lingzi
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Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the
world of sports. Justin Tucker Jersey . This week they discuss
Dustin Penners “pancake” injury, Foyd Mayweathers Twitter attack on Manny
Pacquaio, Lionel Messi, and the Lightnings goaltending woes. Bruce Arthur,
National Post: My thumb is up to Dustin Penner, the Los Angeles Kings winger
with the history of a little extra weight here, a little extra heft there.
Penner recently came down with back spasms, and when he was asked how it
happened he started his reply with, “I just leaned over to dip into some
delicious pancakes that my wife made,” and we were off. But lets praise the
pancake man. He could have said it was an egg-white omelette. He could have said
he was engaging in a vigorous abdominal workout. He could have said he was
lifting a flaming car off a helpless child. But Dustin Penner, in the age of
upper- and lower-body injuries, told us his wife made him delicious pancakes,
and then he started a charity raffle for a pancake breakfast with him. Somebody
should pay whatever it takes. Steve Simmons, Sun Media: My thumb is up to Floyd
Mayweather for his Twitter attack on Manny Pacquiao, and not because I believe,
like he does, that Pacquiao is some kind of punk. In this relationship,
Mayweather is clearly the punk as the American courts have proven, but what
happened this week because of Mayweathers calling out of Pacquaio was that an
actual dialogue began. A dialogue that could lead and should lead to the only
fight that people inside and outside of boxing want to see. Maybe the most
anticipated event that isnt yet scheduled on our calendar. Pacquiao turned to
his promoter and manager and said – get me this fight. And if Mayweathers crazy
Tweeting results in a title bout between boxings biggest names, then how do you
argue against that? Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated: My thumb is up to Lionel
Messi, who this week was named FIFA Player of the Year for a record third
consecutive time. Not that this was a shock. The runner-up, Cristiano Ronaldo,
didnt even bother to attend the awards ceremony. Anyone willing to bet the
24-year-old Argentine wont make it four straight? Messi is simply the most
gifted player in the history of the beautiful game. Pele me no peles. Keep your
Maradonas. The Barcelona star has injected levels of skill and creativity never
previously witnessed. For some, Messi still needs the validation of a smashing
World Cup, which likely will occur in Brazil 2014. But Im willing to anoint him
now. Messi personifies take-your-breath away greatness, the reason you probably
became a sports fan in the first place. Dave Hodge, TSN: My thumb is down to the
inertia that seems to have gripped the Tampa Bay Lightning when it comes to
their goaltending woes. No less than nine times this season, Mathieu Garon has
replaced Dwayne Roloson, or Dwayne Roloson has replaced Mathieu Garon, and it
wouldnt matter if coach Guy Boucher did that every game or never did it – the
Lightning cant win for bad goaltending, and cant, or wont, do anything about it.
GM Steve Yzerman keeps talking about a long-term plan – his Detroit roots make
him believe he should not be trading draft picks, but its hard to watch a team
with the NHLs top goal-scorer, Steven Stamkos, a team that won two playoff
series last season, play out the string this season without getting a goalie
from somewhere, anywhere, who might be able to help. This just in – Tampa now
sits 15th and last in the Eastern Conference. Haloti Ngata Elite Jersey . Talks first began
between Smiths agent and school officials during the 2010-11 season. After
roughly a year and a half, the two sides finally reached a point where they were
comfortable with both the language and the timing of the contract. Terrell Suggs Womens Jersey . Rodriguez
capitalized on a defending mistake in the area and slotted home a shot from
eight meters (yards). The victory improved Colombia to seven points from four
matches in the first official game under Argentine coach Jose Pekerman. http://www.shopthebaltimoreravens.com/ed-reed-jerseys?women=18
. The six-foot, 190-pound defenceman missed most of the 2011-12 season with the
WHLs Moose Jaw Warriors because a torn ACL, but still collected 18 points (3-15)
in 18 games. Terrell Suggs Jersey . The Saskatchewan
Roughriders crushed the Blue Bombers 52-0 on Sunday, dealing Tim Burke a loss in
his CFL debut as a head coach. Dennis Pitta Jersey . And this time, the
training staff is going to make sure there are no recurrences when he returns to
the lineup. Kemp went 1 for 4 with a double in two games since being reinstated
from the disabled list on Tuesday. INDIANAPOLIS —The Indiana Pacers were on
their best behaviour while their teacher was away. Lester Conner coached in
place of Jim OBrien, who attended a family funeral, and Indiana responded with
an impressive 130-115 victory over the surging Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night.
