Lookback: March Lookback - Sunny and very dry, Apr 05 - 07:12

Mean maximum temperature for March ranged from 12.5°C at Otterbourne, near Winchester, to 6.4°C at Lerwick on Shetland, while mean minimum temperature varied between 7.0°C at St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, and -0.4°C at Katesbridge, Co Down. The mean maximum temperature was 1.0-1.5°C above the long-term average in eastern, central and southern parts of England, while the mean minimum temperature was 0.0-1.0°C below the long-term normal in all regions. The Central England Temperature of 7.0°C was 0.6°C above the average, and in the last 100 years 28 Marches were warmer while 72 were colder.

The highest individual maximum in the UK was 19.6°C at Chivenor, north Devon, and at Charlwood (Surrey) on the 25th, while the lowest minimum was -7.5°C at Braemar, Aberdeenshire, early on the 18th. The lowest daytime maximum was -0.5°C at Dalwhinnie, Inverness-shire, on the 12th, and the warmest night was that of the 30th/31st with a minimum of 11.1°C at St Mary's, Isles of Scilly.

Rainfall averaged over England and Wales during March was 26mm which is 35 per cent of the average for the standard reference period 1971-2000, the lowest in March since 1990; in the last 100 years only nine Marches were drier while 91 were wetter. The equivalent figures for Scotland were 79mm and 116 per cent of the normal amount, and for Northern Ireland 41mm and 65 per cent. Monthly totals at routinely-available sites ranged from 184mm at Kinlochewe (Wester Ross) to just 2mm at Cambridge, and less tha 5mm of rain was recorded over a wide area extending from Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire in the south to North Yorkshire in the north.

Sunshine averaged over England and Wales during March totalled 152 hours which is 134 per cent of the 1971-2000 mean; in the last 100 years only 12 Marches were sunnier while 88 were duller. The equivalent figures for Scotland were 107 hours and 103 per cent, and for Northern Ireland 144 hours and 127 per cent. Largest total in the UK was 199 hours at Weymouth (Dorset) and the smallest was 62 hours at Kirkwall (Orkney).

© Philip Eden

Source: http://feeds.weatheronline.co.uk/~r/weatheronline/~3/zlGzeKISyZ4/reports

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Royal couple postpone honeymoon

St James's Palace confirms William will be going back to work this week after wedding watched by peak TV audience of 24m

Late on Saturday morning, as the happy couple's helicopter lifted off from the garden of Buckingham Palace and Prince Charles reclaimed his Aston Martin, minus the "Just Wed" plates, the majority of commentators were agreed: the wedding of William and Kate had been a triumph for "The Firm".

A judicious mixture of pomp and populism had ensured a fair wind for the British monarchy for another generation at least.

John Hanson, 81, from Hemel Hempstead, expressed a view held by many in Friday's throngs. "It's an apolitical stance I expect from them, not 19th-century attitudes. Some of the world's republics are quite well run but the scope for unfortunate appointments in heads of state is huge. Kate Middleton being a commoner is vitally important for the royals to justify themselves and show they are worth having."

Like many, Hanson was not a fan of Prince Charles.

But just as normal service was resuming around the UK ? as royalists nursed hangovers while republicans relaxed? there was a mini-bombshell from St James's Palace: the honeymoon was on hold and Prince William was going back to work this week.

"The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen not to depart for a honeymoon immediately," read a statement from the palace. Instead, the couple will spend the weekend at a secret location in the UK and the duke will return to his work as a pilot next week. The location of their future honeymoon will also be kept secret. "The couple have asked that their privacy be respected during the coming weekend and during their honeymoon," the statement said.

It only deepened the honeymoon mystery ? William had booked two weeks off and Kate had bought bikinis, but the rest was pure speculation. Jordan had been the bookies' odds-on destination. King Abudallah has a nice place he had offered them, but then the newlyweds have several chums with exotic getaways. Mustique and the British Virgin Islands were getting good odds as well ? until Saturday, when someone tried to put a �5,000 bet on Kenya, raising suspicions of a tipoff gleaned from squiffy guests at the reception which rolled on until 3am.

Those 300 guests, who were entertained by British singer Ellie Goulding and danced under glitterballs in Buckingham Palace's state rooms, drank champagne and ate bacon butties and ice-cream. Goulding serenaded the newlyweds with her version of Your Song, written by Elton John.

The music was heavy on kitschy disco and dance. Lots of Abba, Kanye West and Beyonc�. Whether the social media world got its much-tweeted wish that Prince Harry and bridesmaid Pippa Middleton would get together seems unlikely, despite Harry's whispered, "You do look very beautiful today, seriously," on the balcony. Even after the royal wedding had ceased to monopolise the Twittersphere, new sex symbol Pippa was still trending. But it was reported that Pippa hadn't laughed at Harry's joke about the bride towering over the Duke of Edinburgh.

Millie Pilkington, the couple's private photographer, described the newlyweds as "buzzing with happiness" and the party's atmosphere as "absolutely extraordinary". She said speeches by Harry, Kate's father, Michael Middleton, and Charles were "absolutely hysterical". Prince William, who described his wife as "my rock" in his speech, chuckled graciously at his father's jokes about his bald patch.

Photographs of those leaving the bash showed a dishevelled Harry in a minibus heading back to the nearby Goring hotel where the party went on until 5am. His on-off girlfriend Chelsy Davy also left at 3am with Princess Beatrice ? whose wedding hat now has its own Facebook page ? and Princess Eugenie.

Outside the Goring, family friend Tony Ainsworth said: "We had a party at the hotel last night that went on well into the evening, so we're feeling a little jaded this morning. I went to bed around 1am but I heard guests stumbling around at 5am, coming back from the palace, which woke me up."

The broadcasters were awake and totting up their viewing figures. BBC and ITV joint audiences peaked at 24 million. An average of 9.4 million watched the BBC coverage fronted by Huw Edwards between 8am and 11am, with that audience peaking at 17.5 million for the last 15 minutes. Across the whole BBC, 34.7 million viewers tuned in to watch some part of the wedding. Sky News had a peak of 661,000 viewers at 11am, with roughly one million people using its website.

There were other pockets of resistance. Police made 57 arrests in total "within and outside the event footprint". Three anti-monarchists in south London were controversially arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance by trying to stage a puppet show of royal beheadings. Ten people were arrested at Charing Cross railway station for carrying anti-royalist placards and a man police called a "well-known anarchist" was arrested in Cambridge.

A group of 10 protesters congregated in Soho Square, 70 demonstrators in Red Lion Square, and another group gathered in Trafalgar Square to display a banner protesting against government cuts.

Active antis were overwhelmed by the parties ? around 5,500 in England, although only a handful in Scotland and Wales. There was certainly a wedding fever but not an epidemic. Those viewing figures were not record-breaking ? more tuned in for Diana's funeral. But overall the royal family put on an endearing show. The bride did not put a foot wrong ? only a few wondered if her makeup was a little heavy ? the dress was demure enough for those who want the monarchy preserved in aspic but designer enough for the fashionistas.

