in a Browns story frought with instability and turnover. The revolving door has to stop at some point."

Chuck Crow/The Plain DealerIs Shin-Soo Choo wasting in the leadoff spot?

"It is time to return him---his outstanding production as the leadoff guy notwithstanding---to a more meaningful run-generating slot in the order. Position some better table sitters in front of him and provide protection behind him. Maybe he can again be the force that went 20/20 for successive seasons in 2009 and '10, when 20 dingers, 20 steals, 95+ rbi and a .300 BA were characteristic. That is the sort of middle-of-the-order athlete this club needs ASAP. A five-tool RF seeking a boost in pay is precisely what might vault this collection into legitimate contention, so long as he gets reasonable assistance from his teammates.

Jason Kipnis, who like Asdrubal Cabrera, was somewhere in the low 40s for rbi at the point of his 11th homer. Some of this is attributable to Choo's having been on ahead of them. It may logically be true no one will table-set quite as well as has Choo for Choo in the three-hole, but it is time to find out. "

"What kind of team will the Cavaliers be? Young and inexperienced for sure. I really think this team is going to struggle on defense as well. Yes, Tristan Thompson has the athleticism to be a great defender, but in the Summer League he didn’t show a whole lot of improvement in his footwork and discipline from last season. Zeller looks to struggle with foul trouble, Kyrie was a liability last season (hopefully he’s going to begin to show improvement there this season), Waiters has a lot of work to do on defense. Obviously Varejao is an elite defender when healthy, and Gee is a pretty solid defender. Gibson has been pretty good on defense the last couple years. Beyond that, though, there are a lot of questions and issues on defense.

On offense, we know Byron Scott wants his team to run. In their last year under Mike Brown, the Cavaliers were 24th in Pace (94.1 possessions per 48 minutes). In Coach Scott’s first season the Cavaliers jumped to 11th in the NBA in pace (93.0) and last year they were 14th in the league (91.3). Pace Factor doesn’t tell the whole story, but obviously the focus on playing faster is there."

Hall was a reliable starting linebacker in the last nine seasons of a 10-year career. He never missed a game.

Plain Dealer file photoLinebacker Charlie Hall (59) didn't miss a game during his 10-year Browns career.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A countdown of the top 100 players in Cleveland
Browns history. Players must have spent at least four seasons with the
Browns. The ranking is based only on players' careers with the Browns.

No. 97, Charlie Hall, linebacker, 1971-80

Outside linebacker Charlie Hall was seldom in the spotlight. On the one hand, he didn't make many spectacular plays. But, he made plays. On the other hand, he didn't draw much negative attention, because he didn't make many mistakes.

Hall's consistency and durability made him a Browns' mainstay. The NFL schedule featured 14 regular season games during the first seven years of his career, and 16 games over his final three seasons. Hall played in all 146 games. The third-round draft pick from Houston became a starter in his second season, and he held on to the job with his solid tackling, range and pass coverage skills.

Unfortunately for Hall, his career peaked as the team's remaining standout players from the 1960's were aging. The Browns were marginal contenders in Hall's first two seasons, both times losing divisional playoff games, and they posted a combined 26-14-2 record in his first three campaigns. Cleveland then went 7-21 in 1974-75, the two worst seasons, at that point, in team history.

The Browns restored respectability in the second half of Hall's career, going 43-33 from 1976-80. They made the playoffs, though, just once, when they lost the infamous "Red Right 88" playoff game to the Oakland Raiders, 14-12, in Cleveland on Jan. 4, 1981 -- Hall's final game.

Previously: No. 100; No. 99; No. 98.

Video: NFL Films weekly highlights show features the Browns' 24-19 win at Philadelphia on Nov. 4, 1979. Charlie Hall (59) forces a fumble to spark the Browns' late-game comeback. Then, from NBC's game coverage, the Eagles try to drive for the winning score, but they are thwarted on the game's final play, when Charlie Hall intercepts a pass at the goal line, after the football was tipped by teammate Clay Matthews (57).

After being swept by the Minnesota Twins, the Indians look to get back on the winning track tonight in Kansas City. First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. Get game updates on Twitter from Paul Hoynes, @hoynsie.

After being swept by the Minnesota Twins, the Indians look to get back on the winning track tonight in Kansas City. First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. Get game updates on Twitter from Paul Hoynes @hoynsie or click here for a live game box score. You can also download our Cleveland Indians app for Android to get Tribe updates on your mobile device. Read on for a game preview.

View full sizeAP Photo/Kevin P. CaseyJarrod Dysom and the Kansas City Royals welcome the Indians into town tonight.

Jeev Milkha Singh can't hide his pride in his father's three Olympic experiences.

View full sizeScott Shaw, The Plain DealerJason Dufner is framed by a foot bridge as he plays his practice round Tuesday at the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club.

AKRON, Ohio -- Not to say things were slow Tuesday at Firestone South, but the Olympic track career of the father of Indian golfer Jeev Milkha Singh was a big topic.

"It's something very important and something very big for our family, especially for my father [Milkha "Milky" Singh]," said Jeev Singh. "He's, I think, represented India in 400 meters and 200 meters I think three times. He's done three Olympics. He broke the world record in 1964, I think. That was a long time back. I wasn't born. [In] '64, he finished fourth. He's won the Commonwealth Gold."

The elder Singh actually broke the Olympic record in 1960 at the Rome Olympics, but so did the three sprinters who finished ahead of him. Nonetheless, Singh's time of 46.16 seconds was not bettered by an Indian athlete until 1984. Now 76, the "Flying Sikh" will be introduced at the London Olympics.

"I'm just hoping that I can represent India in the Olympics in golf [in 2016]," his son said. "And if that happens, I think that'll be the best thing and a gift to my father if I could do that."

A Bollywood movie on Milkha Singh's life will be released in January. "It's called 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag,'" said Jeev. "Bhaag means run. Run Milkha Run."

Rory McIlroy loves Akron: "I think I had a ninth and a sixth the last couple years. I come in here with a couple good finishes behind me, and I feel like I'm hitting the ball pretty well," said the popular player from Northern Ireland. "I'd love to just get into contention and just feel the buzz of having a chance to win a tournament coming down the back nine. It's something that is quite addictive."

McIlroy said he loves the Firestone South course and the practice facilities: "I love hitting balls on this range. You've got great targets, great little short game area, the putting green is right there. That whole area you could just spend all day at and not get bored."

And so does Zach Johnson: "I really enjoy this course," he said. "To me it's Midwest golf. It's the same type of golf I grew up playing. There's no homes, there's thick rough, and you have to hit every shot, you have got to hit it left to right or right to left. Fairways are a premium, you know, they're not very big here. Bentgrass greens, that's what I grew up on, and I love it."

The second-best time of the year? In the past, the Bridgestone seemed like a closing performance because it was played one week after the year's last major, the PGA Championship. But it now precedes the PGA next week at Kiawah Island, S.C.

Said Johnson, "Starting with the British Open, every week is big. I think it comes down to it, you have World Golf Championships and you've got majors it seems like back-to-back to back, and then you have the start of the FedEx.

"This time of year it just seems like there's a little bit more added incentive. There's a lot of things at stake, the Ryder Cup [at Medinah] following that, and a lot of good, just good weeks, in the schedule."

Parity is not a rarity: There are 17 major winners playing in the Bridgestone this week. All but four (Tiger Woods with 14, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson with four each, and Retief Goossen with two) are one-and-done -- so far.

On Twitter: @LivyPD

Here's a handy fan's guide, covering everything from autograph strategies, to the best vantage points, to the souvenir you must bring home.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerIt can be a little intimidating figuring out the old-fashioned scoreboard at the Bridgestone Invitational -- or how to best utilize your time on the course. Don't worry ... that's what this story is for.

AKRON, Ohio -- Few professional sports allow fans to get as close to the athletes during competition as golf, especially when a shot sails outside the rope line.

That, and one of the strongest international fields on the PGA Tour, keeps fans coming back for the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational at Akron's 83-year-old Firestone Country Club. All the big names are here -- Tiger, Phil, Rory, Rickie.

Also, no golfer gets cut. So fans are assured of seeing their favorites navigate the 7,400-yard South Course for all five days -- Wednesday's practice and four tournament rounds Thursday through Sunday -- as they compete for the $1.4 million winner's share.

Here's a handy fan's guide, covering everything from autograph strategies, to the best vantage points, to the souvenir you must bring home.

