Damon joined the Indians on May 1, but it was clear age had caught him from behind.

DETROIT, Mich. -- The housecleaning has begun.

A day after veteran right-hander Derek Lowe was designated for assignment, the Indians did the same to veteran outfielder Johnny Damon. Ezequiel Carrera was recalled from Class AAA Columbus to take Damon's spot on the roster for tonight's series opener at Comerica Park.

The Indians signed Damon, 38, to a one-year, $1.25 million deal on April 17. He joined the team on May 1, and it was soon clear that he was past his prime.

Damon hit .222 (46-for-207) with six doubles, two triples, four homers and 19 RBI in 64 games.

GM Chris Antonetti drove from Cleveland to Detroit to tell Damon of the decision. Manager Manny Acta was there as well.

The 25-year-old Carrera, a left-handed batter, was hitting .294 (116-for-394) with 65 runs, 19 doubles, six triples, six homers and 42 RBI at Columbus. He stole 26 bases in 33 attempts.

Since the Class AAA All-Star break, Carrera is hitting .420 (37-for-88) with 21 runs, eight doubles, three triples, two homers and 16 RBI. He had a 20-game hitting streak July 12-30.

Carrera made his big league debut last May 20 with the Indians. He batted .243 (49-of-202) with eight doubles, three triples, no homers, 14 RBI and 27 runs in 68 games. Carrera stole 10 bases in 15 tries, drew 16 walks and struck out 35 times.

The Indians were Damon's fourth team in four years. The only thing left from Damon's glory days was his speed, but he didn't get much of a chance to use it.

The departures of Damon and Lowe coincide with the Indians' plunge in the standings. They've lost the first six games of this trip, sliding from 3 1/2 games out in the AL Central to 7 1/2 out.

Lowe, 39, was designated for assignment Thursday in Kansas City. Rookie right-hander Corey Kluber was recalled from Columbus and made his first big-league start in Thursday's 7-6 loss to the Royals.

It's clear the Indians want to look at some new players.

This season's struggles don't diminish Damon's superb 18-year big league career. He has a .284 batting average, with his 2,769 hits including 522 doubles, 109 triples and 235 homers. He has scored 1,668 runs, has 1,139 RBI and has stolen 408 bases in 511 attempts.

Damon helped the 2004 Boston Red Sox and the 2009 New York Yankees to World Series championships. He hit .276 in 59 postseason games overall, with 12 doubles, two triples, 10 homers, 39 runs, 33 RBI and 13 stolen bases.

Tonight's lineups:

Indians (50-55): 2B Jason Kipnis (L), SS Asdrubal Cabrera (S), RF Shin-Soo Choo (L), C Carlos Santana (S), CF Michael Brantley (L), DH Jose Lopez (R), 1B Casey Kotchman (L), 3B Jack Hannahan (L), LF Ezequiel Carrera (L) and RHP Justin Masterson (7-9, 4.47).

Tigers (55-50): CF Austin Jackson (R), LF Quintin Berry (L), 3B Miguel Cabrera (R), 1B Prince Fielder (L), DH Brennan Boesch (L), RF Andy Dirks (L), C Alex Avila (L), SS Ramon Santiago (S), 2B Omar Infante (R) and RHP Anibal Sanchez (5-8, 4.11).

Umpires: H Andy Fletcher, 1B Rob Drake, 2B Joe West, 3B Sam Holbrook.

Tigers vs. Masterson: Cabrera is hitting .421 (8-for-19) with one homer and six RBI and Jackson is hitting .333 (6-for-18)  with two RBI.

Indians vs. Sanchez: Kotchman is hitting .636 (7-for-11) with one homer and three RBI.

Next: RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (8-10, 5.08) will face RHP Doug Fister (5-7, 3.77) and the Tigers Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. STO/WTAM will the game.

-- Plain Dealer reporter Mike Peticca contributed to this report

 

 

 

 

The Cleveland Browns were sold to Jimmy Haslam III by Randy Lerner yesterday. Today, the Browns introduced Haslam to Cleveland after he watched the morning practice during training camp in Berea. Watch video

Miles confirmed the agreement by Tweeting (@masfresco) a picture of the Cavaliers logo, saying "I'm excited to help the city on and off the court."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers are set to add depth to their roster, as they're on the verge of completing a deal to sign free-agent swingman C.J. Miles to a two-year deal, NBA sources confirmed.

Miles confirmed the agreement by Tweeting (@masfresco) a picture of the Cavaliers logo, thanks to Utah fans who have supported him during his first seven years in the NBA, and finally a mention of his new Cleveland fan base.

"I appreciate all this #Cavsnation love," he wrote. "I'm excited to help the city on and off the court."

The Cavaliers did not confirm the imminent signing, but one NBA source said Miles rejected more lucrative offers -- he also had talks with the L.A. Lakers, Dallas, Houston and Milwaukee -- to agree with the Cavaliers.

At 6-feet-6 and 222 pounds, Miles has averaged 8.4 points and 2.2 rebounds in seven seasons with the Jazz. He is just 25 years old, though, and is expected to add to the young core the Cavaliers hope to build around.

Miles can play both small forward and shooting guard. His signing is not expected to interfere with the re-signing of restricted free agent Alonzo Gee. The Cavaliers have tendered a qualifying offer, but the sides have not reached agreement on a long-term deal. One option for Gee is to sign the one-year offer from the Cavaliers and become an unrestricted free agent in 2013.

The Indians are 24-37 since May 24 and are now 7 1/2 games behind the White Sox in the AL Central. More Indians' story links.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians take a six-game losing streak into their game tonight at Detroit against the Tigers.

The Indians have also lost a half-year off the average age on their 25-man roster. The Tribe has designated outfielder Johnny Damon, 38, for assignment, and has recalled outfielder Ezequiel Carrera, 25, from the Class AAA Columbus Clippers.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Indians coverage includes Paul Hoynes' report on the roster moves with Damon and Carrera; Hoynes' Cleveland Indians at Detroit Tigers: On Deck; Hoynes' Indians Insider and Indians Chatter, leading off with reaction to the Indians designating veteran pitcher Derek Lowe for assignment; Hoynes' game story on the Indians' 7-6, 11-inning loss at Kansas City on Thursday night; and more.

Right-hander Justin Masterson (7-9, 4.47) starts tonight for the Indians, while the Tigers counter with Anibal Sanchez. The right-handed Sanchez lost his first start with the Tigers, after they acquired him last week in a trade with the Miami Marlins, for whom he was 5-7 with a 3.94 ERA.

Indians story links

What a difference a week makes for the Indians after being swept in consecutive three-game series by the Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals. (WaitingForNextYear)

The Indians like the versatility of outfielder Vinny Rottino. (By Stephanie Storm, Akron Beacon Journal)

Analyzing the trade of minor league pitcher Steven Wright to the Boston Red Sox organization for minor league outfielder Lars Anderson. (Let's Go Tribe)

A look at the Indians-Tigers series. (By Brian Heise, Wahoo's on First)

The Indians and Tigers try to reverse their recent losing ways. (By Justin Albers, MLB.com)

How did the Indians do at the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline? (Wahoo's on First)

The Indians should make roster changes for the final stages of the 2012 season. A slideshow (published prior to Johnny Damon being designated for assignment). (Bleacher Report)

What happened around the Indians' farm system on Thursday. (By Jim Piascik, Indians Prospect Insider)

Re-capping the week of July 26-August 1 for the Class A Lake County Captains. (By Lianna Holub, Indians Prospect Insider)

The Tribe will look to snap their losing streak in Detroit tonight as they face off against the Tigers. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Get game updates on Twitter from Paul Hoynes, @hoynsie.

The Tribe will look to snap their losing streak in Detroit tonight as they face off against the Tigers. 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 to get Tribe updates on your mobile device. Read on for a game preview.

Note: Hit reload for latest Tweets

(AP) -- Though they're facing the division opponent which has given them the most trouble, the Detroit Tigers might be very happy to be back home to face the Cleveland Indians.

Following a poor road trip, Detroit looks to resume its recent dominance at home Friday night and keep Cleveland mired in the majors' longest current losing streak.

