Highlights include Red Sox at Indians and the final round of the PGA Championship.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today's TV and radio sports listings

AUTO RACING

1 p.m. Sprint Cup Series at The Glen, ESPN

BASEBALL

1:05 p.m. New Hampshire at AKRON AEROS, AM/1350

1:05 p.m. Boston at CLEVELAND INDIANS, SportsTime Ohio; AM/1100

2 p.m. Oakland at Chicago White Sox, TBS

2:05 p.m. LAKE COUNTY CAPTAINS at South Bend, AM/970

2:20 p.m. Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs, WGN

5 p.m. Little League playoffs, ESPN2

8 p.m. Atlanta at N.Y. Mets, ESPN

GOLF

11 a.m. PGA Championship, TNT

2 p.m. PGA Championship, WOIO

3 p.m. U.S. Women's Amateur final, Golf Channel

HORSE RACING

6 p.m. Saratoga Special Stakes, Adirondack Stakes, NBCSN

NFL

1:30 p.m. St. Louis at Indianapolis, NFL Network

SOCCER

11 p.m. MLS, Los Angeles at CD Chivas USA, ESPN2

TENNIS

1:30 p.m. WTA, Rogers Cup semifinal, ESPN2

7 p.m. ATP, Rogers Cup final, ESPN

Team USA has wrapped up the top spot in the medal count going into the final day of the Games. Watch video

LONDON - The Summer Olympics end today with the USA facing Spain for the gold in men's basketball, the men's marathon, wrestling, boxing, modern pentathlon and a few other events.

Olympic Park wasn't very crowded this morning, but it should be tonight for a Closing Ceremony featuring a lot of great British musical acts - and a Spice Girls reunion.

Sunday's Numbers: Jimmy Haslam plans to spend $1 billion for the Cleveland Browns. How does that stack up to recent sales of the Indians and Cavs?

Dale Omori, The Plain DealerRichard Jacobs announces in 1999 his intention to sell the Cleveland Indians.

$530 million: Winning bid in 1998 for Al Lerner to purchase the new Browns franchise.

$323 million: Reported price Larry Dolan agreed to pay for the Cleveland Indians in 1999.

$40 million: Reported price the Jacobs family paid the Steve O'Neill estate for the Cleveland Indians in 1986.

$375 million: Reported price paid by Dan Gilbert's group for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2005.

$22 million: Reported price George and Gordon Gund paid Ted Stepien for the Cavs in 1983.

Source: Plain Dealer archives

Also:

• Previous Sunday's Numbers
• Data Central home
• Data Central index

The Browns have found out a lot about themselves after two weeks of camp and the first preseason game. There's plenty more to follow.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- After two weeks of camp and one preseason game, the Browns have answered a few questions and raised a few others. They've named their starting quarterback in Brandon Weeden, but might not have cornerback Joe Haden for the first four games.

Trent Richardson has looked great, but will miss at least the next few weeks to recover from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Thursday. Finally, Colt McCoy played like a man out to prove he's still a starting QB.

Here are some things we've learned so far:

Old but young: Yes, he's soon to be 29, but Weeden is still a rookie, and he'll have his ups and downs.

There's no denying his fabulous arm, as evidenced by a perfect over-the-shoulder 34-yard strike to rookie Travis Benjamin on his second pass in Detroit. But in three possessions, he turned the ball over twice on a fumble and a pick, and had another interception dropped.

The biggest thing Weeden learned during his debut is that a field goal can be a beautiful thing.

"At Oklahoma State we scored 50 or 60 points," he said. "In the NFL, it's different. Taking care of the football is so important, field position is so important. We have one of the best kickers in the league. So getting him in range -- three points are so valuable."

Weeden's interception came when trying to squeeze the ball into tight coverage on Greg Little. But he also expected Little "to keep working back out and he came back in." Pat Shurmur admitted he was "[ticked] at both of them."

The game was slow enough for Weeden, but it only gets faster leading into the Sept. 9 season opener against the Eagles. Much of his success will depend on handling the pressure and not forcing throws.

A solid first impression: While all eyes have been on Josh Gordon, speedster Travis Benjamin shows signs of being ready for the big leagues as a receiver.

Benjamin has looked great in camp, and it carried over Friday. He caught the 34-yarder in full stride from Weeden and another 12-yarder from McCoy. He also returned a kickoff 32 yards.

"It was a great throw by Weeden," said Benjamin, the fourth-rounder out of Miami. "My speed got me open on that catch."

Added Weeden: "I was really hoping to see single-high safety like they did. When we broke the huddle, I said, 'hey, man, get on your horse.' I said 'run fast' and he did. He can fly. I put it out there and he made a heckuva catch."

Benjamin's role figures to grow, especially with Mohamed Massaquoi's concussion issues.

Getting rid of the rust: Gordon, on the other hand, will need some time. His athletic ability has flashed in camp, but he's not in game shape and never had a playbook at Baylor. His head is spinning and his legs are tired.

Shurmur offered a reminder that Little -- who also sat out his last year of college ball -- struggled to start last season, but there's a huge difference. Little knew he was entering the 2011 draft and worked out hard in preparation.

Gordon was still pondering playing at Houston two days before declaring for the supplemental draft June 29. The guess is his natural ability will take over as soon as his body catches up.

The Haden question: The team is braced for the possibility that their star left cornerback will be suspended for four games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

If it's confirmed that Haden tested positive for the stimulant Adderall, as has been reported by espncleveland.com, he still might be able to win an appeal. Although the NFL and the players union closed a loophole in 2010 that enabled players to provide proof of a medical need for the drug after a positive test, Giants running back Andre Brown had his suspension overturned earlier this year by the league despite no previous notification.

Brown was able to prove he had a prescription for the Adderall to treat his attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. His teammate Tyler Sash, a Giants safety, wasn't as fortunate. The league denied his appeal despite producing a prescription to deal with anxiety over off-season speaking engagements.

If the Browns have to do without their shutdown corner, it'll hurt. They would start 11th-year pro Sheldon Brown and Dimitri Patterson, and then most likely move Patterson inside in the nickel and use second-year pro Buster Skrine outside. Rookie seventh-round pick Trevin Wade would likely be the next corner off the bench.

McCoy's status: He already looks more comfortable in this offense than last season. Against the Lions, he completed six of eight attempts for 88 yards and produced a field goal. He also overcame four second-quarter penalties that put him in dire straits. McCoy did a great job of stepping up and scrambling to avoid pressure, running 20 yards for a first down. He also hit Jordan Cameron with a 42-yard strike down the seam.

The Browns should keep him as their backup unless someone offers a third-rounder.

Welcome to the NFL pits: Rookie right tackle Mitchell Schwartz made his debut against Ndamukong Suh and one of the league's premier defensive lines. He was introduced to the Lions' wide-nine defense, in which the ends line up wider than normal and strain the offensive tackles.

Schwartz acknowledged that he allowed too much pressure -- including the strip-sack on Weeden's opening drive -- and needs better technique. As with the other rookies, the Browns will suffer some growing pains here, but he has all the hallmarks of a good tackle. He's also playing next to a second-year starter in Shawn Lauvao, not a seasoned vet.