The Firm is back on track. Yesterday William's former press secretary, Colleen Harris, said the "hatred" the prince felt for the press at the time of his mother's death had abated. "He's more confident in himself, he's loved and secure, and I think he has learned to live with it. He's really matured and seems to have a much more positive attitude towards it," she said.

Now William wants time ? his RAF contract runs until 2013 and he is keeping those next two years free from major royal duties. Tomorrow the couple whose wedding was watched by two billion people will return to their rented house in Anglesey and Britain's bunting comes down.

• Royal wedding
• Prince William
• Kate Middleton
• Monarchy
• Republicanism
• Prince Harry
• Police
• Weddings

Tracy McVeigh

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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/apr/30/royal-wedding-reception-republicans

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Elstree project captures Herts and minds

Multi-million pound development plans have been announced for Borehamwood and Elstree Synagogue with the intention of making it "a community centre for the whole of south Herts".

Congregants have been told that after years of debate, research and consultation, two working parties will take the project forward.

The scheme will see the demolition of the scattered buildings which have accumulated on the site over the years. The exception will be the "new" shul itself, which was opened in 1986.

In their stead, a single two-storey building will be erected, which will increase floor space by around 70 per cent and incorporate large, interconnected halls, an extensive lobby area, a permanent succah, office accommodation and meeting rooms for the community's social and educational activities. There will also be space for a community mikveh and nursery.

All areas will be "hard-wearing, low maintenance, bright and inviting".

Borehamwood chair Anthony Arnold said redevelopment was imperative. "No one who has visited our shul premises over the past few years can have failed to notice the condition of our buildings and inadequacy of the facilities. They are unwelcoming, uninspiring, poorly set out and crumbling - hardly a reflection of a US flagship community."

They were expensive to repair and maintain and space was at a premium as membership continued to grow. "We don't even have enough rooms on a Shabbat, let alone festivals, to accommodate all the services we would like to offer," Mr Arnold pointed out. The community currently totals 2,200 members, with the most children at a US congregation.

Mr Arnold added that the project was "a serious attempt to offer our members a real opportunity to build a shul that will benefit the community long-term. Our research has shown that enough of our members are potentially interested in it to make a real difference."

Initial costs of researching the project were met through the community's Kol Nidre appeal in 2009. Now one working party will consider how to fund the project, another - comprising property experts from among the membership - will deal with logistical matters.

"This project is obviously too big for us to be able to fund it ourselves and we shall be approaching numerous funding sources, including the US, so that any call on members is minimised," Mr Arnold added.

"Of course, we may have to modify our plans according to the amount of money we think we may be able to raise."

Source: http://www.thejc.com/community/community-life/48316/elstree-project-captures-herts-and-minds

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Cynara part 2

Last night was the last night of Jewish Book Week, billed as "The Last Word," a discussion between Jonathan Freedland and Howard Jacobson.

Jonathan decided to take issue with my previous blog about his G2 analysis of antisemitism. He made two points: 1. that I had complained about his highlighting the case of the New Statesman kosher conspiracy cover story; and 2. that I had suggested that the level of comments on the Guardian website were 'barely moderated.'

On point 1, Jonathan maintained that he had had a conversation with the then editor of the Statesman and a civilised exchange about what did and did not cause offence. On point 2, Jonathan was affronted, because, he said, he had a number of meetings throughout the year with Guardian Unlimited moderators, and they were assiduous in making sure offensive material was not on the site.

I am afraid on both counts that Jonathan has missed the point. I mentioned the New Statesman story "as the most he could come up with," in order to make the larger point ? made, in fact, by Howard Jacobson last night ? that it is exactly papers such as the Guardian and the Independent which have hosted and been profoundably hospitable to, a climate of opinion in which antisemitism flourishes. Jonathan's three-page article on antisemitism, written in the wake of the Galliano/Sheen/Assange tsunami of unpleasantness directed at Jews, did not mention the Guardian at all. I cannot count the number of complaints we have had from readers who do not understand the Guardian's obsession with Jews and Israel, the poisonous letters or op-eds it publishes. Jonathan told the Book Week audience that the Guardian was not a single issue newspaper, but instead was "a cacophony of opinions." I get that, Jonathan, I really do, not least because I work on a newspaper, but at the end of the day someone - usually the editor - has the final say on what goes out in the paper's name. And the Guardian's approach to Jews and Israel - I'm sorry, but you guys in King's Place have to take some responsibility for what you publish.

On the moderators' issue: crumbs. They have meetings? And what appears on Comment is Free is as a result of the meetings? Heaven help us if they didn't.

Jonathan sought to defuse some of this debate by citing the remark made by the departing Sir Howard Davies, head of LSE, seeking to justify the school's acceptance of Libyan money. Yes, said Davies, LSE had taken Libyan money, but it had also taken money from George Soros, "a Hungarian Jew." Thus, claimed Davies, a sort of balance had been struck, a claim which Jonathan rightly pilloried.

But the Guardian and the Indie do exactly the same thing. As though to make up for being nasty about Jews, every so often one will find in the Guardian a heartwarming story - usually around Holocaust Memorial Day - of survivors reuniting, or Shoah heroism. The Indie, whose columnist Christina Patterson (whose Twitter feed is Queen Christina, for heaven's sake) apparently loathes Israel, last week ran a huge, largely admirable, piece on the Jews of Stamford Hill. So balance is achieved.

Not good enough. Until the day when I read the Guardian's Harriet Sherwood, of her own volition, writing something positive about Israel for no other reason than that it is a good story, rather than the endless dripfeed of antagonism we do get, I will continue to wonder about the paper's motivation. I will not join the chorus which says "the Guardian is an antisemitic paper." It is not. But it should not give houseroom to antisemites or pretend that it is innocent in the war of words about Jews and Israel.

Source: http://www.thejc.com/blogs/jenni-frazer/cynara-part-2

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Cohen the manager will be missed

The MSFL is full of wonderful characters but Zig Zag boss Neal Cohen is in a league of his own. The Maccabi League's answer to Mike Bassett, Cohen has run the club for 10 years but as the saying goes, all good things come to an end and Sunday was his final match in charge.

A massive Spurs fan, it was fitting that the game was at White Hart Lane, not the real ground at Spurs but just a stone's throw away, at the Community Sports Centre. Cohen received a guard of honour ahead of the match against Catford & Bromley Maccabi.

"I've had some great times," he said. "But the club and the league are not what they used to be. I don't enjoy it any more. It's becoming more expensive and for rewards not really worth it.

"I could keep it going next season but with all the duties involved in running a team, I have lost the passion.

"The young lads are nowhere near as loyal or dedicated as they used to be and winning only five out of 25 competitive games was enough for me this year.