The opener of this three-game set will feature Anibal Sanchez (0-1, 7.50 ERA) making his first start at Comerica Park following a rough debut for the Tigers (55-50). Sanchez, acquired in a trade with Miami last week, surrendered five runs and allowed three homers over six innings in a 5-1 loss at Toronto on Saturday.

"He knows what he's doing, he's got some weapons," manager Jim Leyland said. "He got a couple of balls up and paid the price for that but he's a good looking pitcher. I like him a lot."

Maybe Sanchez will benefit from pitching in his new home ballpark, where the Tigers have won 11 of 12. Detroit pitchers have allowed two runs or fewer in seven of those games.

That happened only once on the Tigers' 3-6 road trip which ended Wednesday, when they avoided a three-game sweep in Boston with a 7-5 win behind home runs from Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder and Delmon Young.

The offense broke out after averaging 2.8 runs and hitting .218 over the previous eight games, although Cabrera challenges those claiming the team has been in an offensive slump.

"We're one of the top teams hitting in the American League. I don't know why people talk about our hitting," said Cabrera, who hit .214 in the first eight games of the trip. "We're one of the top teams hitting. I guess we need to just win some more games, that's it."

Cabrera hit .388 with five homers and 15 RBIs in 14 home games last month.

Fielder has hit .367 with four homers and 15 RBIs in his last 15 games at Comerica Park, but he's hit .219 without a homer in nine games versus Cleveland this season as the Tigers have gone 2-7. They're 19-9 versus the rest of the AL Central.

Detroit has not lost any of its six series at home since dropping two of three to Cleveland from June 5-7.

While the Tigers have fallen 2 1/2 games behind the division-leading White Sox, the Indians (50-55) have dropped a season-high 7 1/2 back by losing six in a row.

It's their worst losing streak in a single season since a seven-game skid June 19-26, 2010, also the last year they were five games under .500.

The Indians are coming off sweeps to Minnesota and Kansas City - the worst teams in the Central - following a 7-6 loss in 11 innings to the Royals on Thursday. They tied the game after trailing 6-0 in the first inning only to give up the winning run with two outs in the 11th.

"I'm very happy with the way we came back and had a chance to win, but their bullpen held us down," manager Manny Acta said.

Cleveland will hand the ball to Justin Masterson (7-9, 4.47), who gave up eight earned runs for the second time in five starts Saturday. He allowed 10 overall in 5 2-3 innings of a 12-5 loss to Minnesota.

The right-hander was sharp in a 2-1 victory over Detroit on May 24, allowing one run and five hits over seven innings. Masterson was previously 0-4 with a 5.14 ERA in 10 appearances versus the Tigers.

Sanchez's first and only game against the Indians came May 19, allowing two runs in seven innings of a 2-0 loss.

The right-hander is 2-5 with a 5.82 ERA since the start of June.

The Browns sale is set to be voted on iin October, but the Finance Committee could act swiftly to recommend approval.

BEREA -- The sale of the Browns to Jimmy Haslam could still close by the start of the regular season, and NFL clubs have been told to stay tuned for a possible earlier vote.

 If nothing changes, the vote would take place on Oct. 16-17 at the regularly scheduled owners' meetings in Chicago, but it could happen sooner, a league source said.

 First order of business is for the Finance Committee to meet to recommend the deal, which is really just a formality at this point.

 "What we've told our clubs is that our office and the Finance Committee will work on this matter in the coming weeks and keep them informed of developments,'' NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in an email. "The next scheduled Finance Committee meeting is during a series of committee meetings on Sept. 19-20 in New York to prepare for the October league meeting. Nothing else has been scheduled for the committee at this point.''

 If the Browns' sale goes through as fast as the Jacksonville Jaguars' did last season, Haslam won't have to wait until October to take over. From the time previous Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver announced the agreement on Nov. 29th, it took owners only about two weeks to aprove the sale -- on Dec. 14.

Here's how it went:
 * Nov. 4, 2011: rumors of the Jaguars' sale broke.
 * Nov. 29: Weaver reached agreement with Shahid Khan and announced it in a press conference.
 * Dec. 6: The NFL's Finance Committee met to recommend the deal.
 * Dec. 14th: The owners unanimously approved it.
 * Jan. 4: Khan took control of the team.

 If the Browns' deal follows suit, the rumor broke June 7th, and the transfer could be complete by about Sept. . The season starts Sept. 9. Haslam, however, is proceeding as though he'll be in charge in October.
 
 

Jimmy Haslam said more than once Friday that the Browns are heading along "the right path." Don't be fooled by that. People don't generally spend a billion dollars to ride shotgun on the status quo. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns football doesn't need to be blown up, just sped up.

A hearty welcome then to Flying Jimmy Haslam. Your new Browns owner talks fast without being a fast talker.

He closed a deal for the Browns in 31 days. He switched out the black and gold he sported as a Steelers' minority owner for brown and orange overnight. His wife, Dee, arrived with him Thursday. She was looking at houses by Friday afternoon. He showed an immediate grasp of the lopsided relationship between the Browns and what he called "that other team."

"Our main goal is to return that to a real rivalry," Haslam said of Pittsburgh's domination of the Browns.

That rivalry and so much else about Browns' football has been reduced to a figment of the imagination.

People in that state over there don't give your team a second thought. The hope with Haslam is Steelers fans will be rudely reminded that somewhere deep down the Browns are still the "great, iconic, storied franchise" the new owner referenced Friday.

You can say a lot of things about Haslam's ownership possibilities based on first impressions. Most would be favorable and almost all would be conjecture. Here's what we can say. He's a no-huddle kind of guy. He showed up here in two-minute offense mode, and it's only fair for the league to match his pace in approving the sale instead of waiting for a regularly scheduled meeting in October.

The timing of the ownership transfer isn't perfect for him, but probably good for Pat Shurmur and Tom Heckert. It forces Haslam to keep his hands off the football operation. On that front he comes across like Jerry Jones' humbler brother, knowing there will be a "learning curve."

Unlike Mike Holmgren, who wasted a year with Eric Mangini as head coach when he knew he preferred a different direction, Haslam needs every possible minute of this season as owner to further speed the Browns' turnaround. Former Eagles president Joe Banner -- if he's Haslam's point man as expected -- won't be put in place until the sale is complete. Haslam believes it would be "poor form" to talk about personnel changes, however inevitable they might seem to us.

Haslam said more than once he thinks the Browns are heading along "the right path." Don't be fooled by that. People don't generally spend a billion dollars to ride shotgun on the status quo. Holmgren probably isn't long for Berea. He had the complete run of the place under Randy Lerner (as Jim Brown discovered). Haslam joked Friday that his approach to operating businesses is hands-on and that "Mike probably doesn't want us to be..."

The new owner hit all the right notes in a rousing introduction to Cleveland. Saying that is not a matter of drinking the Kool-Aid. I'm not predicting Super Bowls to come. Just stating the obvious. The contrast from the Lerner ownership is too stark to ignore.

Haslam thinks it's important to attend the Browns' practice at the stadium Wednesday and shake some hands. He mused about watching the first exhibition game from the seats, instead of a loge. I wouldn't exactly call it re-recruiting the fan base. But both gestures come across as recognition that the Browns are lucky to have you, not the other way around. That's not exactly been the message of late.

(Note: that doesn't mean the price of your tickets is going to stay the same. They will go up. He'll no doubt sell naming rights to the stadium, maybe even change the uniforms. When you've spent $700 million, you look for untapped revenue sources.)

Haslam was almost as impressive for something he didn't say. Thankfully he didn't talk about a five-year plan or any other kind of rebuilding project conjuring blueprints, architects and more seasons spent waiting.

"We have one mission and one mission only," he said of returning winning football to Cleveland. Semantics? Maybe. You've heard similar aspirations before.

The main difference? Those driven words come from the man at the top this time, a guy who can't wait to take over the Browns from a guy who never wanted to own them.

We don't know what happens from here, but that can only be a good thing. First impressions of Haslam make it seem even better.