The Browns will have to provide some chip-blocking, but Schwartz is learning against relentless Jabaal Sheard every day.

Waiting on Trent: Following his Thursday procedure, Trent Richardson might be back on the practice field in two or three weeks. But the Browns shouldn't rush him. At the earliest, he should aim for the opener.

If one knee isn't 100 percent, the other one sometimes gives. Richardson will need a little time to get back into shape, and must still learn defensive keys and blitz pickups. The key is to keep him healthy for the long-term, not make a splash in the opener.

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

The receiver Tweeted after the Detroit game that he did not have a concussion, contradicting what his coach told the media. Shurmur was upset but says he won't ban players from social media. Watch video

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerCoach Pat Shurmur does not want players Tweeting about team business, especially injuries.

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns coach Pat Shurmur was miffed Sunday about a postgame Tweet by Mohamed Massaquoi that contradicted Shurmur's announcement that Massaquoi suffered a concussion Friday night in Detroit.

Shurmur actually seemed more ticked at the media for including Massaquoi's Tweet in stories instead of taking him at his word. Massaquoi was not outside during practice Sunday and is being treated for his concussion.

"You know how I feel about Tweets and twitters, No. 1," Shurmur said sharply. "I told you what happened and that's what happened. If you ask me a question about what happened in the game and I tell you the process, then that's how it happened.

"So I don't know [about the Tweet]. I only hear what gets Tweeted. He had a concussion and we're treating it as so."

Shurmur admitted that he doesn't like his players Tweeting out team business, but that he's not going to ban them from Tweeting during camp as Bengals coach Marvin Lewis has done.

"Yeah, I don't like them," said Shurmur. "That's my policy. I encourage them not to and I think it's important that they don't. I don't think you can totally harness social media. I've come to that realization. But what I can do is encourage and inspire them to be very professional and not talk about Browns business. That's just my feeling on it. That's a big thing to harness, social media."

As for his thoughts on a ban, he said: "No, I'm not going to sit here and pick a fight with Twitter. I don't want to do that because I want to deal with our guys as professionals. I want to deal with them as men. And that's part of society at this point -- social media."

Massaquoi's post-game Tweet, which came in response to a fan asking him via Twitter if he had a concussion, responded, "No! Precautionary! Can't wait to get back to work!"

Massaquoi suffered the concussion on the first play of the game when he got hit in the head by a safety and came down hard. He got up slowly and went to the sidelines, where he argued with the medical staff about coming out of the game. He was then sent to the locker room and shut down for the night.

Massaquoi, who had concussions in each of the two previous seasons, hasn't been available to the media to explain his Tweet or his discussion with the trainers.

But Shurmur assured reporters that the Browns -- who took heat last year for the handling of Colt McCoy's concussion in Pittsburgh -- followed the strict NFL concussion protocol.

Some things to remember: Concussed players coming off the field don't always realize how woozy they are and sometimes don't even realize they're arguing; Massaquoi may not have wanted to reveal his concussion in a Tweet, because players are discouraged from doing that; he may have had no idea Shurmur announced it; a concussed player probably shouldn't be Tweeting in the first place. (Something to remember for the next time -- take the phone).

But three concussions in three seasons -- regardless of the severity -- is a concern and the Browns will take it seriously.

Fifteen idle: Browns receiver Travis Benjamin, linebacker Scott Fujita, cornerback Dimitri Patterson, tight end Jordan Cameron and defensive tackle Scott Paxson were among 15 Browns players who didn't practice Sunday afternoon.

Many of the idle players were hurt during Friday night's preseason opener in Detroit.

In the span of nine plays in the second quarter, Paxson suffered a knee injury, Patterson sprained an ankle and Cameron hurt his back. The only one of the three outside Sunday was Cameron, who rode the bike and watched from the sidelines.

Defensive end Marcus Benard (undisclosed) and running back Trent Richardson (knee scope) were not outside, but Richardson is back from Florida and Benard is expected back on the field soon.

Shurmur declined to provide details on any of the injuries, and wouldn't say if any were serious.

"It's hard to tell when those guys will all be back," he said. "They got nicked up in the game and we'll see."

Benjamin and Fujita didn't leave the game with injuries, but sat out Sunday with soreness, Shurmur said.

Linebacker D'Qwell Jackson has been idle since last Tuesday with a sore shoulder, but it's nothing serious and mostly precautionary. The starting linebacking corps was rookie James-Michael Johnson and Kaluka Maiava on the outside and rookie L.J. Fort, an undrafted free agent from Northern Iowa, in the middle.

Defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin (pelvis), returned to practice after sitting out in Detroit. Starting next to him was third-round pick John Hughes, who also started the opener.

Wade with ones: Seventh-round pick Trevin Wade of Arizona worked with the first-team as the nickel back Sunday in the absence of Patterson. He'll likely play that role in Green Bay if Patterson is out.

"It's a big role to fill and big shoes to fill, but I'm up to the challenge and that's why I like the NFL," said Wade. " It's a big challenge and I'm ready to do my part and do what I can."

He said he feels like he's picking up the game quickly.

"I'm starting to read things better and know what's coming and anticipate things better," he said.

Wade said he has plenty of experience playing over the slot receiver.

"My junior year I mostly guarded the slots in the nickel package, so I'm pretty comfortable with it," he said. "Coming in here it's a different level. It's a little faster. I just have to adjust better and play better technique and I should be fine."

Said Shurmur: "I thought he did a good job [in the game]. They tried a double move on him, he was right there. They tried to throw a deep ball on him, he was right there. From what I could tell, he played pretty well. When I went back and watched the film in detail, it held up that way. He's making good progress. He has a very, very good feel for the game and I think it showed up the other night."

Extra points: Shurmur said the starters will play the first half in Green Bay . . . Josh Cribbs saw action with the first team in three-receiver sets with Benjamin and Massaquoi out.

The 15-year-old from New Zealand is the second-youngest golfer to win the title in the tournament's 112 years.

View full sizeThomas Ondrey, The Plain DealerLydia Ko, here hitting a shot on Wednesday, beat Jaye Marie Green in the final.

PEPPER PIKE, Ohio -- Runner-up Jaye Marie Green was asked what part of Lydia Ko's game impressed her the most.

After a short pause, she summed up the finals of the 112th U.S. Women's Amateur in five words.

"She doesn't give you anything," Green said.

Playing nine rounds of nearly flawless golf over seven days, Ko became the second-youngest winner of the Robert Cox Trophy when she defeated Green, 3 and 1, on Sunday in front of about 1,000 spectators at The Country Club.

Ko was 3 under with one bogey for the afternoon round when the match ended on the 17th hole. Green, 18, left her second shot short of the green and in an uncomfortable lie on the upslope of a hill just to the left of the hole and went on to make bogey to Ko's par.

At 15 years, 3 months and 18 days, Ko becomes the youngest winner of the U.S. Women's Am since Kimberly Kim won it in 2006 at the age of 14 years, 11 months and 21 days.

