Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. [url=http://www.islanderssale.com/authentic-mathew-barzal-islanders-jers ey/]Mathew Barzal Islanders Jersey[/url] . This week they discuss Russias mens hockey team, the ineptitude of the IOC handling the Nick

Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. Mathew Barzal Islanders Jersey . This week they discuss Russias mens hockey team, the ineptitude of the IOC handling the Nicklas Backstrom situation, John Tortorellas many apologies, and Canadas strong showing in curling. Bruce Arthur, National Post My thumb is down to Russias national mens hockey program, which is still making reverberations a week after Sochi. After falling in the quarter-finals for the second straight Olympics, Russias NHL stars came back angry. As Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review wrote, Evgeni Malkin and Alex Ovechkin were unhappy for many reasons, but most of all resented the programs bias towards KHL players, which greatly distorted playing time, pairings, strategy, and felt like a punishment to Russian stars who dont play at home. Russia was one of the worlds great hockey powers, and a worthy rival to Canada; now its a mess, riven by petty rivalries. Its a shame, really. The Russians havent won a best-on-best tournament since the 1981 Canada Cup, and somehow they feel further away than ever. Steve Simmons, SUN Media My thumb is down to the International Olympic Committee for the mess it made of the Nicklas Backstrom gold medal game allergy pill fiasco. As a member of Swedens hockey delegation said, the IOC destroyed one of the greatest days in Olympic hockey history for the country. Backstrom, who did test positive for pseudo-ephedrine, didnt disagree with that assessment. The IOC first tested Backstrom last Wednesday. In the three days that followed, they never did do a second test. The Swedish team was not informed of Backstroms status until two hours before game time. Now dont get me wrong, the Swedes could have had Nicklas Backstrom, Ralph Backstrom, and all the Backstroms you can name available for the gold medal game and the result wouldnt have been different. What they didnt need was an unnecessary disruption, born of IOC ineptitude. Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated My thumb is down to John Tortorella, not for his most recent apology but for the continual need to apologize. This time, the Canucks coach launched into a mea culpa after saying he favored Sweden in the Sochi final because he wanted his Swedish Olympians - Daniel Sedin and Alex Edler - to return with smiles on their faces. Tortorella wears blinders. Professionally, he sees the small picture, nothing beyond his team. Belatedly, of course, he grasped context - Vancouver … Canada. So four weeks after apologizing for losing his mind between periods against Calgary, he again was at a microphone wearing a hair shirt and a tight expression. Thats Tortorella, the never-ending sorry. Dave Hodge, TSN My thumb is up to the excellence shown by Canadas Gold-medalists in curling - Jennifer Jones and her rink from Winnipeg and Brad Jacobs and his rink from Sault Ste. Marie. We used to take for granted Canadas worldwide dominance in curling, and then we didnt, because as good as the Canadians continued to be, several other countries showed they were capable of winning world titles. Not that Jones and Jacobs allow Canada to rest on its laurels, but the Sochi results were very impressive, and hows this for proof of Canadas wealth of curling talent - the Brier is underway in Kamloops and the field is strong with Jeff Stoughton, Kevin Koe, John Morris, and Brad Gushue. And imagine talking about a strong field that doesnt include Jacobs, Glenn Howard and Kevin Martin. Thomas Greiss Jersey . His fellow Finn, 21 years his junior, had just arrived in Anaheim and was hoping to stick with the Ducks. Nick Leddy Jersey . Tortorella told The Vancouver Province hell be cheering for Team Sweden to win gold when they take on the defending Olympic champions on Sunday morning. "I hope Sweden wins, cause I dont think Hammer (Dan Hamhuis) is going to play, judging by whats happened. http://www.islanderssale.com/authentic-casey-cizikas-islanders-jersey/ . -- New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft wanted to keep Logan Mankins with the team for a long time. DALY CITY, Calif. -- Stacy Lewis noted that she was 29 and playing partner Lydia Ko was 17 when talking about their contrasting approaches to a storm delay Friday in the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic. "I think you try to stay patient during the delay more than anything, and try to stay loose," Lewis said. "I didnt sit down too much. Tried to stay up." Ko did the opposite. "I sat down, had some chicken soup, played some cards," Ko said. "I was totally relaxed." But she was careful to avoid hot chocolate. "I had a cup of hot chocolate before during a delay and next hole I hit it out of bounds," Ko said. "My mom brought me a cup and I was like, Oh, that better not be hot chocolate." Lewis overcame rain and hail to take the second-round lead, shooting her second straight 3-under 69 at Lake Merced. Winless since the Womens British Open in August, the third-ranked Lewis had a one-stroke lead over Ko and first-round leader Karine Icher. "We all went into the day knowing it would play hard," said Lewis, who has five runner-up finishes since her victory at St. Andrews. ""It was a test of patience. I took it one shot at a time and wanted to get the ball into the hole as fast as I could. Fortunately, I was able to do that." Ko had a 71, and Icher followed her opening 66 with a 73. Lewis and Ko played alongside Michelle Wie, dealing with heavy rain and hail that suspended play for just over an hour. Play resumed in steady drizzle that gave way to sunny afternoon conditions that helped several of the late starters. Wie, the winner last week in Haawaii, was even par after her second 72. Casey Cizikas Jersey. The weather wavered between a slight mist and light shower before pounding the course just after noon, forcing the suspension at 12:36 p.m. "I honestly thought wed get it done," Lewis said. "Then we got to seven and it just poured. We had to call off Lydia from her putt when it started to hail." Ko, who turned 17 on Thursday and was named among TIME magazines 100 most influential people, thought she could get her putt in before being called off. "I was crazy and out of my mind thinking about putting in the hail," Ko said. "It started getting dark and Im glad I was called off." Ko returned to the course and made the putt. Icher was tied for the lead with Lewis at 5 under when the horn sounded. "I ate a little and dried my clothes," Icher said. "Rain delays are never fun but it happens. Being in the top five to start the tournament is pretty good, definitely my best start this year." Top-ranked Inbee Park, Mika Miyazato and Ilhee Lee were three strokes back at 3 under. Park had a 68 in the afternoon, Miyazato shot 69, and Lee had a 73. "It was a very good putting day and I hit a lot of fairways," Park said. "I got a little lucky with the weather. I only had to play in the rain for four holes." Miyazato finished before the delay. "The golf course was more challenging," Miyazato said. "I needed better course management." Second-ranked Suzann Pettersen, returning from a since back injury that sidelined her for three tournaments, was 2 under after a 72. ' ' '