On Twitter: @budshaw

The Plain Dealer's Cleveland Browns beat writers report on new owner Jimmy Haslam III's first day at training camp in Berea. Watch video

Allison Schmitt and Missy Franklin nearly matched Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte stroke for stroke in London, laughing all the way.

LONDON -- Between them at the London Olympics, Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte have 10 medals and counting, five of them gold, though they didn't come without a little angst.

Allison Schmitt and Missy Franklin, with their combined eight medals and counting, five of them gold, could show the guys, or any elite athletes, how to balance having fun and going fast.

The 17-year-old phenom Franklin broke into a wide grin in a flash after her world-record victory in the 200 backstroke Friday night, while Phelps needed longer to get his grin on after winning the 100 fly minutes later in the last individual event of his swimming career.

"I just wanted to go out and do my best and get a best time," Franklin said. "It just so happened that it was a world record so I couldn't be happier."

So while Phelps vs. Lochte was a focus both long before and during Olympics, with the Games reaching the halfway point Saturday as swimming wraps up, Schmitt and Franklin have done just as much as the two big guys on Team USA.

With Phelps, 27, retiring after the Games and Lochte, 28, who knows, maybe appearing in the sequel to "Magic Mike," the 22-year-old Schmitt and Franklin may fill the roles as USA Swimming's next superstars and rivals. They do go head-to-head. Franklin was fourth to Schmitt's gold-medal swim in the 200 free on Tuesday.

The thing is, they're so nice. Really, they couldn't be happier.

Lochte breaks the swimming mold with his admitted adherence to fun first, but after staying out until 2 a.m. following his 400 IM win the first day of competition, he responded by getting caught from behind as the anchor on the 400 free relay, and it got to him. It took a gold in the 800 relay to get it back.

"The past two days I wasn't myself. After that relay my confidence went down," Lochte said then. "I woke up this morning and I was myself -- that happy-go-lucky guy and I think that's what helped me today and I can take that into tomorrow."

Phelps, meanwhile, has always been a bit on the serious side, and he was questioned by some after finishing fourth in the 400 IM. As the greatest medal-winner of all time, with 21 now, it's hard to argue with his approach.

But Schmitt and Franklin seem to always wake up happy-go-lucky.

The spotlight will only intensify on Franklin now, and if she is to be the next Phelps, she'd be wise to remember that it was Schmitt, as Phelps' training partner in Baltimore, that gets the credit for getting the guy to relax in the last four years.

"Having [Schmitt] there was wonderful, kind of lightened things up a little bit," Phelps said. "She is a jokester ... and there is really no days during the week that she isn't telling a joke or she is not laughing at something that's not funny. She just starts laughing. She has been a huge part to lightening things up in the pool at workout, making it more fun."

She does have another side. Growing up in Michigan, Schmitt's father made an ice rink out of their back yard every winter, and that served as the proving grounds for Schmitt and her younger twin sisters, Kari and Sara, who will be sophomores on the Ohio State's hockey team.

"They would call me vicious because I would just slap the puck," Schmitt said. "I wanted to score, and I had no chance, because I didn't skate every day like they and my brother did. So I'd be in full gear, and they'd be in just a helmet and skates. So I got all the equipment, but I decided to swim."

She's still vicious in her own way in the pool. "I've been called vicious ever since I've been little," Schmitt said. "But that's just my competitive side. I laugh a lot. I laugh at everything. I can be on the blocks laughing, but at the same time I can be more determined and I know what I need to succeed."

After her performance in London, with golds in the 200 free and 800 free relay, a silver in the 400 free and a bronze in the 400 free relay, the laugh should never be underestimated again.

"Sometimes it works to me advantage," Schmitt said, "because they're like, 'Oh, Allison doesn't care.' And I'm like, 'Oh, I care. I'm going to beat you.'"

Franklin seems to carry the same gene, if not even more talent. She was a big part of another dominating performance by Team USA in the pool. So was the laughter.

During the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, we'll survey pro golfers with a question of the day.

AKRON, Ohio -- During the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, we'll survey pro golfers with a question of the day. Today we ask golfers to tell us how they mark their ball on the green.

"A plain, plastic old-fashioned marker with a spike on the bottom, because two years ago, in the last round of the day of (Las) Vegas, I dropped the ball and moved the coin, which was a penalty. I've used this one ever since." -- Aaron Baddeley

"Today, it was a quarter and a dime. Sometimes I use a penny. But never a nickel. I'm kind of superstitious." -- David Toms

"A quarter or a half-dollar, but the year must be in the '60s. If it's a '75, I shoot a 75." -- Dustin Johnson

"I have a Spanish marker. (The head is the Spanish flag.) I've used it for about the last year." -- Alvaro Quiros

"I had two tokens made. They say 'Bubba' on both sides. They're about the size of a quarter." -- Bubba Watson

"It changes pretty much day to day. Today, I used a 50-cent piece because it's just a twosome. Usually, I use a quarter." -- Nick Watney

Staff writers Bill Lubinger and Tim Rogers contributed to this report.

Adam Scott, the defending WGC-Bridgestone Invitational champion, owns eight PGA Tour victories and 10 international victories.

AKRON, Ohio -- Since turning pro 12 years ago, Adam Scott, the defending WGC-Bridgestone Invitational champion, owns eight PGA Tour victories and 10 international victories and just missed winning the British Open two weeks ago. He shot even-par Friday and is tied for 35th at 1 over heading into Saturday's third round.

Born: July 16, 1980, Adelaide, Australia.

Height, weight: 6-0, 180.

Turned pro: 2000.

Q: How old were you when you started playing and who taught you?

A: I was really young. My family (members) are golfers, and I think I first went out on the course when I was 5, but I'd been swinging clubs around since I was 2. And my dad taught me how to play.

Q: Ever get to a point where you got tired of the game and wanted to ditch it and try something else?

A: No, I haven't gotten to that point, but it's a tough game, especially when you're playing out at this level and when you have a bad run you never think you're going to play good again. Like when you're playing good and you never feel like you're going to play bad again, but you will and you just have to manage it somehow. But I've never really been to the point where I want to bag it. I don't know if I'd be able to do anything else.

Q: If you weren't a professional golfer, what would you be doing?

A: I really don't know. I've only really been interested in sports since I was a young kid, so probably something in sports. But what it would be, I don't know.

Q: Did you play other sports?

A: Yep. I played Australian football, I played tennis and I played cricket. I was a good tennis player. I still play a little bit, here and there.

Q: When you have time off, what hobbies do you enjoy?

A: Well, if I'm near the water I like to surf. Anytime I get near a wave I'll go surf the shore. That's good relaxation for me, a bit of a workout for me. I grew up near the beach and it's a good feeling to get in the water. I think it energizes me.

Jimmy, understand that fans here want you to be a success. They are beaten down by all the Sunday beat downs. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- Dear Jimmy Haslam,

So glad you did your homework and hit all the major notes just right in your first press conference.

Before anyone asked, you stressed that you bought the Browns to keep them in Cleveland and to win in Cleveland. The fans had to love how you kept calling the Steelers "that other team" rather than saying the name.

To those who didn't live through the trauma of the move to Baltimore in 1995, it may be hard to understand the fear and paranoia about a new ownership group. For all the criticism and doubts about Randy Lerner, fans knew he was committed to keeping the team here.

So you need to keep accenting that point to the fans. The Browns belong in Cleveland. But don't be afraid to say you will do something with the stadium. You'll see it and feel it when you attend next Wednesday's practice there.

The stadium is -- well -- OK. But it has about as much personality as a waiting area at the Department of Motor Vehicles. The only nickname that it has locally is "factory of sadness," from comedian Mike Polk Jr. I know, you'll probably sell the naming rights. You have to pump a lot of gas to pay Lerner the $1 billion over the next few years. So it may be Flying J Stadium or even Pilot Park.

But whatever you do ... don't touch the helmet. Not a single finger print on the pure orange helmet.

Certain things must be treated with reverence. There's Paul Brown. There's the 1964 Browns. There's Bernie Kosar. There's Brian Sipe and the Kardiac Kids. And yes, the orange helmet.

Whatever you do, don't talk about your beloved Tennessee Vols or the glories of the SEC. This is Big Ten Country, and some recent bowl games are very sore spots.