"Before this tournament began, I told myself that I had trained hard and it would be awesome to win it," she said quietly. "I had won a tournament earlier this year and I didn't cry, but when I was walking up the 16th hole today, I felt a tear in my right eye, and I hoped that was a good sign."

Ko, born in South Korea but raised in New Zealand, was 1 up after the first 18 holes in the scheduled 36-hole finale, taking the lead for good on the 17th hole by making a 4-foot, uphill putt for her fourth birdie of the round.

The match took a Ko turn in a three-hole span on the front nine, after which Ko emerged with a 4-up lead at the turn.

It started on the 415-yard sixth, regarded as one of the toughest holes on the course. Green tried to draw her ball around the dogleg but hit a tree on the left, and her ball rocketed across the fairway into some high grass near a small grove of trees. After one attempt to extract it failed, she conceded the hole and fell 2 down. Ko took the next hole when she chipped in from about 50 feet, her third chip-in of the week, and increased her lead to 4 up by knocking her third shot on the par-5 eighth to 6 feet and making the birdie putt to Green's par.

Green, of Boca Raton, Fla., had several chances in the afternoon round but just couldn't get a putt to fall. Ko missed a 2-foot putt and made bogey on the 11th, but she played perfectly the rest of the way.

Fairway to green, Green, a Floridian who shortly will attend the LPGA Qualifying School, hit enough quality shots to catch up. But she had putts lip out on four holes in a six-hole stretch, and with the lip-outs went the title.

"I should have made more birdies," Green said. "I knew I was 4 down on the ninth tee, but I felt that if I could make three birdies and she would give me just one mistake, I'd be right back in it. But she didn't make any mistakes. She's a great player. She was steady all day. She's only 15, and that's kind of scary."

Green won the par-5, 450-yard 16th hole with a birdie after a monstrous 3-wood shot onto the green with the wind in her face. But at the 17th, she left her second shot in that awkward spot.

"I thought I would be able to stick it in there, but I chunked it," Green said. "I don't know why I chunked it, but I did."

McIlroy never gave anyone much of a chance. Two exquisite shots with the wedge set up back-to-back birdies to seize control of the final round. He never made a bogey over the final 23 holes of his marathon day.

Video: Rory McIlroy won his second career major by taking The PGA Championship. McIIory finished the tournament at 13-under par eight strokes clear of David Lynn. Tiger Woods finished tied for 11th.

View full sizeAP PhotoRory McIlroy of Northern Ireland kisses the championships trophy for photographers after the final round of the PGA Championship golf tournament on the Ocean Course of the Kiawah Island Golf Resort in Kiawah Island, S.C., Sunday, Aug. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. — Rory McIlroy dressed the part as golf's next star and played like it, too.

Saving his bright red shirt for Sunday in the PGA Championship, McIlroy never gave anyone much of a chance. Two exquisite shots with the wedge set up back-to-back birdies to seize control of the final round. He never made a bogey over the final 23 holes of his marathon day.

McIlroy validated his eight-shot win at the U.S. Open last year by blowing away the field at Kiawah Island, making the 23-year-old from Northern Ireland the youngest player since Seve Ballesteros to win two majors. Tiger Woods was about four months older than McIlroy when he won his second major.

"I think I heard Tiger say, 'You can have a good season, but to make a good season a great season, you need a major championship,'" said McIlroy, who returned to No. 1 in the world. "Now I've had two great seasons in a row no matter what happens from here in now. Hopefully, I can play some great golf from now until the end of the year and get myself ready for another great season next year, too."

Standing on the 18th tee with a seven-shot lead, McIlroy turned to caddie J.P. Fitzgerald and said, "I'm going to win this one by eight, as well."

McIlroy rolled in a 25-foot birdie putt, raising the putter in his left hand as the ball rolled true to the center of the cup, saving enough strength to lift the heavy Wanamaker Trophy after another command performance in a major championship.

He shattered the scoring record at the U.S. Open. He broke Jack Nicklaus' record in the PGA Championship for margin of victory.

McIlroy took the lead for good Sunday morning with back-to-back birdies on the back nine to finish a rain-delayed third round at 67 for a three-shot lead. No one got closer than two shots at any point in the final round, and that last birdie gave McIlroy a 6-under 66.

David Lynn, a 38-year-old from England who was playing in America for the first time, won the B-flight. He closed with a 68 and was the runner-up.

Woods, who shared the 36-hole lead for the second time this year in a major, was never a serious factor. He tossed away his chances Saturday before the storm blew in and never could get closer than four shots. He closed with a 72, failing to break par on the weekend in any of the four majors for the first time in his career.

McIlroy was 13 shots better than Woods over the last two rounds.

"It was a great round of golf. I'm speechless," McIlroy said after hoisting the trophy. "It's just been incredible. I had a good feeling about it at the start. I never imagined to do this."

Winning the final major the year ends what had been a tumultuous season for McIlroy. Despite winning the Honda Classic in early March and going to No. 1 for the first time in his career, he went into a tail spin by missing four cuts over five tournaments as questions swirled that his romance with tennis star Caroline Wozniacki was hurting his game.

Instead, McIlroy put a big hurt on the strongest field of the year.

"I was a little frustrated with how I was playing earlier on in the year, but a few people in this room were probably pushing panic buttons for no reason," McIlroy said. "It's just great to be able to put my name on another major championship trophy, and looking forward to April next year and getting a crack at another one."

Woods predicted greatness for McIlroy when he first came to America at 19.

"He's very good. We all know the talent he has," Woods said. "He went through a little spell this year, and I think that was good for him. We all go through those spells in our careers. He's got all the talent in the world to do what he's doing. And this is the way that Rory can play. When he gets it going, it's pretty impressive to watch."

McIlroy finished on 13-under 275.

Ian Poulter put up the stiffest challenge, though not for long. Poulter, who started the final round six shots behind, made six birdies through seven holes to get within two shots. He made three straight bogeys on the back nine and had to settle for a 69. He tied for third at 4-under 284, along with Justin Rose (66) and defending champion Keegan Bradley (68).

In the final qualifying event for the U.S. Ryder Cup team, nothing changed.

Phil Mickelson was holding down the eighth and final spot, and he stayed there when neither Bo Van Pelt nor Steve Stricker could make a move on the back nine. Davis Love III will announce four captains' picks in three weeks.

McIlroy was tied for the lead with Vijay Singh when they returned Sunday. Twenty-seven holes later, McIlroy had no peer in the final major of the year.

When he won the U.S. Open last year, Padraig Harrington suggested that perhaps McIlroy — not Woods — might be the one to challenge the record 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus. That looked like nothing more than one Irishman boosting another when McIlroy didn't come close in the next five majors.

But now?

"I think winning his second major is going to make things a lot easier for him," Harrington said. "I think last year he proved it, but there's been ups and downs since his last major win because of the pressure and the expectations and the hype. Now he's delivered again. It's going to be a lot easier for him going forward. And he'll get better."

