Our "Ten Minutes with ..." feature in PDQ highlights Bill Guegold, an expert on the music of the Olympics.

View full sizeJohn AshleyBill Guegold

Bill Guegold is a music man. He is a professor at the School of Music at the University of Akron. He is interim associate dean of Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences and interim director of the School of Dance, Theatre and Arts Administration. In 2000, Guegold received the Olympic Order from the International Olympic Committee in Sydney, Australia, for his research into Olympic music and his book, "100 Years of Olympic Music." Originally from Cambridge, Ohio, he resides in Mantua. We thought this was a perfect time to pick his brain about Olympic music. He spoke with The Plain Dealer's Marc Bona.

Music has, of course, a lot of history and has evolved in various forms. What is so special about Olympic music?

One thing is that it is estimated that over a billion people watch the Olympic ceremonies. For any artist or art form, that's an unbelievable stage. So the pressure to write something that's "good" is tremendous. There's music that already fits the Olympic setting, and then there's music that's composed especially for the event. An Olympic feature selection should have an inspirational text (if a vocal), have an easily recognizable melody, be orchestrated for richness of texture, might feature brass and percussion (certainly if performed outside) and should be constructed with dynamic flow to heighten emotional content.

Tell us about the main theme of the Olympics. What is it called and when was it composed?

We're really talking about three different things. One would be the "official theme song" of each Olympic Games. Another is the Olympic Anthem or Hymn, and finally the broadcast company theme pieces.

The piece we hear today when the Olympic flag is presented in the Opening Ceremony and retreated in the Closing was written for the 1896 Athens Games by Greek composer Spiro Samaras. The [International Olympic Committee] experimented with alternate hymns during the middle parts of the 20th century (even one by classical composer Richard Strauss) but came back to this piece in the 1950s.

The other theme we'll hear is a different selection at each Olympiad based on a commission by the host city. This tends to be a piece composed and/or performed by popular artists like Celine Dion, Georgio Moroder, Gloria Estefan and, this year, Muse.

For those of us of my generation, we think of "Olympic" brand music when we hear Leo Arnaud's "Bugler's Dream." It was first used in the 1960s when ABC covered the games. It's still used by NBC along with parts of John Williams' Olympic compositions written for the games in 1984, 1988, 1996 and 2002. It was interesting to learn several years ago that other countries have different "Olympic" brand pieces. The Emerson, Lake and Palmer version of Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man" is popular in England because it's often been used with their television coverage of the games.

OK, you're the expert: Grade the music of Friday's opening ceremonies. What did you think?

I guess I'd give it a 7 out of 10. England has such a long history of music of many different genres. I thought Danny Boyle did a good job of giving us a view of the entire spectrum. However, it was a bit disjointed at times, and the timing of the transitions was -- for my tastes -- either too long or too abrupt. I did find the segment with Bond and the Queen fun. And Bean with the London Symphony was great British humor.

I thought the sections featuring the countryside and the industrial revolution were too long, as was the health care segment. I thought the assembling of the Olympic rings was creative, and the winged bicyclists representing the doves of peace were cool.

I was irritated that NBC broke away right at the climax of "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen. "Hey Jude" was a great finish, although it did drag out a bit. It's not often mentioned, but what's become the art form of mixing music and fireworks (complexity and timing) has been raised to fantastic heights at these events. And the best view isn't in the stadium. It's usually an aerial and wide-angle view of the Olympic complex only available to the television audience and perhaps on video screens in the stadium.

Some minor-league baseball players have a say as to what is played when they approach the plate or mound. Do Olympians have any say in what they hear?

You won't hear any individual athletes' favorite tune right before the gun goes off. The nature of the head-to-head competition won't permit that. This is why you'll see so many of them plugged in to their iPod until just before they're called to the starting line.

In 1996, you published "100 Years of Olympic Music," a book celebrating a century of Olympics and music. What did you learn that surprised you?

It was in 1986 that I heard a march called "Toward a New Life" on the radio, ordered the album, and read on the back cover notes that it was voted "best music at the 1932 Olympic Games" in Los Angeles. That started the wheels spinning. I discovered that from 1912 until the 1950s, you could win a medal in music, art, drama, architecture and literature. The founders of the modern games wanted them to be celebrations of the body, mind, and spirit, not just athletic events. This philosophy follows what is believed to be the ancient Greek ideal.

What instruments do you play, and what composers, bands or style of music do you like?

I played clarinet and saxophone years ago at Capital University in my undergraduate program and occasionally get to play them today. My masters and Ph.D. are in music education/conducting. I like a variety of music including jazz, classical, and '60s-'70s pop/rock (I remain a big fan of Blood, Sweat and Tears and Chicago) but really enjoy film music. I guess I'm a romantic at heart, and the best film scores are ones that help enhance the emotional context of a film. My favorite composer is John Williams. He is nearly unmatched in his ability to write beautiful melodies, create superb orchestrations, and incorporate a number of musical colors or timbres into his scores. Many are so well done that they easily stand alone as great music.

So many athletes are shown with earbuds, zoning out the world as they visualize before competing. Does music add to their preparation? Do they want to be pumped or relaxed? And should they listen to what they like or to a certain style?

As with any performance, there is quite a bit of psychology in the preparation process. And it's individual. Some will prefer something to "fire them up." Others, as you mention, might want to listen to something to "calm the savage beast." One aspect of this preparation is finding the best groove or, in music, tempo. Some pieces just don't sound right if performed too fast or too slow. You've got to find the "baby bear" speed where it's "just right." It's similar in sports. I have no doubt that some athletes who want to find their best pace for an event will want to listen to a piece of music at a tempo that will help them set that ideal race pace.

What would happen if, say, Michael Phelps would listen to Captain and Tennille or Barry Manilow before swimming?

Well, if it was to help him relax, all's well and good. Otherwise, we might have to throw him a life jacket.

Do you have favorite songs of any genre of music that would be appropriate for certain sports? Like how everyone associates the theme from "Rocky" with boxing?

The brain makes fascinating connections between music and particular events. If "Gonna Fly Now" was used for a different sporting film, we'd make a different association. It would be interesting to see if we could write or find a piece that might help us connect with, say, fencing or archery. I'm certain it could be done. But it would have to fit and be repeated enough for us to make the link. Scores from sports films help establish that relationship. I think music written by Jerry Goldsmith for "First Knight" would work well with fencing or perhaps an equestrian event.

Do you have any songs you think are overplayed at sporting events and wish would never be played, like Gary Glitter's "Rock and Roll Part 2"?

I can live with any variety of music styles and/or pieces at sporting events. After all, it is entertainment and should be fun. As a Cleveland sports fan, if you don't consider it entertainment and rather choose to live and die by wins and losses . . . well, we're still waiting on that major championship, aren't we? On a more serious note, one thing that greatly concerns me is the volume of some of these tunes (and sound effects). I can mostly handle it in outdoor venues, but I really can't take the decibel levels in the indoor events. I won't attend a Cavs' game without ear protection. And it seems to be the same with high school and college sports.

Any future books or projects in the works?

I've been collecting materials ever since I published "100 Years." . . . I hope to soon begin work on a second book that will expand on what I learned back then and include all of the information about the games since 1996. It will also include more information about the music used as part of the competition in synchronized swimming, gymnastics, dressage freestyle and ice skating/dancing. I'd also like to try to re-create an interest in the arts competitions. I know we could do it in music. The World Choir festival held this summer in Cincinnati is a good example. We've been evaluating musical ensembles for years. One problem in the early Olympic music competitions was that they stressed the composer and not the performer. That's like evaluating the person who invented a sport instead of the athlete participating in the sport. The other thing that has changed is that the [International Olympic Committee] has greatly loosened the amateur rule. We'd have a lot more high-quality submissions if some of the "dream team" musicians of the day could participate.

Keegan Bradley saves par on the 18th hole while Jim Furyk falters to a double bogey.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerKeegan Bradley overcame a four stroke deficit Sunday and edged Jim Furyk on the 72nd hole to win the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron.

AKRON, Ohio - Keegan Bradley pulled off a stunning win on the 72nd hole, preventing Jim Furyk from becoming a wire-to-wire champion Sunday at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

Bradley, who began the day four strokes off the lead, won with a spectacular par save on the par-4 18th while Furyk carded a double bogey when he missed a 5 foot putt that would have forced a playoff.

Bradley carded a 6 under round to finish at 13 under. Furyk was 1 under on the day and finish tied for second with Steve Stricker.

On the 18th at Firestone Country Club, Bradley’s approach was buried in the sand. He blasted out 16 feet from the hole and sank the putt.