"ZZFC have until the end of June to decide whether or not to continue, but given the financial commitment in the form of pitches and kit fees, it is unlikely which is very sad."

Cohen looks set to become a league referee. His post-match musings regularly included rants about the men in black and it is for this reason that he is the last man I'd expect to become a ref. He will be missed as a manager. I wish him the best of luck as an official.

? First we had Hapoel Tel Aviv's Etey Shechter booked for donning a kippah in celebration of a goal in the Champions League. Next, Tamir Cohen is cautioned for taking off his shirt in celebration of a goal to show a picture of his recently deceased father. I wonder what misdemeanour the next high profile Israeli to be shown a yellow will be? Answers on a postcard please.

? Team GB rugby stalwart Jonathan Seltzer will be remembered at Jock's Scrum Down at Wanstead Rugby Club on Sunday. Seltzer died of pancreatic cancer last June. His rugby career spanned over 40 years, playing in Scotland and England, progressing to referee, coach and manager. He attended the Maccabiah Games on four occasions. Wanstead RFC and a Maccabi GB XI will play a match in his memory.

? Some of the top Jewish youngsters have helped Wingate & Finchley's youth teams reach new heights this season. Nathan Sollosi and Josh Goldstein helped the club's Under 15 team complete an unprecedented quadruple. With the London FA Cup, the Middlesex County Cup and the Eastern Alliance League Cup already in the bag, the boys were forced to come through a tough test, winning three league games on three consecutive days in searing heat to seal the Eastern Alliance League.

? MAL's Yoav Lebens started the new cricket season where he left off the last. He hit a century in MAL's friendly defeat against Old Haberdashers.

? Team GB football star Scott Shulton helped Braintree Town clinch the Blue Square Bet Premier title.

Source: http://www.thejc.com/sport/caros-column/48326/cohen-manager-will-be-missed

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Tackling the 'Y' word

There has been a great deal of coverage given to the campaign to kick antisemitism out of football in the past 24 hours.

The Guardian?s Anna Kessel makes as good an attempt as any I?ve seen so far to get to the nitty gritty of this problem: What are we meant to do when many Tottenham fans use the word ?yid? as a term of endearment, and others use it as a vehicle for crude abuse?

No one has any truck with those ?fans? who step over the line and cross into the utterly unacceptable by singing about Auschwitz and hissing to imitate gas chambers. There is no place in sport, or anywhere else, for such vile antisemitism.

But tackling the use of the ?Y? word in isolation is not an easy task, as Anna points out:

As long as Tottenham fans can chant "yid", the question will always arise: why can't Chelsea or Arsenal or any other fans do the same? On the football message boards this very debate has raged for years. I recently read one Chelsea fan's tale of watching his fellow supporters get arrested for chanting "yid" ? and receive three year bans from attending matches ? while over in the away end Tottenham fans chanted the same word without consequence.

She also raises another important point, made briefly by my colleague Danny Caro yesterday. Why are there no Jewish football personalities in the film? Yes, it?s written by two Jewish brothers, but when so many of the country?s biggest clubs are owned and run by Jews, why are they nowhere to be seen in the Baddiels? film? And, I?m told, they were also largely absent from yesterday?s launch.

It is admirable that players such as the Premier League?s first British Asian player, Zesh Rehman, stepped up to appear. But where were Roman Abramovich, Alan Sugar, Yossi Benayoun, Ronny Rosenthal, FA chief David Bernstein?. The list could go on.

Arguably, most important of all, where was Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy, the man who leads one of the clubs at the heart of this matter?

Rarely, if ever, has a Jewish issue in football been in the spotlight in this fashion, but quite how the situation is supposed to develop from here is difficult for this football fan, and others, to fathom.

Source: http://www.thejc.com/blogs/marcus-dysch/tackling-y-word

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Backup QB Dan Whalen rallies Cleveland Gladiators past Tulsa, 34-30

Former Case Western star enters when Kurt Rocco is injured and leads team to fourth win.

View full sizeAFL photoFormer Case Western Reserve QB Dan Whalen came through in the clutch Friday night for the Gladiators.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The last time Dan Whalen took snaps with the Gladiators' first-team offense, it was training camp. Whalen was the third-string quarterback, a 2010 Case Western graduate, and unlikely to see much playing time at all this season. He didn't need the reps.

That was until starting quarterback John Dutton tore his Achilles' tendon in the first game and was done for the season. Then newly minted starter Kurt Rocco suffered a lacerated finger on his non-throwing left hand late in the third quarter Friday and needed stitches to close the gash.

Suddenly Whalen was trotting out on the turf at The Q, his Gladiators down, and no experience with directing these teammates.

No matter. Whalen led the Gladiators to two fourth-quarter touchdowns, the defense came up big in the end, and the Gladiators held on to a 34-30 victory over the Tulsa Talons in front of a crowd of 5,109. The victory snapped a two-game losing streak for the Gladiators, and pushes them to 4-2.

"That's a tough spot to step into," Gladiators coach Steve Thonn said. "Dan did a great job."

Especially considering Whalen was handed the football for the final play of the third quarter, second-and-goal from the Tulsa 8, trailing, 30-21. Whalen said he entered the huddle, cracked a few one-liners, and on his second snap in the AFL, tossed a 7-yard touchdown pass to Robert Redd.

"You've just got to go out and exude confidence," Whalen said of his strategy upon entering the game.

He had little else to rely on but that confidence as the Case all-time leader in completions and touchdowns, and plenty of time studying practice tapes. Whalen said he approached Thonn earlier this week to remind him that he was ready if ever needed. Still, until Rocco was hurt on a near-interception, Whalen had been staring as the action unfolded on the scoreboard.

"I'd much rather be playing than tilting my head up and watching it on the Jumbotron," Whalen said.

After he tossed his touchdown pass to close the Tulsa lead to 30-28, the Gladiators still had to rely on a unit that ranks third in the AFL in scoring defense to stop the Talons. The defense complied as defensive back Levy Brown unloaded a mighty hit on Tulsa receiver Tony McBroom on fourth-and-4 that stopped the Talons.

One drive later, with Tulsa closing in on the end zone, Thyron Lewis snagged an interception at the Cleveland 2 with 5:02 left, setting up the final drive for the Gladiators.

Whalen's inexperience with the first team resulted in three penalties on the final drive, and a first-and-20 hole from the Tulsa 24 with 48 seconds remaining. That was when Whalen unleashed something from his own playbook, scrambling for 19 yards to set up the Russell Monk 4-yard touchdown run three plays later.

"He's a good scrambler," Thonn said. "We told him, 'If you're not sure, don't force it. Run with it.'"

With few other options, Whalen did just that. The Gladiators defense held Tulsa to 27 yards gained before the clock ran out.

Rocco said he expects to be ready to play next week, but was happy for the win Friday.