You are absolutely right about the draft being important, but don't expect every first-rounder to become an "All-Pro." That's a bit too much to ask. But first-rounders who always become starters and most make a few Pro Bowls would be great.

Just don't compare a first round pick to "a mad dog in a meat market." Do an Internet search on a guy named Mike Junkin.

Let's hope you never say this one of your top draft picks: "He's lost in the weeds out there." That's how Bill Belichick said a rookie linebacker named Craig Powell looked on the field. And don't say anything like "The officer said he was the nicest guy that he's ever arrested." That's how Carmen Policy tried to spin the problems of Gerard Warren.

And never draft a guy whose nickname is "Big Money." That was how the aforementioned Mr. Warren was known coming out of Florida.

You talked about guys "with character." So know about first-rounders such as poor William Green, who tried to explain his stab wound as the result of falling down a flight of stairs.

Hey, these things happen to the Browns.

Jimmy, understand that fans here want you to be a success. They are beaten down by all the Sunday beat downs. The team has a great tradition, but it continues to shrink in rear view mirror of memory as the decades roll down the highway of time.

The last time the Browns were contenders was the late 1980s. That means no one under 30 -- perhaps 35 -- remembers it. The last time the Browns won a playoff game was 1994 -- and a year later, the team moved.

The last time the Browns had a winning record at home was 2007, and that was the only time since the team returned in 1999. The last time they heard someone was going to blow up the franchise and start over was -- yesterday, with this sale.

So make smart changes, but not changes for the sake of doing something new.

They saw you stand in front of the media and confidently speak about what owning the Browns means to you. And it means a lot.

But remember, it will never mean as much to you as it does to those who have lived with this time all of their lives. Treat them right, and they will respond with more love than you'd ever imagine.

Shumway and rowing partner Sarah Trowbridge were 2.62 seconds away from a bronze medal, or about a boat length.

DORNEY, England -- While most of the 30,000 pairs of eyes were focused sharply on British champions Kat Grainger and Anna Watkins triumphantly celebrating, off to the side, a slender white boat drifted aimlessly.

The rower in the front, American rower Sarah Trowbridge, bent over her two oars, her head almost touching the deck. In the double scull's stern, Westlake's Margot Shumway, laid completely back, staring straight up at the clouds.

Despite the din of the British masses cheering wildly for their London Olympics gold-medal winners, Shumway and Trowbridge shared a very quiet moment filled with physical pain as well as inner peace. Their Olympics, and probably their careers, are finished, and they'll head back to the United States next week with nice Team USA gear, but no medal. They were sixth, and last, in the final at Eton-Dorney Rowing Center.

Australia's Kim Crow and Brooke Pratley held off Poland's Magdalena Fularczyk and Julia Michalska for silver. The American pair were 2.64 seconds behind the bronze medalists, or about a boat length.

Instead of hardware, Shumway and Trowbridge found satisfaction and perspective. They didn't become boatmates until last year, late by Olympic standards, and they were a disappointing third at the U.S. trials in April. Shumway, a 2008 Olympian, thought then her career was over. But through a series of U.S. roster moves and a late qualification race, Shumway and Trowbridge made it to London.

The fact they made it to the six-boat Olympic final could have been satisfaction enough. They wanted a medal, of course, and they also wanted to finish with the belief they'd done their best. Shumway had the added motivation of not feeling proud of how her boat did at the Beijing Games, where she rowed on a fifth-place quadruple sculls team. She didn't want that feeling hanging over ahead again, especially with planned retirement looming.

The record will show she finished a position lower four years later, but the fulfillment couldn't be compared.

"I'm happy. Obviously, we'd love to get a medal, but we did everything we could. I'm proud of what we did," Shumway said. "We didn't give up. We kept pushing. We left everything out there. Considering where Sarah and I came from last year, we did our best and made the most of our opportunities."

So did Britain's Grainger and Watkins. Grainger snapped a streak of silver medals in the last three Olympics. They have not lost a race since joining forces in 2010, including the 2011 world championship. The Brits dominated the 2,000-meter race, winning by almost three seconds.

"They were on another planet," Shumway said.

China and New Zealand were fourth and fifth.

The U.S. pair changed tactics. They went out faster than their prelims because they could not afford to lose contact. They also lit the last wick earlier, and when it came time to really burn, they could not outshine the field. Over the last 500 meters, Shumway and Trowbridge were three seconds quicker than they rowed Tuesday, but this was the Olympic final, and better wasn't good enough.

Shumway wondered what might have been had she and Trowbridge, longtime friends, teamed up sooner, or if they had another year before the Olympics.

"In the big picture, (we) performed extremely well. We made a heck of a lot of progress the last three months," Shumway said. "We had a nice progression from coming in third at Trials to the finals today. I think we're on the cusp of being a really fast crew."

Shumway, a Westlake High School an Ohio State grad, turned turned 33 Thursday, said she plans to retire this year, as does Trowbridge. Shumway was looking forward to dinner with her family Friday night. She paddled three races in the London Olympics, and after each exhausting race, made a bee line for the family area. She shared long embraces, especially with her mother, Julia, who made the trip from Westlake between chemotherapy treatments for lung cancer.

"I'm very fortunate to have them here," Margot said. "I wouldn't want it any other way."

On Twitter: @TimsTakePD

Haslam talked at length about the Browns, Cleveland fans, his hopes for the team and numerous other Browns' topics.

BEREA, Ohio

The Cleveland Browns' new owner, Jimmy Haslam III, held a news conference on Friday in Berea. A transcript of the news conference:

Introduction by Browns president Mike Holmgren:

“Welcome. This is a great day for the Cleveland Browns organization and it’s my privilege and honor to introduce to you the new owner of the Cleveland Browns. Now understand, I’ve talked to you before about league protocols and all of those things and we are following those things and it’s going to happen down the road here, but this really is a special day for me and this organization. I would like to say I’ve known these folks for years, but actually I’ve known them for a day, but it doesn’t take too long for anybody to understand their passion, how much they care, the type of people they are and you’ll get to know them that way. As far as introductions before Jimmy (Haslam) comes up, his dad Jim Haslam, his wife Dee and now I take great pleasure in introducing to you Jimmy Haslam.”

Jimmy Haslam

“Thanks Mike, I appreciate it. First of all I want to just start by saying this, I can’t tell you how excited our family is to be a part of Cleveland and more importantly the Cleveland Browns. I know there are some people who think that maybe we might want to move the team out of Cleveland and I can assure you there is zero chance of that happening. Just a little history, we’ve had a relationship with that other team down the road that wears black and gold that we used to be 1,000 percent for, but we’re not anymore. When we got involved with that other team, we let the owners of that other team and the league know that if we ever had the chance to become the majority owner of a team we would have interest. They called us in May and said it looks like a team may become available, but they wouldn’t tell us who. In late June, when they told us it was the Cleveland Browns, we were fired up to the max because we have had the opportunity to see how important football is to this community and how great and how passionate the fans are and we saw it firsthand last night. We drove up to the hotel, got out of the car, we were getting our bags out, the bellman comes up, ‘Are you guys the new guys for the Browns?’ ‘Yes, we are.’ Five minutes on how important winning is, how big the Browns are etcetera, etcetera. We went to dinner with Mike last night and it was the same way. Everybody is fired up and excited about football and when people say, ‘Why the Cleveland Browns?’ That’s why we say it, because the excitement and the importance of football, the Browns to this community is immense and we’re all about that and I can assure you we have one mission and one mission only and that’s to bring winning back to Cleveland. That’s the sole thing we’re focused on and I want everybody know it and understand it. You don’t know us yet. We’re going to spend time here this afternoon. We’re going to be here a lot and you’ll have the opportunity to get to know us, but we’re really excited about the opportunity. We want to bring a winning team back to Cleveland.

“Let me say a couple more things and then I’ll take questions. Believe it or not, the first time I ever met Randy Lerner was July 2 and today is August 3 so it’s been a very short time frame. During that time period, as you might imagine, we spent a lot of time together in person and a lot of time together on the phone and even though it was a very short time period, I developed a very close relationship with Randy. I have the upmost respect for him and his family. His mother Norma called me this morning to congratulate us. We had a very gracious five-ten minute talk and I can’t say enough nice things about the Lerner family and Randy and how he’s conducted himself during this time period. I suspect we will be friends for a long, long time.

