Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. This week they discuss Maple Leafs defenceman Paul Ranger, Floyd Mayweather, the Washington Capitals decision to let Alex Ovechkin participate in the Olympic torch relay and the Washington Redskins nickname. Bruce Arthur, National Post: My thumb is up to Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Paul Ranger. Ranger was a top-four defenceman for Tampa Bay when in 2009 he asked for a leave of absence from the team and for his salary to be withheld. He didnt come back. After two years he resurfaced to help coach his old bantam triple-A team in Whitby. And last year he asked Toronto for an AHL-only contract and excelled. Now hes a Leaf. He wont say what specifically kept him away, but he talks about how strong he feels inside, how the mental side of the game is so important and how proud he is that hes come this far. Were not hard to root for people in this business, but Ill say this: for Paul Ranger its not hard to make an exception. Steve Simmons, Sun Media: My thumb is up to Floyd Mayweather Jr., the only breakout star left in the dwindling attraction that is boxing. Money Mayweather was at his best Saturday night in Las Vegas putting on another clinic of both pugilism and commerce winning just about every round against the capable Canelo Alvarez and taking home a guaranteed purse of $41.5 million to boot. Mayweather was as slippery as ever in the Super Welterweight title bout, nearly impossible to hit, counter-punching, utilizing his incomparable hand speed. The only downfall to the one-sided win was one of the ringside judges, C.J. Ross, myopically scored the fight a draw. Anyone who watched from around the world knew better. Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated: My thumb is up to simple common sense, which the Washington Capitals showed in the not-insignificant matter of Alex Ovechkin and the Olympic torch relay. The Capitals are allowing Ovechkin a quick trip to Greece to carry the torch from Mount Olympus even though it will occur only two days before the team opens – eight time zones away – in Chicago. Washington might have a travel-weary captain against the Blackhawks, but my guess is this conspicuously proud Russian will be energized by the torch honour. Ovechkin had a slow start to his Hart-winning 2013 season. This Olympic hors doeuvre is the thing that might light a fire under him. Dave Naylor, TSN: My thumb is up to the growing number of voices calling for the Washington Redskins to find a new nickname. Recently the chorus of those crying for change added two prominent American journalists: Peter King of Sports Illustrated and Christine Brennan of USA Today who, among others, said they will no longer use the word in their work. More significantly, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell appears to be changing his tune, talking about the "need to be listening" and to "do the right thing." Many, including Goodell, have pointed out that the Redskins name represents an important piece of the NFLs history. But history is exactly where that name belongs. . At quarterback, all agree that Andy Dalton has been a wonderful surprise, but to truly progress he has to play his best in the playoffs. The two losses in the wildcard rounds keep the evaluation on Dalton open -- just like it did for Peyton Manning many years ago and Matt Ryan until last year. . The young man, never lacking confidence, thought he could be really good.