Woods won his second major in his 12th try as a pro. McIlroy won his second in his 16th major.

"It's tough to say that Rory is a Tiger Woods type player," said Graeme McDowell, McIlroy's closest friend on tour. "Tiger Woods is a once-in-a-lifetime player, and Rory is at least a once-in-a-decade type player. He's that good. ... He's going to be a superstar of game, which he already is. But he's a real superstar now."

McIlroy went out in 33, saving par with a 10-foot putt on the ninth hole. That's what Woods used to do in the majors.

Poulter's birdie on the par-5 11th hole closed the gap to two shots, but not for long. From the sandy area short of the 10th green, McIlroy blasted out and closed his eyes when the wind blew sand into his face. He never saw the ball check a foot from the cup. And with a 10-foot birdie putt on the 12th, there was no stopping him.

The win ends a streak of the last 16 majors going to 16 different winners. McIlroy joined Woods, Harrington and Mickelson as the only players to win majors in consecutive years over the last two decades.

Carl Pettersson tried to put up a good fight, though he suffered a setback on the first hole without even realizing it.

The Swede drove just inside a red hazard line. He checked to make sure his club could touch the grass without grounding the club. That part was fine. However, PGA rules officials determined after scrutinizing a video replay that a small leaf that moved as Pettersson took back the club. That violates Rule 13-4c — moving a loose impediment while in a hazard — and three holes later he was informed it was a two-shot penalty. The par became a double bogey.

Pettersson responded with back-to-back birdies. By then, it was too late for Pettersson, really too late for anybody.

McIlroy might have won this major before breakfast.

He was among 26 players who had to return Sunday morning, playing the back nine to finish the storm-delayed third round. Tied with Vijay Singh at 6-under par, McIlroy missed two short birdie chances, and then made bogey on the 13th. He rebounded with birdies on the 15th and 16th, a tough bunker save on the 17th and a closing par for a 67 that gave him a three-shot lead.

Not once during the final round did the kid look like he was going to lose this one.

After going back to his island home for breakfast, a quick nap and a change of clothes — a bright red shirt, no less — McIlroy looked solid as ever. After pulling his approach on the par-5 second hole under a tree, he hit wedge off the wood chips to 6 feet for birdie. He came up just short of the green at No. 3, where the tees were moved up to play 293 yards, and hit an even better flip wedge to a tiny target on an elevated green. McIlroy holed a 15-foot birdie putt, and he was on his way.

As for the shirt?

McIlroy was planning to wear red, but only if he wasn't playing with Woods. He remembers Luke Donald in a red shirt while tied with Woods in the 2006 PGA Championship at Medinah, which Woods won by five shots.

"I wasn't playing with him and thought I would wear it," McIlroy said. "Might have to do it from now on. No wonder he wins so much."

Woods stepped into a cactus while hitting out of the dunes on the 15th hole in the morning, and his day got even more painful from there. He has gone 14 majors since winning his last one, No. 14, at the 2008 U.S. Open. He looks to be closer, with three PGA Tour wins this year and two 36-hole leads in the majors.

His regret when it was over — he tied for 11th — was all about attitude.

"I came out with the probably the wrong attitude yesterday," he said. "And I was too relaxed, and tried to enjoy it, and that's now how I play. I play intense and full systems go. That cost me."

It might not have mattered.

McIlroy said earlier in the week that he only wanted to give himself a chance, to feel that buzz of being in contention in the final round. He wound up putting the buzz back into golf, a sport in which all the talk has been about parity. McIlroy's name on the leaderboard means something.

"Rory is showing that with his 'A' game, everybody else is going to struggle to compete with him," Harrington said. "And Tiger needs his 'A' game to come up against Rory. ... If Rory is playing as well as he is, Tiger is not going to pick a major off unless he's got his 'A' game out there."

McIlroy is the sixth-youngest player to win two majors. The others were Young Tom Morris, John McDermott, Gene Sarazen, Nicklaus and Ballesteros. McIlroy set himself apart in one measure. He has won two majors by a combined 16 shots.

_____

AP Golf Writer Doug Ferguson wrote this report.

The enthusiasm of Brazil fans in London will be 'one-hundred-thousand times' greater in Rio, which should make for an entertaining environment.

View full sizeDave Martin, Associated PressThe Brazilian fans should be one of the highlights of the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

London -- Though the Olympics were passed on to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday night with carnival dancers as part of the Closing Ceremony at Olympic Stadium, the best place to get a taste of the 2016 Games was at Saturday's women's volleyball gold-medal match.

On that night, as Brazil won just its third gold medal of the London Games, the victorious volleyball team drumrolled on the medal podium as Team USA accepted its silver medals, while supporters in the stands wearing wigs and gold-and-green clothing cheered and waved flags.

Asked what the scene may be like for volleyball in four years in her own country, Brazil team captain Fabiano Claudino told The Plain Dealer through a translator: "It's gonna burn. Our arena's gonna burn."

The laugh didn't need to be translated.

The people will do their part, especially in popular sports such as soccer, basketball, volleyball, beach volleyball and judo.

"We have a lot of fun and a lot of energy," said Larissa Costa, a Brazilian fan from the city of Natal. "All the energy here, it will be like one hundred thousand more."

But the Olympics are more than chants and painted faces. Some of Brazil's fans, after taking the volleyball gold against the Americans, expressed concern about the infrastructure in Rio, believing current venues don't match those of London and expressing uncertainty about the 26 percent of facilities still to be built.

"It won't be the same as London, that every subway can go everywhere," said Olympic fan Marcelo Orchis, 33, of S o Paulo. "This is something that we cannot find in Brazil. That is a bad sign."

Organizers say they plan to cluster the competition in four different zones that will be connected by public transportation. Four years out, with the Olympics scheduled to begin Aug. 5, 2016, there is always great hope. And there should be, especially for the first Olympics to be held in South America.

At the very least, those who know are promising a good time.

"I think it will be that way for all sports," Claudino said. "It's going to be an enormous joy."

"The weather, for sure, will be much better than here," Orchis said. "I believe Rio is a fantastic city, and all the foreigners who go will enjoy themselves. The Brazilians know how to host."

A city of more than 6 million people with an average high temperature of 78 degrees in August -- and a low of 66 -- Rio is on deck.

If you want tickets to women's volleyball, you had better get them early.

"You talk about rowdy, it's going to be more rowdy, for sure," said Team USA volleyball player Logan Tom, who has played professionally in Brazil. "You can feel the energy, feel the people, feel the heat. It's their way of culture. They have a different way, and it's who they are."

With a little British pomp and a lot of British pop, London brought the curtain down on a glorious Olympic Games on Sunday in a spectacular, technicolor pageant of landmarks, lightshows and lots of fun.

Video: The 2012 London Olympic Games came to an end Sunday night with the Closing Ceremony. The U.S. finished atop the medal count with 104 total medals and 46 gold. China finished with 87 medals.

The closing ceremony offered a sensory blast including rock 'n' roll rickshaws, dustbin percussionists, an exploding yellow car and a marching band in red tunics and bearskin hats.