“The last thing I want to say before I take questions, because I know this is the first question everybody is going to ask is, what about personnel decisions? What about this and what about that? Let me just say this, first of all Randy still owns the team and as Mike said there is league protocol and the league has to have an official meeting, that will be in October and until then Randy will own the team. So it’s his team and it would be very presumptuous and very poor form for us to make any personnel decisions or comments. The second thing I would say is Mike - it hadn’t even been really 24 hours and we’ve had a brief introduction to a lot of people with the Cleveland Browns organization. We’ve had some great visits. I can tell you, and you have all been around here longer than I have, the excitement for this season is tremendous. We just had lunch with Pat (Shurmur). He and his staff are fired up. I met Brandon (Weeden), met Trent (Richardson), I told Trent being from Tennessee I was glad to be on the same team as him as opposed to being on a different team, but it would be the wrong thing for us to do and we’re not going to make any comments at all on any current personnel situations or any future personnel situations and hopefully you can appreciate that. So in summary, we are very, very excited about this opportunity and we can’t wait to get going, we have a lot to learn. Dad and I were taking showers after practice and he said, ‘What do you think?’ and I said. ‘I think we have a lot to learn,’ but we think it’s an unbelievable opportunity here and if you walk out of here and only remember one thing, remember the Haslam family is 100 percent committed to making the Cleveland Browns a winner again.”

Question: On why fans should be optimistic that he is the guy who will turn the Browns around:

Haslam: “I hate to refer back to our business track record, but that’s all I know to refer back to. If you look at our main company, Pilot Flying J, it’s been in business for 53 years. We have a very, very senior group of individuals, a very set culture and candidly that’s how we plan on doing it here. We’re going to devote whatever time necessary it takes to get things right here in Cleveland and I believe they’re on the right path now. We’re going to take whatever steps necessary to bring winning football back to Cleveland.”

Question: On if there is any chance that the owners vote would happen before the regular season:

Haslam: “I have no idea. I’ve heard speculation that it could happen sooner, but in our minds it will happen when the regular league vote happens in October and we’re geared and focus that way.”

Question: On why this franchise was a good buy as a business man:

Haslam: “Let me say this, when you’re buying a NFL franchise you have to set the normal cash-flow multiples aside and look at it differently, but having been involved in the Steelers, that investment was a positive one for us and we’re sold on the NFL. We’re sold on the NFL and with the new collective bargaining agreement in place and the new TV contract and with a great iconic, storied franchise like this, we do think it’s a large investment and our main business, Pilot Flying J, is our largest family investment, but this is our second largest family business investment and we’re going to take it very serious, but we also feel very good about it, we really do.”

Question: On if he plans to move to Cleveland and how much time he plans to spend in Cleveland:

Haslam: “I think you’ll find we’re pretty transparent and open people. Our main home will be in Knoxville. Dee is leaving as soon as this press conference is over to go look at homes here in Cleveland and we’ll split our time between Knoxville and Cleveland. I’m still going to be CEO of Pilot Flying J. It’s a big company and I’ll spend a pretty good amount of time running that, but we’ll take, as I said earlier, whatever time necessary in Cleveland really to do two things, one, to bring a winner back here, but number two, to become a part of the Cleveland community.”

Question: On being a minority owner of the Steelers and what he can take away from that organization and their success:

Haslam: “Let me say this, even though I understand the rivalry between Pittsburgh and Cleveland, I get it and our main goal is to return that to a real rivalry. I’ll say this, the Rooney’s are everything you have ever heard and read that they are. They are class people, they do things right. I take no credit for the four years that we were there, but two Super Bowls, won one, playoffs three years and they do things the right way. They have the Steeler way of doing things. I think we will now have the Browns way of doing things. They build through the draft and those are the things that I learned there. I will also say this, I have absolutely no trouble wearing orange and brown now. I took my Steeler watch off yesterday, put my Browns watch on today and we’re fired up. Art (Rooney) and I talked yesterday and we’ll remain good friends, but the last thing he said is, ‘I’m going to have to learn to hate you on Sundays,’ so I think that speaks for itself.”

Question: On if he planned on eventually becoming a majority owner when he bought in with the Steelers and how he will feel when the Browns play the Tennessee Titans:

Haslam: “Dad played football at the University of Tennessee so we’ve been around football all of our lives. I think anybody who likes athletics and particularly likes football and has had some success in business thinks, ‘Man, it would be pretty awesome to own a NFL franchise,’ so we’ve actually had that in our mind for several years. As I said, when we got involved in the Steelers, which was a great opportunity to kind of learn and observe and to meet a lot of people around the league, that was the first step in getting us to where we are here today. I will have absolutely no problem against the Tennessee Titans just like I didn’t when we were with the Steelers. The governor of Tennessee may feel a little bit differently. He’s not part of this transaction, but we’ll want to beat them as bad as we’ll want to beat anybody else.”

Question: On how important it is to him to be out in front of the media and the community:

Haslam: “Somebody asked me that when we were having lunch, about being hands on because we run our main business hands on. I looked over at Mike and I said, ‘Mike probably doesn’t want us to be hands on,’ but I think our style is going to be involved. I think you’ll find that we are open and transparent. Having a brother and a very close friend in high roles in politics, rightly or wrongly, we are used to the public scrutiny and being in the eye. I think you’ll find us to be pretty available, pretty transparent people and I’ll be honest, we’re going to be out there selling the Cleveland Browns all the time. When we got off I-90 and saw the water tower here in Berea and it had the Browns helmet on it I thought, ‘Way to go.’ That’s how you’ve got to think, right? It’s all about the orange and brown, all about the Browns.”

Question: On how he plans on interacting with the fans:

Haslam: “I want to be honest, remember I said I talked to Randy on July 2 and we agreed to a deal on August 2, so this is our first real day on the job so let me be clear, there are a lot of things we have not thought about. I was talking to Mike and Wednesday night we have a practice at the stadium and it’s for fan appreciation. To me it’s important for me to be there, greet people and shake their hands. I don’t want to do anything to distract from Pat (Shurmur) and the team because that needs to be the story, not us. Hopefully we’re a one day story and then it goes back to about football, but we do plan on being present. I’ve thought about the first exhibition game, why don’t we just sit in the stands rather than sit in the owner’s box and see what the facility feels like sitting as a quote ‘regular fan’ so we’ll be out there and available.”

Question: On Montario Hardesty playing at the University of Tennessee and his memories of him:

Haslam: “Good player, he was number two. He was a good player, a really good player. He’s from North Carolina. The first year or two he did okay, but junior year he had a breakout season and the Browns thought highly of him and picked him in the second round. I know he came off injury last year, but he looks really good and really quick, but I’m also glad to be on the same side as 33 (Trent Richardson).”

Question: On how active he will be in terms of football decisions:

Haslam: “I think it will be a learning curve. I mean you’ve got a guy that won a Super Bowl over there that’s going to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, that’s a legend. I’ll be honest, there’s a fan part of me too. Last night I was looking forward to dinner to meet Mike, but he’s also a guy I’ve thought a lot of so we’re going to ask a lot of questions and learn it first. I’m a believer in collective wisdom and if you have five smart people sitting around the table, it’s better than four, but we’re going to take some time to get up to speed before we get real involved in any football decisions. It probably comes a little quicker on the business side for us.”

Question: On how he incorporates what he has learned about building a winning franchise:

Haslam: “I spent a lot of time with Kevin Colbert of the Steelers picking his brain over the four years. When Mike and Tom and everybody got here, of the last 10 first round draft picks, only two were here, am I right? And to be honest, your first round draft pick has to not just make the team, not just start, he’s has to be All-Pro. That’s reality so the key is those draft pick decisions and the decisions that Mike and Tom make and who we pick. That’s the most important decisions you’re going to make for the franchise and it looks to me that over the last two years that they’ve done a really nice job. We had an opportunity to meet Brandon today, to meet Trent, didn’t meet the right tackle (Mitchell) Schwartz, but they looked like not only really good players, but really high quality people. I think that’s the other thing and we were talking up there and Pat said, ‘We’ve got good people,’ and I think we want high character people because I think the other kind of players get you in trouble, but those draft picks, it’s so important, so important.”

