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Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. 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. Stitched Nike MLB Jerseys . - Maynor Figueroa headed in a late goal to give Honduras a 1-1 draw with the United States in an international friendly Tuesday. Cheap MLB Jerseys From China . 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MLB Jerseys 2020 . - Considering where Jeff Gordon was after Richmond, left out of the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship in part due to some late-race shenanigans, he couldnt have been happier on Sunday.MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee tweaked its top of the batting order recently and it has been paying off. On Friday night, the rest of the Brewers lineup joined in on the fun. Ryan Braun homered to highlight a five-run first inning and the Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs 11-5 on Friday night. "Everybodys swinging the bat well," Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke said, "and theres no doubt when everybody is hitting like this and there are mistakes made, were not missing them like we were earlier." Braun had three hits and three RBIs for Milwaukee, which has won 25 of its last 31 games against Chicago. Rickie Weeks and Martin Maldonado had three hits and two RBIs each as the Brewers scored a season-high runs in its most lopsided victory of the year. "Youve got to cherish moments like this when you come out swinging and it lasts the whole game," Weeks said. "Its always a good thing." Marco Estrada (5-2) allowed three earned runs and six hits in six innings. Travis Wood (5-5) turned in his shortest outing of the season when he lasted only 2 2-3 innings. He gave up 10 hits and seven earned runs for the Cubs (19-33), who have the worst record in the majors. "They hit everything I threw up there," said Wood, who allowed two hits and struck out seven in seven innings of a 4-2 victory over Milwaukee on May 18. "It didnt matter what I threw. They were hacking early and they got to me. ... Three pitches into it, I was two runs downs. Its tough to get into a rhythm there." Chicago, shut out in its last two games at San Francisco, ended its scoreless streak at 22 innings. "We scored a couple of runs but we fell behind the 8 ball early, and it was just kind of tough to recover," Chicago manager Rick Renteria said. The change to the top of Milwaukees lineup has paid dividends. Jean Segura has batted leadoff the last eight games and is 14 for 38 (.368) with seven runs scored during that time. Braun has hit second in each of the last six games and is 13 for 27 (.481) with seven RBIs. Before this season he had not batted anywhere in the starting lineup but third since Sept. 30, 2010. And Carlos Gomez batted cleanup for his seventh straight game -- Aramis Ramirez is on the disabled list -- and is 13 foor 27 with one homer and eight RBIs.dddddddddddd He led off his first 42 games this season. Against Chicago, they were a combined 4 for 5 with a walk in the first two innings to help Milwaukee take a 6-0 lead. "We just need to do what works for us," Segura said. "This is good for us." All three reached base in the first, as Chicago allowed five runs in an inning for the first time since April 12, against St. Louis. "When you come out in the first inning like we did, thats outstanding," Roenicke said. "It allows your pitcher to do some different things, and then we added to it, which a lot of times weve been scoring in the first inning or second inning and then we dont do much the rest of the game." On the first pitch of the game, Segura reached on an infield single. Two pitches later, Brauns blast sailed over the wall in right-centre field for his eighth homer -- and first at Miller Park. "When you get guys on base early, things usually escalate pretty well after that," Weeks said. Gomez walked and scored on a double by Khris Davis for a 3-0 lead. Weeks followed with a run-scoring single before Maldonado gave Milwaukee a 5-0 lead with a two-out double. In the second, Gomez extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single that drove in Braun for the six-run lead. A four-run fifth padded Milwaukees lead to 11-2. "It makes things a little easier, especially when Im kind of scuffling," Estrada said. "My last two outings before this Ive kind of been all over the place. Tonight I just felt much better. I located better, but still walked four guys and cant keep doing stuff like that." NOTES: Ramirez will begin a rehab assignment Sunday with the Class-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. ... Chicagos 20 road losses are the most in the NL. ... Braun moved into sole possession of fourth place on the franchises all-time RBI list with 707. ... Wood was trying to become the fourth Cubs pitcher in the last 20 years with five victories in May. ... Milwaukee tied a team record by collecting at least 10 hits in its ninth straight game. ... Starlin Castro has reached safely in his last 14 games at Miller Park dating to Aug. 22, 2012. ... Chicago is 7-25 at Miller Park since the start of the 2011 season. ' ' '