There was a show-stopping reunion of the Spice Girls and a comedy sequence featuring Monty Python's Eric Idle performing "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" accompanied by Roman centurions, Scottish bagpipers and a human cannonball.

It was all delivered in a psychedelic mashup that had 80,000 fans at Olympic Stadium stomping, cheering and singing along. Organizers estimated 300 million or more were watching around the world.

What a way to end a games far more successful than many Londoners expected. Security woes were overcome, and traffic nightmares never materialized. The weather held up, more or less, and British athletes overachieved.

It all came with a price tag of $14 billion — three times the original estimate. But nobody wanted to spoil the fun with such mundane concerns, at least not on this night.

"We lit the flame, and we lit up the world," said London organizing committee chief Sebastian Coe. "When our time came, Britain, we did it right."

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge declared the Olympics over with praise for the athletes.

"Through your commitment to fair play, your respect for opponents, and your grace in defeat as well as in victory, you have earned the right to be called Olympians," he said, adding "these were happy and glorious games."

But the night was about splash more than speeches.

Festive and fast-moving, the ceremony opened with pop bands Madness, Pet Shop Boys and One Direction, a shout-out to Winston Churchill and a tribute to the Union Jack — the floor of Olympic Stadium floor arranged to resemble the British flag.

Monochrome recreations of London landmarks were covered in newsprint, from Big Ben's clock tower and Tower Bridge to the London Eye ferris wheel and the chubby highrise known as the Gherkin.

Street percussion group Stomp built the noise into a frenzy, and dancers brandished brooms, in a nod to the spontaneous popular movement to clean up London after riots shook neighborhoods not far from Olympic Stadium just a year ago.

Liam Gallagher performed "Wonderwall," a 1990s hit by his former band, Oasis, Muse rocked the house with the hard-edged Olympic anthem "Survival," and Queen guitarist Brian May was joined by singer Jessie J for a crowd pleasing "We Will Rock You."

And there still was more to come.

The Who was expected to take the stage at the end of the three-hour paean to British pop, and to the country's triumphant turn hosting the games. The headline performers were each paid a pound, a little more than $1.50.

Prince William's wife, Kate, and Prince Harry took seats next to Jacques Rogge, the president of the International Olympic Committee. They sang along to "God Save the Queen."

But perhaps the best seats in the house were for the 10,800 athletes, who marched in as one, rather than with their nations, symbolizing the harmony and friendship inspired by the games.

As the crowd cheered their heroes and flashbulbs rippled through the stadium, the Olympians cheered back, some carrying national flags, others snapping photographs with smartphones and cameras.

They held hands, embraced and carried each other on their shoulders, finally forming a human mosh pit on the field.

The ceremony had something for everyone, from tween girls to 1960s hippies. The face of John Lennon appeared on the stadium floor, assembled by 101 fragments of sculpture, and just as quickly gave way to George Michael.

Muse, Fatboy Slim, and Annie Lennox all performed. There was no sign of Queen Elizabeth II, who made a memorable mock parachute entrance at the July 27 opening ceremony.

Eight minutes were turned over to Brazil, host of the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, which promises an explosion of samba, sequins and Latin cool. Following tradition, the mayor of London handed the Olympic flag off to his Rio counterpart.

Britons, who had fretted for weeks that the games would become a fiasco, were buoyed by their biggest medal haul since 1908 — 29 golds and 65 medals in all.

The United States edged China in both the gold medal and total medal standings, eclipsing its best performance at an Olympics on foreign soil after the Dream Team narrowly held off Spain in basketball for the country's 46th gold.

"It's been an incredible fortnight," said Coe, an Olympic champion in his own right.

While the games may have lacked some of the drama and grandeur of the Beijing Olympics in 2008, there were many unforgettable moments.

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt became an Olympic legend by repeating as champion in both the 100-meter and 200-meter sprints. Michael Phelps ended his long career as the most decorated Olympian in history.

British distance runner Mo Farah became a national treasure by sweeping the 5,000- and 10,000-meter races, and favorite daughter Jessica Ennis became a global phenomenon with her victory in the heptathlon.

Female athletes took center stage in a way they never had before. American gymnast Gabby Douglas soared to gold, the U.S. soccer team made a dramatic march to the championship. Packed houses turned out to watch the new event of women's boxing. And women competed for Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Brunei for the first time.

And then there was Oscar Pistorius, the double-amputee from South Africa running on carbon-fiber blades, who didn't win a medal but nonetheless left a champion. And sprinter Manteo Mitchell, who completed his leg of the 4x400 relay semifinal on a broken leg, allowing his team to qualify and win silver.

In a switch from opening night and what appeared to be a concession to its vocal critics, NBC decided to stream the ceremony live online, in addition to broadcasting it during prime time.

Britons seemed exhausted and exhilarated after two glorious weeks in the world's spotlight, and just months after the country celebrated the queen's 60th year on the throne with a magnificent pageant and street parties.

Some at Olympic Park acknowledged happy surprise that not much had gone wrong, and so much had gone right.

"I was a bit worried we wouldn't be able to live up to it," said Phil Akrill of Chichester. "But walking around here it's just unbelievable."

Even non-Brits were proud of their adopted homeland.

"It's just been a really nice thing to see," said Anja Ekelof, a Swede who now lives in Scotland. "The whole country has come together."
___

Associated Press writer Paul Haven wrote this report. Associated Press writers Fergus Bell and Jill Lawless contributed to this report.

Brennan made numerous big plays as a Browns' receiver, including one that nearly put Cleveland into the Super Bowl.

David I. Andersen, The Plain DealerBrian Brennan caught 315 passes for 4,148 yards for the Browns in regular season games, and another 24 passes for 329 yards in playoff games.

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. 91, Brian Brennan, wide receiver, 1984-91

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Brian Brennan is generally remembered as a smallish -- about 5-9 and 180 pounds -- guy who couldn't run all that fast but would likely secure one or two key first downs a game with his precise routes and sticky hands.

But, Brennan was much more. He had a penchant for making the big play. Indeed, if not for "The Drive" led by Broncos' quarterback John Elway that forced overtime and enabled Denver's 23-20 overtime win at Cleveland in the 1986 season AFC championship game, a Brennan catch would arguably be regarded as the biggest play in Browns' history.

With less than six minutes left in the game, Brennan curled behind all-pro safety Dennis Smith to catch Bernie Kosar's pass at the Broncos' 17, side-stepped Smith as the Bronco lost his footing, and finished the 48-yard touchdown connection that put the Browns ahead, 20-13. Had the Browns been able to foil Elway's march at some point over its eventual 98 yards, Cleveland would have played in the Super Bowl.

Brennan caught 23 passes for 321 yards and four touchdowns in eight Browns' playoff games. In the AFC title game losses to Denver (1986, 1987 and 1989 seasons), Brennan totaled 13 receptions for 178 yards and three touchdowns.

