Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. [url=http://www.piratesrookiestore

Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. Barry Bonds Jersey . This week they discuss Steve Nash, the Spirits handling of Terry Traffords passing, Ralph Krueger and NHL shootouts. Bruce Arthur, the National Post: My thumb is up to Steve Nash, who was shut down this week with nerve pain, which has been limiting him since a harmless-looking collision early last year. Hes only played 10 games for the Lakers this season and he looked like himself once. If this isnt the end of his 18-year career, then were getting close. So why thumbs up? Because of how hes facing it. Nash is making short films for ESPNs Grantland that are incredibly honest - jarringly so, at times - about what its like to face your athletic mortality and was incredibly honest again when I spoke to him this week. Nash and I are the same age; we both came from B.C.; we both played basketball and thats where the comparison ends. And again, hes showing me what it would be like. Steve Simmons, Sun Media: My thumb is down to the eerie silence that has engulfed the Saginaw Spirit in the tragic wake of the passing of 20-year-old Terry Trafford.There are questions here – but, to date, no answers coming from the prominent junior hockey people, coach Greg Gilbert or general manager Jim Paliafito. We know, from Traffords father, that the Spirit sent Terry home for what Roy Trafford calls “disciplinary reasons.” And we know, from the same conversation, that the time away from the team was supposed to be temporary, a few days. Then something changed. What changed? We dont know. Telephone messages were left informing Trafford that he was no longer welcome to return to the team. What we dont know and may never know - is why. To date, the only people who have those answers arent sharing them. Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated: Forget the Dos Equis guy. My thumb is up to the truly most interesting man in the world, Ralph Krueger. Less than a month after being the big-ice guru for the Canadian mens Olympic hockey team, Krueger has switched continents and sports. He is now chairman of Southampton FC, having jumped to the rarified world of English Premier League soccer without prior experience in the game. Krueger can match resumes with anyone. The Manitoban played pro hockey in Germany, built the Swiss national program, coached the Edmonton Oilers before his premature firing and boosted Team Canada. He also is an active member of the World Economic Forum. Now, soccer. Bartender, Ill drink what Kruegers drinking. Dave Hodge, TSN: Thumbs down to the NHL and its inability to deal with its dislike of the shootout. At the GMs meetings in Florida, the NHL continued to look for ways to decrease the number of shootouts. One way would be to change overtime from four-on-four to three-on-three, but if youre making a list of ideas that are less popular than the shootout, start there. The NHL will consider a change of ends for overtime to put skaters farther from their benches, as they are in the second period, which, statistically, is the highest-scoring of the three periods. Okay. Keep trying. The easy solution would be for the NHL to give up and decide it likes the shootout. Oh, but as with visits from grandpa, it does - there just shouldnt be too many of them. Francisco Cervelli Jersey . - All-Pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers looked spry enough in pregame warmups Sunday for Green Bays divisional playoff game against Dallas. Austin Meadows Jersey . Spezza scored a power-play goal with 5 minutes left and Stephane Da Costa had the other two goals to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night. http://www.piratesrookiestore.com/Customized/ . It was just time for him to make a big play. Nicolas Batum had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Wesley Matthews scored 18 points, and the Trail Blazers overcame poor-shooting nights by two of their best players in a 94-90 victory over the New York Knicks on Wednesday.REGINA -- The Regina Pats continued their early-season dominance over the Moose Jaw Warriors with a 3-1 victory on Sunday in Western Hockey League play. Boston Leier scored twice for the Pats (9-9-0), who improved to 4-0-0 against Moose Jaw, while Kyle Burroughs and Dmitry Sinitsyn chipped in two assists each. Carter Hansen also scored for Regina, which has outscored the Warriors 13-5 in its four meetings including a 3-0 victory Wednesday. Jesse Forsberg scored the lone goal for Moose Jaw (6-10-4). Pats netminder Dawson MacAuley made 20 saves for the win. Zachary Sawchenko took the loss for the Warriors after allowing three goals on 13 shots in the opening period. Justin Paulic stopped all 23 shots he faced in 40 minutes of relief. Regina went 1 for 5 on the power play while Moose Jaw scored once on four chances with the man advantage. --- WHEAT KINGS 6 HURRICANES 2 LETHBRIDGE, Alta. -- Jayce Hawryluk scored three times and set up one more as Brandon handed the Hurricanes their sixth loss in a row. Richard Nejezchleb scored two goals for the Wheat Kings (9-9-0) and John Quenneville had a goal and two assists. Tyler Wong and Brady Ramsay supplied the offence for Lethbridge (2-13-3), which has just one win in its last 10 outings. Jordy Mercer Jersey. Brandons Jordan Papirny made 33 saves for the win as Corbin Boes stopped 27-of-33 shots for the Hurricanes. --- OIL KINGS 4 HITMEN 2 CALGARY -- Curtis Lazars 11th goal of the season proved to be the winner as Edmonton doubled up the Hitmen, who lost in regulation for the first time in 11 outings. Brett Pollock had a goal and an assist for the Oil Kings (9-7-1) and Reid Petryk and Edgars Kulda scored the others. Jaynen Rissling and Zane Jones each scored on the power play for Calgary (10-4-3), which was 7-0-3 in its last 10 contests. Tristan Jarry made 14 saves for Edmonton while Chris Driedger turned back 27 shots for the Hitmen. --- AMERICANS 4 ICE 2 CRANBROOK, B.C. -- Brian Williams scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third as Tri-City slipped past Kootenay for its fifth win in six contests. Ty Comrie and Mitch Topping gave the Americans (10-8-2) a 2-0 lead in the first period while Williams tacked on an assist. Marcus Messier added an empty-net goal. Luke Philp and Austin Vettrl scored for the Ice (8-7-2), who lost for the first time in three outings. Eric Comrie made 30 saves for Tri-City. Mackenzie Skapski stopped 24 shots for Kootenay. 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