Advice to LeBron: Leave

The Cleveland Cavaliers are an ongoing illusion. We'll soon learn if LeBron James is willing to step back from his creation, leave his beloved home town and try to craft something real. At a crucial moment of Thursday night's Game 6 of the Cavaliers-Celtics series, the illusion came alarmingly to life. It was late in the third quarter, the game was slipping away from the Cavs, and the Boston crowd was in an uproar. Delonte West was at the free-throw line. The two men stationed near the basket were Anderson Varejao and Zydrunas Ilgauskas. How monumentally...

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Mariners homer 3 times in win over Rays

Franklin Gutierrez, Adam Moore and Mike Sweeney homered, helping the light-hitting Seattle Mariners beat the baseball-best Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Friday night.Right-hander Doug Fister (3-1) allowed one run and four hits in five innings as the last-place Mariners won for just the third time in 13 games.Reliever Shawn Kelley gave up a two-run homer to Evan Longoria, enabling the Rays to pull within 4-3 in the eighth. David Aardsma got the final three outs for his ninth save in 11 opportunities.Tampa Bay is off to the best start in the majors at 24-11....

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Cadillac Williams signs tender with Buccaneers

Restricted free agent running back Cadillac Williams has signed his one-year tender to remain with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.The Bucs also announced Wednesday that guard Michael Shumard(notes) has been claimed off waivers from the Denver Broncos. Offensive tackle Robert Okeafor was released.Williams was the fifth overall pick in the 2005 NFL draft and was the league’s offensive rookie of the year that season. He has rushed for 3,240 yards and 18 touchdowns in five years, despite missing most of two seasons with career-threatening knee injuries.After...

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It's way too early to write off LeBron

The exact moment this national obsession with Cleveland-Boston Game 5 reached a Kardashian level of discussion-to-relevance occurred at 11:23 Wednesday morning, when I received a text message that read "What's ur opinion on lebron?"The text came from someone who almost never talks to me about sports, save for the occasional inquiry about how to get tickets. It just showed that everyone wanted to know what everyone else thought about LeBron James' passive performance Tuesday night, that suddenly this moment mattered more than oil spills or Supreme...

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Here's what's happening around baseball

• Remember when Hank Blalock was a ballyhooed prospect? It's been a while, but the ex-Ranger is still only 29 and has been tearing it up for the Rays' Triple-A affiliate (.375, 23 RBI, .987 OPS) this season. Blalock agreed to a minor league deal with Tampa Bay during spring training when he couldn't find work elsewhere, and now that we're into the second week of May, it seems the charms of minor league life are wearing thin.Blalock's agent, Scott Boras, hinted Tuesday that the player might activate the out clause in his contract next week if he...

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Angels, in a weak spot, lose to Tampa Bay, 7-2

The Rays expose just about every weakness the Angels have, as they struggle offensively and starter Scott Kazmir gives up three runs and seven hits.The rotation isn't nearly as good as they thought it would be, the bullpen has only two relievers they can rely on, and there are gaping holes in a lineup Mike Scioscia thought would be among the strongest and deepest he's had in his 11 years as manager. The Angels have won five of the last six American League West titles, but they do not look like contenders so far this season. The Tampa Bay Rays exposed...

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Who Is The Most Skilled NBA Player? Hint: It's Not Kobe Or LeBron.

Steve Nash is the most skilled basketball player to ever put on an NBA uniform. And it's not even close. Watching the Suns close out the San Antonio Spurs last night, I could not help but marvel at how Steve Nash controls every aspect of the offensive end of the court for Phoenix. Even when Amare Stoudemire scores on isolation plays, Nash directs the other three guys to make sure Stoudemire has the room he needs to operate or one of the shooters gets a wide-open look. I have never seen anyone like him. As hard as it is to make the case that a...

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Tampa Bay Rays rally, then fall to Angels in 11 innings

Apparently the Rays didn't have a hangover from Sunday's perfect game, as they rapped out 12 hits Monday and rallied late to score four actual runs and force extra innings.But they still have a headache this morning when it turned out to be for naught as the Angels rallied in the 11th for a 5-4 win.The game ended, at nearly 2:15 Tampa Bay time, when Juan Rivera's sac fly scored...

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Tampa Bay Rays starter James Shields upset with subpar performance

Anything short of perfect, RHP James Shields wasn't going to measure up anyway.But allowing a season-high 11 hits, and four runs (two earned) over six innings, really made for a bad day, snapping his four-start winning streak and saddling the Rays with back-to-back losses for just the third time this season."They didn't really hit the ball hard, but they got the hits they needed to get; they got hits when it counted with runners in scoring position," Shields said. "I didn't pitch well today."Manager Joe Maddon was less harsh, saying Shields didn't...

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Tampa Bay Rays' bats quieted in rare road loss to Oakland Athletics

The Rays had done so well on the road, become so comfortable in their routine — win, play loud music, make plans to go out — that the quiet and hushed tones in their clubhouse after Saturday's 4-2 loss to the A's seemed so stark and unusual."In a good way, I guess," Evan Longoria said. "We're not used to losing."In winning 13 of their first 14 road games, and 22 of 29 overall,...

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