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Takeaways from all over the sports world …
1.) You can argue that John Dorsey’s “not yet” comment at the NFL combine lit the Duke Johnson brushfire and Baker Mayfield’s comments at minicamp exacerbated it. Without doubt, rapper Luther Campbell’s Twitter rant against Mayfield now has poured gasoline on it. He did not do wife Kristin Campbell, Johnson’s reputable agent, any favors …
2.) When the ball is out of Kawhi Leonard’s hands, the Toronto Raptors are still the Toronto Raptors. He has to take the game-winning shot for them to dethrone the Golden State Warriors …
3.) The vexing decision facing the Indians should come down to this: Ten or more games behind the Twins at the All-Star Game break, they sell. Under 10, they buy. I would think fans would respect those ground rules …
4.) Johnny Manziel playing for Houston in the XFL would be a natural conclusion to his football saga. He’s been banned from the NFL and CFL and was active in the AAF when it blew itself up. Nothing left for Manziel after the XFL …
5.) I am a sucker for stirring renditions of our National Anthem at major sporting events. But I’ve always felt the most stirring of all is when fans take over the singing. Toronto’s tradition of invoking the crowd to sing “O, Canada” at Raptors games should be copied …
6.) It’s OK if the only reason Ray Farmer was interviewed for the suddenly-vacant Houston Texans GM job was to satisfy the Rooney Rule. The purpose of the Rooney Rule is to force owners to meet African-American coach and GM candidates and also to recirculate them. It’s all good …
7.) The Carson Wentz four-year contract extension from the Philadelphia Eagles – with two years to go on his rookie contract – is the template for what the Browns should seek to do with Baker Mayfield. They have to wait until after Mayfield’s third year in 2020 to even offer an extension. By then, Mayfield might have a Super Bowl ring and Wentz’ $128 million deal, with $107 million+ guaranteed, will be old news and outdated money …
8.) Francisco Lindor would put on a show in the Major League Baseball Home Run Derby July 8 in Progressive Field. But I respect him even more for declining to participate. The home run derby is a death knell to a participant’s second half of a season. It is such an exhausting exercise, some players never recover …
9.News that newly-named Jets GM Joe Douglas is considering Phil Savage for a position in his front office is welcome. Savage has a lot to offer any NFL team as a super-scout …
10.) The Belmont Stakes was a deflating finish to this year’s Triple Crown series. To salvage the season, we need a match race between Kentucky Derby winner Country House, Kentucky Derby disqualified first-place finisher Maximum Security, Preakness Stakes winner War of Will and Belmont winner Sir Winston …
11.) Other than the obvious, the reason I’m willing to predict the Browns will be in the top 5 in scoring in 2019 was one red zone drill on the first day of minicamp. When the ball doesn’t touch the ground in an exclusive passing period in June – no incompletions, pass breakups, drops – you can expect to be pretty good. I can recall the offense not scoring at all in the same drill just two seasons ago …
12.) I’d rather see PGA Tour pros compete in a legit Par 3 tournament than a typical non-major tourney. I can only take so much driver-lob wedge sequences. A demanding Par 3 course would force them to use other clubs in their bags …
13.) The last great Browns teams of the 1980s had character and characters. This current team has a lot of characters, starting with GM John Dorsey and coach Freddie Kitchens. We’ll soon see if it has the character to go far …
14.) It would be great for the Indians if and when Mike Clevinger and Corey Kluber return to form this season. But let’s be real: unless Jose Ramirez finds his old self, a run at the Twins ain’t happening …
15.) Newly named Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren was chief operating officer of the Minnesota Vikings since 2015. A lawyer by trade, he was the first African-American to hold that title with an NFL team. An untold story is he expressed interest behind the scenes in a Browns executive-level position a few years ago, but nothing came of it