Furyk, playing in the same group, landed his approach in deep rough behind a bunker. His chip just cleared the trap and landed in the rough. His second chip came out soft and Furyk badly missed the 5-foot putt above the hole.

Furyk opened a four-stroke advantage after nine holes before Bradley made a charge with birdies on 10, 11 and 14 to get within one. Both Furyk and Bradley birdied the 667-yard 16th hole and made pars on 15 and 17.

Louis Oosthuizen, who began the day one stroke back, was unable to overcome bogeys on 5, 9 and 10. He shot 1 under and finished fourth (11 under).

Following a 2 hour, 48 minute morning rain delay before the lead group went off, Furyk began the day with three straight birdies.

Stricker birdied his final three holes as he moved from fifth to second. Justin Rose (3 under) and Rory McIlroy (2 under) tied for fifth at 8 under.

Cleveland native Jason Dufner scored an eagle on the par-5 second on his way to a 2 under day to finish seventh at 6 under.

Tiger Woods played his best round of the week at 4 under and ended there to finish in a tie for eighth.

Cal graduate has already made an impression on his Browns teammates with his knowledge and technique.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerBrowns rookie Mitchell Schwartz is battling to win the starting job at right tackle on the offensive line.

BEREA, Ohio -- In an effort to save money and trips to the supermarket, the father of Browns rookie Mitchell Schwartz purchased an industrial-sized freezer years ago and filled it with beef, chicken and fish.

When fully stocked the unit was supposed to hold six months worth of meat for a typical family of four. The Schwartz clan was emptying it in half the time.

If only the producers of "Jon and Kate Plus Eight" had met Lee and Olivia Schwartz earlier. The food required to sate their two future NFL offensive linemen was a reality show in itself.

"I called them the mutants," Lee said. "We understood their height, but we were both surprised with how big the boys were. Geoffrey was born in the 95 (growth) percentile and stayed there. Mitchell was born in the 90 percentile and he stayed there, too."

Everything about the Browns' new offensive tackle seems super-sized, from his 6-foot-5, 318-pound frame to his size 18 feet. But what really transformed a baseball-loving teen into a second-round NFL draft pick was a prodigious appetite for learning.

Schwartz, 23, has reached the pro level, former teammates and rivals said, by focusing on his techniques and studying the tendencies of those who excel at his position.

He watched how his brother Geoff – a Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman -- used his brain as much as his body to repel blitzing linebackers and burrowing nose tackles. While at the University of California, he not only started 51 games and earned first-team All-PAC-12 honors, but welcomed summer projects that included film sessions on a future Browns teammate.

"When I got to college I started to understand how the game worked," said Schwartz, who graduated from Cal with a degree in American Studies. "Things started coming together more. You learn more about what you are doing and how it relates to the whole picture. That became a lot of fun. . . . There is so much strategy to it."

Schwartz hopes to win the starting right tackle spot opposite perennial Pro Bowler Joe Thomas, another lineman who entered the league in 2007 with a reputation for thinking the game as well as he played it.

Whether he can thrive in the punishing AFC North Division is not yet known, but the top offensive lineman taken in this year's draft believes Schwartz will become a Browns' mainstay.

"He's a great offensive lineman," said former USC standout Matt Kalil, selected fourth overall by the Vikings. "He's a very consistent pass protector and a technician. Mitchell is going to be at that position for the next 10 years."

Batter up

Quarterback Brandon Weeden isn't the only rookie in the Browns' looker room who harbored big-league pitching aspirations.

Schwartz never played after high school, but baseball was his sporting passion growing up in West Los Angeles. He was a pitcher/first baseman and a staunch San Francisco Giants supporter in the land of Dodger blue.

One of Schwartz's early conversations with Weeden, a former New York Yankees draft pick, was about their shared love of pitching.

"I couldn't bring it like him, that's for sure," Schwartz said of his quarterback. "My career flamed out way before his did."

Schwartz didn't play football until high school as his brother, now 26, began attracting college recruiters. There were several reasons for his gridiron indifference.

His father, a business consultant, and mother, an attorney, did not push their kids into athletics. They were more focused on the boys' schooling. Schwartz also was preparing for his Bar Mitzvah, a coming-of-age ritual for 13-year-old boys of the Jewish faith. (The brothers are among a handful of Jewish players in the NFL.)

Then, there was the matter of Schwartz's heft. Both brothers were simply too big for the weight requirements of their youth football leagues.

"We were off the charts," Schwartz said.

Prior to his freshman year, he decided to try out for the junior varsity football team at Palisades Charter High School. Naturally, the pitcher wanted to play quarterback.

The coach took one look at a lumberjack trapped in a ninth grader's body and agreed to anything that lured him into the program. Coming off the bench in a mop-up role, Schwartz completed his only JV pass for 30 yards before moving to the offensive line.

"I'm sure they had a plan to move me to the line in a week, they just needed to get me on the field," Schwartz said. "I transitioned pretty quick."

His teams won just nine varsity games over three years but the image of Palisades Charter is not tarnished by sub. 500 football seasons. Founded in 1965, the school has produced two Academy-Award winning actors (Jeff Bridges, Forest Whitaker), a Pulitzer-Prize winning biographer (A. Scott Berg), a five-time NBA champion (Steve Kerr), a super model (Christie Brinkley) and scores of musicians and composers.

The Brothers Schwartz might not even be the most notable sibling alumni from a school that gave pop culture the Doublemint Twins (Jean and Liz Sagel) and The Nelsons (Matthew and Gunnar).

"They have good years and bad years in athletics, but their academic program is one of the best in Los Angeles," Lee said. "That's the reason we sent the boys there."

The youngest Schwartz scored a 34 on his ACT test and was strong enough in the classroom and on the football field to earn scholarship offers from schools such as Cal, Stanford and Virginia.

His affinity for baseball aside, he abandoned the sport after his junior year. He concentrated on football and prepared for a career at Cal, a program that ran a pro-style offense and had a penchant for placing linemen in the NFL.

Yearning for learning

Schwartz's hunger for knowledge grew in Berkeley, Calif.

He took upper-level psychology classes to feed his fascination with the human condition and perused the Golden Bears playbook to understand the responsibilities of those beyond his position. His endless curiosity endeared him to coaches.

"Mitchell is competitive and he's intelligent and he wants to know what the players around him are supposed to be doing," Cal offensive line coach Jim Michalczik said. "He sets very high standards for himself and he's very consistent in his approach."

He started 35 games at left tackle and 16 games at right tackle. He spent the past two seasons on the left side, but isn't worried about making the transition.

Schwartz believes there's a correlation between book smart and football acumen. It's the ability to rapidly process information, he said, and decode the slightest movement of a linebacker or a safety in the moment before the ball is snapped.

"You want your team to be able to rely on you to do the right thing," Schwartz said. "I pride myself on not making mental mistakes."

In the off-season before his senior year, Schwartz dedicated himself to studying the habits of three elite NFL offensive tackles, Michalczik said. He started with Thomas.

"Joe is so smooth out there it almost doesn't look like he's trying," Schwartz said. "Obviously, it's an illusion, but that's how good he is, how consistent he is. There is an effortless quality about his performance."

Valuable resources

It's dangerous to over analyze rookies before they start playing exhibition games, especially on a franchise that has failed so frequently in the draft. But the Browns' best pick since their 1999 rebirth likes what he sees in Schwartz.

Thomas, a three-time All-Pro, contends the young line should be the strength of the offense for the foreseeable future and believes Schwartz's technique is superior to his as a rookie. He is expected to replace Tony Pashos, who spent two injury-filled seasons with the Browns before being released in March. Schwartz has been getting the majority of first-team reps ahead of Oniel Cousins.

"He has everything you need in a right tackle," Thomas said. "He's in meeting rooms already making calls and answering questions that frankly I'm surprised he knows the answers to."

Schwartz arrived in Cleveland armed with plenty of resources. His brother, a four-year NFL veteran, tutored him on the expectations of a first pro camp as they spent several weeks together working out at Geoff's home in Charlotte, N.C. Browns center Alex Mack, a teammate at Cal, offered him immediate locker-room familiarity.

The rookie tackle is facing an athletic pass rusher in Jabaal Sheard every day at practice. The defensive end's speed and explosiveness have given him problems at times, but it figures to ready him for the 16-game challenge ahead.

"Jabaal is a little bit of everything," Schwartz said of a defensive end who registered 8.5 sacks in his rookie season ."He's quick off the ball, he's quick in changing directions and he's got some power behind him so it's not like you can sit on one thing. It's been really good for me to go against a guy who can do so much. . . . [In college] you see guys who can do one thing very well, but it's rare when you can find a guy who can do all of it."