Brennan's Cleveland career stats weren't staggering -- 315 regular season pass catches for 4,148 yards and 19 touchdowns -- as Kosar utilized numerous receivers and as, indeed, Brennan's role did emphasize his ability to move the chains on short- and medium-range passes. His 13.2 yards per catch, though, show there was more to his game than savvy and good hands.

Brennan, a 1984 fourth-round draft pick from Boston College, was Cleveland's punt returner in his first two seasons, bringing one boot back for a touchdown. He threw two passes as a Brown, completing both for 68 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown pass to Ozzie Newsome that helped the 1985 Browns to a 24-20 win over the New England Patriots.

(The Browns' all-time top 100 players so far)

Video: Highlights from the Browns' 23-20 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos in the AFC championship game on Jan. 11, 1987, in Cleveland. About 1:15 into the video, about 3:55 in and about 4:25 in, Brian Brennan catches Bernie Kosar passes of eight, 21 and 48 yards -- the latter for a touchdown and a 20-13 Browns' lead with less than six minutes to go:

BASEBALL 7 p.m. Texas at N.Y. Yankees ESPN2 7:05 p.m. Captains at South Bend AM/1330 10:05 p.m. Indians at L.A. Angels STO; AM/1100 NFL 8 p.m. Dallas at Oakland ESPN TENNIS 10 p.m. Rogers Cup final (tape) ESPN2

BASEBALL

7 p.m. Texas at N.Y. Yankees ESPN2

7:05 p.m. Captains at South Bend AM/1330

10:05 p.m. Indians at L.A. Angels STO; AM/1100

NFL

8 p.m. Dallas at Oakland ESPN

TENNIS

10 p.m. Rogers Cup final (tape) ESPN2

Ohio sent 24 athletes to the London Olympics to compete for the United States. They won five gold medals, four silver medals and set one world record.

United States' women's 4 x100-meter relay team members, from left, Tianna Madison, Carmelita Jeter, Bianca Knight, and Allyson Felix, pose with the timing board displaying their world record time of 40.82 seconds during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Friday, Aug. 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

London — Ohio sent 24 athletes to the London Olympics to compete for the United States. They won five gold medals, four silver medals and set one world record.

Here’s a closer look:

Gold

Kayla Harrison, Middletown, judo: Won the first gold medal in Olympic history for the United States in her sport.

LeBron James, Akron, basketball: Won his second gold medal with the men’s basketball team.

Tianna Madison, Elyria, track and field: Led off the world-record setting 4x100-meter relay. Madison, Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight and Carmelita Jeter combined on a 40.82, breaking the world record of 41.37 (1985) and beating the Jamaicans by more than a half-second. Madison was fourth in the 100, missing bronze by .04.

Heather Mitts, Cincinnati, soccer: Backup defender won her third straight gold medal.

Nick Thoman, Cincinnati, swimming: Swam in the prelims, so earned a gold medal with the 4x100 medley relay, while also taking a silver on his own in the 100 backstroke.

Silver

Abby Johnston, Upper Arlington, diving: Took silver in the 3-meter synchronized diving with partner Kelci Bryant.

Erik Kynard, Toledo, track and field: Cleared 2.33 meters (7-7½), just shy of his career best of 2.34 meters, in the high jump.

Jacob Wukie, Oak Harbor, archery: His bulls-eye on the last U.S. arrow of the team event put the United States in the gold-medal position, but Italy followed with a final arrow to claim the gold. Wukie was 17th in the individual event.

Others

Katie Bell, Clintonville, diving: Made it through prelims but not into the finals, finishing 16th in 10-meter platform diving.

Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, wrestling: Suffered torn rib cartilage on the first day of the Olympics and was unable to recover fully when he competed 15 days later in freestyle 264.5 pounds. He lost in the semifinals and did not place.

Amanda Furrer, Ohio State, shooting: Took 12th in the 50-meter, three-position rifle.

Bridget Franek, Hiram, track and field: Ran a personal-best in the 3,000-meter steeplechase semifinal and advanced to the final, where she placed 14th.

Terrell Gausha, Cleveland, boxing: After a comeback knockdown in his first fight, dropped a controversial 16-15 decision in the round of 16.

Peter Graves, Cincinnati, rowing: Placed 13th in quadruple sculls.

Kibwe Johnson, Ashland University graduate, track and field: Placed fifth in the hammer throw prelims and advanced to the final, where he was ninth.

Lee Kiefer, born in Cleveland Heights, fencing: Lost in the foil quarterfinals to the eventual silver medalist.

A.G. Kruger, Ashland, track and field: Placed 25th in hammer throw prelims and did not advance to final.

Justin (Harry) Lester, Akron, wrestling: Lost in the quarterfinals at Greco-Roman 66 kilos/145.5 pounds and did not place.

Holley Mangold, Centerville, weightlifting: With a torn tendon in her hand, finished 10th in the super heavyweight weightlifting.

Chantae McMillan, Dayton, track and field: Placed 29th in heptathlon.

Scott Parsons, Sylvania native, whitewater kayak: 16th in prelims.

Margot Shumway, Westlake, rowing: With double-sculls partner Sarah Trowbridge, placed sixth in the final. They also were third in a prelim heat and second in a repechages (second-chance) heat.

Keli Smith-Puzo, Oxford, Ohio, resident, field hockey: Striker on a team that went 1-4 and finished a disappointing 12th. The victory was against eventual silver medalist Argentina.

Anna Tunnicliffe, Perrysburg High graduate, sailing: Skippered the women’s 6-meter Elliot match racing crew to a disappointing sixth place. She was a gold medalist in 2008 and her boat was considered a favorite.

Rau’shee Warren, Cincinnati, boxing: In his third Olympics, lost his first fight for the third time, losing a 19-18 decision after getting a first-round bye in the flyweight division.

— Doug Lesmerises and Tim Warsinskey

Lake County LHP Elvis Araujo (6-9) pitched five innings and Lake County won a Midwest League game in South Bend, Ind.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Indians 5, Clippers 4

Columbus starter Matt Packer (0-2) gave up 10 hits and five runs, all earned, in 6 1/3 innings, as Columbus lost an International League game Sunday at home to Indianapolis. One of the hits Packer surrendered was a solo homer. Columbus lead-off hitter Tim Fedroff hit his fourth triple, and is hitting .337.

AA Akron Aeros

Fisher Cats 3, Aeros 0

Akron managed only five hits and lost at Canal Park to New Hampshire in an Eastern League game. Brett Brach (3-5), was the starter and losing pitcher. He went 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk. He struck out five. The Fisher Cats scored a run off reliever Trey Haley on a two-out strikeout that resulted in a wild pitch.

Advanced A Carolina Mudcats

Mudcats 5, Hillcats 0

Three Carolina pitchers combined for a shutout at Lynchburg, Va., in a Carolina League game. Starter Mike Rayl (9-8) struck out four and yielded two hits in five innings. Third baseman Giovanny Urshela clubbed his 10th home run for Carolina.