Best way to buy tickets: At this point, buy them at the gate or order through the Web site (worldgolfchampionships.com), although expect those pesky Ticketmaster fees on online orders. Tickets can also be ordered by calling 330-644-2299, and are sold at Acme Fresh Market stores. Tickets are $25 for Wednesday's practice and $45 daily.

Best ticket deals: When it comes to professional sports, this one's tough to beat. Fans age 18 and younger are free with a ticketed adult. (Does not apply to hospitality venues.) There's no limit on the number of kids you can bring.

For instance, a high school golf coach could bring his or her entire team. The other terrific deal is more of a tribute. Active and retired military personnel and their spouse and children 18-and-under get in free with a valid military identification. Veterans should also plan on swinging by the Patriots' Outpost near the 14th green for complimentary food and beverages.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerNo grandstand for these fans, who got a groundhog's view of the 15th green in a recent tournament.

Best views: The obvious prime spot is as close to your favorite golfer as you can get. But Don Padgett III, the tournament's executive director, also recommends a few: "My favorite place to watch -- and you have to get there early -- there's a mound that's to the back left of the 12th green, so you can see the entire par-3 12th hole," he said. From there, you can also see the tee box on No. 8 and the seventh green.

Also consider the fifth hole, also a par-3. The green is especially challenging, so you get to see a lot of great short-game shots. And, because it's at the far east end of the course, the crowds usually aren't too heavy so you can nudge closer to the rope line.

A third suggestion is the 16th green -- the culmination of one of the harder par-5s on the tour, at 667 yards long. "There's always lots of drama there no matter the day or the golfer," Padgett said.

Best place to get close to the golfers: Aside from following your favorite pairing for the day, camp out on the bleachers by the driving range and practice green just east of the clubhouse and hole No. 1. Tournament representatives also suggest hanging out around the clubhouse and the scoring area between the clubhouse and the 18th green. After rounds, many pros have been known to swing by the Diamond Grille on West Market Street in downtown Akron.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerIt isn't hard to identify the Rickie Fowler fans when their favorite pauses to sign a few autographs.

Best place for autographs: (See above item.) Wednesday's practice round is probably your best shot. Stand along the rope line as the golfers come off the driving range.

Prime cooling stations: Under the large oak tree on the 16th hole, back and left behind the green. The tree is something like 200 years old, so you can't miss it. Another suggestion: Spectator Village behind the 18th green, where fans can relax at a food court with umbrella tables.

Best place to pick up a golf tip: Also within Spectator Village is the interactive Bridgestone Performance Center, where you can get a free golf lesson from a PGA club pro or take in video tips from the always colorful David Feherty, of CBS and the Golf Channel.

Cell phones, yes or no? Yes, with provisions.

Tournament directors allowed mobile devices on the course for the first time last year and are doing so again. But follow the rules: They must be kept on silent and only used in designated areas, mainly around concessions stands. Look for the five "mobile device approved zones" identified on the course map.

Also, the only time you can take pictures is during today's practice round. No photos Thursday through Sunday, and no shooting video ever. Don't be the jerk whose "Muskrat Love" ringtone goes off in someone's backswing. Break the rules and you'll pay. You will either be asked to put the phone away, have it confiscated until you're ready to leave or even be kicked out.

Last year, Firestone security grabbed 34 phones from fans following Tiger Woods one day, and another 55 from those following Woods and Phil Mickelson the next. One guard even snatched an iPad.

Best places to eat: The five concessions stands throughout the course are more grab and go. So unless you're lucky enough to be invited to a hospitality tent or are willing to buy an upgraded ticket for access to the Championship Club at No. 16 ($495 for four people, Wednesday through Sunday), Spectator Village, behind the 18th green, is your best sit-down option. The menu isn't fancy or inexpensive. But if you go, we recommend the cheeseburger ($6), Nathan's Famous Hot Dog ($5) or Cobb salad ($7.50). Wine ($8) and beer ($6.50) are also available.

Best cheap eats: Go for the value combo at the concessions stands. Get a hot dog, chips and pop for $6.

Best merchandise deal: Discounts on souvenirs and gear aren't always posted, so you might stumble on a sweet deal at the Spectator Village merchandise tent or Sunday in the Firestone pro shop during final-day blowouts. Last year, for example, quality straw hats with the tournament logo were going for $5 in the tent.

Must-have souvenir: Either a tournament flag ($30), which is white and perfect for getting autographs, or "The Monster" T-shirts ($22), featuring the famous 667-yard 16th hole, which got its nickname from Arnold Palmer.

Best bathrooms: You'll find seven bathrooms designated on the course map, but the Taj Mahals of toilets are the two permanent men's and women's restrooms -- one on the front nine, behind the eighth tee, and the other on the back nine, behind the 15th green.

Don't say we didn't warn you about parking: If you're a Bridgestone Invitational veteran and used to parking for free, the gravy train is over.

Public parking, at Meggitt Aircraft Braking Systems & Lockheed Martin, is now $5 -- and cash only. From there, shuttles transport fans to the main entrance. By the way, the course is ADA accessible, and a free handicapped shuttle conveniently loops the course.

Other parking option: Approaching the course along Warner Road, neighbors will be waving you in to park in their yards and walk to the course. The closer you get, the more you pay, and it's more than $5.

Best fashion choice: Comfort first is the standing rule. Think light colors and shorts if it's hot, and merciful walking shoes (although you will see some women aerating the course in pumps and some men in hard dress shoes.) You're likely to also see a few crazies, like the guy who followed Woods last year in a full-body yellow- and black-striped tiger suit with a can of Budweiser in each paw.

Leave these at home: Cameras, except for Wednesday's practice round. Food and drink, including water bottles -- you can't bring them in. Large bags, for safety reasons, are out. Any bag, backpack or purse larger than 6x6x6 won't be allowed through.

Bring 'em: Umbrellas are fine. So are small spectator chairs, but leave the chair covers in the car. You'll see an occasional stroller, but that can be a lot of work, especially on hot, crowded days. Don't forget a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.

What not to shout: "It's in the hole!" Enough already. "Caddyshack" is so 32 years ago.

The Indians sent knuckleball pitcher Steven Wright to Boston for first baseman Lars Anderson.

View full sizeAP fileThe Indians acquired first baseman Lars Anderson from the Red Sox Tuesday, trading away minor-league knuckleballer Steven Wright.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians have acquired first baseman Lars Anderson from Boston for a minor league knuckleball pitcher Steven Wright. Anderson will report to Class AAA Columbus.

Anderson went 1-for-8 in the big leagues with the Red Sox earlier this season. He's hitting .259 (88-for-342) with 22 doubles, two triples and nine homers at Class AAA Pawtucket. He has a .774 OPS, .359 on-base percentage and .415 slugging percentage. He's hitting .261 against lefties and .256 against righties. Defensively, Anderson played 66 games at first and 16 games in left field.

The 6-4, 215-pound Anderson bats left and throws left. He's 24 and was the Red Sox's 18th round pick in 2006.

In his minor-league career, Anderson is hitting .274 with 182 doubles, 76 homers and 408 RBI in 730 games. Baseball America ranked him among baseball's top 100 prospects from 2008-2010.

Anderson has spent parts of the 2010, 2011 and 2012 seasons in the big leagues. He's .167 (8-for-48) in 30 big-league games.

Wright went 9-6 with a 2.49 ERA in 20 starts. He struck out 101 and walked 62 in 115 2/3 innings.

GM Chris Antonetti said Anderson is a "near-term' possibility to help the big-league club this year. He will play first, the outfield and DH at Columbus.

"Lars has been a highly-regarded prospect for a long time and is a good alternative for our big-league club," said Antonetti. "He's a big physical player, who is good around the bag and a good defensive first baseman."

As for not making a trade to help the big-league club, Antonetti said, "We looked at players who could help us in the short term and players who could help help us in the future, but we weren't able to align on value."

Wright was the Indians' second round pick in 2006. He converted to a knuckleball pitcher last year. He was a Class AA Eastern League All-Star this year.

"We like Steve Wright," said Antonetti. "But to get a player of value you have to give up a player of value."

Tonight's lineups:

Indians (50-52): LF Shin-Soo Choo (L), SS Asdrubal Cabrera (S), 2B Jason Kipnis (L), CF Michael Brantley (L), C Carlos Santana (S), DH Travis Hafner (L), LF Johnny Damon (L), 1B Casey Kotchman (L), 3B Jack Hannahan (L), RHP Derek Lowe (8-9, 5.09).