Question: On if he has a philosophy about judging people by their merits:

Haslam: “That’s a hard question to answer, I’ll be honest. I do think that all of us, the most important decisions we make are going to be the people we surround ourselves with, and those are extremely important decisions. No one bats 1.000, Mike I’m sure you’ve had a couple of bad draft picks, only a couple (joking), but a couple of bad draft picks. Nobody bats 1.000. You’ve got to learn from those mistakes, but who you surround yourself with is very, very important.”

Question: On if fans should embrace themselves for a culture shock like changing jerseys or naming rights:

Haslam: “I would maybe define culture a little different than that. To me, culture is not about the uniforms or the naming rights. Culture is about how you come to work every day and conduct yourselves. My instincts, and here again I’ve been in the building five hours so I don’t at all want to pretend to be an expert, particularly with this kind of guy over here to my side (Mike Holmgren). I think the reality today is, you live in a marketing world and after Randy and I reached an agreement the other day, the first owner that called me was Robert Kraft and he said come up and see me and I’ll tell you everything about football and business I know. It’s a competitive world and the questions I’ve been asking today have not just been about how’s Brandon (Weeden) looking or how Trent’s (Richardson) looking, but how does this practice facility stack up against everyone else’s practice facility? Do you have what you need to win here? How’s our stadium compare for the fans? I think those are the things that are important to get right. Will we have naming rights? Probably at some time or could we change the uniforms? I don’t know, but it is a marketing world we live in, and let’s be realistic about that. I don’t associate that with culture though. I think they are distinctly different. People may agree or disagree, but that’s our philosophy. In our business world, we changed our logo and our design of our stores multiple times over the years, but the basic culture and core beliefs - what we call Pilot Flying J values stay the same and hopefully that helps you.”

Question: On if Joe Banner will be a part of his ownership:

Haslam: “I’ll just refer back to what I said at first, it would be inappropriate and very poor form for us to talk about any current or future employee decisions. We’re just not going to go there.”

Question: On what hope he can offer the fans:

Haslam: “Mike and I were talking and someone said, “What games look easy?” Mike and I both said the same thing, and remember we only met each other last night, there are no easy games in the NFL. We’re in a tough division, Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati is getting better. All I can tell you is that we’re going to come to work every day and these guys are already doing it. We’re going to come to work every day with a mission to get better. I think they have things going the right way. I fully understand. My wife said, ‘Man, everyone’s so nice to us.’ I said, ‘We’ll see how long that lasts.’ Let’s be realistic, it’s all about winning. If we win, things are going to get better, but there’s no reason why this can’t be a winning franchise. Everything’s here right? There’s no reason. If they don’t, I’ll accept the blame. It’s our fault, we didn’t execute like we should. Every other piece is in place here, great fan base, you have the money you need, we just have to execute.”

Question: On if he’s ready for the passion that this city has both positive and negative:

Haslam: “I’m going to say I am and we know what we’re getting into, but I’ve had several NFL owners tell me you cannot believe the highs and the lows. I will say this, being a limited owner, it’s a little different because last year, if that other team was to lose a tough game on the last play, I might be upset Sunday night, but Monday I’m back at my regular job. I have a feeling this will linger a little bit longer, but that’s part of it. We’re competitive, we look forward to the opportunity and let me say just one thing, and it’s that passion you talk about here that we like. I grew up in Knoxville, which is a college football town - both teams wear orange ironically - we have that same passion. I understand that the spirit and mood of the city rises and falls with how the Browns do and it’s our job to keep it up more than down.”

Question: On what Randy Lerner’s message to him was and if Lerner had four wishes for him:

Haslam: “Before Randy and I sat down, he had four things that we had to agree to. I told him I would keep them all private, except one which was keep the team in Cleveland, which was never an issue anyway. You all know Randy, he’s a perfect gentleman. He’s as nice a man as I’ve ever met and here’s exactly what he said, ‘I’ll do as much or as little as I can to help you, as you know my style is to stay in the background.’ I’ve got his cell number, his email and he said, ‘If you need anything at all just pick up the phone and call me.’ He’s a gentleman. The first call I got yesterday after we signed the deal was from Randy Lerner to congratulate us. His mom called us today. They’re nice, class people.”

Question: On if he will have time for both of his jobs:

Haslam: “Have you been talking to Dee (joking)? I think it’s going to be a challenge. We’re involved on some other boards, and we’re going to get off all of those and if you know us very well, we don’t have a lot of hobbies beside work so now it’s going to be work and football, but it will be a challenge. It’s a big company that we run, but these are good, smart, talented people here and we’re going to spend a lot of time in Cleveland, a lot of time in Knoxville. Our business is in 43 states, plus Canada, so we’re used to traveling and being on the road and it’s exciting and its fun, but it will be a challenge though to answer your question.”

Question: On what he knew about the franchise before July 2 and what he has learned since:

Haslam: “I didn’t know a lot. I knew the Browns had struggled over the years, because I’ve been on the other side of that with that other team. Since July 2, I’ve picked up the Plain Dealer every day and see what the news is on practice, when did Trent (Richardson) sign, when did Brandon (Weeden) sign and all those kind of things, but I don’t pretend to be an expert on the Cleveland Browns, and won’t for quite some time. Now, I think it’s my job to get there, but Mike’s probably thinking, ‘God, I wish this guy would go back to Knoxville,’ because I’ve asked him 7,000 questions, and when he walks away I ask them to Tom (Heckert). I think that’s the only way you learn. I think it’s a good, young, exciting team that is on the upswing.”

Question: On the role football has played in his life:

Haslam: “Dad played football at Tennessee so we grew up in an athletic background. He was a great dad, Super Bowl, World Series, I’ve been to every kind of athletic event, as has my brother, that you can go to. I was raised in that kind of background. I played high school sports, was not good enough to play college sports, but been in that environment all the time. I’m a firm believer in athletics. I have an intern every year, that’s a college kid, and the prerequisites are this, number one, they had to play high school sports, because I think that competitive aspect comes through and I think it’s important in business. Business is just as competitive as football or whatever. The other thing I’d say is I think football, and this might offend some people, I think it’s the best team sport there is because you are relying on the other 10 guys, and if one guy doesn’t do his job, the play is not going to work. I just think it’s a great team sport. As I said earlier, the NFL is the premier sports league in the world.”

Question: On if he plans on bringing jobs to Cleveland like Dan Gilbert did when he bought the Cavs:

Haslam: “I’ll be honest, we haven’t thought about it. I would doubt it. We have 32 truck stops in Ohio and we’re going to build four more next year so that’s 36. The average one employs 50 people so that’s 1,800 employees in the state of Ohio. Would we have any big presence here? No. I just want to keep coming back to it, at the end of the day the most important thing we can do is win at football. We get that, understand it and we’re going to do everything we can to make that happen.”

Question: On if it’s this is the best deferred payment deal he’s ever made:

Haslam: “Let me just say this, with Randy and I, one of his criteria were that these negotiations be private, I think I need to honor his request and not make any comment on it.”

Question: On how he plans on balancing the changes he will bring to the franchise against blowing it up:

Haslam: “Here again, I’ve been in the Cleveland community one day so I don’t pretend to be an expert, but I sense there’s a strong feeling here that Mike and the team do have things headed in the right direction. I just think we’ve got to listen, learn and observe. You know in football, you either win or you lose. There’s not a question of how did we do. I think over time these guys will be successful.”

Question: On if the negotiations broke down at any point:

Haslam: “I’m not being a wise guy, but if you’ve ever negotiated a deal - and we just finished another big one in our business - this one is really no different. I’ve never seen a negotiation that there weren’t times that I thought, this isn’t going to work out or we aren’t going to be able to get things together. I will say this, Randy - you’ve all known him longer than I have - he’s a gentleman, he’s a good business man, he’s smart, he’s tough and he knew he had something of value, but the negotiations went well. Roger Goodell told me he had never seen an NFL deal done this quickly. If you think about it, we agreed to it in 31 days from the time we first met so that’s fast.”