"With two rough losses in a row, we needed this to get back on track," Rocco said.

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/gladiators/index.ssf/2011/04/backup_qb_dan_whalen_rallies_c.html

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This is why voting matters

CONFLICT anywhere in the world is broadcast straight into our living rooms via television.

And thanks to the internet, not even the world's most repressive regimes can impose a news blackout on events within their borders any more.

For most of us, this means we get an armchair view of war and revolution, with all of the associated human suffering.

But for some, those TV images and internet commentaries are a call home to play their part.

Dr Khalid Hanish is someone who heard that call and left the safety of Swansea for the stricken Libyan city of Misrata.

His experiences underlined the sacrifices people are willing to make for political freedom. A freedom thousands of us will squander next Thursday by failing to vote in the Assembly election.

That is no cause for pride in our homeland.

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'Al-Qaida members' held in Germany

Three men of Moroccan origin posed 'concrete and imminent danger' to country, according to officials

German police on Friday arrested three suspected al-Qaida members who officials say posed a "concrete and imminent danger" to the nation.

Authorities did not say whether the three had planned specific targets and offered few details, but security officials said that all three suspects were of Moroccan origin. They also said that two were arrested were in the western German city of Duesseldorf and one in nearby Bochum. The arrests were based on suspicion they were planning a terror attack, they said.

Local media reported that officers had seized large amounts of explosives when the three were arrested.

The arrests "succeeded in averting a concrete and imminent danger, presented by international terrorism," German interior minister Hans-Peter Friedrich said in a statement. They showed "Germany remains a target of international terrorists."

Germany has escaped any large-scale attack by an Islamic terror organisation, such as the Madrid train bombings of 2004 and the London underground attacks of 2005. But Germany's presence as part of the Nato coalition in Afghanistan has sparked anger and at least two major plots have been thwarted or failed in Germany before they could be carried out.

The suspects had been under surveillance since November when Germany increased security across the country in response to heightened terror threat warnings in Europe, but authorities only had enough evidence to launch an official criminal investigation starting 15 April, Friedrich said in a statement.

Federal prosecutors said earlier that they had ordered federal police to arrest the trio, but gave no further information about the timing or location of the arrests. Officials were planning a news conference for Saturday.

A US official speaking on condition of anonymity said a team picked up three people in a raid on suspicion they were planning an attack with explosives.

"Our concerns about threats in Europe had a number of different threads and strands, some of which have been disrupted by good intelligence and law enforcement work by the relevant services," another US official said.

"There have been five disrupted plots in Europe during the past four years including a credible plot in Germany in 2007 all of which demonstrate Pakistan-based al-Qaida's steadfast intent to attack the US and our allies."

Duesseldorf, a city of 600,000, has one of the largest Moroccan immigrant communities in Germany. It is to host the Eurovision Song Contest on 14 May, which is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of spectators.

Prosecutors said the three alleged terrorists would be brought before a judge Saturday who will decide whether they are to remain in detention pending a trial.

Germany raised its security posture in November after receiving information from its own and foreign intelligence services that led authorities to believe a sleeper cell of some 20 to 25 people may have been planning an attack inside the country or in another European nation.

• Germany
• Europe
• Global terrorism

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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/29/three-al-qaida-arrests-germany

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The Fifth Question

Is there no end to Jewish ingenuity (or the ability of some to see a way of making a dollar or two)? I ask because someone has sent me the ultimate in Pesach marketing. You will know, of course, that at the Seder table it is the custom to lean, in recognition of the fact that free men (and women), in contradistinction to slaves, can relax in the comfort of their homes and eat, as apparently did the aristocracy of Talmud times, tilted comfortably to the left, as on a chaise longue. Leaning left, it seems, is better for the digestion than leaning right. Ha! But, what if you live in the modern world, where the possiblity is that your chairs do not have sides which will support you when you lean? What then? Never fear! Our redoubtable friends of the hairy headgear have come up with an attachable arm which will fit (guaranteed to fit) on the left side of any chair at all. So there you are. No problem ? except, of course, if you happen to have rather large goblets for your four cups of wine and, in your absolute freedom, you momentarily lean right......

Source: http://www.thejc.com/blogs/geoffrey-paul/the-fifth-question

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Captains lose playoff series opener to Loons, 10-8, despite Jonathan Burnette's two homers: Minor league report

Captains will have to win at Great Lakes on Monday and Tuesday nights to win Midwest League best-of-three Eastern Division series and reach league championship series.

FARM REPORT

AAA Columbus Clippers

The Clippers were idle on Sunday. They will begin the best-of-five Governor's Cup Final for the International League championship against Louisville or Durham on Tuesday night at Columbus.

Notes: CF Ezequiel Carrera was 7-of-15 (.467) in the Clippers' three-games-to-one first round playoff series win against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. Carrera had one home run, one double, six runs, three RBI, four walks and two stolen bases....OF Jerad Head was 5-of-13 (.385) with a double, four runs and two RBI....1B-OF Drew Sutton was 6-of-18 (.333) with a double, three RBI and two runs....1B-DH Wes Hodges was 4-of-16 (.250) with one homer, one doubles, five RBI and three runs....RH reliever Zach Putnam faced six batters in the series and got them all out, four on strikeouts....RH reliever Josh Judy retired all seven batters he faced, striking out two.... Counting their playoff appearances, Putnam has allowed one run (unearned) while going 1-0 in his last 12 games, fanning 19, walking three and giving up five hits in 16 1/3 innings; Judy has allowed one run (unearned) in his last 10 games, fanning 14 while yielding five hits and two walks in 11 1/3 innings....The Clippers will play for in the Governor's Cup Final for the first time since 1997. They last won the title in 1996.

A Lake County Captains

Loons 10, Captains 8: Left fielder Jonathan Burnette slugged two home runs and a double to drive in four Captains' runs, but Great Lakes (Mich.) DH Brian Cavazos-Galvez was 4-of-5 with a homer, triple, five RBI and three runs in Game 1 of the Midwest League Eastern Division best-of-three finals in Eastlake.

Captains' CF Delvi Cid, who stole two bases to go with his two hits, grounded a two-run single during a three-run ninth inning rally that fell short. Left-handed starter Giovanni Soto took the loss, giving up four runs on three hits and five walks in 4 1/3 innings.

Lake County committed three errors in the last four innings, leading to three unearned runs. Captains 3B Adam Abraham drilled a solo homer, SS Casey Frawley had two doubles and an RBI and 1B Jason Smit singled twice and scored two runs.