When Schwartz has questions about combating an opponent he won't have to leave the huddle to get them answered. Thomas should be able to counsel him through his rookie moments.

"You are talking about the best tackle in the NFL," Schwartz said. "There is a lot of stuff he does in the NFL that is different than other guys. It's awesome to have him there and to ask him why he does certain things on certain plays."

If all goes well, Weeden will owe his offensive line a few dinners. Lee Schwartz might be willing to sell him an industrial-sized freezer on the cheap.

With three races left on the schedule, four drivers are within 28 points of the lead in the championship race.

View full sizeJay LaPrete, Associated PressWinner Scott Dixon gets doused on the podiun by runner-up Will Power, left and third-place finisher Simon Pagenaud.

Lexington, Ohio -- The IndyCar points leaders took a big hit Sunday, and the points race is much tighter because of it. Defending Mid-Ohio race champion Scott Dixon took the lead in the pits on lap 57 ahead of pole-sitter Will Power, then led the parade in the final 28 laps of the Honda 200 at Mid-Ohio to defend his crown.

Ryan Hunter-Reay, who came in leading the points standings, and Helio Castroneves, who was second, finished 24th and 16th, respectively, leaving the championship race in a bottleneck with three races left.

Power, who finished second, leaped from third to first (379) in the title chase with 379 points. Hunter-Reay (374) is second and Castroneves (353) is third. Dixon (351) remains fourth, but the 61 points that separated the top four drivers going into the race has been whittled to 28.

"That's crazy for this time of year," Dixon said of the close points race. "It's going to be a tough end of the year, but we're pumped."

For the second straight IndyCar race, it was green flag from start to finish as the tight and narrow Mid-Ohio course limited passing opportunities among the leaders. That was made to order for Dixon, who started fourth but has a history of pristine efforts at Mid-Ohio. He has now won at the 13-turn, 2.25-mile circuit in 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2012.

For this one, the New Zealand native never made a pass on the track, but still saw the checkered flag first.

Rain early in the day delayed pre-race practice. Once the cars got on the track, it became a slip and slide affair for many of them as more than one driver spun in a corner or slid off line into a sand pit.

When the race began, two drivers were already in the penalty box as both Castroneves and Alex Tagliani were dropped to the back of the starting grid -- Castroneves to 14th, Tagliani to 23rd -- for unapproved engine changes. Hunter-Reay had no such problems, starting seventh. But engine woes midway through the race would cost him dearly as he finished only 79 of the 85 laps.

Power sat on the pole and led the first 57 laps. Dixon moved from fourth to second on lap 28 when two drivers in front of him -- Dario Franchitti and Sebastian Bourdais pitted, leaving him behind Power.

Dixon remained second until the final pit stop of the day on lap. Both he and Power pitted at the same time, with Dixon's stall right behind Power's. Dixon's crew got the job done quicker, and Dixon was on his way out of his pit stall and beside Power as the leader came off his jacks. That's as close as Power would get to the front the rest of the day.

"I knew that would be a tough pit, both on the same lap," Power said.

Both he and Dixon noted Mid-Ohio has the smallest, tightest pit boxes in the series, meaning Power had the disadvantage of slowing down, then going around Dixon's crew while Dixon, with the pit box behind him empty, could slide in on the fly.

"You realize going in it's going to be tight," Power said. "There's nothing you can do about it. That's racing. Still, it was a very good day. That was everything we had. Definitely a good points day."

Dixon won by 3.46 seconds, with Power leading 57 laps, Dixon 26, and James Hinchcliffe leading two during pit stop rotations. This also proved to be the first time since 1987 that two straight IndyCar races were run without a caution flag.

Add 'em up: IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard spoke briefly with the media before the race and said he wants to increase the number of races next season. There are 15 in 2012 after China earlier this year bailed out of a race scheduled for Aug. 19.

"We have to have a minimum of 19 races," Bernard began. "I think we have to be able to bring more attention to these drivers and these sponsors."

Interestingly, Mike Lanigan, promoter for the Cleveland Grand Prix, that last was run in 2008, was at Mid-Ohio and well aware of IndyCar's wishes. The promoter already has a race in Houston locked into the 2013 open-wheel schedule. Asked about Cleveland, his response was, "I haven't given up."

The big stumbling block for Cleveland's return remains the same, which is finding a title sponsor.

Good news for Legge: Katherine Legge, the former Polestar protege now with IndyCar's Dragon Racing Team, has been somewhat on the sidelines since the Indianapolis 500 as the race team had just one Chevrolet engine to share between Legge and teammate Bourdais. Since Bourdais is the more accomplished road racer, and most of the races since Indy have been street courses, Legge has sat.

No more. Team owner Jay Penske announced Sunday the team has secured a second engine from Chevy for Legge to race in Sonoma, Calif., a street race. That will give her two straight events behind the wheel, as an oval at Infineon Raceway follows that.

"Obviously I'm thrilled to get back behind the wheel of my TrueCar Chevrolet in Sonoma and also to get the opportunity to test there prior to the race," Legge said. "We're all racers and anytime you have to sit out a race it's tough, but we've been doing the best with the situation and hopefully we will be able to get the results we know we're capable of in Sonoma."

Two-time defending sprint triathlon champion Phil Friedman finishes first, but misses out on a victory after his timing chip falls off during the swim in Lake Erie.

Cleveland, Ohio -- At some point while he was swimming in Lake Erie, Phil Friedman felt his timing chip fall off his ankle. Somehow, the Velcro strip had loosened, his leg tangled with someone else amid the fury of swimming in the Cleveland Triathlon and the device that would record his time was gone.

Friedman continued, completing the 0.4-mile swim, 16-mile bike and 5-kilometer run of the Sprint event and finishing ahead of everyone else.

However, since the chip settled in the weeds at the bottom of the lake, the glory of winning the competition for the third year in a row wasn't to be for the 58-year-old Erie, Pa., resident.

"It bummed me out," said Friedman, who finished in times of 1:12:51 and 1:14:01 the past two years. "It's always nice to win."

Friedman will have to settle for the knowledge that he topped 38-year-old Joshua Barry, even if the record shows that Barry won the Sprint in 1:17:35. Anna Comella, 26, was the top female finisher in 1:22:22.

Barry, of Aurora, was competing in the triathlon for the second year and has been competing in triathlons for only a year total. The swim, he said, is his least-favorite discipline.

Friedman, undoubtedly, agrees.

Rainy day: Minutes after Jim Lamastra crossed the finish line in 2:00:40, the top finish in the Olympic distance of the 1.5K swim, 24-mile bike and 10K run, raindrops began to fall. The top Olympic-distance finishers were able to avoid most of a rainstorm that passed through Cleveland, but not everyone was so lucky.

About 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Cleveland Triathlon organizer Jack Caress announced that a storm was expected to pass through in about 30 minutes and that finishers should remove bikes and equipment from the transition area. The threat of storms and high winds is the reason no clock stood at the finish line to display triathlon times, Caress said. Olympic winners: Lamastra attempted to cross the finish line with his 4-year-old son, Luca, but the little boy managed only a few steps with his dad before returning to his mom. Incidentally, the boy's mother and Lamastra's wife is Andrea Nickey, who won the triathlon in 2005 with a time of 2:18:57.

"Every time we try to do it [have Luca finish with his dad], he's all gung ho about it until we try to do it," Lamastra said with a smile.

Even without Luca, Lamastra managed his first Cleveland-course win. The veteran triathlete competes with USProTri.com, which had several athletes in the race. Lamastra, who lives in Rocky River and works as a physical therapist, has been training for Ironman distances more than Olympic distances, however, and was surprised to finish so well in the Cleveland race.

Robin Zehnder Muskopf, of Rocky River, also was surprised to be the top woman finisher in the Olympic distance in her third year of competing in the race. The 36-year-old was praying for rain to hold off on the bike portion.

"God answers prayers," she said. "I don't want to bike in the rain, ever." Team UCP The United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Cleveland chapter was a fundraising sponsor of the triathlon for the fifth year, and Team Myles has participated every year.

Myles Ketterer is 10 years old, now, and he has walked across the finish line every year with the help of his family, including parents Suzi and Vince. This year, Myles, who has cerebral palsy, which makes it difficult for him to walk, insisted on walking across the finish line unaided.

He did so with an enormous grin, while family members and volunteers cheered.

"He really wanted to do it by himself this year," Suzy Ketterer said. "He'll do anything for pop."

Sunday was a special day for Myles -- not only for completing the Super Sprint distance of a 300-yard swim, eight-mile bike and 1.5-mile run, but also because he was allowed to drink a Coke.

