Thursday Masters tee times
Starting time (ET), players
7:40 a.m.: Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus
7:45 a.m.: Jonathan Byrd, Ross Fisher, Sean O'Hair
7:56 a.m.: Sandy Lyle, Alexander Cejka, David Chung
8:07 a.m.: Jerry Kelly, Camilo Villegas, Jeff Overton
8:18 a.m.: Ben Crenshaw, Brandt Snederker, Kevin Na
8:29 a.m.: Mark O'Meara, Anders Hansen, Heath Slocum
8:40 a.m.: Dustin Johnson, Adam Scott, Nick Watney
8:51 a.m.: Vijay Singh, Tim Clark, Aaron Baddeley
9:02 a.m.: Gregory Havret, Carl Pettersson, Ryan Palmer
9:13 a.m.: Martin Laird, Mark Wilson, Bo Van Pelt
9:24 a.m.: Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Jason Day
9:35 a.m.: Mike Weir, Hiroyuki Fujita, Retief Goosen
9:57 a.m.: Padraig Harrington, Ryo Ishikawa, Bill Haas
10:08 a.m.: Larry Mize, Rory Sabbatini, Jin Jeong
10:19 a.m.: Martin Kaymer, Lee Westwood, Matt Kuchar
10:30 a.m.: Hunter Mahan, Ernie Els, Francesco Molinari
10:41 a.m.: Tiger Woods, Graeme McDowell, Robert Allenby
10:52 a.m.: Arjun Atwal, Sergio Garcia, Robert Karlsson
11:03 a.m.: Charl Schwartzel, Stuart Appleby, Charle Hoffman
11:14 a.m.: Ian Woosnam, D.A. Points, Ben Crane
11:25 a.m.: Craig Stadler, Kevin Streelman, Nathan Smith
11:36 a.m.: Peter Hanson, Kyung-Tae Kim, Ryan Moore
11:47 a.m.: Angel Cabrera, Ian Poulter, David Toms
12:09 p.m.: Trevor Immelman, Lucas Glover, Hideki Matsuyama
12:20 p.m.: Zach Johnson, Y.E. Yang, Miguel Angel Jimenez
12:31 p.m.: Jose Maria Olazabal, Davis Love III, Lion Kim
12:42 p.m.: Tom Watson, Ricky Barnes, Jason Bohn
12:53 p.m.: Fred Couples, Luke Donald, Steve Stricker
1:04 p.m.: Anthony Kim, Henrik Stenson, Steve Marino
1:15 p.m.: Bubba Watson, Paul Casey, Edoardo Molinari
1:26 p.m.: Stewart Cink, Jim Furyk, Yuta Ikeda
1:37 p.m.: Justin Rose, K.J. Choi, Louis Oostuhuizen
1:48 p.m.: Phil Mickelson, Geoff Ogilvy, Peter Uihlein
1:59 p.m.: Jhonattan Vegas, Gary Woodland, Alvaro Quiros
No One Is Going To Cleveland Indians Games
www.deadspin.com
Jack Dickey — On Friday, Cleveland opened its season on the losing end of a slugfest with the White Sox. Not the worst opening day possible, however much air Fausto Carmona's 3-inning, 10-run performance sucked out of the building—catching stud Carlos Santana went 3 for 5 with a homer.
But in the two ensuing games, Cleveland sold 9,853 and 8,726 seats, respectively. Add the two totals together, that's not even half the ballpark. And those numbers represent paid attendance, so they exclude whatever group didn't show up because it was 44 degrees out. These are the two lowest total attendance figures in the history of Jacobs/Progressive Field, and they came in the opening weekend of the season, when the promise of spring still tickles your nose hairs.
Moreover, Cleveland cut ticket prices after last season, and has some fairly terrific players, including Santana and Shin-Soo Choo. They have youngsters too, in Asdrubal Cabrera and Matt LaPorta.
Said Jack Hannahan, "Cleveland fans are good fans. From the fan mail I get, I can tell they know baseball. This was like Oakland ... an Oakland crowd."
At least in Oakland, though, the ballpark's bad, whereas the Stadium Formerly Known As Jacobs Field, a scant few years ago, delivered 455 consecutive sellouts. This ballpark has—for better or worse— served as the model for others throughout baseball. (This is where Bud Selig might say, a-ha, we need a new ballpark, public money. And you resist the urge to slap him.)
Funny enough, the only event that has brought people to the Prog recently was this winter's "Cleveland Indians Snow Days" promotion, which is about as exciting as things get in Cleveland. It drew about 50,000 people in a little under two months.
But once the snow melted and gave way to the buds of spring, Cleveland headed back into the cushy malaise it's known even since before the LeBronukkah debacle of last year. Travis Hafner, a city turns its lonely eyes to you.
NFL Mock Draft
Mel Kiper espn.com
Carolina PanthersRecord: 2-14
* Cam Newton, QB, AuburnThere are immediate needs, and there is a decision that you believe will change the direction of your franchise for years to come. While I don't believe Carolina is locked onto this pick -- if you're heard me at all lately, you'll know I see this is one of the more unpredictable top 10's I can ever remember -- if they really see Newton as the transformative player that can be both a Pro Bowl quarterback and face of the franchise who draws a lot of buzz, they can make this pick. If talent alone was all they were concerned with, Newton would be an easy choice. But this pick also requires a belief in his development and maturity. Certainly, however, Newton's potential is significant.
Denver BroncosRecord: 4-12
* Marcell Dareus, DT, AlabamaThere are several guys Denver could take here to bolster their defense, but Dareus makes a lot of sense. A scheme-versatile player who can be a disruptive, penetrating force as an interior lineman, or a fantastic pass-rusher as a defensive end in a 3-4 scheme, Dareus is a safe pick. He doesn't have remarkable quickness, but his agility and versatility at a full 319 pounds is the stuff of an elite lineman. Denver could also consider a corner or linebacker here, but Dareus fills a significant, immediate need.
Buffalo BillsRecord: 4-12
Von Miller, LB, Texas A&MFew have seen their stock rise as much as Miller has since the season wrapped up. The pass-rush skills were there, as was a developed ability to drop and make reads. The tape shows a guy who can do anything on the football field, and do it explosively. Miller offers immediate help at one of the top two positions of need for the Bills. They simply can't get enough value here in drafting an offensive lineman, and Miller will impact games next year more than any rookie in the draft if you asked me today.
Cincinnati BengalsRecord: 4-12
* A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
Cincinnati is still dealing with a headache at the quarterback situation, but whether their answer is to trade Carson Palmer away, woo him back, or perhaps try to import the likes of Kevin Kolb, Matt Hasselbeck, Donovan McNabb or someone else, they'll need to help whoever will be throwing the ball in 2011 and beyond. By drafting the best pure pass-catching talent in the draft, they can accomplish that. Green is an immediate starter and the rare big-time, physical, fast receiver who has the route-running skills and understanding to match his skill-set.
Arizona CardinalsRecord: 5-11
* Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri
I could also see Arizona getting creative and looking for a veteran arm such as Kolb, but Gabbert is the quarterback in the draft most likely to help a team soonest, and if he's available here, it might be tough for Arizona to pass on him. He offers elite size, accuracy, athleticism and the smarts to pick things up quickly at the NFL level. This is a pick I could see going in several directions, but if Arizona isn't confident they can get a suitable veteran fix in at quarterback, Gabbert is a good choice.
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