Question: On if he will speak to any alumni to get a feel for the history of the team:

Haslam: “Mike told me we have a legends day later on in the year. We want to get involved. I’ll just go back to what I said several times, there’s a lot here. There’s a lot to learn and master. I think we want all former Browns - this is a team that’s won eight championships over the years - to feel comfortable and feel good about what we’re doing here so we’ll do everything we can to reach out to them and make them feel comfortable.”

Father and 11-year-old son to compete in Cleveland Triathlon on Sunday, but the best part was bonding while training.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Peyton Culver likes to do the kinds of things that other 11-year-olds enjoy doing with their free time. He's been a competitive swimmer for years, and loves to spend time in the water. He's fond of music and plays the guitar.

Somehow, it seems that none of the things Culver does with his spare time make it easy for his father, Del, to spend time with him. Del can't exactly chat with Peyton while knocking out laps in the pool, and his lack of knowledge about the guitar makes it a little difficult to share affinity for "Stairway to Heaven."

"It's not that I don't like those things," Del Culver said. "But they're not things I can really help them with."

But Del Culver suddenly realized this year that his passion could be his son's passion, too, with a little encouragement. Now, the two will compete in Sunday's Cleveland Triathlon, in the Super Sprint distance that includes a 300-yard swim, 8-mile bike and 1.5-mile run. Peyton Culver is the youngest athlete competing in the Super Sprint course; the triathlon also includes sprint and Olympic distances in a course that begins with a swim near the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Del Culver is a veteran triathlete who has competed in five Cleveland races since 2002 and about 30 triathlons in all, but he plans to keep pace with Peyton for every swim stroke, bike pedal and foot stomp through his son's first triathlon.

"We're just out to finish it and have fun together," Del Culver said.

The elder Culver is a physical education teacher at Jefferson Elementary School in Port Clinton who was searching for a new competitive outlet to match his less-competitive body a decade ago. He and a friend decided on triathlons on a whim, and with a child's seat still attached to his friend's bike, the two finished the Cleveland Super Sprint race in 2002. Ten years later, Culver has come full circle with the son who was small enough to fit in that child's seat in that 2002 race.

As a competitive swimmer, Peyton Culver didn't have trouble with training, although his first open-water venture was a bit eye-opening, his dad said.

"You can't follow that line on the bottom of the pool anymore," Del Culver joked.

Training for the run has been even more difficult for the 11-year-old, but Del Culver has reveled in the opportunity to merely spend time with his son and offer tips whenever possible. The Culvers have been training for two months together, and young Peyton has gushed so much that another triathlon might be on the schedule.

Del Culver would be happy to help with another race, too.

"I've just tried to take the last two months and spend time with him, use my experience to give him tips here and there," Del Culver said. "As excited as he is, I think there could be more in the future."

Jim Furyk cards five birdies en route to shooting 4-under 66 in second round, while Cleveland native Jason Dufner moves up to fourth on leaderboard.

AKRON, Ohio -- Jim Furyk’s early lead held up Friday in the second round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. 

Furyk followed Thursday’s best career round at Firestone Country Club with a 66 to go to 11 under at the halfway point. He holds a two-shot lead over Rafael Cabrera Bello. Cabrera Bello finished his round at 5 under after sinking a 44-foot birdie putt on 18.

Louis Oosthuizen also shot 5 under to get within three strokes of the lead. Cleveland native Jason Dufner moved from ninth to fourth following his 4 under round. Dufner, making his Bridgestone debut, carded five birdies but for the second straight day bogeyed the 667-yard 16th hole. He was one of nine players to bogey the hole Friday and is four strokes off the lead.

Furyk, making his 13th appearance at Firestone, recorded five birdies and one bogey and nearly scored an ace on the 219-yard seventh when his ball rolled near the edge of the cup before settling in the fringe.

Furyk, who shot 63 on Thursday, made birdies on 2, 6, 9, 12 and 13.

Tiger Woods, who started the day at even-par, finished at 2 over. Phil Mickelson broke par for the first time in 11 rounds, shooting 69 to bring him to even par.

Playing his first tournament at Firestone Country Club as a pro, he has bogeyed 16 all three days.

AKRON, Ohio -- Jason Dufner slipped from fourth place to a tie for ninth with a 3-over 73 in Saturday's third round.

The Cleveland native stands 4 under at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, but his third round included three bogeys (on holes 12, 16 and 18) and a double bogey on 4. Playing his first tournament at Firestone Country Club as a pro, he has bogeyed 16 all three days.

"A pretty pathetic round of golf today," he said. "Hit it really good, putted poorly. Any time you have [31] putts out here, you can't be competitive."

As if he wasn't already beating himself up over it, as Dufner approached the green on 18, some guy in the grandstand yelled "Roll Tide!", the battle cry for Alabama, his Auburn rival.

"Yeah, you hear it, but you can't really pay attention to it," he said. "You don't really have time to worry about what people are talking about outside the ropes. It's hard enough out here to play golf without people yelling at you all the time.

"Most of the support is really good everywhere I go. But, occasionally, you get the guy who wants to be cute and funny in front of his friends and tries to get noticed."

The 'Monster' gets Martin: The 16th hole has ruined many a round and former PGA champion Martin Kaymer fell victim Saturday with a triple-bogey 8.

Standing at 2 under when he teed off on the 667-yard landing strip, Kaymer's tee shot struck a tree on the left side of the fairway. So did his second, which bounded into a fairway bunker about 173 yards out. He tried to reach the green with his third, but fell short and landed in the middle of the pond that guards the front.

After a drop his fifth shot flew over the green and he chipped back to about 10 feet and two-putted.

Withdrawn: Two more golfers left, trimming the field to 75. Japan's Toru Taniguchi bowed out before the third round with a stomach illness, and American Ben Crane left after the sixth hole because of back pain.

Hot streak: Rory McIlroy, tied for fourth at 6 under, is shooting for his sixth straight top-10 finish at a WGC event -- the longest active streak. Tiger Woods' eight straight top-10s are the most, a feat he's accomplished twice.

If McIlroy pulls off a win here and Luke Donald, who is tied for ninth, finishes outside the top 11, McIlroy would regain the No. 1 position in the world rankings.

Best round: Top scorers for the third round were Justin Rose, Bo Van Pelt and Branden Grace, who each carded a 4-under 66.

Tiger tales: Woods shot 2-under 68 in the third round and is even for the tournament, tied for 24th. He is in danger of finishing outside the top-10 in his fourth consecutive WGC start, which would continue the longest such streak of his career. His most recent top-10 came at the 2011 Cadillac Championship (tied for 10th).

From 1999-2009, Woods played 40 rounds at Firestone. He had 10 of par or worse, was a combined 103 under and won seven titles. In 11 rounds since, he has nine rounds of par or worse and is a combined 19 over.

Under the radar: Long after the conclusion of his round, Woods walked from the clubhouse to a courtesy car alongside one person -- a security guard. An entourage this was not. Woods was so unassuming that, when a family of four walked across his path from right to left, a member said: "Hey -- that's Tiger Woods."

Woods, cap on backwards, hopped into the driver's seat and drove away, just another person encountering traffic on Warner Road.

Testing, testing: Several players were randomly drug tested Saturday, including Alvaro Quiros, Phil Mickelson and Nick Watney.

The players were notified as they exited the scoring trailer. An official had the players sign a paper, then put them on a cart with another person to be driven away for the test. The official declined to be identified, saying only the PGA Tour conducts the drug testing via subcontractor.

Watney received some good-natured ribbing from Bill Haas, who asked Watney if he had the "Whizzinator," a product intended to beat drug tests.

Bad day: Lee Westwood, a terrific player most days, shot 11-over 81. He had opened with 68-72. Westwood declined comment after the round.

Dufner's followers: The fashion statement of the day along the Dufner trail was navy and burnt orange -- Auburn colors. Spotted: a No. 34 Bo Jackson football jersey and a number of Auburn Tigers visors, T-shirts and golf shirts with the interlocking "AU."