Notes: Game 2 and, if necessary, Game 3 in the best-of-three series will be played on Monday and Tuesday nights at Great Lakes. The Captains will start RH Brett Brach against Loons RH Allen Webster in Game 2. Brach was 5-8 with a 3.46 ERA in 22 games, all starts, during the regular season. He struck out 90, walked 28 and allowed a .266 batting average, including nine home runs, in 119 2/3 innings. Brach started the Captains' 4-2, Game 1 win over West Michigan in the first-round playoff series. He did not get a decision, giving up two runs on five hits and a walk in five innings, with three strikeouts. Webster was 12-9 with a 2.88 ERA in 26 games (23 starts) for Great Lakes. He struck out 114 and walked 53 in 131 1/3 innings. Batters hit .239 with six homers against him. Webster was the starter and loser for the Loons in their 1-0, Game 1 playoff game loss to Fort Wayne in a first-round series. He gave up one run on two hits and six walks in five innings, with seven strikeout....Captains' RH reliever Jeremy Johnson was effective on Sunday, allowing no earned runs on two hits in the last three innings, with two strikeouts. The Captains made two of their three errors in the ninth inning, leading to two unearned runs off Johnson....RHP Preston Guilmet had saves in both of his first-round appearances against West Michigan. He pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out four while allowing two hits and no walks. Including the regular season and playoffs, Guilmet is 4-1 with 13 saves and a 2.10 ERA. He has struck out 83, walked 10 and allowed 37 hits -- just three homers -- in 55 2/3 innings....Including his five-inning gem in Friday night's Game 3, RHP Jason Knapp has struck out 35 in 21 innings for the Captains in five games. Prior to joining the Captains, Knapp had fanned 18 in 12 1/3 innings over five outings in the Arizona League -- where, beginning in July, he pitched in games for the first time since having off-season shoulder surgery. In the 33 1/3 combined innings, Knapp, 20, is 2-2 with a 2.43 ERA and has given up just 19 hits -- including no homers. He has walked 13. Knapp, a 2008 second-round draft pick of the Phillies and considered an elite prospect, came to the Indians in the trade of Cliff Lee to Philadelphia last July....The Captains' starting and losing pitcher on Sunday, LH, Giovanni Soto was 3-2 record with a 3.77 ERA in six regular season starts with the Captains. The Indians acquired him from West Michigan, a Detroit Tigers farm team, in exchange for Jhonny Peralta on July 28. In a combined 22 regular season games -- all starts -- for the Captains and Whitecaps, Soto was 9-8 with a 2.93 ERA and two shutouts. He struck out 107, walked 36 and held batters to a .237 average and seven homers in 113 2/3 innings.

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2010/09/captains_lose_best-of-three_pl.html

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�7m home opens

The New North London Synagogue in Finchley has celebrated the first Shabbat in its new �7 million home.

Based within the grounds of the Sternberg Centre in East End Road in Finchley, the Masorti community centre incorporates prayer spaces, a youth room and a kindergarten for its 2,700-plus members.

As an example of its multi-purpose facilities, one of the prayer spaces will also serve as a library, study room and resource for tikkun olam projects.

Sustainability has been central to the design with a ground source heat pump producing the majority of the building's heating.

"This project has been in the making for 15 years," said NNLS executive director Claire Mandel. "It's amazing to see our vision finally realised."

NNLS rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg hoped it would provide "the inspiration to deepen our Judaism".

Source: http://www.thejc.com/community/community-life/48315/%C2%A37m-home-opens

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The Watercooler: Dublin in trouble, Cork impress

MONDAY MORNING AT THE WATERCOOLER

Under Discussion: The weekend's football league finals in Croke Park.

Chatting were: The Irish Examiner's Fintan O'Toole, John Fogarty, Brendan O'Brien and football columnist Ray Silke.

FINTAN O’TOOLE: Yesterday's Division 1 final first lads and thoughts on that remarkable second-half. Which was the bigger story, the Cork comeback or the Dublin demise? And what effect is this going to have on either for the months ahead?

JOHN FOGARTY:  It being Dublin, not enough credit is being given to Cork for the character they showed. Nowhere near enough credit. Dublin lost their shape and their gameplan. Their defensive wall crumbled. The fact of the matter is Cork have been where they are and have recovered.

RAY SILKE:  Reasonable point and I agree with it to a degree. However the misses by Mossie Quinn and Dean Kelly were inexplicable and will surely rattle Gilroy's confidence and belief in them. It brought back echoes of the All-Ireland semi-final against Mayo in 2006.

BRENDAN O’BRIEN:  That second-half undid an awful lot of good work for Dublin over the spring, plain and simple. But it was set up for Cork - the up and coming Dubs at Croker and a chance to prove to everyone that they are a better team than they were given credit for last September.

FINTAN O’TOOLE:  Those second-half misses stood out, even one point for Dublin during Cork's comeback would have steadied their ship.

JOHN FOGARTY:  Cork wanted to beat Dublin more than win another league title. They might have been the spring kings but there's no doubt who are still the boys of the summer.

RAY SILKE:  Bad luck was a factor too against Dublin. No manager can factor in his best player having to go off with a hammer and if Bernard Brogan had not got injured this water cooler would have a tint of blue in the H2O.

JOHN FOGARTY:  Dean Kelly's miss was an awful kick; he snapped at it. He wouldn't be known as a finisher but a decent prospect, regardless. I wouldn't criticise Mossy Quinn's second free but no excuses about the first. He'd be the first to admit that too.

FINTAN O’TOOLE:  The importance of the Brogan's to the Dublin attack was highlighted once again. Without them in the closing stages of the second-half, Dublin collapsed up front.

BRENDAN O’BRIEN:  That's the thing. Cork showed the importance of the group by winning without so many of last year's key men. Take away two of Dublin's big boys and the rest go to pot.

JOHN FOGARTY:  And yet they won without Brogan during this league. As much as Cork won without some of their marquee men yesterday, let's remember who's to come into this Dublin team (or at least be seriously considered) - the two O'Carroll’s, Alan Brogan, Paul Griffin, David Henry, Eoghan O'Gara, Eamonn Fennell... and there's more.

FINTAN O’TOOLE:  Both teams are likely to have notably different starting 15s if they meet further down the road.

BRENDAN O’BRIEN:  I'd still back Cork.

JOHN FOGARTY:  The two O'Carroll’s are major men for Dublin. Can see them both coming in and Fitzsimons possibly making way for Griffin.

RAY SILKE:  Cian O'Sullivan is a good player too and would be ahead of Ger Brennan in some regards. The jury is out on Paul Brogan too. When Donncha O'Connor got going he did very well and Paul was a bit headless tearing up the field. I prefer the full-back to do his primary job first. Mick Lyons. Gary Fahy. Darren Fay etc.

JOHN FOGARTY:  What about Paddy Kelly yesterday? Talk about control.

FINTAN O’TOOLE:  That was the one thing that struck me in the second-half yesterday, Cork's composure on the ball. Kelly the key man in that regard.

RAY SILKE:  Dublin will face the winners of Laois or Longford in a few weeks now. And they will need their top XV for that test too or they could find themselves in trouble.

BRENDAN O’BRIEN:  Don’t know. I've seen Laois twice recently and they are very limited, especially up front. And Dublin would breeze by Longford on the evidence of Saturday's game.