Danny Granger scored 23 points to help the Pacers snap Torontos five-game
winning streak. Indiana also ended a three-game skid. Conner deflected credit.
“The guys gave me all they wanted, and I said, Hey, you guys are telling me
congratulations, its congratulations to you because you guys needed this more
than I did,” Conner said. “When the substitute teacher is around, you want to
try to do good or try to test him to see what he has. Those guys went out and
played their hearts out.” The players said they wanted to win for Conner. “Les
is a lot of fun, hes a great assistant coach,” forward Troy Murphy said. “Hes a
guy you can always talk to and hes a good dude. Were happy he got the win.”
Murphy had 20 points and 14 rebounds. Roy Hibbert added 18 points and nine
boards for Indiana, and Earl Watson finished with 15 points and a season-high 11
assists. It was a season scoring high for the Pacers, who had scored fewer than
100 points in six of their previous nine games. Seven Pacers scored in double
figures. “A lot of guys played some minutes and we just moved the ball well,”
Granger said. “I dont know why it was so balanced, but thats the type of games
we need.” It was a much different game than Indianas 117-102 loss in Toronto on
Sunday. This time, the Pacers made 33-of-35 free throws and shot 52 per cent
from the field. It was just the fifth time the Pacers shot better than 50 per
cent this season. “A little different play calling, a little different freedom,”
Murphy said. “He has his own style apart from coach OBrien, but the message is
the same. He did a great job tonight and really filled in well for coach.”
Chris Bosh had 35 points and 15 rebounds, and Andrea Bargnani scored a
career-high 34 points for the Raptors. Bargnani said the defensive meltdown
rendered his personal accomplishment meaningless. “When you lose like that, it
doesnt really matter,” he said. The Raptors couldnt explain their lack of
defensive intensity. Haloti Ngata Youth Jersey. . It was the
highest point total theyve allowed this season. “The reason we came out the way
we did, I dont know exactly why,” said Toronto guard Jarrett Jack, who played
for the Pacers last season. “We just didnt play our type of game at all.” The
Pacers scored 50 points in the paint, their highest total of 2010. “We didnt do
a good job of getting up into them and making them do something else,” Bosh
said. “Our weakside defence was non-existent and we had too many blow-bys.”
Indiana led 58-53 at halftime and opened the second half with an 18-8 surge,
capped by Murphys three-pointer. Brandon Rushs three extended Indianas lead to
20 points just over five minutes into the third quarter. The Pacers shot 76 per
cent and scored 42 points in the third, one point short of its season high for a
single period. Eight different players scored for the Pacers in the quarter.
Bargnani helped keep the Raptors in the game with 19 points in the third.
Dahntay Jones made two free throws with one second left in the period to put the
Pacers up 100-86. The Raptors defence didnt improve much in the fourth quarter.
“I think we played terrible defence,” Bargnani said. “We gave up 130 points. We
wasted a good opportunity, but weve got to give them credit. They played really
good.” The Pacers looked like a different team, but Conner said he stuck to
OBriens philosophy for the most part. The biggest change was starting Hibbert
instead of Mike Dunleavy. “We never really try to change anything because it
would catch the guys off guard,” Conner said. “Ive been around coach OBrien for
a long time, so I know exactly what he wants and how he wants it. What he did
say to me on the plane, he told me to do whatever I need to do to get a win.”
NOTES: Toronto F Hedo Turkoglu sat out with a fractured bone under his right
eye. ... Pacers F Tyler Hansbrough missed his eighth straight game with an inner
ear infection. ... Toronto G Jose Calderon left in the fourth quarter with a
sprained right ankle. ... Toronto F Marco Belinelli scored 14 points in the
first quarter and finished with a season-high 21. ... Indianas reserves
outscored their counterparts 41-21. ’ ’ ’
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mcrawy
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