Staff writers Tim Rogers, Bill Lubinger and Dennis Manoloff contributed to this report.

The cookies Justin Masterson talked about Friday night weren't the ones he threw to the Tigers in an 11-2 loss. He was referring to the ones his wife, Meryl, bakes and sells online.

DETROIT -- The cookie reference came whistling in from left field. Totally unexpected, totally Justin Masterson.

Masterson was saying how disappointed he was Friday night, after pitching poorly against Detroit in the Tribe's seventh straight loss. He was hitting all the right notes, shouldering the blame for the 10-2 beating, in the Indians' quiet locker room.

Then it arrived, like a sucker punch on a barroom brawl.

"On a brighter note," Masterson said, "my wife told me that with her cookie business she wants to donate all her former and future profit to charity. So that brightens your night just a little bit when things don't go your way."

The seven or eight reporters talking to Masterson had no response to the cookie news. They just kept asking him about the game, but it certainly deserved a follow-up question Saturday. Masterson's wife, Meryl, has been selling Meryl Masterson's Home Plate Cookies online since the end of the 2009 season. She cooks them in a double oven at home in Indianapolis, baking four to five dozen a day.

"She just decided she wanted to use all the profits to help feed children in the Dominican Republic," said Masterson. "We go down there every winter to help out with a group called Mission of Mercy.

"My wife's heart is in the Dominican."

Masterson came up with the Red Sox and most of the cookie sales still come from the Boston area. He said a lot of stadium workers and security personnel at Progressive Field order his wife's cookies. Reliever Tony Sipp even designed one.

"He asked us if we could make a cookie with toffee, chocolate and Macadamia nuts," said Masterson. "We made up the Triple Play Toffee."

The cookies are on sale at merylscookies.com.

"I helped design the Web page and sometimes I tie ribbons around some cookies," he said. "I'm good at quality control [tasting]. But mostly I'm the husband of the cookie maker. That's pretty neat."

Masterson said his wife just decided a couple of days ago to donate her profits to charity.

"It's not an extreme amount of money," he said. "We want people to know that when they buy our cookies that over 95 percent of the cost of that cookie is going to feed children."

Welcome back, sit down: DH Travis Hafner was activated Saturday from the paternity list and utility man Vinny Rottino was optioned to Class AAA Columbus. Hafner returned to Cleveland on Thursday to be with his wife, Amy, who gave birth to Trip John Hafner, an eight-pound boy.

Hafner didn't play Saturday night because of a stiff back. Manager Manny Acta said he left Tuesday's game in Kansas City with the injury. Jose Lopez replaced Hafner at DH.

Hafner, in the final year of his contract, has played in 59 of the Tribe's 107 games. He played in 94 games last year.

Level of interest: Between Derek Lowe and Johnny Damon, the Indians are receiving more interest in Lowe for a possible trade. Lowe and Damon were designated for assignment last week. The Indians have 10 days to trade, release or put them on waivers.

Finally: Roberto Hernandez will make his third rehab start Sunday at Class A Lake County. ... Lefty Chris Seddon, Sunday's starter, will be making his first appearance in the big leagues since Oct. 1, 2010 with Seattle. The Indians will have to make a roster move to create a spot for Seddon. ... The Indians held a brief union meeting before Saturday's game to discuss expanded use of instant replay and changes in the drug testing procedures.

On Twitter: @hoynsie

Cabrera Bello, 28, from Spain, admitted that he was not as relaxed as he needed to be when it came time to tee off.

AKRON, Ohio -- When Rafael Cabrera Bello's appetite returned, his game went south.

Cabrera Bello dealt with an upset stomach the first two days of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. He also shot 66-65, the 9-under score putting him in the final pairing with leader Jim Furyk for the third round Saturday at Firestone.

Cabrera Bello said he felt fine before and during the third round, but he posted a 77 to tumble into a tie for 13th. Furyk shot 70 and remained in first. Imagine where Cabrera might have been without 13 one-putts -- the best such showing in the field.

"A plus-7 is a pretty bad score, so I'm obviously disappointed," he said. "I know I can do much better. No excuses."

Asked about his physical health, he said: "The stomach was not the issue. I'm good."

Cabrera Bello, 28, from Spain, admitted that he was not as relaxed as he needed to be when it came time to tee off. This is his Bridgestone Invitational debut.

"I need to learn something from this round," he said. "I think this was part of experience. Maybe I was a little more nervous than usual, teeing off in the last group in a big tournament in the states. That's really the first time I've been in that situation over here, and it kept away my rhythm the first few holes."

On the par-4 first, Cabrera Bello hit his second shot into a greenside bunker. The lie was decent, but he miss-hit and ended up having to chip his fourth. Two putts later, he had carded a double bogey.

"I spent the rest of the day fighting to come back," he said.

Cabrera Bello made par on the par-5 second. Given that the field played it in 4.48, though, it seemed like a bogey. He birdied the par-4 third, only to give it right back with a bogey. He bogeyed the sixth, birdied the eighth and doubled the ninth to go out in 39.

"I didn't drive the ball well on the front," he said. "I missed too many fairways, and you can't do that on this course and expect good results."

Cabrera Bello birdied the 11th, bogeyed the 12th, doubled the 14th and bogeyed the 15th to come in with a 38.

"I played much better on the back, I just wasn't able to score," he said.

Cabrera Bello said his scrambling, which has been effective this year, let him down during the third round. "Because of that, I got punished more than I should have been," he said. "I wasn't feeling comfortable around the greens, for whatever reason. I hope it was just one of those days."

The struggles never got the best of him emotionally. Cabrera Bello did a superb job of internalizing his frustration.

"When I lose my temper, I end up giving away even more shots," he said. "I know the round was very bad, but overall, I'm not in a bad position. I can make up some ground. Winning is out of the question, but I can get a good finish. That's why I was fighting to the end."

On Twitter: @dmansworldpd

After shooting 3-under 67, Bradley finished Saturday's third round at 7-under 203 and in third place. "This round today was one of my best of the year," he said.

AKRON, Ohio -- Few get a second crack, but Keegan Bradley has set himself up for the rare do-over.

Entering the final round of last year's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, Bradley, playing the tournament for the first time, was just two shots off the lead and worked his way to one back at the turn. But a 41 on the back nine wrecked his day, leaving him tied for 15th.

Now he's back.

After shooting 3-under 67, Bradley finished Saturday's third round at 7-under 203 and in third place, just four strokes behind leader Jim Furyk.

"This round today was one of my best of the year," he said, "so I feel really good about it."

Bradley birdied holes 2, 6, 10 and 13, but it was a pair of salvaged pars -- recovering after a bogey on 3 -- that boosted his game.

"I made a very good par save on my fourth hole today. That kind of got me going for the rest of the day," he said. "I kind of weathered the storm at the beginning, and then I really started hitting it well towards the end of the round."

The second important par save came on 14, where his approach landed in the left bunker. But he punched out cleanly, leaving a 9-foot par putt, accenting the score with a fist pump.

"That was one of my best up-and-downs of the year," he said. "It was a very difficult shot. I hit a great shot just to get it on the green, and then to make that for par, those are such big putts in tournaments like this because they kind of keep you rolling."

And interested. The defending PGA champion -- he followed up his Bridgestone flop last year with that huge win -- hasn't finished in the top 20 in his last nine events and has missed three cuts.

"I'm kind of happy that I put myself back in this position," he said. "I was kind of here last year, in position to win, and I'm just going to enjoy it. I love so much being in contention, so this is fun for me. It's kind of boring when you're not able to do this every week."

Bradley made 18 a little more interesting, too. Behind a decent breeze, his second shot sailed toward the back of the green, took one bounce and was rescued by thick rough just before the bunker. To chip from there, the 6-3 Bradley had to stand on a sprinkler head. A rules official allowed him relief, but he waved it off.

"I was worried about my drop kind of going up against the collar," he said, "so I decided to just play it."

Bradley, 26, closed the day with par and in a position to make up for last year -- maybe a little wiser this time.

"A lot's happened since that round," he said, "and I think I'm better equipped for it this year. I think I'm in a great position."