A Lake County Captains

Captains 10, Silver Hawks 6

Lake County LHP Elvis Araujo (6-9) pitched five innings and Lake County won a Midwest League game in South Bend, Ind. Araujo gave up five hits and three earned runs. Jake Lowery hit his sixth home run of the season for the Captains.

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Doubledays 8, Scrappers 4

Host Auburn, N.Y., scored five runs in the first inning, enough to defeat visiting Mahoning Valley in a New York-Penn League game. Scrappers starter Jake Sisco (1-4) surrendered a grand slam in the first.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

Freedom 1, Crushers 0

Florence, Ky., right-hander Andy Clark (1-0) retired the first 16 hitters he faced in a Frontier League game in Avon. The only run was on a ground-out in the seventh.

The Cleveland Indians were routed 14-1 by the Boston Red Sox. Josh Tomlin left the game and will have his right elbow examined. The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff reports from Progressive Field.

The Cleveland Indians were routed, 14-1, by the Boston Red Sox. Josh Tomlin left the game and will have his right elbow examined. The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff reports from Progressive Field.

Video includes post-game interviews with manager Manny Acta and reliever Josh Tomlin.

"The candor here is both refreshing and frightening. Refreshing because it lacks the usual smack and arrogance of an NFL WR. And although frightening, it is markedly less horrifying than if Weeden or Shurmur were admitting to brushing up on their West Coast lexicon this week." - moseschrute

View full sizeAP Photo/Ron SchwaneJosh Gordon's candor is both refreshing and frightening.

"The candor here is both refreshing and frightening. Refreshing because it lacks the usual smack and arrogance of an NFL WR. And although frightening, it is markedly less horrifying than if Weeden or Shurmur were admitting to brushing up on their West Coast lexicon this week."

Urban Meyer still looking for Ohio State's version of Percy Harvin.

In this photo taken, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012, Ohio State ocah Urban Meyer watches over Ben Buchanan during a field goal drill at NCAA college football practice in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

COLUMBUS, Ohio  — Urban Meyer won two national titles at Florida by spreading the field and getting the ball into the hands of a quick, strong, game-breaker.

Now the most sought-after coach in college football has taken his act up to NCAA-sanctioned Ohio State and the Big Ten, a team without the jaw-dropping playmakers Meyer had with the Gators.

Don't expect him to change a thing.

"Sure. I just hope someone steps up to take one of those positions that we need," he said after a recent practice when asked if he can do with the Buckeyes what he did on offense at Florida. "The answer is yes."

Meyer's arrival at Ohio State would have been the sport's biggest story line headed into this season if no one had ever heard the name Jerry Sandusky. Out of coaching for a year because of health problems and stress, Meyer was lured back to his home state after former coach Jim Tressel got deposed for hiding that players were trading Ohio State memorabilia for cash and tattoos with a suspected drug dealer.

The Buckeyes will sit out a bowl this season as a result of the scandal, but Meyer isn't waiting to put his stamp on the program.

The secret is finding the new Percy Harvin, the former Gators and now Minnesota Vikings star. Meyer used him at Florida at tailback, in the slot, out wide, at tight end — even taking snaps at quarterback. Ohio State saw him at his best up close and personal in the 2007 BCS national championship game when Meyer's offense befuddled the Buckeyes in a laughably lopsided 41-14 rout.

Ever since that painful but perhaps instructive loss in the Arizona desert, Ohio State has longed for a quick-strike offense like Meyer's.

Now they have the man with the plan. The Buckeyes just need some players to run it.

Meyer spent all of spring practice trying to find a speedy player he could put in the open field who could make an opposing team pay for a missed tackle. The first few days of learning the new offense he said were a "clown show," with linemen running into each other, backs going the wrong way, fumbles, interceptions and dropped passes.

Asked how far the offense has progressed since then, new coordinator Tom Herman all but bursts out laughing.

"Light years," he said three times. "We actually can throw and catch a football. If we were at a 2 on a scale of 1 to 10 coming out of the spring in terms of throwing and catching, we're up to a 4. We're still not real good, but we're still a lot better than we were at the end of the spring. That's a testament to our guys and how much they worked in the offseason."

Meyer thought he had a speedster to build the offense around in Jordan Hall, a small but fast tailback who was seldom utilized in Tressel's system.

But a piece of glass delayed that grand experiment.

The university says Hall was walking around outside his apartment complex in his bare feet in late June when he stepped on some glass, severing a tendon in his right foot. He underwent surgery and is making progress, but likely won't be available to play until late September.

Of course, quarterback Braxton Miller will initiate the offense. Even though he is a shifty runner, he is too valuable to the Buckeyes to take a whole lot of hits. Meyer's attack has been at its best with a mobile quarterback — Alex Smith at Utah, Chris Leak and Tim Tebow at Florida — who can run when needed but who can get the ball in open space to his receivers.

So Meyer continues to seek someone who can be both a deep threat and dangerous on the bubble screen. Receivers Devin Smith and Evan Spencer have the speed but so far haven't taken the next step.

Running back Carlos Hyde is quick — for a 235-pounder. He doesn't fit the mold of the tall, lithe Harvin or Utah's Paris Warren, versatile players who could sidestep a tackler or beat a defender off the snap. They were also stellar receivers, in addition to being fast. Hyde, used mostly as a battering ram out of the backfield, caught all of 10 passes a year ago.

There are other candidates out wide, including Corey Brown and Devin Smith.

Although it's difficult to compare preseasons, many observers say Meyer's presence has added a tad more intensity this year. He has stressed one-on-one drills, playing beyond the whistle and lots and lots of competition — in almost everything the team does.

The fundamental play of the new attack is the quick pass.

"It's more uptempo, kind of catching the defense off guard," Brown said. "There's more complex passes, more crossing routes, downfield routes. Coach Meyer and coach Herman are really trying to emphasize getting the best athletes in space."

Now the goal is to determine who are the best athletes.

Meyer readily acknowledges that his old conference, the SEC, has faster players than the Big Ten, particular off the corner on defense but also at the skill positions. He also knows that at his previous stops on the coaching carousel there might have been more individual speed.

"You can adapt. That's what we're going to have to do," he said. "I didn't have exactly (the player to fit that mold in) Paris Warren at Utah — not to keep going backwards, I need to keep going forward. He was a 4.7-second guy in the 40 but he played so fast. I just want guys to play fast."

Hyde may not be that guy, but he still loves the new play-a-second philosophy.

"I'm excited 'cause I'm going to be out in the open, just one-on-one," he said. "I won't have to worry about two or three guys chasing me, I can be one-on-one, make that guy miss, and it'll be off to the races."

Miller says nice things about everyone trying to fill the H-back role in the spread — then adds a qualifier.

"(Hall) is getting better day by day," he said. "But I hope he comes back before the first game."

The search continues. Meyer still has hope.

"I think there's enough here that I hope to get wowed a little bit," he said.

No matter what, the Buckeyes have no choice now but to embrace the new attack.

"We kind of look at this, this is a new chapter in our life," Brown said of the receivers. "We've moved on now. Coach Meyer really emphasized that we press 'restart.'"