This year, 18 families and more than 300 people competed for United Cerebral Palsy. Super Sprint winners: Sean Allds said it might be time to move up to the Olympic distance in the Cleveland Triathlon. The 32-year-old won the Super Sprint on Sunday, his second victory in two years, by completing it in 42:04.

Allds was competing for UCP's Team Anthony and said he didn't feel as if he had trained enough for a long distance.

"I guess it's time to move up," he said afterward.

Isabel Ballard, 22, was the top female finisher in the Super Sprint at 52:21. Chilly Lake Erie: A racer who was curious about the swim before the start of the triathlon called down to a volunteer in a kayak before the start.

"What's the temperature of the water?" she asked.

The volunteer splashed his hand in the water, then shouted back, "Cold!"

"The temperature of Lake Erie is always cold," he added with a chuckle.

Officially, "cold" was about 76 degrees at the start of the race.

The speedy outfielder will platoon with Shelley Duncan and try to bolster the bottom of the Tribe's order.

View full sizeDuane Burleson, Associated PressEzequiel Carrera brings speed to the Indians' lineup and is off to a hot start at the plate since being recalled from Columbus.

Detroit -- Ezequiel Carrera, who just arrived from Class AAA Columbus, is getting a chance to be the Indians' regular left fielder.

"He'll play there the majority of the time against right-handers," said manager Manny Acta. "We'll sneak Shelley Duncan in there against some left-handers."

Carrera joined the team on Friday, when Johnny Damon was designated for assignment. Carrera is still an adventure defensively, but he's certainly swinging the bat.

In Sunday's 10-8 loss, Carrera went 3-for-5, with a homer, RBI and two stolen bases. The homer was his first in the big leagues.

In three games, he's hitting .583 (7-for-12), with three runs. Three of his hits have gone for extra bases.

Defensively, Carrera made a nice running catch in left field against Prince Fielder in the fifth.

"Our hope is he can help us get better in the bottom of the order," Acta said. "That way, we'll give the first four guys in our lineup a chance to hit with runners on base. I think he can do that."

Carrera, who hit ninth Friday and Saturday, was in the seventh spot Sunday. He singled in his second at-bat, but was thrown out attempting to steal second. It looked as if he beat the tag, but he was called out.

The left-handed-hitting Carrera might be the fastest player on the team, but he had trouble stealing bases last year. He went 10-for-15 in stolen-base attempts with the Tribe after going 35-for-39 at Columbus.

This year, he was 26-for-33 at Columbus.

"He's gotten better," Acta said. "It's just like everything else. People in the big leagues are better at stopping base stealers than they are in the minors. That's why they're here.

"Pitchers pay more attention. Catchers are better. That's why when a guy [a base stealer] comes up here, those numbers go down a little."

In the sixth, Carrera hit a leadoff single and stole second.

Blindsided: In preparing the Indians for the regular season, Acta and the front office didn't think that the starting rotation would struggle as much as it has.

"No one was anticipating that some of the guys that we started the season with would not pitch at least the way they did last year," Acta said.

The Indians opened the season with Justin Masterson, Ubaldo Jimenez, Derek Lowe, Josh Tomlin and Jeanmar Gomez in the rotation. That has changed. Tomlin was moved to the bullpen Tuesday, Lowe was designated for assignment Thursday and Gomez was optioned to Class AAA Columbus on June 25.

Masterson and Jimenez are still in the rotation, but they aren't pitching well. The rest of the rotation consists of rookies Zach McAllister and Corey Kluber and left-hander Chris Seddon, who made his first big-league start in almost five years Sunday.

The rotation is 36-49, with a 5.15 ERA. Only two other teams have a higher ERA.

"We were positive about the rotation going into the season," Acta said. "I was anticipating that these guys would be as good, if not better."

More changes are coming. Roberto Hernandez should be ready to claim one of the rotation spots when his three-week suspension ends Aug. 11. Carlos Carrasco, recovering from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, should be ready to compete for a spot in spring training.

When the season ends, General Manager Chris Antonetti will have to decide if he wants to exercise the club options on Hernandez and Jimenez for 2013.

Tomlin could also resurface as a starter sometime later this season or next year.

Finally: Nick Hagadone, recovering from surgery on his broken left wrist, is rehabbing in Goodyear, Ariz. . . . Jeremy Heller, the Indians' athletic trainer at Class A Carolina, was named Athletic Trainer of the Year for the Carolina League by the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society. . . . Michael Brantley had his seventh three-hit game of the season Sunday. . . . Lou Marson snapped an 0-for-19 skid with his second-inning single.

Golf doesn't seem like a cruel game. But what happened to Jim Furyk, as he threw away the Bridgestone Invitational Sunday, convinces you otherwise.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerJim Furyk led at Firestone for 71 holes, but lost the tournament when he double-bogeyed the 18th hole on Sunday.

AKRON, Ohio -- Golf, cruel? Really?

When what is called rough is only tall grass? When the pain is psychic? When the hit that hurts the most doesn't come over the middle or in the lane or at the plate, but is delivered by yourself to yourself?

"I've known it's a cruel game for a long time," said Jim Furyk, the come-from-ahead runner-up at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational after a double-bogey 6 on the final hole at Firestone South Sunday.

The worst putt he hit all week was the biggest one. Five feet from the hole, under a mottled sky that had burst with rain early, then filled with sunlight and now didn't know what mood it was in, Furyk needed it to squeeze into a playoff with Keegan Bradley.

Bradley had bellied up to his long putter and buried birdie putts all day -- from 41 feet, 25, 24, 11, 9 and 7. In addition, he made par-savers of 14 feet and, finally, on the 18th green, 15 feet, 8 inches.

Sighted putt, sank same. The last, saving Bradley's par 4, giving him a 31 on the back nine for a final-round 64 and a 13-under-par total of 267, beat Furyk by a stroke.

Furyk stabbed at the ball on the putt he had to have, jerking it wide right, missing the hole entirely. He dropped the putter and bent over, both hands on his knees. His son, Tanner, 9, watching with his sister, Caleigh Lynn, and Furyk's wife, Tabitha, started to cry.

"I was trying to hit it on the firm side, but I pushed it really bad, never gave it a chance. It was a very quick stroke," Furyk said.

Just that quickly, he was done. He made the come-backer for his double bogey in a daze. Dead man holing out. He had shot a good score, 69, with a double bogey.

The three opening birdies in the final round didn't matter. The solid ball striking and course management all day didn't matter. He had led after each of the first three rounds, led from wire to lean-at-the-wire, and he had lost on the 72nd hole.

"I had a lot of control of the golf ball today. Didn't hit in the rough hardly at all," Furyk said.

He hit it in the rough when he couldn't afford to, though. Behind a greenside bunker on 18, out of a downhill lie, Furyk hit the one shot which, even more than the missed putt, he would like to have back.

"If you hit down through that [lie], you're going to catch it high on the blade. To try to keep from doing so, I tried to sweep it out, and I got too steep, got the ball real high on the face," Furyk said.

The ball had nothing on it, barely clearing the bunker. Then it went to ground in more rough.

"If I hit it solid, it rolls down to where Keegan's ball was, and we have a putting contest," Furyk said. "If I make, I win. If I miss, we have a playoff."

He had already survived one such putting contest, stroking an 18-footer into the cup on 16 for a birdie and making Bradley match it with an 11-footer.

Not this time.

Furyk slashed the ball out on his fourth shot and nearly hit it twice, as the thick, wet grass clung to the clubface.

"A hard ball to get close. I had a really awful lie," Furyk said.

Said Bradley, with the loyalty of one PGA Tour pro to another: "I don't think Jim collapsed at all. I went out and played a very good round."

Furyk bogeyed two of the final three holes to fall out of a tie at the U.S. Open at Olympic in San Francisco in June. The two stumbles in one summer were too much for him. He wouldn't take the cover Bradley offered.

"When something happens in your life like that, you're working so hard, you're trying too hard, you're pushing too hard, you've worked so hard for it. I have no one to blame but myself, but when things go wrong, it's an empty feeling," Furyk said. "My boy was crying right after the round, and I guess it reminds you, as an adult, as a parent, that you have to act the proper way. You have to do and say the right things to try to give the right lessons."

Bradley has now won his two biggest tournaments -- the PGA Championship last year and the Bridgestone on Sunday -- after the leaders, Cleveland's Jason Dufner, then Furyk, crumbled.

"I'm not dodging it. It is a cruel game. I've lost some tournaments in some pretty poor fashions, but I don't think I've ever let one slip as bad as this one," Furyk said.

"I love everything right now. I love you guys," an ebullient Bradley said in the interview room.

Minutes earlier, Furyk had slipped out the side door with his family. They love him, too.