Royals (41-60): LF Alex Gordon (L), SS Alcides Escobar (R), RF Lorenzo Cain (R), DH Billy Butler (R), 3B Mike Moustakas (L), C Salvador Perez (R), 1B Eric Hosmer (L), 2B Chris Getz (L), CF Jarrod Dyson (L), RHP Luke Hochevar (6-9, 5.26).

Umpires: H Tim Welke, 1B Mike Everitt, 2B Laz Diaz, 3B Mike Estabrook. Welke, crew chief.

Indians vs. Hochevar: Choo is hitting .600 (15-for-25) with three homers and 12 RBI and Hannahan is hitting .438 (7-for-16) with two homers and six RBI.

Royals vs. Lowe: Escobar is hitting .500 (4-for-8).

Next: RHP Zach McAllister (4-2, 3.18) vs. RHP Luis Mendoza (4-7, 4.47) Wednesday night at Kauffman Stadium. STO/WTAM will carry the game.

With a spot in the final at stake, Shumway and Sarah Trowbridge battled a Czech Republic pair through a steady crosswind.

View full sizeNatacha Pisarenko, Associated PressU.S. rowers Sarah Trowbridge (left) and Margot Shumway of Westlake celebrate their second place finish in women's rowing double sculls repechage Tuesday in Eton Dorney, England. The pair qualified for the finals on Friday.

DORNEY, England -- The tension was gone in Margot Shumway's voice. The Westlake native was relaxed, confident and happy, and why not?

She clinched a berth in an Olympic women's double sculls rowing final Tuesday, the day before her 33rd birthday, and celebrated afterward, enjoying long embraces with her family on the shores of Lake Dorney.

"We got the job done, so I can calm down a little bit," Shumway said, grinning.

The quiet scene belied the tension-filled air moments earlier when, with a spot in the London Olympics final at stake, Shumway and Sarah Trowbridge battled a Czech Republic pair through a steady crosswind. The top two boats earned finals berths and the outcome was in doubt until the last 50 meters of the 2,000-meter race.

About 500 meters from the finish, Shumway yelled "Move!" from the back of the long, narrow watercraft. She and Trowbridge, third most of the race, began a hard charge and caught the second-place Czechs with about 130 meters to go. They kept the momentum and nearly caught first-place China, which had fired off to a big early lead.

"I knew once we started our big sprint that we were going to get them and we kept pushing, pushing, pushing," Shumway said. "We sensed an opportunity and we went.

"Sarah and I practice our sprint a lot of times and we have a really great sprint because we just go together. I was just so confident in our ability to do that, and that's ultimately what brought us across the line."

China's Min Wang and Weiwei Zhu won in 7:09.65 and the U.S. beat sisters Lenka and Jitka Antosova by more than a second, 7:10.37-7:11.68. Jitka Antosova is a former junior world champ who, like Shumway, was a 2008 Olympian.

The finish moved Shumway's parents, Julia and John, to tears.

"It was the most beautiful race I've ever seen," Julia Shumway said.

The final is 5:30 a.m. EDT Friday. It's the last of four finals that day. WKYC Channel 3 has rowing coverage scheduled at 10:30 a.m. EDT.

One in a series of interviews with players during this week's Bridgestone Invitational.

View full sizeAP fileA mid-summer break away from golf to spend time with family has David Toms in a good frame of mind entering this week at Firestone.

(Editor's note: One in a series of interviews with players during this week's Bridgestone Invitational.

AKRON, Ohio -- Though he might be on the downward slope of his career, 45-year-old David Toms recorded one of his best performances when he finished tied for fourth in the U.S. Open in June. After 36 holes, Toms was tied for the lead with Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk, but recorded a 76 on Day 3 to play himself out of the top spot.

Toms is an LSU alum and Louisiana native who grew up playing Little League baseball with future major leaguers Ben McDonald and Albert Belle. He has won 13 PGA events, including the 2001 PGA Championship.

Q: You are playing after a long break of six weeks off. Why is that, and what did you do with your time off?

A: I had some nagging injuries, some back stuff in the past and I've had hip problems. And I just wanted to spend time with the family. My kids are about to go to school, and we wanted to spend some time together on the lake relaxing, and trying to get ready for the stretch run. I think we have six weeks in a row coming up, so I'm just trying to get the mindset right and going in the right direction.

Q: How is your game right now?

A: I've been playing a little golf, it feels pretty good. But competition's always a different thing. I'm hoping to go out there and get my feet wet this week, and try to build and make the championship this week.

Q: What do you miss most about Louisiana when you're on the road playing golf?

A: Obviously, our food is good. But I mostly miss family and friends, people who are the support group around you. That's what I miss most.

Q: If you could offer one tip for an amateur golfer, what would it be?

A: Take more club than you think you need. It seems like they're always short, so just take a little more than you think you might need.

Q: What's the toughest part about playing at Firestone Country Club?

A: The length that's out there, you have to drive the ball well. I know I have to, not being a long hitter, it's very important to get the ball on the fairway to have a chance. The rough's usually pretty thick, so I'm sure it will be this week. I hope the golf course stays dry, so that'll help the shorter hitters this week.

Q: You're 45. Are you starting to think about what your plans might be for after golf?

A: You know, I haven't thought too much about it. I've been lucky to never have a real job, except for when I was in college and worked for a bank. I've been very lucky. So I really don't think too much beyond that. I've had a successful career, I'm getting toward the end of it. Depending on whether I play the championships or not, I'm kind of on the down years of the PGA Tour.

What will I do after? Probably something outside, just enjoy helping the young players in the game.

AKRON, Ohio -- Predicting the winner of this week's Bridgestone Invitational is similar to predicting what John Daly will wear the next time he tees it up. In both cases there's an excellent chance the outcome will not be pretty. That being said, here are 12 names Plain Dealer golf reporter Tim Rogers likes to be atop the leaderboard...

AKRON, Ohio -- Predicting the winner of this week's Bridgestone Invitational is similar to predicting what John Daly will wear the next time he tees it up. In both cases there's an excellent chance the outcome will not be pretty. That being said, here are 12 names Plain Dealer golf reporter Tim Rogers likes to be atop the leaderboard come Sunday.

First Flight

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerJust two weeks from his collapse at the British Open, Adam Scott will look to defend his 2011 Bridgestone title at Firestone.

Adam Scott

Birthplace: Adelaide, Australia.

Residence: Crans-sur-Sierre, Switzerland.

World ranking: 6.

Firestone history: This will be his 10th appearance. Prior to his four-shot victory last year, his previous best was a tie for ninth in 2010. In his first seven starts he finished under par just once, but his opening-round 8-under 62 last year was the best start by an eventual winner.

Season to date: Yes, he frittered away the British Open title. Yet, his runner-up finish follows a tie for eighth in the Masters, a tie for 15th in the U.S. Open and third place in the AT&T. Not too shabby.

Rogers says: First, he is the defending champ. Second, he is 22-under in his last two appearances on the South Course. Third, don't put too much emphasis on his crash and burn at the British. He played superbly for 68 of 72 holes. If he would have come from behind to finish second, everyone would be raving.

View full sizeAP photoLuke Donald is the No. 1 player in the world by golf's ranking system, but fans are still waiting for that signature win in the U.S.

Luke Donald

Birthplace: Hemel Hempstead, England.

Residence: Evanston, Ill.

World ranking: 1.

Firestone history: This is his eighth appearance and his runner-up finish last year was his best showing. He also has two other top-10s. Shot 64 in the third round.

Season to date: Won the Transitions and the BMW PGA and is 14th on the money list. Has five top-10 finishes and is 12th in scoring average at 69.68.

Rogers says: How can you not like the top-ranked player in the world? He does not hit it far -- 275 yards off the tee -- but is relatively straight, finding the fairway 69 percent of the time, 11th in driving accuracy. He putts it like a demon, ranking fourth on the Tour.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerThere's no course in the country that has so consistently welcomed Tiger Woods as the tree-lined fairways of Firestone.

Tiger Woods

Birthplace: Cypress, Calif.

Residence: Jupiter, Fla.

World ranking: 2.

Firestone history: Has played in all 12 previous Bridgestone events on the South Course, with seven victories, three other top-10s and a 68.3 scoring average.

Season to date: So, you think he's having a bad year? Check your scorecard.

He is first on the money list with over $4 million, first in the FedExCup points race and first in scoring average (68.90). He already has a title on an Ohio course this year -- the Memorial -- played well, if conservatively -- at the British.

Plus, there's that record at Firestone. There's no truth that he has a personal ATM set up behind the 18th green.

