Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. Youth Jalyn Holmes 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. Wholesale Vikings Jerseys Free Shipping . Its the second of three meetings between these teams this season. Vancouver was a 2-1 winner on home ice December 22nd. Cheap Vikings Jerseys Authentic . Hes even holding a bat on one of his 2014 baseball cards. So far, hes playing like his picture. http://www.wholesalevikingsjerseys.com/ .com) - The surprising Calgary Flames host the winless New Jersey Devils at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday.CLEVELAND -- Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, who is on the 15-day disabled list with inflammation in his right elbow, was expected to meet with a team doctor Thursday night in Seattle. New York manager Joe Girardi said Tanaka has flown from New York to Seattle, where Dr. Christopher Ahmad, the teams head physician is attending a conference. "Probably within the next 24 hours we will have (an update)," Girardi said before Thursdays game against the Cleveland Indians. "Obviously youre curious to see what the diagnosis is and what they feel the time is necessary to get him back on the mound. So until then we just kind of wait to see what Dr. Ahmad says." Tanaka, who is tied for the major league lead with 12 wins, had an MRI iin New York on Wednesday, one day after the worst outing of his rookie season. Cheap Vikings Jerseys For Sale. He allowed five runs and 10 hits -- both career highs -- over 6 2-3 innings in a 5-3 loss to the Indians. The All-Star is 12-4 with a 2.51 ERA in 18 starts, but has lost three of his past four outings. The Yankees signed the 25-year-old Tanaka to a $155 million, seven-year contract in January after he had a standout career in Japan. New York also paid $20 million to his Japanese team, the Rakuten Golden Eagles, for his rights. Tanaka has held together the Yankees battered rotation. CC Sabathia is expected to miss the rest of the season with a knee injury while Ivan Nova had Tommy John surgery, and wont pitch again until next season. 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