http://www.cheapcardinalsjerseysonline. ... sey-online. 5 Trade Deadline is drawing closer and teams will be deciding on whether to buy or sell while figuring out which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value. . -- The Jacksonville Jaguars are bringing back quarterback Chad Henne -- and making him the starter. . David Perron had a career high four-point night with two goals and two assists as the Oilers experienced an offensive explosion, blasting the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-0 to record a rare home win for their second victory in a row.PHILADELPHIA -- Despite all the changes made in the front office and behind the bench, Ryan Kesler was not satisfied with the Vancouver Canucks path. He still wanted out. "It just seemed like the direction they were going didnt fit what I thought my career was going to be," Kesler said. "At the end of the day I want to win a championship and I want to win it now, and four years is a little too long for me." Not wanting the situation to "fester" like the Roberto Luongo saga did under his predecessor, general manager Jim Benning sought a quick resolution to that problem. He found it Friday by trading Kesler and a 2015 third-round pick to the Anaheim Ducks for centre Nick Bonino, defenceman Luca Sbisa and the 24th and 85th picks in this weekends NHL draft. "He just felt he needed a fresh start and quite frankly we dont want somebody that doesnt want to be here," Benning said Friday afternoon before the draft began. "Were going to acquire high-quality people that are going to come in here and want to work hard for one another, so we didnt give it much thought." Kesler, who turns 30 in August, asked for a trade during what he called a "painful" regular season full of losing that ended without a playoff appearance and ultimately cost GM Mike Gillis and coach John Tortorella their jobs. He met with Benning after the season and reiterated that he wanted to go somewhere he could win. But the Livonia, Mich., native wouldnt go anywhere. His full no-trade clause allowed him to dictate his destination, and the only two teams hed approve a trade to were the Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks. Benning said the Canucks asked Kesler and agent Kurt Overhardt about expanding that list, but to no avail. Chicago was "in it right until the end," according to Benning, but it was important to him to get a potential No. 2 centre and a player who could grow into a top-four defenceman. He hopes he has that in the 26-year-old Bonino and 24-year-old Sbisa. Bonino had 49 points this past season -- some of that thanks to playing with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry -- while Kesler had 43. Sbisa missed time with a torn tendon in his hand but has been considered a top prospect since before he was traded to Anaheim from the Philadelphia Flyers for Chris Pronger at the 2009 draft. "Getting Bonino was an important piece ... (for) being able to replace his goal production for our team next year," Benning said. "Getting Luca, he gives us some physical play from the back end. Hes strong. He plays like a heavy game and I think in our division his heaviness is going to come in handy for our group." When Benning wrapped up the Kesler trade Friday afternoon, he was just getting started making moves. The Canuccks traded defenceman Jason Garrison to the Tampa Bay Lightning for the 50th pick in the draft and then flipped the 85th pick acquired from the Ducks to the New York Rangers for grinder Derek Dorsett.dddddddddddd Trading Garrison brings salary-cap relief in the form of $4.6 million over the next four seasons. Acquiring Dorsett means some familiarity, as he played under Desjardins with the WHLs Medicine Hat Tigers. Despite the bevy of moves, Benning refused to call the Canucks approach a "rebuild." "We acquired players that we thought are going to have an impact on us winning next year," he said. "If it was going to be a rebuild then maybe we wouldnt have tried to fight so hard to get players that can come in and help our team win next year." If Kesler believed the Canucks, under the new direction of president Trevor Linden, Benning and coach Willie Desjardins, were going to win next year, he most likely wouldnt have asked to be traded. The 2003 first-round pick had played his entire career with the Canucks, all 655 games worth. But on his post-trade conference call, Kesler made it clear he wouldnt have been happy sticking around. "The fact that theyre in a rebuild and are looking to get younger and are years away from being a contender, I think it was just time for me to move on and win and hopefully take home a championship," Kesler said. Keslers fond memories of Vancouver included getting drafted, scoring his first goal (with an assist from Linden) and going to the Stanley Cup final in 2011. But much has changed since then, and the Canucks are a team in transition. The Ducks, on the other hand, consider themselves Cup contenders now after losing to the eventual-champion Los Angeles Kings in seven games in the Western Conference semifinals. But something had to be done to make that next step. "We knew we needed (a centre to play) behind Ryan Getzlaf," Anaheim GM Bob Murray said. "This is a huge move for our hockey team. Were better today than we were yesterday." Even though Murray was insistent from the beginning of negotiations that the Ducks were not willing to part with the No. 10 pick Friday night, the Canucks built toward being a better team down the line by getting a first-round pick at 24 and stockpiling with others. Vancouver took Calgary Hitmen winger Jake Virtanen, an Abbotsford, B.C., native and Canucks fan through childhood, with the sixth pick. Shoulder surgery will keep Virtanen from being able to take contact until at least the fall, but this was another move designed for the long-term future. In the short term, Kesler gets an opportunity to play behind Getzlaf for a contender, while the Canucks get to move on. "I didnt want this to linger," Benning said. ' ' '