The Tigers scored five times in the 10th inning to beat the Indians, 10-8, Sunday at Comerica Park. Miguel Cabrera's two-run homer off Chris Perez ended it.

View full sizeCarlos Osorio, Associated PressAsdrubal Cabrera sits in the dugout after watching Detroit rally for five runs in the 10th inning to defeat the Indians as the Tribe completed a nine-game trip without a win for the first time in team history.

Detroit -- They will win again. It seems hard to believe, but the Indians will win another game.

It may even happen this season, but one thing is certain: they will never forget this nine-game Midwestern slog through Minneapolis, Kansas City and Detroit. History won't let them.

Yes, they did it. The Indians lost again, this time in excruciating fashion, 10-8, to Detroit in 10 innings to extend their losing streak to nine games.

Never before in the franchise's 112-year history have the Indians gone winless on a trip of nine or more games. It would be one thing if this happened in April or May. But it happened now, right before our eyes, in late July and early August.

All it did was ruin a season. Scuttle it.

The Indians went from contenders, 31/2 games out of first place in the AL Central on July 26, to non-factors. They are 91/2 games out of first place following Sunday's loss.

Manager Manny Acta said the Indians have to be desperate to win a ballgame, just one ballgame. They played desperate Sunday and still lost.

After escaping defeat in the ninth, the Indians took an 8-5 lead in the 10th with three runs. Travis Hafner and Ezequiel Carrera hit consecutive homers. Lou Marson added an RBI double. The nightmare was about to end.

Closer Chris Perez, pitching in his first save situation since July 26, retired the first two batters in the 10th. Then he lost it, walking Alex Avila and pinch-hitter Andy Dirks. The Indians thought Perez had Dirks struck out, but plate umpire Joe West didn't agree.

Up came the top of the Tigers lineup and light of victory was snuffed out for the Tribe.

Austin Jackson doubled home Avila. Omar Infante, with runners on second and third, dropped a soft single into center field to tie it. Miguel Cabrera replaced Infante's feather-duster with a sledge hammer, driving Perez's 3-1 pitch high and deep over the left-field fence.

Jackson and Infante were a combined 8-for-12 with six runs.

"The way we battled today makes this so much worse," said Perez, who fell to 0-3 on the season and is 29-for-32 in save situations. "You have to tip your hat to our position players and bullpen. Everybody knows we're playing bad ball and this has been a terrible road trip, but to keep coming back and then put three runs up in extra innings.

"Then for me to just give it away. . . ."

The game turned toward the Indians in the ninth when demoted starter Josh Tomlin trotted in from the bullpen to open the inning with the score tied, 5-5.

Tomlin gave up a leadoff triple to Jackson, but struck out Infante. Manager Manny Acta ordered Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder intentionally walked to load the bases. He replaced right fielder Shin-Soo Choo with Jose Lopez so he could use a five-man infield -- Jack Hannahan and Asdrubal Cabrera were on the left side of the infield, Lopez was playing behind second base and Jason Kipnis and Carlos Santana were on the right side.

Quintin Berry, a defensive replacement in the eighth inning, made Acta look like a genius as he bounced to first. Carlos Santana threw home to start the game-saving 3-2-3 double play.

"The whole idea was to not let their big guys beat us," said Acta. "I just told Josh to keep cutting the ball in on Berry's hands so we could get a ground ball to the right side. He did a great job."

Left-hander Chris Seddon started for the Indians, but lasted just 41/3 innings. It was just the second time on the trip that a Tribe starter didn't take the loss. The rotation limped home at 0-7 with an 11.69 ERA (55 earned runs in 421/3 innings).

"This whole trip is on the pitching staff," said reliever Vinnie Pestano.

When asked what the Indians had to do to win another game, Pestano said, "The slope just keeps getting steeper."

Pitching wasn't the Indians' only problem. They were awful in every phase of the game.

They were outscored, 74-28, while averaging just over three runs per game. They hit .218 (67-for-308) as a team and that includes their 17 hits from Sunday. With runners in scoring position, they hit .183 (11-for-60).

"That one really hurts," said Acta. "Not only because of the losing streak, but because of how much heart and determination these guys showed throughout the game."

Hafner gave the Indians a 5-4 lead in the seventh with a single. But for the first of two times in the game, the cream of the Tribe's pen couldn't hold the lead.

Joe Smith gave up a double to Infante and a single to Cabrera to start the seventh. Pestano relieved with runners on the corners and gave up a game-tying sacrifice fly to Fielder. It was the first inherited runner he's allowed to score this season.

With the host British fighting for a gold medal, it was a rowdy crowd watching the horses make their jumps.

View full sizeDavid Goldman, Associated PressWho knew how much fun it could be to watch as horses such as Lunatic, with Sweden's Jens Fredericson aboard, make their jumps?

I had never been to an equestrian event in my life, and I had a ball Monday afternoon watching team jumping at historic Greenwich Park's beautiful venue.

I got a kick out of the horses -- the best athletes at the Olympics? -- as well as the crowd and especially the setting. It was interesting to hear the crowd so quiet that you could hear hooves hitting a barrier, followed by a loud, "Awww!" when a barrier fell -- and more silence until a burst of applause after the final jump.

These weren't traditional equestrian fans. They loved it when the horses pooped on the arena floor, and they did the wave between riders. When Great Britain and the Netherlands had a jump-off for the gold -- the equestrian equivalent of a shootout -- many fans cheered when Dutch riders hit a barrier. The Brits won on a final clear round, and the shock wave of screaming and foot-stomping shook the temporary stadium.

The hilltop venue provides a sweeping view of London and the River Thames. It's to be completely removed and the park restored to its former state after the Games. Greenwich dates to the 1400s. It was the birthplace of Henry VIII and his daughters, Mary I and Elizabeth I. And the Olympics were there, too.

LeBron James added 18 points in the win.

USA's Kevin Durant reacts after hitting a three point basket during a preliminary men's basketball game against Argentina at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 6, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

LONDON (AP) -- Kevin Durant shot the U.S. men's Olympic basketball team out of trouble, and right into the top seed in their group.

Durant scored 17 of his 28 points during the Americans' explosive 42-point third quarter, turning a one-point game into a blowout that sent the U.S. soaring into the quarterfinals with a 126-97 victory over Argentina on Monday night.

The NBA scoring champion matched the Argentines' point total in the period, going 5-of-6 from 3-point range, the last one from well beyond 25 feet. The Americans didn't stop shooting and scoring until Carmelo Anthony made a 3-pointer in the final second of the quarter while taking what he and the U.S. bench right behind him felt was a cheap shot from Argentina's Facundo Campazzo, setting off an exchange of words and technical fouls.

"You kind of want to send a message a little bit," Kobe Bryant said. "This was the second game in a row that a team has played us close. We didn't want to give them confidence."

The Americans (5-0) will play Australia (3-2) in a quarterfinal game Wednesday.

LeBron James added 18 points, getting the Americans' first seven of the third quarter before Durant took over. Chris Paul finished with 17.

"We're great shooting team, but in close games sometimes you've got to go down and get some easy ones, and I wanted the ball, whether it was layups or in the post," James said. "Once you get a couple easy ones at the rim then the 3-pointers open up and you saw what KD was able to do."

Two nights after surviving their first real test in a 99-94 victory over Lithuania, it seemed the Americans might be headed for another tight finish. Argentina shot 56 percent in the first half and the U.S. led just 60-59.

Minutes later, it was effectively over.

Durant's 3-pointer after James' surge gave the U.S. 10 points in 2:10 of the second half, and he made back-to-back 3s midway through the period to make it 85-68. He nailed consecutive 3s again later in the quarter, the latter from beyond the hash line, a distance that most players would never consider pulling up from.

"I really didn't pay attention to where the line was," Durant said. "When I caught that ball I was going to shoot it."

Durant, who holds the U.S. scoring record with 38 points in the 2010 world championship, might have threatened that if not for the lopsided score. He checked out for good about a minute into the fourth quarter.

Manu Ginobili scored 16 points for Argentina (3-2), which would have won Group A via tiebreaker if it had blown out the U.S. Instead, it finished third and will face Brazil in the quarterfinals.

A crowd featuring former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and ex-heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield was treated to an offensive show in the first half with little more defense than the NBA All-Star game. A basket on one end was answered quickly by a shot on the other in what was shaping up as a thriller between the last two Olympic champions.

But the U.S. simply has too much offense, even if the defense could use some tightening up.

The Americans have two days to work on it before facing the Australians (3-2), who pulled a surprise earlier Monday, handing Group B champion Russia its first loss, 82-80, on Patty Mills' 3-pointer as time expired.