RAY SILKE:  Thought Kingston was a big in everyway addition when he was sprung.

JOHN FOGARTY:  There was a lot of chatter yesterday Laois would have won had Kingston been on from the start. Wouldn't be so sure of that. The numerical advantage played into his lap.

BRENDAN O’BRIEN:  The negative tactics employed by both Donegal and Laois were horrible to see. The displays of McFadden, Murphy and Kingston were the only real shafts of light for me.

RAY SILKE:  Not great to see Michael Murphy dragging down a Laois attacker as he advanced. Very cynical and pretty ugly to watch.

BRENDAN O’BRIEN:  Shades of Peter Canavan against Kerry.

JOHN FOGARTY:  If Longford and Roscommon were the poorest quality final of the weekend, yesterday's Division 2 game was close to it in terms of how bad a spectacle it was. There was a prominent former Donegal man in the press-box raging at half-time about his county's style of football. Wonder if the end justified the means for him at the final whistle, though.

FINTAN O’TOOLE:  It's been a good spring for Donegal but are they going to run out of steam by the middle of June? Or is there evidence that they can maintain their run?

JOHN FOGARTY:  It's all about Ulster for Donegal this year. Their record in the province isn't as bad as Derry's but that's where McGuinness wants to start making inroads. You can see what he's doing. He has a plan and like most new managers he's building from the back in year one.

RAY SILKE:  They will beat Antrim in Ballybofey and that will keep their run going. As long as they can keep Murphy & McFadden fit and flying they will be difficult to beat. They have not won Ulster since 1992 and that is some carrot. 

FINTAN O’TOOLE:  And yesterday a setback for Laois or had the objective already been achieved in claiming promotion? I expected a better performance from them.

JOHN FOGARTY:  MJ Tierney was the prophet of his own doom when he said he wouldn't get as many frees yesterday as the last round game. Apart from one glorious point, Colm Begley was so quiet too. Meaney is an excellent footballer and has to be moved away from full-back. They've the makings of a decent side but were far too focussed on stopping Donegal rather than beating them.

RAY SILKE:  You have to be pleased for Louth too on Saturday, a very good win for them. Brian Donnelly & Paddy Keenan were impressive, great impact from JP Rooney. What was the story with the lack of lighting at the end? Looked awfully dark on the TV. I expected "Do not adjust your set" to appear.

   FINTAN O’TOOLE:  Donnelly looks a ready-made replacement for Brian White, he converted one brilliant second-half free. The lighting issue was very strange, Paddy Keenan spoke afterwards about how he found visibility a real issue towards the end of the second-half.

   JOHN FOGARTY:  Thoughts on the tunnel incident?

RAY SILKE:  Anytime you have boys taking a few swings at each other in the tunnel is dangerous. And could get very nasty in 30 seconds. Does not look good and a very simple solution is that the linesman or 4th official just lets one team in first - and a minute later the second one. Moving on, a rotten display by Roscommon on Saturday. Fergal O' Donnell was right to be disgusted The Connacht champions looked far from impressive.

FINTAN O’TOOLE:  Can thoughts of next week's game with New York be submitted in mitigation?

JOHN FOGARTY:  Think it can in the sense they're leaving for it on Thursday, the jetlag, what happened last year... all concerns

RAY SILKE:  There is only one big game with the big ball this week and that is Cavan v Galway in the U21 final on Sunday. Reckon "head-office" would like to see a Cavan win. As Terry Hyland pointed out, "they deserve it”.

FINTAN O’TOOLE:  That U21 game should draw a fine crowd. Massive match for both counties, a title would be a huge boost.

JOHN FOGARTY:  It will, and Cavan are going crazy for it. I'd have a slight fancy for Galway based on the win over Cork and how well-rounded they are all over the field

   RAY SILKE:  Both counties could really do with a win. Galway were relegated and have been really poor for the past few seasons at senior level. So a victory, especially in Croker would be huge. Whereas an adult title for Cavan would also be massive. Too much hype in some ways (and we’re guilty too) about Galway's midfield youngsters. They are both only 19. Cavan will be very difficult to beat.

JOHN FOGARTY:  It's some curtain raiser for the hurling. Your own thoughts on it, Fintan?

FINTAN O’TOOLE:  Haven't seen Cavan play, but Gearóid McKiernan appears to be their main man. Galway's defence really impressed me against Cork, particularly Colin Forde and Tomas Fahy. Mark Hehir at centre-forward is another good prospect. Would go for Galway as well yet the U21 championship this year has consistently turned up surprising results.

JOHN FOGARTY:   It has but Cork presented a tougher test than Wexford. Going on that but wouldn't be surprised by Cavan winning either. Definitely an U21 final to be excited about.

Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/rODQem3dyy0/post.aspx

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Stoate attacks PM over NHS claim

GP Howard Stoate, who stood down at last election, says claim that he supported NHS reforms was 'entirely misleading'

Howard Stoate, the former Labour MP who left parliament to focus on his work as a GP, has attacked David Cameron for quoting him "out of context" on the government's health bill. The comments triggered heated exchanges during which Cameron told a female shadow cabinet member to "calm down, dear".

Stoate, the former MP for Dartford, writes in the Guardian that doctors do not "glibly accept every aspect of the health bill; it clearly has many inherent problems". He says Cameron "should stop using the health service as a political football and allow GPs to get on with the job of improving health services".

"I [had] said many GPs were enthusiastic about the chance to help shape services for patients," he writes. "I was referring to GPs in my own borough of Bexley, south London, and qualified this by saying GPs in the borough had a head start, building on their experience of commissioning over the last four years. Taken out of context, and interspersed with condescending comments to backbench MPs, Cameron's quote is entirely misleading."

With senior Labour figures claiming the prime minister lost his cool because he has lost "the argument over the NHS", the intervention by Stoate? the only practising GP to serve in parliament when he stood down at the general election ? robs Andrew Lansley, the health secretary, of a line of attack: that the government reforms have high-profile defenders in the medical profession.

In his blog, Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair's former director of communications and strategy, said Cameron was rattled over the dispatch box because of the unpopularity of the coalition's reforms. "The plans are not thought through, not popular with those who run the NHS or those who use it, and politically toxic, not least because they have no mandate for them," he said.

Cameron laughed off the row on an election campaign visit to North Wales. He said: "Don't worry, I'm not going to tell you to calm down. I don't know what it is about some people on the left. It seems that when they put the socialism in, they take the sense of humour out.

"I got home last night and my wife said to me 'What sort of day did you have, dear?' And I told her I was attacked by Harriet Harman and defended by Michael Winner and she said 'What on earth were you up to?'"

