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Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. Gerry Cheevers Jersey . This week, they discuss the American support of the World Cup, the passivity of NHL GMs, the clubhouse issues of Bryce Harper, and the career of the retired Alex Kovalev. Bruce Arthur, Toronto Star: My thumb is up to American soccer fans, who have been much maligned over the years. Americans dont like soccer, people say - the same people, of course, year after year. Too little scoring, too much diving, too many ties, blah blah blah. Americans, the laziest critics have said for years, are too good for soccer. That typically mindless braying resurfaced during this World Cup, but a funny thing happened: it was overwhelmed by a tidal wave of support, of enjoyment, of commitment to a U.S. team that didnt have the most talent, but that rewarded its fans with everything it had. TV ratings? Through the roof. Online support? Inescapable. Americans embraced soccer, and it was so much fun. If they cant accept the metric system, they can at least love this. Steve Simmons, Sun Media: My thumb is down to the passivity of NHL general managers, who are sometimes too polite for their own good. The GMs missed out on the opportunity to make an offer to restricted free agent PK Subban and now that Subban has filed for arbitration, his rights are protected by Montreal for the coming season. But if Im a GM, I would have made a monstrous offer to Subban, more than $10 million a year, and not just because he was the only game changing player available. I look at this two ways. If I throw huge money at Subban, I have a shot to get him - albeit its a long shot. And if Montreal matches, which is usually the way these things go, then Im messing up their payroll. Either way, I have nothing to lose. Even if the GMs dont agree. Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated: My thumb is down to Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, for more unwelcome Washington punditry. After missing 57 games following thumb surgery, the uber-talented 21-year-old returned this week full of enthusiasm and suggestions. He critiqued the batting order - he was hitting sixth - and, more tellingly, the personnel. Harper was in left field, not his preferred position of centre, implying that Denard Span, the Nats centre fielder, should have been on the bench. Great for clubhouse chemistry. In publicly slagging first-year manager Matt Williams lineup, the prodigy wasnt breaking one of baseballs murky unwritten rules. He was violating basic workplace etiquette. Everyone has bosses and co-workers, even Harper, the young and the restless. Dave Hodge, TSN: And my thumb is sideways - thats right sideways - to the hockey career of Alex Kovalev, who announced his retirement this week at age 41 after playing last season in Switzerland. Why is my thumb sideways? Well, because like a lot of people, I cant decide whether Kovalev had a great career or is one of the great underachievers in the sport of hockey. The term enigma is thrown around too loosely in sports, especially at Russian hockey players. But how else to describe a player would could appear to be the most talented of any in one game, and then invisible the next, a pattern that existed throughout his career. Fans and even Kovalevs teammates used to debate how hard he was trying on any given night. Which, more than anything he accomplished on the ice … seems destined to be what we remember about him most. Derek Sanderson Jersey .Y. - Major League Soccer is prepared to start its season this weekend even if there isnt a labour deal with its referees and other on-field officials. Bobby Orr Jersey . The All-Pro left tackle agreed to a five-year contract with the Eagles on Wednesday. Peters was signed for 2014, and his new deal adds four years through 2018. http://www.cheapbruinsjerseys.info/authentic-ray-bourque-bruins-jersey/ . The international synchronized skating competition takes place from January 31 - February 1, 2014, and features 39 teams from 10 countries, in senior, junior, and novice.SAN DIEGO - Rookie Tommy Medica walked into the San Diego Padres equipment room to get a new cap before Friday nights game and noticed one of Yasmani Grandals 35-inch, 32-ounce Louisville Slugger bats. "I saw a nice-looking piece of lumber," said Medica, who normally swings a 34-31 bat. "I Picked it up, it felt good. I said, Im going to try it out today. " Great move, because it powered a career night. Medica had five hits, including two two-run home runs, drove in four runs and scored four runs — all career-bests — to lead the Padres to a 10-1 win against the Atlanta Braves. "Can he borrow it tomorrow?" said manager Bud Black, who will write Medica into the lineup again Saturday night. "That was quite a night for him. The two swings to start the night for him were great swings." Left-hander Eric Stults and three relievers combined on a four-hitter. Everth Cabrera had four hits for the Padres, who had a season-high 20. Medicas previous career-high was four hits a week earlier at Atlanta. He made his big league debut in September and is in his third stint with the Padres this season. Medicas second shot, on a 1-0 pitch from Mike Minor with one out in the third, went an estimated 438 feet into the second deck in left field and gave San Diego a 5-0 lead. His first homer, also to left, was on a 1-1 pitch with two outs in the first. He has six this season. Medica singled in his final three at-bats. "I was feeling good and it just seemed like good things happened. To get that last hit like that, it was just the way the game was going," he said. Medicas first big league hit was a homer off Cliff Lee in the second at-bat of his debut on Sept. 10. "Tommy can be a little streaky at times so hopefully right now were catching him in a hot streak," Black said. The Braves, who lost their fourth straight game, have been held to 10 runs total in their last five games. Stults (4-13) won for just the second time in his last 11 starts. He didnt allow a hit until the fourth, when a two-base error by right fielder Jeff Francoeur on B.J. Uptons fly ball to the warning track led to an unearned run. Chris Johnson hit an RBI single with two outs. Cabrera scored twice and drove in a run. He was aboard for Medicas first homer. Jedd&nbbsp;Gyorko, who continues to hit well after his return from a 44-game stay on the disabled list, was aboard for Medicas second shot after hitting an RBI double in the third inning. Johnny Bucyk Jersey. Gyorko is 8 for 19 with two doubles, two homers, seven RBIs and four runs scored in his five games back. Minor (4-7) allowed five runs and nine hits in five innings, walked two and struck out one. He has allowed six runs in three of his last four starts. San Diegos hitting frustrated the Braves. "They found holes," first baseman Freddie Freeman said. "We never seemed to be close to it. We would play a little shift and they would hit the ball down the line. We played the line, they would hit a ball in the hole. Tommy (La Stella) is playing a shift on Tommy Medica and he hits two ground balls to the right side. Will Venable is looping balls in front of our outfielders. It was just one of those things." TRAINERS ROOM Braves: Outfielder Jason Heyward missed his fourth straight game with back stiffness. He left Mondays game against San Diego. He originally was hurt while chasing a foul ball on July 24. Padres: Grandal, the catcher, missed his second straight game with fluid in his right knee, which was surgically repaired last summer. ON DECK Braves: Right-hander Ervin Santana (10-6, 3.63) tries to beat Padres in consecutive starts. He pitched five-hit ball for eight innings in Mondays 2-0 win in Atlanta. Padres: Right-hander Ian Kennedy (8-9, 3.66) returns after missing his start Monday at Atlanta because of a left oblique strain. HEADS UP PLAY Medica singled in the fifth and advanced on Rene Riveras grounder to third. With the Braves not paying any attention to him, Medica stole third. "I just kind of saw the shortstop and third baseman. They turned around and Minor was still kind of looking at the plate," Medica said. "I just started walking and noticed no one was still seeing me and I took off. With a lefty on the mound I knew it would be tough to turn all the way around and throw me out." OFFENSIVE PADRES After a brutal first half, the Padres have scored 71 runs in 14 games since the All-Star break, the most in the NL. HOT GYORKO Gyorko is hitting .421 (8 for 19) with two doubles, three homers and seven RBIs in five games back from the DL. ' ' '