d in the last half of the game for 60 minutes, we surely could

Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. Fake Baseball Jerseys . This week they discuss J.R. Smiths antics, Dennis Rodmans trip to North Korea, Toronto FCs spending and the inspiring story of a California high-school basketball player. Bruce Arthur, National Post: My thumb is down to J.R. Smith, the illegitimate clown prince of basketball. The New York Knicks are their own unique brand of farce, but Smith takes it to a different, dumber level. This week he was fined $50,000 for trying to untie an opponents shoelace again, after being warned by the NBA, hey, dont try to untie an opponents shoelace again. This had literally never happened before. He had already been suspended in his career for fights, for drugs, and even for reckless driving causing a death, and he has said over and over, "Ive learned." But he never learns. Hes a player with talent, no desire to shape it, no thoughts of consequences, and the brain of a slow-ish ostrich. Someone should tie his shoelaces together, and be done with it. Steve Simmons, Toronto Sun: My thumb is down to Dennis Rodman and his bizarre egotistical nonsensical attempt at diplomacy with his latest visit to North Korea. This isnt the Richard Nixon days, when ping-pong began to unfreeze the relationship between the United States and China. This is today, and this is the clown Rodman, trying to look serious in a political arena. The situation becomes all the more troubling when you consider Rodmans patty-cake friendship with dictator and admirer Kim Jong-un. While in North Korea, Rodman suggested that American tour guide, Kenneth Bae, jailed 15 years for state subversion, was at fault for being held captive and after saying that, blamed his verbal outburst on drinking too much. Dennis Rodman is, was, and remains something of a sporting embarrassment. The fact he is playing a more difficult game here only makes it worse. Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated: My thumb is up to Toronto FC for its showy efforts at ending its culture of failure. This week the club repatriated Canadian midfielder Dwayne De Rosario. It then made a global splash by acquiring striker Jermain Defoe from Tottenham and signing another midfielder, American international Michael Bradley, who had been languishing at A.S. Roma. MLSEs $100 million moves faintly echo President Tim Leiwekes investment in David Beckham when Leiweke was in Los Angeles, although labeling MLS most dismal team a "super club" is wildly premature. The last Toronto team to "win" an offseason was the blue jays last winter. Howd that turn out? Dave Hodge, TSN: My thumb is up to California high-school basketball player Austin Hatch, and this story will explain itself. In two airplane crashes eight years apart that killed his father, mother, stepmother, brother and sister, Austin Hatch narrowly escaped death himself. The most recent crash in 2011 left Hatch in a coma for two months. 10 days earlier, he had committed to a basketball scholarship at the University of Michigan. This week, he played in a high-school game for the first time since the crash - his first shot was a three-point attempt, he made it - his schoolmates roared and his teammates jumped from the bench and stormed the court, causing an emotional celebration....and a technical foul. Hatch still looks forward to Michigan, where his scholarship will be honored. Thumbs up all around. Indeed. Cheap Nike Baseball Jerseys .J. -- Rampage Jackson scowled, howled, then bellowed to the crowd: "Im back! Im back!" With rebuilt knees and a new promotion, Jackson might have one more act left in MMA. Fake Nike Baseball Jerseys China .com) - Australian Open champion Li Na, former Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova and former world No. https://www.fakebaseballjerseys.com/ . 5 Trade Deadline isnt that far away and teams will be making decisions on whether to buy, sell and decide which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value.TORONTO -- For the Toronto Maple Leafs, its time to rest, not panic. Losers of three in a row, the Leafs had a full day off Thursday after a rough run of six games in six cities in 10 days. Theyll now attempt to regroup before an already tenuous playoff picture gets more dicey. "First thing is get rest. Its been a gruelling stretch, a ton of travel, a lot of tough games where were seeing a lot of teams best efforts here," winger Joffrey Lupul said. "Get some rest and then come back refocused and get some of that confidence back that we had going to the West Coast." Confidence in the Leafs might be waning from the outside after losing to the Washington Capitals, Detroit Red Wings and Tampa Bay Lightning. But within the locker-room Wednesday night there was plenty of belief that those games featured some positive elements to build on. "No sense in panicking," said goaltender James Reimer, who has been thrust into the starting role since Jonathan Bernier was injured last week. "I think weve played some good hockey in the last three games, at times, and we know what we can do. I obviously believe in our team, we all believe in each other. "Its a case where, I think, with some fresh legs and kind of a little break here and get back at it, well be right back on top of our game again." Finding the top of their game is paramount to the Leafs, who occupy the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference after falling out of the top three in the Atlantic Division. They were as high as second, three points up on the Lightning and Montreal Canadiens, after beating the Kings in Los Angeles on March 13. In the three games since, Toronto has given up the first goal in each and struggled with defensive breakdowns in front of Reimer. Fixing the brutal starts might be the first order of business going into Saturdays game against the Montreal Canadiens and the final 10 after that. "Weve had a trend over the last three games where we seem like were starting a little sluggish or were not getting the exact start that were wanting," winger Mason Raymond said. "I thought later in (Lightning) game we showed that desperation, but we need that for 60 minutes. I think at the end of the day for me, (the kkey is) playing the 60 minutes in that desperation mode. Nike Baseball Jerseys China. " Finding that "desperation mode" could have a lot do to with having more energy in reserve. At least thats coach Randy Carlyles hope after watching his team run on empty. "We just come off a 10-day road trip and we play tonight off a back-to-back," Carlyle said Wednesday night following a 5-3 loss to Tampa Bay. "Thats not an excuse, but its a trying situation, and its not easy." The Leafs have also made life hard on themselves by giving stars like Steven Stamkos way too much room close to the net. Defensive breakdowns like the ones that led to Stamkoss hat trick are likely on the to-do list for Fridays practice. "It comes down to doing the basic things, every night doing the simple things," defenceman Tim Gleason said. "I think as a group of five, we really have to button down, get pucks out when we can and do the simple things in our zone and the offence will take care of itself and well get our chances." If the Leafs are getting offensive chances, theres enough firepower from Phil Kessel (35 goals) down the lineup to make things happen. But Kessel, Nikolai Kulemin and defenceman Jake Gardiner (five goals in seven games) scored against Tampa Bay and it wasnt enough. Only minutes after that defeat, players wanted to move on and separate themselves from this losing streak. The best way to do so is finding a winning recipe -- before it gets too late. The Leafs have played 71 games, the most of any team in contention in the East, which also means they no longer control their playoff hopes. The Detroit Red Wings, who visit Air Canada Centre on March 29, are in the drivers seat if they keep winning. Thats not a comfortable spot to be in with just 11 games remaining in the regular season. These are almost desperate times in Toronto. "Obviously we havent played as well as we need to, and were not sitting here saying that were playing the type of hockey that is required to have success," Carlyle said. "Well, we lost three games in a row and if we show the desperation that we displayed in the last half of the game for 60 minutes, we surely could improve our chances. Thats for sure." ' ' '