Read Howard Stoate's article

• David Cameron
• NHS
• Labour
• Conservatives
• Health

Randeep Ramesh

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/apr/28/david-cameron-howard-stoate-nhs

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Jury ponders unlawful killing verdict

Coroner says jury would have to be sure police officer's actions had been intentional and dangerous during G20 protests

The jury at the inquest into the death of Ian Tomlinson has been told it can return a verdict of unlawful killing, but only if it is satisfied the police officer who beat him with a baton and shoved him to the ground acted deliberately and illegally.

Judge Peter Thornton QC, sitting as assistant deputy coroner, said the jury of six men and five women would have to be sure beyond reasonable doubt that PC Simon Harwood's actions had been intentional and dangerous during the G20 protests in central London two years ago..

Thornton said the jury could also consider verdicts of misadventure, death from natural causes and an open verdict. He said they would have to decide whether the 47-year-old newspaper vendor died from internal bleeding or a heart attack.

Although Harwood ? a member of the Metropolitan police's territorial support group ? initially claimed he had hit and shoved Tomlinson because he was "being defiant" and "encroaching" on a police line. But he conceded this was not the case when confronted with footage of the encounter.

"PC Harwood said that [Tomlinson] was not a threat to him or any other officer," said the coroner in his summing-up. "In evidence PC Harwood said his perception at the time was significantly different to what the CCTV camera footage shows ?

"s his perception, as he puts it, an honest mistaken perception of events, or is it an untruthful account of events put forward as a deliberate lie to try to excuse his actions? You will have to decide."

Thornton asked the jury to consider whether the force used in either the baton strike or the subsequent push was reasonable or excessive and illegal.

"If you are sure that either a heart attack caused by stress from the baton strike and/or the fall or [an] injury from the push or fall causing internal bleeding were proved, you would find [one of the requirements for unlawful killing] proved," he said.

Turning to the medical evidence, the coroner said the jury would have to decide exactly how Tomlinson died.

"[He] was more vulnerable than a normal person as a result of a number of factors" they include his diseased liver, his alcoholism, his input of alcohol that day and the condition of his left shoulder," Thornton said.

"But at the same time, the police officer [had] a duty to [protect] the more vulnerable, and also the mere fact that Mr Tomlinson was vulnerable cannot excuse the police officer from an unlawful act."

He reminded the jurors that they had heard two very different explanations of Tomlinson's death. Dr Freddy Patel, the Home Office pathologist who initially examined Tomlinson's body, had concluded he died as a result of a spontaneous heart attack, but other medical experts had suggested the cause had been internal bleeding. Patel had later made a number of important changes to his evidence.

"Is there a good reason for these changes which justifies and supports his original cause of death, or is his credibility as an expert witness no longer intact?" asked the coroner.

Although the jury had been told that Patel had been removed from the Home Office register of experts and is suspended for failings in cases unrelated to Tomlinson's death, Thornton urged them to "not put this aspect of the case out of all proportion".

He reminded the jury that no one was on trial. "There is no indictment, no criminal charge ? it is simply a way of establishing facts," he said.

"Come to your decision coolly and calmly and on the evidence. Your duty is to find the facts and conclude from the evidence, and from nothing else."

The inquest is expected to retire next Tuesday to consider its verdict.

• Ian Tomlinson
• London
• G20
• Metropolitan police

Sam Jones

Haroon Siddique

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/apr/28/ian-tomlinson-inquest-jury-verdict

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In a league of its own

Alan Good

HOCKEY isn’t everybody’s cup of tea as either a participant or spectator sport, but it continues to prove itself nothing if not innovative, as anyone who watched the Easter weekend action in the EuroHockey League will testify.

Europe’s premier men’s club competition is barely out of nappies as it heads for the conclusion of just its fourth season, yet somewhat arrogantly declares itself as “the best way hockey has ever been presented”. The thing is, it ain’t wrong.

Irish interest in the knockout rounds of the EHL is higher than usual this season; Dublin clubs Pembroke Wanderers and Glenanne were both involved in the last 16, while a smattering of Irish international players are representing clubs from Spain, Belgium and England.

I therefore spent much of the weekend glued to the superb EHL website, watching either the live stream or highlights, as 12 games unfolded over four days in Bloemendaal, near Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

That the entire last 16 and quarter-finals took place at a single venue is a hallmark of a sport which places a heavy emphasis on tournament-style competitions, where games come thick and fast over a short period of time.

You certainly couldn’t manage it with the Champions League or Heineken Cup, but for smaller sports this is a clever move — it creates a festival atmosphere, increasing the neutral crowds at matches and allowing players and fans from across Europe to mingle.

From a broadcasting perspective, there is also much to admire. Split screen views are utilised heavily on replays — so one incident can be viewed from attackers’ and defenders’ point of view simultaneously, or you can watch a coach agonise over a missed chance as it happens.

Commentary is left off the comprehensive highlights packages of each game, allowing the miked-up umpires to be heard throughout while also picking up some gems of comments from players and coaches.

The result is an instructive one for followers of any sport; witness how advantages are called and decisions are explained by the umpires, even while play is unfolding.

And for when they get it wrong? Much like cricket and tennis, the EHL adopts a video referral system. Even more intriguingly, the video umpire is also on camera, so viewers can watch and listen as he comes to his decision.

There are plenty of sports which would dearly love to be able to demand such accountability and transparency from their officials.

For the first time in EHL history, the system was called into play during a penalty shootout during the all-Spanish quarter-final between Club de Campo and Atletic Terrassa on Sunday — and resulted in a goal correctly being chalked off.

That came amid the EHL’s take on how to decide stalemates, replacing the traditional stationary strikes at goal with a “penalty shuttles” system where players are instead given eight seconds to score in a one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

This format has heightened excitement, removed some of luck element and evened up the odds. It is one of many radical changes in recent years which has helped differentiate hockey from other sports which are similar superficially or tactically, football being a prime example.

These include using two umpires and rolling substitutions, scrapping the offside rule, removing the need to pass frees to another player (known as an autopass) and utilising a three-card and sin-bin system for disciplinary matters.

One size doesn’t always fit all, of course; a bit of opportunistic journalism last year suggested FIFA president Sepp Blatter was considering following hockey’s lead by doing away with offside, to widespread condemnation on fans’ message boards.

And no system is without flaws; during the Reading v KHC Dragons clash on Monday, twice the video umpire was unable to come to a definitive conclusion.

There are nonetheless plenty of ways that sports can learn from each other. Hockey, for example, could look at how rugby upped the value of a try to encourage more positive play, and perhaps reduce the amount of sanctions which result in penalty corners, to encourage more goals from play.

In the meantime, whether you’re a seasoned veteran or complete newbie, set aside an hour and make an appointment with the EHL website; it’ll give you food for thought at the very least.

Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/5stNNK07TCs/post.aspx

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Team of the week: 28th April 2011

Source: http://www.thejc.com/sport/team-week/48329/team-week-28th-april-2011

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In Tom Heckert, Browns fans have reason to be hopeful on draft day: Bud Shaw's Sports Spin

The NFL draft brings a yearly reminder of just what a good personnel man can mean for a franchise. Tom Heckert is off to a good start, Bud Shaw writes in his Spin column.