"Miles was a good pick up for the Cavs, when he played in a uptempo game and given minutes with a quality point guard, he produced. He also is young, yet, has 7 years of NBA experience. I think he will thrive here and be a great addition." - lakesguypaul

View full sizeAP PhotoOne cleveland.com reader says C.J. Miles, left, is a great pickup for the Cavs.

"Miles was a good pick up for the Cavs, when he played in a uptempo game and given minutes with a quality point guard, he produced. He also is young, yet, has 7 years of NBA experience. I think he will thrive here and be a great addition."

Wide receiver Travis Benjamin has speed and hands.

Joshua Gunter, The Plain DealerTravis Benjamin

Former Oakland Raiders wide receiver Cliff Branch, a world-class sprinter, had to shake that perception.

In other words, speed but no hands.

Browns rookie wide receiver Travis Benjamin did not do himself any favors with that tag during minicamp with the Cleveland Browns. Sure, he got separation from defenders, but there was that occasional dropped pass during some of those sessions.

That changed once training camp started in July. The speed was there, but so were the hands.

Benjamin gave Browns fans a taste of what could come during the season in Friday's preseason game at Detroit. Benjamin caught two passes from quarterback Brandon Weeden, including a fine over-the-shoulder catch for 34 yards on the offense's third-play of the game.

Benjamin, selected in the fourth round, provides the Browns with the type of elite speed they've lacked for years. His hands, so far, are an added bonus.

“I think Travis looked good in this game like we’ve seen him look in practice, and I think that’s an encouraging thing because he’s been able to bring it to the game,” said coach Pat Shurmur following the game against Detroit.

The Washington Nationals take over the top spot in this week's cleveland.com MLB Power Rankings. The Cleveland Indians climbed one spot to No. 20.

cleveland.com's Glenn Moore will reveal his Major League Baseball power rankings every Monday.

View full sizeAP Photo/Ralph FresoStephen Strasburg and the Washington Nationals are now hold the top spot in this week's cleveland.com MLB Power Rankings.

View full sizeAP Photo/Nam Y. HuhThe White Sox sit in first-place in the AL Central and climbed a spot in the rankings.

View full sizeChuck Crow/The Plain DealerThe Indians, despite falling out of playoff contention, climbed one spot.

Wideout says he was disappointed with his performance in the opening exhibition game, and coach Pat Shurmur is trying to push him to improve. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns coach Pat Shurmur is dialing up the heat a little on rookie wide receiver Josh Gordon to get him ready for the opener, especially with starter Mohamed Massaquoi sidelined with a concussion.

During Sunday's practice, Shurmur yanked Gordon out of a drill and replaced him with first-year receiver Rod Windsor. Afterward, Shurmur admitted that Gordon, picked in the second round of the supplemental draft, needs some prodding at times.

"He's an extremely talented guy, but he needs to do it and he needs to be inspired and motivated," said Shurmur, who might need to start the rookie Thursday night in Green Bay. "His first game was a little bit like I might have expected. I think when you get playing (in) a game as opposed to practice, the speed and the urgency and all the stuff just tends to pick up a little bit. I would anticipate as he plays his way through this preseason he'll get better and better."

Shurmur admitted last week that Gordon's been battling through camp legs after sitting out all last season and arriving here in mid-July. Gordon's rustiness showed up during the game, when he struggled to get open and failed to catch any of the three passes thrown his way. One from Brandon Weeden was nearly picked off and another was low but went through his hands.

"You just keep working," Shurmur said of Gordon's struggles. "For young players that are going through things for the first or maybe the second time, you're a little bit more patient with that as they develop. (But) as we all get closer to the season we become less and less patient about everything."

Gordon, who was only permitted to practice at Utah last season after getting suspended by Baylor, admitted that a kick in the pants is sometimes welcome.

"I'd like to say I'm a self-motivated kind of guy, but hearing it from my teammates and hearing it from my coaches definitely helps as well because it just shows that they actually do really care [and] want the best out of you," he said. "I'm glad they do it. It's necessary for a lot of the times because sometimes you get tired and you get down and might miss a play or mess up. You might need some of that confidence to boost you back up to go out there and do it again."

Gordon acknowledged he didn't play well in Detroit and is glad to have that one behind him.

"I was disappointed in myself," said Gordon. "I didn't play that good. It was a learning process getting up to the learning curve, but I definitely feel like I'm there now. These next couple of practice days we have going into this next game, I feel like I'll be more prepared and definitely ready to attack it again."

One of his main objectives, he said, is to be way more aggressive in getting open. He said cornerbacks tend to push him harder because of his size -- 6-3, 225 pounds.

"I'm definitely trying to be more physical, be more ferocious at the line of scrimmage," he said. "I'm working towards coming off the ball a whole lot harder. The defensive backs were bigger than some of the guys on our team here. Just going out there, proving my physicality out there is what I want to do too."

He also lamented not securing any of the passes and allowing cornerback Dwight Bentley to almost intercept a Weeden pass on the second drive.

"I definitely wish I would've caught a couple of those, been able to make a play after the catch," he said. "But seeing as though there are defensive backs trying to stop you from doing it definitely impeded me a little bit. I'm trying to figure out how to get more wide open so I can get a cleaner catch and produce more after the catch too."

He's been getting advice from cornerback Joe Haden, who's been jumping routes and making big plays all camp, including two picks and a pass breakup Sunday.

"He tells me to make sure my routes all look the same," said Gordon. "Selling the vertical routes, just going hard vertical for as long as you can until you go into your break. Don't really show it early because the defensive backs are going to jump all over it. As you've seen in the game the other day, they're there, on your back, on your hip every time you slow down and try to run your route."

Two things are working against Gordon: One, he never had a playbook at Baylor, where he played only one full season, and is now trying to learn the complicated West Coast vernacular; and two, he hasn't played in a real game since the end of 2010. What's more, he left Utah in December, and worked out on his own at home in Houston.

"(The terminology) took me a little while," he said. "I was out here about three weeks before the rookies reported so I had time to catch up and now I think I'm at the point where I hear it and I know where I'm supposed to go and I know what I'm supposed to do."

For about the past eight months, Gordon hasn't worked out in a football program, or at any of the fancy training institutes most top rookies do in preparation for the draft.

"Back home, (I was) just working out anywhere I could, at the gym, running around at the couple parks we have back home in Houston, wherever I could find a place or grass to try to get some work in on my own or with my borther or what-not or anyone I knew," said Gordon. "That's what I tried to do."

Eventually, he worked out with some of the younger quarterbacks at Houston such as Dave Piland and Bram Kolhausen.

"Guys like that definitely helped me out, (but) was limited there," said Gordon.

So, he's behind the curve, but learned in the opener just how much catching up he needs to do.

"There (were) a lot of distractions -- huge stadium, lot of people, lot of noise, people yelling your named and everything like that," said Gordon. "But to focus on the game is the biggest factor and go 100 percent. It's a whole lot faster than really anything you could really imagine or think you're prepared for. The fact that I got that out of the way, I definitely feel like I have a competitive edge going into the next game."