We should all have such a bad year.

Rogers says: Are you going to bet against him?

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerHunter Mahan won the Bridgestone in 2010 and a win this week would boost a so-so season.

Hunter Mahan

Birthplace: Orange, Calif.

Residence: Colleyville, Texas.

World ranking: 13.

Firestone history: This will be his sixth start and he won here in 2010 with a 12-under 268, closing with a 6-under 64, the lowest final round in tournament history. Did not fare well last year, finishing tied for 37th. Prior to last year his 68.94 scoring average ranked third all-time on the South.

Season to date: Three stats stick out: he is eighth in driving accuracy (a must on the South), 65th in distance with a 291.8 average (helps to be long on the South) but 60th in putting. Is fifth on the money list.

Rogers says: Usually plays well here. Prior to last season, he was in the top 10 three times and has not shot any round higher than 72 in his last four appearances. More than half of his 20 rounds on the South have been in the 60s.

Second Flight

View full sizeAssociated PressJason Dufner, a Cleveland native who was raised in the south, will have the hometown support of many fans this week.

Jason Dufner

Birthplace: Cleveland.

Residence: Auburn, Ala.

World ranking: 8.

Firestone history: This will be his first professional competitive appearance, but he likes the course.

Season to date: Having the best season of his 12-year professional career with two victories, one runner-up, six top-10 finishes, 10 top-25s and $4,124,137 in earnings, second only to Woods. Doesn't do anything flashy but gives himself a chance on practically every hole, ranking sixth in greens in regulation. Hits it long enough to compete, averaging 291 off the tee.

Rogers says: Arrives as the hometown hero, so to speak. It's difficult to win when making your initial appearance but maybe he'll leave as the third Ohioan to win, joining Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf. We know this: He won't be lacking for fan support.

View full sizeCharlie Riedel, Associated PressFew players bring more color -- in their game and their clothing -- than fan favorite Rickie Fowler.

Rickie Fowler

Birthplace: Murietta, Calif.

Residence: Jupiter, Fla.

World ranking: 20.

Firestone history: This will be his third appearance and if last year's runner-up finish is any indication, will be a Bridgestone regular. He was one of five players to post four rounds in the 60s. Not even Scott did that.

Season to date: Hit a lull after a three-week stretch in May in which he won the Wells Fargo, tied for second at The Players and tied for fifth at the Crowne Plaza. Has four top-10 finishes this year and 18 since turning pro in 2009.

Rogers says: Hits it far enough -- 292.6 yards -- to compete. If he putts the way he did here last year -- he led the field with 100 for the week -- he'll compete again. Colorfully.

View full sizeNathan Denette, Canadian Press via APMatt Kuchar has seven top-10 performances on Tour this year, including a championship at the Players in May.

Matt Kuchar

Birthplace: Winter Park, Fla.

Residence: Sea Island, Ga.

World ranking: 9.

Firestone history: This will be his third straight appearance, coinciding with the upswing in his career. Went seven years without qualifying after initial appearance in 2002. Five of his last eight rounds on the South have been in the 60s.

Season to date: Tied for the Tour lead with seven top-10 finishes and has made Tour-best 22 consecutive cuts. Sixth in the FedExCup race and on the money list with nearly $3.5 million.

Rogers says: You have to respect his consistent play. He stands 18th in greens in regulation, which is a plus at Firestone because if you're scrambling constantly you are going to have an awfully long day.

View full sizeCharlie Neibergall, Associated PressZach Johnson enters the Bridgestone on a high -- he won the John Deere tournament three weeks ago and was tied for ninth at the British Open.

Zach Johnson

Birthplace: Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Residence: St. Simons Island, Ga.

World ranking: 12.

Firestone history: Has made eight appearances and last year was his best, a tie for sixth at 10-under 270. He has been under par four times. Last year's finish was spurred by a 64 in the third round, which shared second-best honors for the week with Fowler and Ryo Ishikawa behind Scott's opening 62.

Season to date: Has won twice and was one of 10 players to finish in a tie for ninth at the British Open. Second in the FedExCup race, third on the money list. Has finished second twice and has six top-10s. He has made 17 of 18 cuts.

Rogers says: He's not the longest hitter on the Tour (281-yard average) but is 21st when it comes to getting the ball in the fairway, which certainly helps.

Third Flight

View full sizeJon Super, Associated PressSteve Stricker remains one of the most reliable players in getting a shot close when it counts.

Steve Stricker

Birthplace: Edgerton, Wis.

Residence: Madison, Wis.

World ranking: 14.

Firestone history: Last year was his best performance, with a 7-under 273, an improvement of 18 strokes over his debut in 2007. Has shot par or better in 12 of his last 16 rounds.

Season to date: Won the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, the first event of the year. Not quite at the level he reached since the rebirth of his career several years ago, but still has five top-10 finishes and has made 12 of 13 cuts.

Rogers says: The guy has a terrific approach game. He ranks fourth in approach accuracy from 200-225 yards and is second from 50-125. He desperately wants to make the Ryder Cup team.

View full sizeAP fileBubba Watson (right) hasn't had many big moments since he claimed the Masters green jacket in April, but his power will be one of the top draws at Firestone.

Bubba Watson

Birthplace: Bagdad, Fla.

Residence: Scottsdale, Ariz.

World ranking: 7.

Firestone history: Not that deep and not that good. He has been under par in his two previous appearances but has yet to break the top 20. Had the first-round lead in 2010 with a 6-under 64 but faded.

Season to date: Is having the best season of 10-year career with his win at the Masters, two seconds and five top-10s. Fourth on the money list with $3,792,822. Leads in driving distance (313.7 yards) and greens in regulation (71 percent) but is 123rd in driving accuracy, hitting the fairway 59 percent of the time.

Rogers says: If nothing else, it will be fun to watch him play the 667-yard 16th hole.

View full sizeDave Chidley, Canadian PressForever the Big Easy, Ernie Els will still be riding a British Open high as he tees off Thursday at Firestone.

Ernie Els

Birthplace: Johannesburg, South Africa.

Residence: West Palm Beach, Fla.

World ranking: 15.

Firestone history: He has never won here and his record over the past decade is spotty. This will be his 12th appearance and his first trip in 1999 was his best when he finished fifth. Yet, there have been flashes of brilliance. A 6-under 64 two years ago had him two shots off the lead heading into the final round before he became unglued with a 76.

Season to date: Five top-10 finishes, ranks seventh in the FedExCup and eighth on the money list. Seemed rejuvenated even before the win at Royal Lytham & St. Annes.

Rogers says: There has to be a sentimental pick somewhere. Besides, "The Big Easy" is a classy guy.

View full sizeAP fileFrustrated at the U.S. Open, Jim Furyk has a track record of performing well on Firestone's challenging South Course.

Jim Furyk

Birthplace: West Chester, Pa.

Residence: Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

World ranking: 34.

Firestone history: This will be his 13th appearance. Has never won but has been in contention many times, with four top-10s and three top-5s. His best finish came in the 2001 NEC Invitational when he took Woods seven extra holes before losing as darkness fell. Finished tied for sixth two years ago with a 64 in the final round.

Season to date: Does not have a victory but is fifth in scoring average at 69.44. Is ranked 175th in driving distance (279.2 yards) but keeps it in the fairway nearly 70 percent of the time, the fourth-best mark on Tour.

Rogers says: At age 42 you have to wonder, but his track record, knowledge and experience at Firestone have to count for something. OK, so he's another sentimental pick along with Els.

What's wrong with Rory McIlroy? Not all that much, says the dashing young Ulsterman, as he prepares for the Bridgestone Invitational.

View full sizeScott Shaw, The Plain Dealer"I got to No.1 in the world at a couple of points and won three tournaments," Rory McIlory told inquiring reporters during a Tuesday press conference at the Bridgestone Invitational. "So I feel like the golf I've played since has been pretty good. I'm not going to be able to play golf like I played at Congressional (at the 2011 U.S. Open) every week. I think everyone knows that."

AKRON, Ohio -- Rory McIlroy's fall and rise in the first two majors last year didn't just demonstrate resiliency. They showed golf transfiguration.

His Masters disintegration, losing a four-shot lead after three rounds in the rubble of a closing 80, earned him a sympathetic message from Greg Norman, a man known for what he failed to do more than what he actually did.

What McIlroy did next, though, was rout the U.S. Open field, winning by eight shots at Congressional. Norman, with only two majors in a good career that was never quite great, never had redemptive moment like that.