Then again, maybe the defense is fine as it is.

Durant finished 8 of 10 from 3-point range and the Americans were 20 of 39.

James, who scored nine of his 20 points in the final four minutes Saturday, now has 225 points as a U.S. Olympian, pulling within six of Charles Barkley for third place on the U.S. career list.

The closer on Saturday was a late arrival in this one, returning from the locker room area, leaping over a barrier like an Olympic hurdler to jump back in line in time for the national anthem.

Still missing at the start was the U.S. defense.

The Americans, who insist their defense is their strength, allowed Argentina to make 11 of its first 15 shots, falling behind 30-29 when Leonardo Gutierrez made a 3-pointer with 1:03 left in the first quarter. Durant's 3-pointer as time expired gave the U.S. a 34-32 lead headed to the second.

The U.S. could only get its lead as high as six in the second -- though nobody was quite sure when it happened. Andre Iguodala's ferocious dunk on the fast break was thrown down with such force that it hit his chest and ricocheted back up through the basket so quickly that it was unclear if it went in at all. The PA announcer and scoreboard operator counted it, but Argentina simply pushed the ball up the other way as if the shot had missed. Replays showed it clearly went all the way down, making it 45-39.

The game between the longtime rivals got testy in the second half, and they could see each other again soon. They would meet in the semifinals for the third straight Olympics if both win Wednesday.

The Plain Dealer's Cleveland Browns beat writers report on Brandon Weeden being named the starting quarterback for the 2012 season and other news during day 8 of training camp in Berea. Watch video

New ownership will eventually decide whether to keep Heckert, who has conducted the last three Browns' drafts and been in charge of other transactions. More Browns story links.

John Kuntz, The Plain DealerTom Heckert (photo) was hired by Browns president Mike Holmgren as the team's general manager before the 2010 draft.

In the big picture, I don’t think it will matter a lot if Holmgren is relieved of his duties. His primary job coming here was to put together a front office to turn things around and that starts with the hiring of Heckert.

Heckert has been drafting the past two years for the 4-3 defense and tailor-making the players to fit the West Coast offense. If Haslam brings in a new GM, it could be another case of starting over.

Even if Shurmur is replaced, as long as Heckert is in place the philosophy and direction will be the same. It is unclear what the relationship between Heckert and Banner is. Heckert worked under Banner in Philadelphia but it is unclear if they were on the same page or not. Heckert left the Eagles to be the Browns GM when he had the opportunity to have final say on the final 53-man roster.

Team USA cyclist Sarah Hammer could break Great Britain’s track cycling stranglehold while looking for gold today in one of the wildest, most strategic events at the Olympics.

View full sizeDavid Eulitt, Kansas City Star MCTAmerican Sarah Hammer is tied for the lead midway through the omnium, a unique, six-part cycling competition.

London -- Composed of six cycling events in two days, a new Olympic sport called the omnium that's like the decathlon on a bike with a name that sounds like a torture device, could be won by American cyclist Sarah Hammer Tuesday. She tied for the lead after three races Monday, with three more today, but her real quest for a gold medal includes an international incident and the elimination of her best race, so this is nothing.

Four years ago, Hammer was one of four Team USA cyclists who wore smog masks to cover their faces when they arrived for the Beijing Olympics. The masks were issued by the United States Olympic Committee, but it was the USOC that demanded an apology after the masks offended the hosts. So the riders apologized. And then after the Games, the USOC apologized for making them apologize.

Too late. Distracted, Hammer had placed fifth in her favorite event, the individual pursuit, and she was so upset when she got home, she put away everything with an Olympic logo on it.

"It was not a good experience," Hammer said. "I had dreams of winning a medal and it didn't work out for me, so, of course, I was disappointed."

There was more. The decision was soon made to eliminate individual pursuit, where two riders start on opposite sides of the track and race to the finish line over a large number of laps, as an Olympic sport. "I wasn't thrilled," Hammer said. "It was just sadness, like it really is gone."

In its place came the omnium, a test of speed, strength and smarts that can look wild, as if a pileup is imminent, but might be the most strategic event in the Olympics.

"A lot of times, it's not the fastest person who wins and not the strongest," Hammer said, "it's the smartest who wins."

Contestants are constantly calculating when to go fast and when to hold back, how to balance speed and endurance in a race and through the day, and comparing their rolling point totals to everyone else's.

Here's what they already did Monday: a 250-meter flying-start time trial; a pack race of 80 laps where points were awarded for finishing in the top four of a sprint every 10 laps or for lapping much of the field; and an elimination race in which 18 riders started and one was eliminated every two laps until just one remained.

Hammer finished fifth, fifth and second and as a result is tied for first in the overall standings with Great Britain's Laura Trott.

"To be leading coming into the second day is a great position to be in, but anything can happen," Hammer said. "That's the nature of the omnium: one race at a time."

Tell that to the Brits, crazy cycling fans who have been exhorting every push of the pedal and bellowing for the home nation for days, with Great Britain winning five of the seven gold medals awarded in track cycling so far. Team USA has just one medal -- a silver in the team pursuit won by Hammer, Jennie Reed, Dotsie Bausch and Lauren Tamayo.

Today, Hammer faces a 3,000-meter individual pursuit -- her favorite race still included as a portion of this -- a 10,000-meter race to the finish with the entire pack, and to end it, a 500-meter time trial that is her biggest worry.

"It's a survival event," Hammer said. "What it comes down to is you can't crack, and hopefully your competitors will crack at some point. Medals are won and lost by people who just don't come through, and you've got to hope that you're not one of them."

One more thing -- when these Olympics are done, the International Cycling Union will discuss whether the omnium should be whacked from the program for 2016.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It is a new age, and professional athletes can bare their souls in so many different ways. After turning an 8-5 lead into a 10-8 loss to the Tigers on Sunday with two out in the 10th inning, Indians closer Chris Perez used his Twitter account to Tweet: "Definitely the low point of my professional career....

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerTribe closer Chris Perez tweeted that Sunday's blown save was the low point of his career.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It is a new age, and professional athletes can bare their souls in so many different ways.

After turning an 8-5 lead into a 10-8 loss to the Tigers on Sunday with two out in the 10th inning, Indians closer Chris Perez used his Twitter account to Tweet: "Definitely the low point of my professional career. Only thing I can do is work harder tomorrow and get better. #NeverGiveIn."

In an earlier Tweet, he invited Indians fans to rip him for extending the Indians' losing streak to nine games.

"Obviously, I meant to do it," said Perez before Monday night's game. "I don't make stuff up."

Some of the responses:

"Chin up sir" @nfltalentstaff.

"Everybody has a bad day" @snbarber63.

"One would think the low point would be throwing up on TV after a save" @connorfabits3.

After retiring the first two batters, Perez walked Alex Avila and Andy Dirks. A double by Austin Jackson and a single by Omar Infante tied the score. Miguel Cabrera's two-run homer won it.

Perez is 0-3 with 29 saves in 32 chances.

"Chris is one of the best closers in the game," said manager Manny Acta. "If there's anybody who can bounce back from this, it's him."

State of the Tribe: General Manager Chris Antonetti touched on a several subjects concerning the struggling Indians on Monday.

Starting rotation: "I'm concerned. The inconsistency of our starting pitching has been a challenge for us most of the year. If we can't ride our starting pitching, it's going to be difficult to sustain any kind of momentum or success."

Was there a lack of effort from the Indians on the 0-9 trip? "I have not had that concern at all. It's never been about our approach or how we prepared or how we played. For the most part, it's been a lack of execution.

"Maybe in some cases it's a question of caring too much and caring too hard."

Is fan criticism bothering the organization? "We are very cognizant of our fans. I think they want the same thing that we want, and that's winning baseball. The more games we win, the happier they'll be, and the happier we'll be.

"We haven't done enough of that this year."

On the shelf: After his second three-RBI game of the season Sunday, the first since April 11, Travis Hafner was on the bench Monday with a stiff back. Hafner has been dealing with back problems since July 31.

Hafner is being treated by a chiropractor and could miss a couple more games.

Another start: The Indians want Roberto Hernandez to make one more start before he joins the rotation. He will pitch for Class AAA Columbus on Friday, the last day of his MLB-imposed three-week suspension.

On Sunday, Hernandez allowed four runs, all on homers, in 71/3 innings for Class A Lake County.

"He went into the eighth inning and threw 96 pitches," said Acta. "He told me he's ready to go, but we're going to have him back one more start."

We have movement: Grady Sizemore (knees, back) hit and ran on the field before Monday's game. Antonetti said he could go out on a rehab assignment in the next two weeks.