View full sizeGus Chan / The Plain DealerTom Heckert could offer the most savvy of any Browns GM in recent memory ... not that that's a particularly high bar to clear, says Bud Shaw.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A review of the last two decades indicates Tom Heckert could be in line for a different kind of bust...

Shining moments in the draft have eluded the Browns more often than not. But then again, I've only been here for 20 years.

As for the other moments, can you spare three hours?

Let's just say the only personnel man with an easier act to follow than Phil Savage in my two decades in Cleveland is Heckert. Heckert's work in his first draft -- Joe Haden, T.J. Ward and Colt McCoy in the first three rounds -- is the primary reason for hope in 2011.

Nobody is building a statue to Heckert quite yet. No one is proclaiming him a can't-miss talent evaluator. But not only does he have an opportunity again Thursday to score big in the first round, where others before him have failed so miserably, he looks entirely capable of avoiding the kinds of picks that have doomed this franchise since 1999.

A review of the "Worst Of" list I've compiled since my first draft in Cleveland in 1992 should make you appreciate Heckert even more. It includes an inappropriately named running back, a self-titled defensive tackle, a wide receiver who declared himself the best in the draft (no, it wasn't Braylon) and a player under investigation for a felony at the time the Browns proclaimed him a great family man.

You can decide the worst of the worst. To me, it's Gerard Warren, but they all run together.

Courtney Brown (First round, 1st overall, 2000). Could've been somebody. Compared to Hall of Famer Bruce Smith while in college. Missed more games (51) than he played (45) over the last six seasons of his career.

Gerard Warren (First round, 3rd, 2001). Other than questions about his character and work ethic sending off alarms the Browns should've heeded, it's probably best to avoid drafting anybody calling himself "Big Money." Nicest guy Pittsburgh police ever arrested, according to Carmen Policy.

Could've been somebody, too -- LaDainian Tomlinson.

View full sizePD file photoWilliam Green may not have been the worst Browns draft pick, but he was no LaDainian Tomlinson.

William Green (First round, 16th, 2002). A makeup pick for not getting a franchise back when they were in position to do so the year before. Green's issues made Warren look like a Boy Scout. Say what you will about Big Money, at least he never claimed to have fallen on scissors and stabbing himself in the back while walking up the steps.

Craig Powell (First round, 30th, 1995). When the Jets took Penn State tight end Kyle Brady one spot ahead of the Browns, Bill Belichick either said, "Shucks," or threw a phone against the wall, depending on what story you believe. The upshot was Belichick traded down to the 30th pick and drafted Powell, a Buckeyes linebacker.

Depending on your perspective, this could be the worst pick of the two decades in question. The Browns traded down, passing up Warren Sapp despite a serious need for defensive linemen. Plus, not only did the extra picks acquired by trading down in a multi-team deal leave for Baltimore with Art Modell, but one of them turned into future Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis.

Travis Wilson (Third round, 78th, 2006). The self-declared best receiver in the draft. Career stats as of 2010: two catches, 32 yards.

Rahim Abdullah (Second round, 45th, 1999). He was gone two years later. If you consider winning a Grey Cup with Edmonton the last laugh, I guess he got it. Now employed as a high school defensive line coach.

Touchdown Tommy Vardell (First round, 9th, 1992). On the list because he was a Top 10 pick. Had three rushing TDs in four seasons with Browns.

His best year came blocking for Barry Sanders in Detroit. Got a better last laugh than Abdullah. Founded Northgate Capital, a private equities investment firm, where he works as managing director.

David Veikune (Second round, 52nd, 2009). Hawaii is a good place to look if you need a limbo dancer for a halftime show.

Chaun Thompson (Second round, 52nd, 2003). Why did Butch Davis and Pete Garcia outsmart themselves so often? Because they could.

Jeremiah Pharms (Fifth round, 134th, 2001). The Browns praised him as a mature family man on the day of the draft. One media account said while "his Washington teammates were out socializing on Friday and Saturday nights, Jeremiah Pharms was home changing diapers."

Apparently not all the time. He was also changing into ski masks. Pharms had been under investigation for most of the past season for a felony assault. He did time and never played in the NFL.

So ... Tom Heckert ... what's your preference for a statue? Marble or bronze?

SPINOFFS

In a development that conspirators inside Cleveland sports believe was a fraternity initiation rite, the Lake Erie Monsters lost Game 7 of their playoff series against Manitoba after holding a 3-1 lead...

Former Boston outfielder Carl Everett, a volatile player during his playing days, was arrested in Tampa for pointing a gun at his wife. His attorney called it a "family matter." Unless her family name is Soprano, good try...

How ridiculous does it look now that Ohio State initially planned to suspend Jim Tressel for only two games? Something tells me that's one of the many questions the NCAA was asking. Now it's asking how ridiculous it looks that the suspension is only five games...

SEPARATED AT BIRTH

View full sizePD file He drafted some great rock and roll, but could he find NFL talent?

Browns GM Tom Heckert and Akron Heavy Metal Hero Tim "Ripper" Owens -- Brian Heldman.

Harvey Updyke Jr., Auburn tree killer and Curt Schilling, Yankee killer. -- Bob H., Medina

YOU SAID IT

"Bud:

"The Jets' D'Brickashaw Ferguson earns a $750,000 bonus just to work out. What does the PD pay you extra for?" -- Tom Hoffner

I'm trying to work out a deal to get paid extra for exclamation points!!!! Imagine!!

"Bud:

"Before the Browns consider drafting A.J. Green, should they find out if he has a New York Essence?" -- Daniel Jenkins, Xenia

According to Wikipedia, which is never wrong, A.J. Green was on his elementary school "juggling team" and began riding a unicycle in the fourth grade. I'd be more worried about him running away from here to join the circus.

"Bud:

"Albert Haynesworth was indicted for fondling a waitress in Washington. Based on the way he played last year that's about the only thing he put his hands on." -- Angelo, Cleveland

Not true. He also was seen fondling and kissing an oversized paycheck.

"Bud:

"Was it any surprise to you that with all of his troubles, Jim Tressel came to the OSU spring game in a camo cap? He wasn't trying to hide anything was he? Himself, for instance?" -- Steam

I thought that was a tattoo of camouflage cap.

"Hey Bud:

"Do the recent developments at Ohio State make Jim Tressel the odds-on favorite to win coach of the year honors in the SEC?" -- Dan Coughlin

First-time "You Said It" winners receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection.

"Bud:

"These attacks on OSU make me so mad, I could punch a Clemson player." -- Joe S

Repeat winners receive an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/budshaw/index.ssf/2011/04/shaw_sports_spin_4-28.html

Dubai Australia cricket team Biology Incineration