It was a display out of the Year of the Tiger, 2000, convincing many that McIlroy, now 23, with his Ulsterman's brogue and his dashing game, had arrived as a towering figure in the Munchkin squabble of golf since Tiger Woods' injuries and scandals.

At times this year, however, the forecasts seemed not just premature, but preposterous. McIlroy missed the cut in four of five tournaments (Players, Memorial, European PGA and U.S. Open) in the heart of the golf year. Wedged in there was a seventh-place finish in Memphis. That tournament is called the FedEx St. Jude Classic. (Your joke about hopeless causes goes here.) McIlroy also tied for 60th in the British Open.

Tuesday at Firestone South, amid preparations for the Bridgestone Invitational, he said his year, with a victory in March's Honda Classic and a seventh-place standing in the money winnings, has been a good one.

"Expectations were definitely heightened after Congressional. Whether they were unrealistic or not, I'm not too sure. I have high expectations of myself, and I feel like for the 12 months after Congressional I've played some really good golf," said McIlroy.

Fair enough. If he is no longer seen through the prism of his best times, he shouldn't be judged by his worst ones. The stats, though, show that McIlroy simply hasn't kept it in the short grass often enough -- 160th in driving accuracy and a corresponding 114th in greens in regulation.

"I got to No.1 in the world at a couple of points and won three tournaments," he said. "So I feel like the golf I've played since has been pretty good. I'm not going to be able to play golf like I played at Congressional every week. I think everyone knows that."

At least McIlroy, now ranked third in the world, doesn't have to answer the same question as Luke Donald, currently the world's No. 1, Lee Westwood and Justin Rose. It is the same question poor Sergio Garcia has faced four times a year since he hit the shot off the tree root and almost beat Tiger in the PGA at Medinah in 1999.

"It's nice to go to majors now and not be asked the question that a few other guys are asked, 'when are you going to win your first one?' Or, 'do you feel like it's time?' It's nice to just have that monkey off my back," McIlroy said.

In that regard, he reached out to Australia's Adam Scott after Scott's recent meltdown at the British Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes resulted in Ernie Els becoming the most surprised holder of the Claret Jug since Paul Lawrie took advantage of Jan van de Velde's collapse at Carnoustie in 1999.

"I sort of felt like I knew how he was feeling," said McIlroy. "I just said to him, don't let the last four holes hide the fact that you played better than everyone else for the first 68. For me, as well, at Augusta, I had to really tell myself, look, for the first 63 holes you were better than everyone else. It's not my fault, it's not his fault, that a golf tournament is 72 holes."

Well, yes. And baseball just happens to be nine innings, and football just happens to be four quarters (or two halves, if we're talking, you know, soccer).

Norman in 1986 won the "Saturday Slam," leading every major after three rounds. He won only the British Open. Finishing makes the difference.

"At that moment in time you think it's the only chance you're ever going to get, and your whole world came crashing down," McIlroy said. "It's hard to play with the lead. It's hard to keep yourself that focused and just concentrate on yourself and get the job done. It's like sometimes the guys coming up behind you feel like there's nothing to lose, so they just go for it."

Unlike McIlroy, Scott, Jason Dufner, and Jim Furyk recently, Woods, who is now No. 2 in the world rankings and has won here seven times, never gave a major away. But the most beloved player on the Tour now, Phil Mickelson, has done so occasionally. So did the most beloved ever, Arnold Palmer. So did the most beloved international player, Norman.

Vince Lombardi is credited with saying "winning isn't everything; it's the only thing." He must not have been a golf fan.

On Twitter: @LivyPD

The Indians' lack of deadline deals reveals how their plans for this season didn't work.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerThe career of Johnny Damon is now past the twilight stage ... just one of many 2012 front office moves that have failed to make the Indians a legitimate playoff contender, says Terry Pluto.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Heading into Tuesday's game at Kansas City, the Indians were 6-11 since the All-Star break. They rank 14th (dead last) in the American League in runs scored since the break. Batting average? Read it and weep: .229.

They rank 13th in pitching with a 5.18 ERA, about where they've been all season.

Bad hitting. Bad pitching, except for a few bullpen guys and starter Zach McAllister. This was not time for them to dip into the farm system for another Ubaldo Jimenez deal.

A year ago, the Tribe was 53-52 and 2 1/2 games out of first in the AL Central when they sent Drew Pomeranz, Alex White and two others to Colorado for Jimenez. He was supposed to be the top of the rotation starter needed to contend.

A year later, the prospects have been rocky in Denver. But Jimenez is 12-14 with a 5.08 ERA in 32 starts for the Tribe. He was 4-4 with a 5.10 ERA last season, 6-8 with a 5.05 ERA this year. We have a pattern here, and it's a warning that something is wrong with the 28-year-old right-hander.

Rather than make another deal like that, it was wise the Indians did nothing of consequence.

They could have traded Shin-Soo Choo for prospects, creating another hole in the Swiss cheese that serves as the outfield. But apparently, they didn't believe what was offered now was any better than what would be available in the winter.

But the lack of trades this month (other than Brent Lillibridge and Lars Anderson) are the result of other deals that didn't work out.

A bad year

The last 12 months have seen a series of bad moves by the front office. Let's count the ways:

1. The Jimenez trade.

2. Signing Grady Sizemore for $5 million, knowing his knees were a major problem. He has yet to play in a game.

3. Casey Kotchman has done a nice job at first base with the glove, but he's hitting .226. He signed for $3 million, but the Tribe was hoping he'd supply more offense. He hasn't.

4. The Tribe hoped some combination of Shelley Duncan, Aaron Cunningham, Jason Donald and others would help as platoon players, especially against left-handed pitchers. Didn't happen.

5. They couldn't find anyone to hit lefties. The only Indians above .250 vs. lefties are Michael Brantley (.294) and Asdrubal Cabrera (.270).

6. Derek Lowe has been fading, but he helped early in the year. I don't consider picking him up for $5 million as a mistake, he was supposed to buy time for young starters to develop.

7. From the group of Jeanmar Gomez, Kevin Slowey, Corey Kluber, David Huff and Zach McAllister, only McAllister has claimed a spot in the rotation for the rest of this season.

8. Johnny Damon was a $1.1 million lottery ticket in left. He's hitting .226 with no real power.

9. They picked up a $7 million option on Fausto Carmona for this season, only to learn that he's Roberto Hernandez and can't start a game until Aug. 11 because of identity fraud. To be fair, as with the Lowe move I was OK with keeping Carmona/Hernandez for another year.

10. Kosuke Fukudome and Jim Thome were solid stop-gap moves last season. To be fair, before he officially became general manager in 2011, Chris Antonetti did have a hand in several moves that did work out -- Casey Blake/Carlos Santana, Mark DeRosa/Chris Perez, Ben Broussard/Shin-Soo Choo, etc.

Looking ahead

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerWith experienced -- but under-performing -- veterans having failed to provide help in the outfield, it's time for the Indians to give young players such as Ezequiel Carrera another chance.

So now what? The Indians took the field Tuesday at 50-52, five games out of first and the front office facing reality. No playoffs this season.

So here's what should be done:

1. Why is Damon still with the team? He's 38. The move didn't work. He should immediately be released, and the Indians can call up almost any outfielder from the minors.

2. I like Zeke Carrera, who is hitting .500 (22-of-44) in his last 10 games and .385 since the All-Star break. Fine. He's 25, a career .295 minor-league hitter with speed. If the Indians think he's ready, bring him up.

3. Duncan is 32. He's hitting .225 with nine homers. He entered the season with a career .239 average. Is there any reason to believe he will improve at this stage of his career? He should be sent to Class AAA (or he can be claimed on waivers).

4. The Indians have a lot of options for a right-handed hitting outfielder: Matt LaPorta (.276, 18 HR), Russ Canzler (.268, 16 HR), Jared Goedert (.320, 10 HR). Pick one.

5. There's Tim Fedroff, a 25-year-old lefty hitter batting an outrageous .373 since being promoted from Class AA Akron (where he was hitting .305). He's not a power hitter, but he entered the year with a career .290 average (.761 OPS) and deserves a shot at some point. Odds are that only Brantley is certain to be in the 2013 Tribe outfield.

6. Josh Tomlin is 7-11 with a 5.60 ERA since the 2011 All-Star break. He came out of the bullpen to relieve Lowe Tuesday night. Send someone else to the minors and recall Kluber (11-7, 3.59) who leads the International League in strikeouts. He's 7-2 with a 2.90 ERA in his last 10 starts.