"I don't think anyone has an estimation on how long it will take Grady to get back to the major-league level of play," said Antonetti. "At this point, it's been a year since he's been in competition."

In other injury news, lefty Rafael Perez (left lat) will throw a bullpen session today. In Goodyear, Ariz., Carlos Carrasco (right elbow) continues to throw bullpen sessions and could be in game situations in September.

Finally: The Indians claimed right-hander Fabio Martinez on waivers from the Angels. Martinez, 18-13 with a 3.90 in his minor-league career, will be optioned to Class A Carolina. . . . Indians minor-leaguer Juan Nivar, a right-hander in the Dominican Summer League, was suspended for 50 games for using a banned substance. Nivar tested positive for metabolites of Boldenone.

Lineman returns to bolster a depleted front seven. Watch video

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerAhtyba Rubin is a big piece of the defensive line.

BEREA, Ohio – The Browns' depleted front seven finally received some good news on Monday.

Defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin, recovering from a torn pelvic muscle, participated in his first full practice in pads. Coach Pat Shurmur immediately inserted him with the first unit and Rubin declared himself ready to play in Friday's exhibition opener.

His return was a welcome sight for a defense that lost linebacker Chris Gocong to a season-ending torn right Achilles on Saturday, and remains without defensive tackle Phil Taylor (torn pectoral muscle). Taylor is not expected back until about midseason.

"It's great to be out there with my teammates, put a contribution in, get to run around and have fun," Rubin said. ". . . I'm pretty sure I'll probably be in the game Friday. I don't feel (any) limitations, I don't feel bad or nothing like that. I feel 100 percent, so I'm ready to go."

Both Rubin and tight end Evan Moore (undisclosed injury) made their training camp debuts at full strength. Rubin had been on the practice field almost every day running wind sprints in an effort to maintain his conditioning level.

He's not setting any personal goals save for becoming a leader on the defensive line. The fifth-year veteran simply wants to start winning games and help improve a run defense that ranked 30th last season, yielding 147.4 yards per game.

Playing into October without Taylor will make the task difficult, but Rubin has been impressed with rookies John Hughes and Billy Winn, who are getting reps at defensive tackle.

"Billy (has) quick feet (and is), explosive and John, he's just a strong anchor in the middle," Rubin said. "If they can put both of their games together and find a way to jell, it'll be a great thing for the defensive line."

Hughes rising: The Browns released their first depth chart of camp with few surprises among the starters. Perhaps, the only surprise is the club listed Hughes on the first unit even though veteran Scott Paxson has occupied that spot for the first few weeks of camp.

Hughes has been working primarily with the second unit. The Browns released the chart after Shurmur had met with the media.

Still awaiting word: Browns linebacker Scott Fujita remains hopeful his three-game suspension will be reduced or rescinded for his alleged role in the New Orleans Saints bounty program. But the NFL said Monday a report it offered to reduce Jonathan Vilma's season-long suspension to eight games is false.

"Today's report about a settlement offer by the league to Jonathan Vilma is completely inaccurate," league spokesman Greg Aiello said in a statement. "No such settlement offer has been made. We will continue to respect the court proceedings on this matter and have no further comment at this time."

ESPN reported late Sunday night the league offered to reduce Saints linebacker Vilma's year-long suspension as part of ongoing talks between the NFL and NFL Players Association PA regarding the suspensions of the four players including former Saint Fujita.

A hearing is set for Friday in U.S. District court, but the court has ordered the two sides to try to negotiate a settlement. In a hearing on July 26, U.S. District Court Judge Helen Berrigan sympathized with Vilma and expressed concern over NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's ruling.

Fujita is trying to stay focused on football. He will not attend the hearing in part because of Friday's exhibition game.

"It remains an ongoing process like I've said from the very beginning," Fujita said. "There are going to be ups and downs throughout the entire thing and there's going to be lots going on behind the scenes."

With Gocong lost for the season, the Browns would love to have Fujita in the lineup for the regular-season opener or at least the second game against Cincinnati.

"It no doubt creates a greater sense of urgency, but I have to stay the course and hope for the best," Fujita said.

Heavy hearts: A Browns contingent, which will include Shurmur, General Manager Tom Heckert and President Mike Holmgren among others, will travel to Philadelphia on Tuesday morning to attend a service for Garrett Reid, the late son of Eagles coach Andy Reid.

The Browns moved their practice to the afternoon so the group could pay its respects. The coaching and management staffs have a host of ties with the Philadelphia franchise.

Garrett Reid was found dead Sunday morning in a dorm room at the Eagles' Lehigh University training camp.

"It's hard to think about what Andy, (his wife) Tammy and the family are going through losing a child," Shurmur said. "I can't even imagine. As a father, it's got to be tough and for those of us who knew Garrett it's even tougher because we remember (Eagles) training camps when all of our boys were out there, helping out and being around."

Patch work: The Browns debuted "Ford" patches on their practice jerseys Monday, becoming the latest NFL team to allow a sponsor to advertise on its training gear.

The patch, sewn into the left shoulder of the jerseys, is part of a larger agreement with Northeast Ohio Ford Dealers -- one of the Browns training-camp sponsors. The pact was in the works long before new owner Jimmy Haslam took control last week.

This marks the fourth season NFL teams have been allowed to generate money by selling advertising on their practice jerseys.

Kissell, playing tackle, was a sturdy run-stopper and inside pass rusher who helped the Browns to five championship games in the 1950s.

Plain Dealer file photoTackle John Kissell (No. 45, first Browns player on the ground from the left) and the Browns' defense against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL championship game on Dec. 24, 1950 at Cleveland Stadium. The Browns, in their first NFL season, won, 30-28.

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. 93, John Kissell, defensive tackle, 1950-52, 54-56

During the final two seasons of the short-lived All-America Football Conference, John Kissell emerged as a star defensive tackle for the Buffalo Bills. The Browns, who won all four AAFC championships, played Buffalo six times in the 1948 and 1949 seasons, including championship and divisional playoff games, and that was more than enough opportunity for Kissell to impress Cleveland coach Paul Brown.

The AAFC and most of its teams, including Buffalo, folded following the 1949 season. The Browns, San Francisco 49ers and original Baltimore Colts were invited into the NFL..

Among the players Paul Brown brought in from the defunct AAFC teams was Kissell. From 1950-52, and 1954-56, Kissell was a sturdy run-stopper and inside pass rusher for the Browns. His strong and reliable play also helped the end next to him -- whether Hall of Famer Len Ford, or George Young or Carlton Massey -- play with a little more abandon at strategic moments.

Kissell and several other NFL players left the league for the Canadian Football League in 1953. Reportedly, he had been paid $7,500 by Cleveland in 1952, and the 1953 CFL contract he signed with Ottawa was for $9,500 and bonuses.

As valuable as Kissell was to the Browns, his departure wasn't as critical to the team as that of the great wide receiver, Mac Speedie, who signed with Saskatchewan.

And, Kissell returned to Cleveland after one year, while Speedie had two superb seasons in Canada before he broke a leg and retired.

"I made a mistake when I went to Canada last year," Kissell said when he and the Browns re-united, "and I sure thank coach Paul Brown for giving me this second chance. A man who once plays American football in the National League never is content with anything else."

Kissell played in five championship games with the Browns, and they won three of them.

Video: Brief footage by WEWS-TV in Cleveland of first-quarter play during the Browns' 30-28 NFL title game win over the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 24, 1950 at Cleveland Stadium. John Kissell (45) is playing right tackle when the Browns' defense is on the field:

If Lester advances to the medal round, that begins at 1:30 p.m. EDT.

Tim Warsinskey/The Plain DealerJustin (Harry) Lester's family and friends from Akron pose outside the Excel Center in London on Tuesday

LONDON – It's such a small world and Northeast Ohio is it's center.

As I strolled the banks of the River Thames toward the Excel Center this afternoon, I ran into a London Olympics volunteer who was a Browns fan. I'm constantly meeting people with Ohio connections.

As I neared the arena, I spied nearly a dozen people wearing “Justin Lester USA Wrestling shirts.''

They were Northeast Ohioans, to be sure. Justin (Harry) Lester is from Akron and 14 supporters are to be here today. His family and friends were making their way to see him wrestle in the Greco-Roman tournament today, beginning at 8 a.m. EST. Among them were his parents Fred and Verleane, his wife Staci, daughter Zuriana, brother-in-law Danny Young (Shaker Heights' boys basketball coach) and Dave Bergen, who was Lester's high school coach when he won four state titles at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy.

“It's going to be a great day,'' Bergen said. “I think Harry can win a medal. I'm going to say gold!''