7. See if another team has an interest in Lowe, who may be able to help a contender in relief -- which he's done before. Jeanmar Gomez (4-2, 3.54 ERA) or Chris Seddon (11-5, 3.44 ERA) could be recalled.

8. The Indians picked up Lars Anderson from the Red Sox for Class AA knuckleballer Steven Wright. They sounded very upbeat about the 24-year-old lefty first baseman/outfielder. He's a .262 hitter (.779 OPS) with 33 homers in 1,440 Class AAA plate appearances over the last three years. Those numbers aren't inspiring, but I'm open to seeing him play, too.

At this point, the Tribe has to look inward and see if there are any prospects at the upper levels of the farm system, and reward some of these guys who are producing at Columbus.

"Until we sit down with the new owner, no one's really sure what's going to happen," said GM Heckert on the Browns' sale.

View full sizeAP fileIf former Eagles president Joe Banner takes over the Browns front office, he would be working with many former Philadelphia employees.

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns General Manager Tom Heckert admitted Tuesday that the current regime has no idea what its future holds in light of the impending sale of the team to Tennessee businessman Jimmy Haslam III.

"Until we sit down with the new owner, no one's really sure what's going to happen," said Heckert. "I've told the guys on my staff and some of the players to just keep doing what they're doing. From a football standpoint, there's not a whole that can be changed at this point, so it's got to be business as usual."

Heckert said news of the impending sale comes as optimism for the season is running high. The Browns are thrilled with first-round picks Brandon Weeden and running back Trent Richardson, and think the product on the field will be good despite what national prognosticators are saying.

"We can't worry about what's going on with the sale or what's going to happen after the season," he said. "We're excited about this season and we just have to focus on playing good football."

Heckert said he also doesn't know if his old boss, former Eagles President Joe Banner, is part of the Haslam group, as has been reported by The Plain Dealer and other outlets. He declined further comment on the sale and its ramifications until it's finalized.

But if Banner takes over, what does that mean for team president Mike Holmgren and former Eagles staffers Heckert, coach Pat Shurmur and offensive coordinator Brad Childress? Holmgren is in the third year of a five-year deal that pays him about $8 million a year.

"I think it's safe to assume that when a new owner or president comes in, they want to bring in their own people," said a league source. "Whether or not they keep any of those guys around remains to be seen. But most of the changes wouldn't take place until after the season."

If Banner wants the title of President, Holmgren will either be gone -- or possibly re-assigned. One source said, "Joe Banner is an astute businessman and he doesn't like to waste money. If Mike has a guaranteed contract and wants to stay, they might decide to keep him around."

Another league insider said, "the new owner would probably be blown away by Mike once they finally meet. Who knows what he might decide?"

View full sizeThomas Ondrey, The Plain DealerThe personnel moves by Browns GM Tom Heckert (right, with rookie QB Brandon Weeden) and the coaching philosophy of head coach Pat Shurmur (left, with Trent Richardson) will likely get a season to bear fruit before new ownership makes decisions for 2013. "Whether or not they keep any of those guys around remains to be seen," said one observer. "But most of the changes wouldn't take place until after the season."

Current owner Randy Lerner, who will retain 30 percent of the team (a source confirmed WKYC's report for The Plain Dealer) and have a seat on the board, will undoubtedly highly recommend Haslam keep Holmgren.

But where do the former Eagles -- Heckert, Shurmur and Childress -- stand with Banner? Although some in the Philadelphia media have speculated Banner and Heckert didn't part on good terms when Heckert took over here in January of 2010, a source said that wasn't the case. Heckert, the source said, had a good working relationship with Banner, but left to have final say over the 53-man roster. In Philadelphia, coach Andy Reid had that authority.

Banner also had a good relationship with Shurmur, who was quarterbacks coach for most of his 10 seasons in Philadelphia, and Childress, who spent the last four of his seven seasons there as offensive coordinator. Does that mean Banner would keep them around? Most likely it depends on how well they do this season.

Without question, the Eagles enjoyed tremendous success when Heckert, Shurmur and Childress worked under Banner. In Childress' tenure (1999-2005), the club went 70-42, captured four straight NFC East titles, made the playoffs five straight seasons and played in Super Bowl XXXIX.

One insider said Banner would most likely let the 2012 season play out and then make individual decisions on the coaching staff and personnel department.

Some in the Philadelphia media speculated that Banner's departure was the result of a power struggle with Reid, who's still close to Heckert, Shurmur and Childress. But Banner and Reid insisted that wasn't the case. Banner, who's still a strategic advisor to Eagles owner Jeff Lurie, said during his exit press conference that he was stepping down to be "involved with the world of buying and selling a sports team with the possibility of becoming part of a group that buys a team."

Reid said then of the reported rift, "There's no truth to that. We've had a great working relationship."

What if some of the up-and-comers on the Browns staff receive other opportunities? Wouldn't it be hard to keep them here when there's no guarantee of a job in January?

"The Browns can say this is not a distraction, and maybe it's not so much for the players, but there are a lot of people whose jobs are up in the air now," said a source.

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

Travis Stevens failed in winning a judo medal but left an impression on anyone who watched.

View full sizePaul Sancya, Associated PressA disheartening loss to long-time rival Ole Bischof of Germany left American judo wrestler Travis Stephens nearly unable to leave the mat Tuesday.

LONDON -- The Olympic spirit had a bandage wrapped twice around the top of his forehead and then down from his left eye and across the bridge of his nose. He had several days stubble, blood seeping from his left eyebrow, cauliflower ears and a face that could have been carved from stone.

He dropped to his knees in anguish on the judo mat when three blue flags were raised Tuesday, then collapsed to the floor again as he took the three steps down from the stage to the floor, breaking down as he walked until his coach, Jimmy Pedro, literally lifted his chin, grabbed the back of his head and told him to hold it high.

In combat defeat, without a medal, Team USA's Travis Stevens brought the Olympics to life. And he wanted to hear none of it.

"I don't feel good about it," Stevens, 26, said, sweaty and shirtless, his lip still quivering when Pedro spoke about him after his Olympics had ended. "I've let everyone around me down -- my coach, friends, training partners, family. We came here to win a gold medal, nothing else."

That's how Stevens viewed it. Few others at the Excel Center, the combat home of the Olympics featuring not only judo but boxing, weightlifting, fencing and, uh, table tennis, came away with that as their lasting impression of the 178-pound judo semifinal.

"He's a true warrior, a true warrior in the Olympic spirit," said Pedro, a four-time Olympian and two-time bronze medalist. "At the end of the day, he earned it just as much as the gold medalist. So it's truly the agony of defeat."

For four years, working out seven hours a day in Boston, traveling to foreign training camps where he wouldn't speak a word of English for a month, Stevens every day thought about getting back and facing the German again. Ole Bischof beat Stevens in the early rounds at the 2008 Olympics, tactically forcing him into a penalty.

Stevens felt he wasn't beaten; more that he was played. He felt a gold medal had been taken from him. He thought that every day for four years.

His brow in a constant furrow, Stevens is the kind of guy who figures to embark on a mixed martial arts career after judo, not for the money or the fame, but in spite of those opportunities. He just craves the competition. And revenge. At an international competition in Germany last year, Stevens beat Bischof on the way to a gold. But that was only part of the payback.

Tuesday, Stevens and the German were back on the judo mat, just as Stevens had planned. In the last few months he sat out a few international events to manipulate the rankings, wanting to face the No. 1 seed in the quarterfinals, and Bischof in the semis.

The plan worked just as he hoped. Stevens won in the quarters, and Bischof was waiting. As the competitors stood just off the mat, "Hey Ya!" incongruously blasting on the arena speakers between bouts, Pedro wrapped Stevens in a bear hug from behind, then smacked his back and legs and shoulders. Stevens and Bischof stood just feet apart for minutes and didn't look at each other.

Then they were on the mat and at each other, attempting to get holds high on each other's bodies to set up falls or the chance to force a submission. Seconds in, as they grappled, Bischof, who looks a bit like the actor Greg Kinnear, cut Stevens over his left eye. As the blood started, a trainer was called. He wrapped the bandage around Stevens' head. For now, it was the Karate Kid.

Minutes later, the cut opened again, and this time the wrap went diagonal across Stevens' face, much more of a mummy look. Stevens said the wrap didn't bother him and all he wanted was the trainer to hurry up.