After an extended summer vacation, I would be remiss not to acknowledge the passing of Jimmy Bivins, who took with him a ton of Cleveland's historic boxing soul when he died at age 92 on July 4.

Lonnie Timmons III, The Plain DealerJimmy Bivins died at age 92 on July 4

After an extended summer vacation, I would be remiss not to acknowledge the passing of Jimmy Bivins, who took with him a ton of Cleveland's historic boxing soul when he died at age 92 on July 4.

“Old school” was an understatement when it came to Bivins.

While he persevered through illness and aging for a nearly a decade, robbed of much of the unique quirkiness and energy that kept him working at the fight game, he still had that special bearing. Numerous times throughout the years, strangers would call The Plain Dealer to inquire about him.

Some of them made a pilgrimage of sorts to visit him at MacGregor House in East Cleveland. Most were surprised to find he was still alive.

What else would you expect from a fighter?

Like the rest of us, he had hardships and shortcomings along the way. His failure to get a shot at a world championship when that title held true sway was always at the forefront of his résumé.

But never having seen the wins or losses, I have a favorite memory, a glimpse of what it was like for a couple of Cleveland legends to get together. Former light-heavyweight champion Joey Maxim was visiting in the early 1990s, and a trip to Bivins' cramped upstairs gym at St. Malachi School on West 25th Street and Detroit Avenue was in order.

All you had to do was sit back and listen as the stories started to flow. Two old fighters got a good laugh when Maxim misfired trying to hit the speed bag. That never happened in the 1940s.

Maxim died in June 2001 at 79. Now Bivins can resume their laughter in a better place.

Porter's big win: “They can't ignore me,” said Cleveland welterweight Shawn Porter (20-0, 14 KOs), who came up with an important win on national television July 28 in Las Vegas. “I think Showtime liked what it saw. They want me back.”

In a grueling 10-rounder, Porter wore down one-time “Contender” television series fighter Alfonso Gomez (23-6-2, 12 KOs) to win a unanimous decision by scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94. Credit Porter's conditioning for enabling him to dominate the second half of the bout and pile up points.

The win came with a downside, as several head butts drew cuts above both Porter's eyes. He needed six stitches on the left and three on the right. His trainer/father, Ken Porter, said the injuries weren't as bad as they appeared.

However, they will require some time to properly heal, so a tentative bout in October will likely be pushed back a month or two. Ken Porter said his son's next bout could be a 12-rounder as he climbs in contender status.

Around the ring: Showtime had to cancel Saturday's bout featuring IBF light-heavyweight champion Tavoris Cloud (24-0, 19 KOs), when challenger Jean Pascal (26-2-1, 16 KOs) suffered an injured right hand. It hasn't been rescheduled. . . . HBO will telecast WBC/WBA super-middleweight champ Andre Ward (25-0, 13 KOs) in a title defense against WBC light-heavyweight champ Chad Dawson (31-1, 17 KOs) on Sept. 8. . . . Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (46-0-1, 32 KOs) defends his WBC middleweight title in a big test against Sergio Martinez (49-2-2, 27 KOs) on HBO pay-per-view a week later.

Amateur news: Youngstown's Downtown Boxing Club has a show set for Saturday at the SS. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Church's Orthodox Center, 1025 North Belle Vista Ave., at 7 p.m. Call Chuck Nelson at 330-757-7273.

On this date: Argentine professional boxer Carlos Monzon was born in 1942.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

jmaxse@plaind.com, 216-999-5168

On Twitter: @JoeMaxse

Columbus starter Matt Packer (0-1, 6.35 ERA) gave up four runs on eight hits and took the loss in an International League game Monday in Durham, N.C.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Bulls 4, Clippers 1

Columbus starter Matt Packer (0-1, 6.35 ERA) gave up four runs on eight hits and took the loss in an International League game Monday in Durham, N.C.

A Lake County Captains

Captains 4, Silver Hawks 3 (13)

Jordan Smith’s RBI single in the bottom of the 13th against South, Bend, Ind., gave Lake County a Midwest League victory in Eastlake.

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

ValleyCats 5, Scrappers 1

Mahoning Valley got six hits but could only manage one run on an RBI double by Evan Frazar in the sixth inning in a New York-Penn League loss in Troy, N.Y.

Urban Meyer spent Monday's first full team practice at Ohio State not watching what players did so much as taking a peek inside their facemasks.

Marvin Fong, Plain Dealer File Photo "It's so easy to just be an average guy. Greatness isn't exactly (being an NFL) first-rounder. Now, I wouldn't mind a bunch of first-rounders, but greatness means we're going to try to push you to maximize who you are," Urban Meyer said.

COLUMBUS, Ohio  — Urban Meyer spent Monday's first full team practice at Ohio State not watching what players did so much as taking a peek inside their facemasks.

That may seem like a strange approach for a coach, looking at faces instead of plays. But Meyer, hired to take over the NCAA-sanctioned program last November, was looking for signs of effort, grit and competition.

"Think about it, for all of us: It's just so easy to be average," Meyer said after the workout. "It's so easy to just be an average guy. Greatness isn't exactly (being an NFL) first-rounder. Now, I wouldn't mind a bunch of first-rounders, but greatness means we're going to try to push you to maximize who you are."

He gave as an example getting after guys in the classroom or on the field who just hope to get by. It's something that rankles the former Florida, Utah and Bowling Green coach.

"If you're a 2.0 student but you really should be a 3.0 student, we're going to grind you," he said. "And the same thing on the football field."

So, during drills outside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, he kept looking at faces.

He could tell by looking at defensive back C.J. Barnett that he was giving everything he could give.

"Then I looked at a couple of guys next to him and they do accept (being average)," Meyer said. "So it's our job as motivators and coaches to not allow that."

Average, he said, won't be tolerated with this year's Buckeyes.

Last year's team wasn't even that, going 6-7 overall and a dismal 3-5 in the Big Ten. This year's team returns eight starters on defense and seven on offense and, with an NCAA bowl ban, has only 12 games to prove to others that it has taken a step toward erasing the defeats — both on the field and off — that have dogged the team over the last year.

Meyer said he can tell already that many players worked hard during the summer to get up to speed with a new coaching staff and a new system. One of them was quarterback Braxton Miller, who mixed brilliant moments with bad ones last year while he learned on the job as a freshman. Miller said he has worked long and hard on throwing the ball this summer.

"Just working in the offseason by myself and the receivers out here and indoors, working on my accuracy, stepping into my throws, things like that," he said. "Simple stuff."

At Monday night's practice, Miller sidled up to Meyer.

"Braxton had a really good day. And he feels good about it. And he made the comment to me that he knows what he's doing," Meyer said with a slight smile. "Well, he doesn't know yet. There's still a lot more to go. I winked at him and said, 'Yeah, right, pal.'"

Meyer also touched on several other players or groups of players.

— Linebacker Curtis Grant was not at practice, but was released to visit his ill grandfather in Virginia. He is expected to return for Tuesday's practice.

— Running back Jordan Hall (cut tendon in his foot) and defensive lineman Nathan Williams (knee surgery) are recovering from surgery. Hall, figured to be a go-to guy on offense, and Williams, an anchor up front, are right on schedule but Meyer said the medical staff was taking a cautious approach. Neither is expected to be available until after the season is under way.

— Meyer said he believed that first-year players might see a lot of action when the Buckeyes open the season on Sept. 1 at Ohio Stadium against Miami, Ohio: "From what I've seen so far, there'll be a bunch — OK, not a bunch, but a good chunk — of freshmen who'll play in that first game."

— Three players who ran into legal trouble this summer appear to have mended fences.

Bri'onte Dunn was arrested late last month for a traffic violation, and a small amount of marijuana and a marijuana pipe were found in the car. But police in Alliance, Ohio, reduced the charges to disorderly conduct after determining the drug and paraphernalia were not his.

"We gave him a series of tests. I don't know if I'm allowed to give you everything, but everything came back (OK)," Meyer said. "He was honest with me. However, if there is some charge that sticks, then there'll be a penalty like all kids that have a charge."

Starting offensive lineman Jack Mewhort and first-team tight end Jake Stoneburner were arrested in late May for allegedly urinating on the side of a building. They were arrested by police in a small village outside of Columbus with obstructing official business. Meyer suspended them and took away their scholarships during the summer.

"I never felt that they did it," Meyer said.

And he is prepared to back up those feelings. In fact, the two will be back on scholarship when fall semester begins Aug. 22. Asked if they had gotten more serious about being on the team after their arrest, Meyer laughed.

"I think the code word there is 'stupid,'" he said. "So are they less 'stupid' right now? I don't know. We're going to do the best we can to help them be less 'stupid.'"