"I felt the German was getting tired and the doctor was trying to finagle some stuff, but I needed him off the mat so I could get my hands back on the German to keep wearing him out," Stevens said. "He was lucky there were two cuts in the match, and I felt that gave him a little break to get himself composed."

Don't forget the staredown. Between the blood, Stevens and Bischof went nose-to-nose for a brief moment in a sport seeped in traditional rules of etiquette. That was real. The two forced handshakes afterward were less so.

"We don't really see eye to eye," Stevens said. "That was nothing we haven't done in the past."

Stevens was prepared for a new future. Though neither athlete scored, Stevens felt he controlled much of the five-minute bout and the overtime period, so he went to the ground in the final minute, looking to grind out the clock and go to a decision. When it ended, Pedro pumped his fists. The referee grabbed a white flag and a blue flag for himself and the same pair for the two corner judges.

Then simultaneously, each of the three raised the flag of the man they felt had won. All three raised blue.

Stevens wore white.

"I was devastated. I was devastated," said Stevens, who thinks he saw relief on Bischof's face. "I was mentally and physically ready to win the gold medal. I don't feel like the German beat me, I feel like the refs took it away from me more than anything."

Kayla Harrison, Stevens' Team USA teammate and Boston training partner who goes for her own gold Thursday, said, "Watching him cry, it breaks my heart."

For Pedro, it was more anger.

"I was fully confident Travis won," the coach said. "The German coach apologized to me afterward. I think everyone in the room who really knows judo well thought Travis won. I had a lot of foreign people come up to me and say that. It was close. It could have gone either way, but nine times out of 10, Travis gets that match."

Pedro was disturbed that all three judges – from Slovenia, Romania and the Netherlands – were European.

"He was fighting a European superstar," Pedro said. "So I don't think that helped us any."

Admitting the semifinal drained him, Bischof went on to lose in the final, settling for silver. Bandaged and beaten, Stevens returned 45 minutes later and lost his bronze medal chance to a Canadian he's beaten many times before. It was no surprise. When he lost his gold, he had nothing left.

"The German just took it out of me today," Stevens said.

He'd put four years in. He couldn't come back in less than an hour.

"My grandfather died last year, and it pretty much felt the same way," Steven said. "Just like losing a family member, you've lost something you wanted your entire life. That's it. It's time to go home. There's nothing to be done."

But for those who saw it, there was something to be remembered.

Highlights include extensive Olympics coverage and the Indians at Kansas City.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today's TV and radio sports listings

BASEBALL

1 p.m. Chicago White Sox at Minnesota, MLB Network

2:10 p.m. Pittsburgh at Chicago Cubs, WGN

7 p.m. AKRON AEROS, at Portland AM/1350

7 p.m. LAKE COUNTY CAPTAINS, at West Michigan AM/1330

7 p.m. Detroit at Boston, ESPN

8 p.m. Big League World Series, ESPN2

8:10 p.m. CLEVELAND INDIANS at Kansas City, SportsTime Ohio; AM/1100

OLYMPICS

4 a.m. Men's field hockey,

Spain vs. Australia NBCSN

5 a.m. Women's volleyball,

Dominican Republic vs. Japan, NBCSN

6 a.m. Table tennis, NBCSN

7 a.m. Badminton, NBCSN

7 a.m. Tennis, Bravo

7:30 a.m. Cycling, NBCSN

8:45 a.m. Fencing, NBCSN

9 a.m. Boxing, CNBC

9:30 a.m. Men's soccer,

Brazil vs. N. Zealand NBCSN, Telemundo

10 a.m. Cycling, WKYC

10:30 a.m. Fencing, MSNBC

11 a.m. Table tennis, MSNBC

11:05 a.m. Swimming, WKYC

Noon Men's soccer,

Mexico vs. Switzerland NBCSN, Telemundo

Noon Men's soccer, Spain vs. Morocco, MSNBC

12:30 p.m. Swimming, WKYC

1:20 p.m. Women's water polo, U.S. vs. Spain, WKYC

1:45 p.m. Women's beach volleyball, NBCSN

1:45 p.m. Fencing, MSNBC

2:15 p.m. Archery, NBCSN

2:30 p.m. Canoeing, WKYC

2:45 p.m. Men's soccer, Britain vs. Uruguay NBCSN, Telemundo

3 p.m. Women's volleyball, U.S. vs. China, WKYC

3:30 p.m. Fencing, MSNBC

3:50 p.m. Men's soccer, Senegal vs. UAE, MSNBC

4:30 p.m. Men's beach volleyball, NBCSN

4:30 p.m. Women's handball, Denmark vs. Spain, MSNBC

4:45 p.m. Rowing, WKYC

5 p.m. Boxing, CNBC

5 p.m. Women's basketball, U.S. vs. Turkey, NBCSN

5 p.m. Women's beach volleyball, MSNBC

7 p.m. Events TBA, NBCSN

8 p.m. Swimming finals: men's 200 breast,

men's 100 free, women's 200 fly,

women's 4 x 200 free relay;

men's gymnastics, all-around final;

women's beach volleyball, U.S. vs. Austria;

men's diving,

synchronized springboard final (tape), WKYC

Midnight Swimming; men's gymnastics;

men's diving (tape), Telemundo

12:35 a.m. Swimming; women's cycling (tape), WKYC

The U.S. turns on the burners after halftime and rolls to a 110-63 win over Tunisia on Tuesday night to improve to 2-0 in preliminary play. The team's tepid effort in the first half causes some concern, though.

View full sizeHarry Walker, MCTUSA guard Russell Westbrook soars for a dunk against Tunisia on Tuesday.

LONDON — Kobe Bryant has barely broken a sweat. LeBron James hasn't scored in double figures, and U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski has swapped lineups like he's trading Olympic pins.

After two games of the men's basketball tournament, America's superteam has started slowly and showed some real vulnerability.

Maybe the world has a chance after all.

Maybe not.

Getting a jump start from its second unit after a less-than-inspiring first half by the starters, the U.S. turned on the burners after halftime and rolled to a 110-63 win over Tunisia on Tuesday night to improve to 2-0 in preliminary play — just as expected.

Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Love scored 16 points apiece and Kevin Durant added 13 for the Americans, who led by only 13 at halftime before outscoring Tunisia (0-2), 64-30, in a second half that became another highlight loop of alley-oop lobs, dunks and crowd-pleasing passes.

Krzyzewski began the second half with his reserves, and Anthony, Love, Deron Williams, Russell Westbrook and Andre Iguodala responded with a 21-3 run that made it 67-36 and seemed to satisfy their coach, who didn't look all that happy with his team's effort when he left the floor at halftime.

"We told him, don't get worried," Anthony said. "We're all right."

But the Americans, who will face Nigeria on Thursday, haven't exactly hit their stride.

Bryant has been in early foul trouble both games and played just 21 minutes, about the same as 19-year-old Anthony Davis, who dunked his way to 12 points against Tunisia. The U.S. has also shown a tendency to rely too much on jump shots and didn't defend the perimeter well against Tunisia, which knocked down nine 3s.

It's tough to criticize a team winning by 37 points per game, but the U.S. team, heavily favored to win its second straight gold medal, has displayed enough flaws to keep Spain, Argentina and Brazil dreaming of Olympic glory.

"This isn't a sprint," said Krzyzewski, who canceled Wednesday's practice 11 hours before Tuesday's opening tip. "It's a longer race and there's a lot of things that have to be done before the medal round. I know people go quarter by quarter, minute by minute, that's not the way you develop a team.

"What did we get accomplished tonight? We won by almost 50 points against a team that really wanted to play hard against us."

The Americans had to work much harder than expected to make this one look easy.

They were only ahead by five points late in the first half, launching 3-pointers when they couldn't be stopped inside.

The second unit simply appeared to compete much harder, with Williams even playing one defensive possession with one shoe after the other fell off. Love briefly had to come out after banging knees, but was able to return later.

"It's a different game to get ready for and I thought as a team overall we were ready, but it took our bench to get us going defensively," Krzyzewski said.

Makram Ben Romdhane scored 22 to lead Tunisia, which lost its opener to Nigeria but had moments where it went toe to toe with the world's top team.

"They could have absolutely have taken us to the cleaners but Coach K's discipline made sure that didn't happen," Tunisia coach Adel Tlatli said through an interpreter.

The Americans had played nothing but top-level opposition of late, beating Argentina and Spain in their final two exhibition games before opening with a 98-71 victory over France. They played like they expected a little breather so they could concern themselves mostly with adjusting to the prefabricated arena and FIBA officials, who call a different game than NBA refs.

Tunisia wasn't intimidated the way teams have been in the past against the U.S.

"It's a dream for us to see these kinds of players, but now we play with them," Ben Romdhane said.

The Americans missed all eight 3-pointers in the first, even worse than their 0-for-6 start Sunday, before Anthony nailed one to open the second quarter. Westbrook followed with a jumper for a 26-15 lead, and the expected U.S. blowout seemed under way.

Instead, Marouan Kechrid made consecutive 3s a couple of minutes later that brought Tunisia within six points, and he made another one with about 3½ minutes left, pumping his fist back toward his bench after cutting the U.S. lead to 35-30.

Only then did the Americans finally get control, rattling off 11 straight points, with James' behind-the-back pass to Durant for a dunk making it 46-30.

With tough exhibition games before arriving in England, the U.S. team may need a break and Krzyzewski is giving them a day to decompress.

It may be their last break.

"We might go to some events tomorrow," Anthony said. "We've been going non-stop and put a lot of work in."

The toughest is still ahead.

Tom Withers, Associated Press. AP sportswrter Brian Mahoney contributed to this report.

Mike Shulas posted a 28 in a NOPGA event at Quail Hollow, while Mark Guadagni shot a 29 at a NOGA event at Silver Lake.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Breaking 30 for nine holes of competitive golf is worthy of note, so it's hats off to professional Mike Shulas and amateur Mark Guadagni. Both men broke the magic number in competition recently, with Shulas' effort being worth a little more.

Shulas won a Northern Ohio PGA stroke-play event on Monday when he shot an 8-under 63 on the Weiskopf Course at Quail Hollow. His round included a steamy 6-under 28 on the front side and led to a one-stroke victory and a payday of $1,200. It was the first NOPGA stroke-play win for Shulas, the head professional at Salem Country Club.

Guadagni, a solid amateur from Hudson, partnered with fellow Silver Lake member Jim Durr to win a fourball match-play event conducted by the Northern Ohio Golf Association. Guadagni closed the round with a 7-under 29, a course record for the back nine at Silver Lake. He needed just eight putts and holed out from behind some trees for an eagle-2 on the 425-yard 18th hole.

Shulas, 42, had four birdies and an eagle on the front side at Quail. He got his round off to a great start with a 30-foot birdie putt on the first hole and kept the momentum going. He eagled the 493-yard eighth with a driver, 8-iron and a 15-foot putt. He kept things going on the back with a birdie on the 10th hole to go to 7 under after 10 holes.

"I just kept telling myself, 'Try not to screw this up,'" said Shulas, the head pro at Salem since 2005. "We were having so much fun in our group that I really didn't think about it too much."

Shulas played with Ellsworth Meadows pro Greg Andrego and Barrington assistant Vinnie Paolozzi and good play must have been infectious. Andrego shot 35-34 -- 69 to finish in a tie for fifth and Paolozzi came in at 31-39 -- 70 and a tie for ninth.

Not to worry: Professional Jack McKelvy said the third green at The Country Club in Pepper Pike has suffered some heat damage but it will not affect play during the 112th U.S. Women's Amateur Championship next week.

"The green is a little stressed from the weather," McKelvy said. "The hole is in an area that does not get a lot of airflow. But, it will be in play for the Women's Am."

At 314 yards, the third hole is the shortest par-4 on the course. The USGA, which oversees the running of the Women's Am, did not return a request for a comment.

On Twitter: @TimRogersPD

In two different stints with the Browns, Baab started 112 games, including the playoffs. He was Bernie Kosar's center when the Browns came within a game of the Super Bowl in the 1986 and 1987 seasons.

Dale Omori, The Plain DealerMike Baab, in 1993, talking to young Cleveland athletes about the dangers of drug abuse.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A countdown of the top 100 players in Cleveland
Browns history. Players must have spent at least four seasons with the
Browns. The ranking is based only on players' careers with the Browns.

No. 96, Mike Baab, center, 1982-87, 90-91

Maybe only his teammates understood how valuable center Mike Baab was to the Browns.

Baab, picked by Cleveland in the fifth round of the 1982 draft out of Texas, never earned Pro Bowl or all-pro honors. His blocking and his savvy at diagnosing opponents' schemes was critical, though, to the potent offenses that helped the 1986 and 1987 Browns to within one game of the Super Bowl.

Many players weren't happy to see Baab go when the Browns traded him to the New England Patriots for a fifth-round draft pick shortly before the 1988 season began. Baab, who was unhappy that he had lost the starting center job during training camp to 1987 second-round pick Gregg Rakoczy, had endured three knee operations by then.

Baab had become the Browns' starter in 1983, his second season. Over the next five years, he missed just one game (not counting the three "replacement players" games during the 1987 players' strike), starting the 75 other contests, and all five playoff games.

Baab was the Patriots' center for two years, before returning to the Browns as a free agent prior to the 1990 campaign. Baab started all 32 games in 1990-91, before being cut by Browns' coach Bill Belichick in mid-August, 1992.

"I've made some hard decisions before in my career," Belichick said at the time. "But none that really compared to this. Mike was the kind of player that dedicated himself to the game. He worked his tail off. You couldn't ask for more than what he gave. He had a great career with the Browns. He was a leader, and he set a standard with his work ethic. But it was time for us to go in a different direction."

Ironically, Baab joined the Kansas City Chiefs and the coach who had traded him from the Browns four years earlier, Marty Schottenheimer. Baab played two games for KC, the final ones of his fine career.

Video:Part 2 of NFL Films' Game of the Week, featuring the Browns -- with Mike Baab (61) at center -- in their 27-24 win over the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Oct. 5, 1986:

We're fixing a lot of the issues that have bugged you for years -- orphaned replies, jumbled discussion threads, no 'like' button. Sorry, though -- we can't do anything about Cleveland's pro teams.

View full sizeThis sample -- from cleveland.com's sister site, nola.com -- shows how comments will be threaded in the new system.

Some of the most common complaints about cleveland.com's commenting system will be fixed -- or at least improved -- in a change that's scheduled to happen in the early hours of Thursday, Aug. 2.

Here's some of what's in store:

No more "orphan" comments. Under the current system, if a comment is removed for violations of the site's community rules, replies to it may still exist -- and they'll bob to the top of the list, making it difficult to follow the conversation. Under the new system, removing a comment automatically removes all replies in that thread. The downside is that your comment may disappear because someone upthread broke the rules, but the upside is that your comments won't dangle out there out of context.

More levels of replies. Now, there's only one level of "threading" -- that is, only one level of indenting to indicate that a comment is a reply to a previous one. That makes for very confusing lists where you can't tell who's responding to whom. The new system will allow for multiple levels, so a reply to a reply to a reply will be indented three times.

Less chance of errant replies. When you try to reply to another user now, you may easily slip up and post a regular comment instead. The new system will make it much clearer when you're posting a first-level comment and when (and to whom) you're replying.

More options for sorting comments. Want to see the comments from start to finish, with replies neatly threaded? That's a choice. Want to see the newest comments first? Not only can you do that, but the comments will instantly update; you won't have to refresh the page. (You may be familiar with this from a site like ESPN.com, which uses the same commenting system.)

But there's more. We'll now have a "like" button, and you'll be able to choose to sort your list by putting the most-liked at the top. (No, no "dislike" button. That would make it a little too easy for users to engage in button battles with each other.)

Finally, there will be a "most popular" choice, which sorts comments based on both "likes" and the number of replies -- a quick way to find the hottest parts of a long conversation.

An easier way to flag objectionable comments. No more having to fill out a big form. Just click "flag" and our moderators will be able to spot troublesome comments. (You'll have to be logged in as a registered user to use the "like" or "flag" buttons.) Please note that no amount of flagging will automatically remove a comment; only our moderators can do that -- and they'll judge each comment on our own standards.

This won't eliminate name-calling and other problems, but it will make it easier and faster for us to spot problems. And we've added a few other tools to our moderation arsenal.

Two things that won't change are our community rules and our determination to keep these comments on-topic and civil. That won't please everyone. But as in any sport, the referees enforce the rules.

Direct links to each comment. Want to refer to something another user said a few days ago? Now you'll be able to link directly to individual comments by getting the URL from the timestamp listed under each one.

Oh, and did we mention: Links work! Paste a full URL into your comment and it will turn into a clickable link. Even better: Paste in the full URL of a YouTube video, a Flickr photo (or content from a few other sites) and the media will show up in your comment. We know, incredible innovation -- it's like, what's next, flying cars and robot butlers?