Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. David Luiz Chelsea Jersey . This week they discuss Russias mens hockey team, the ineptitude of the IOC handling the Nicklas Backstrom situation, John Tortorellas many apologies, and Canadas strong showing in curling. Bruce Arthur, National Post My thumb is down to Russias national mens hockey program, which is still making reverberations a week after Sochi. After falling in the quarter-finals for the second straight Olympics, Russias NHL stars came back angry. As Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review wrote, Evgeni Malkin and Alex Ovechkin were unhappy for many reasons, but most of all resented the programs bias towards KHL players, which greatly distorted playing time, pairings, strategy, and felt like a punishment to Russian stars who dont play at home. Russia was one of the worlds great hockey powers, and a worthy rival to Canada; now its a mess, riven by petty rivalries. Its a shame, really. The Russians havent won a best-on-best tournament since the 1981 Canada Cup, and somehow they feel further away than ever. Steve Simmons, SUN Media My thumb is down to the International Olympic Committee for the mess it made of the Nicklas Backstrom gold medal game allergy pill fiasco. As a member of Swedens hockey delegation said, the IOC destroyed one of the greatest days in Olympic hockey history for the country. Backstrom, who did test positive for pseudo-ephedrine, didnt disagree with that assessment. The IOC first tested Backstrom last Wednesday. In the three days that followed, they never did do a second test. The Swedish team was not informed of Backstroms status until two hours before game time. Now dont get me wrong, the Swedes could have had Nicklas Backstrom, Ralph Backstrom, and all the Backstroms you can name available for the gold medal game and the result wouldnt have been different. What they didnt need was an unnecessary disruption, born of IOC ineptitude. Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated My thumb is down to John Tortorella, not for his most recent apology but for the continual need to apologize. This time, the Canucks coach launched into a mea culpa after saying he favored Sweden in the Sochi final because he wanted his Swedish Olympians - Daniel Sedin and Alex Edler - to return with smiles on their faces. Tortorella wears blinders. Professionally, he sees the small picture, nothing beyond his team. Belatedly, of course, he grasped context - Vancouver … Canada. So four weeks after apologizing for losing his mind between periods against Calgary, he again was at a microphone wearing a hair shirt and a tight expression. Thats Tortorella, the never-ending sorry. Dave Hodge, TSN My thumb is up to the excellence shown by Canadas Gold-medalists in curling - Jennifer Jones and her rink from Winnipeg and Brad Jacobs and his rink from Sault Ste. Marie. We used to take for granted Canadas worldwide dominance in curling, and then we didnt, because as good as the Canadians continued to be, several other countries showed they were capable of winning world titles. Not that Jones and Jacobs allow Canada to rest on its laurels, but the Sochi results were very impressive, and hows this for proof of Canadas wealth of curling talent - the Brier is underway in Kamloops and the field is strong with Jeff Stoughton, Kevin Koe, John Morris, and Brad Gushue. And imagine talking about a strong field that doesnt include Jacobs, Glenn Howard and Kevin Martin. Marcos Alonso Chelsea Jersey . Rajne Soderberg, the director of the Stockholm Diamond League event, said in an email Friday that the ban still holds. Euromeetings, the organization representing Europes top track events, "will continue to recommend that members do not invite athletes who we believe cause disrepute to our meetings and our sport. Emerson Chelsea Jersey . - Kentucky freshmen Stanley Boom Williams, Dorian Baker, Drew Barker and Tymere Dubose have been charged with disorderly conduct for their involvement with air pistol shots being fired near a residence hall on the South campus Sunday night. http://www.chelseasoccerjerseysonline.com/womens-callum-hudson-odoi-chelsea-jersey/ . Louis Blues just continue to roll -- especially against the Nashville Predators.PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Javier Baez is learning, and Saturday was another good day for the touted prospect. Baez and fellow rookie Matt Szczur homered, and the Chicago Cubs snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 6-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Baez connected for a two-run shot in Chicagos three-run third, and Szczur hit a leadoff drive in the eighth for his first career homer. It was Baezs second homer in two nights and No. 9 on the season. Baez is 4 for 15 with two homers and three RBIs in his last four games after going 6 for 62 with 28 strikeouts during a prolonged slump for the 21-year-old infielder. "Im just trying to go up to the plate with a good approach," Baez said. "Ive been working with (hitting coach Bill Mueller) and trying to have better at-bats. Ive felt more comfortable the last few days." Felix Doubront (2-1) pitched six scoreless innings for the Cubs in his third start since he was acquired in a trade with the Boston Red Sox. Russell Martin hit a three-run double in the eighth for Pittsburgh, which had won seven of eight. The Pirates lead for the second NL wild card stayed at 1 1/2 games over Milwaukee, which lost 5-1 to Cincinnati. Travis Snider hit a leadoff homer in the ninth against Cubs closer Hector Rondon, who then retired three in a row for his 24th save in 28 chances. Arismendy Alcantara, another rookie prospect for Chicago, had two hits and two RBIs as the Cubs ended their worst losing streak of the season. Chicago also had lost seven straight games against Pittsburgh. "It was a good team win," Cubs manager Riick Renteria said. NGolo Kante Jersey. "A lot of people contributed." Pittsburghs Jeff Locke (7-5) allowed three runs in 5 1-3 innings, throwing just 62 of 106 pitches for strikes. He lost for just the second time in his last seven decisions. "I just didnt make pitches when I needed to in that (third) inning," Locke said. "It was the difference in the game because we came back and scored late." TRAINERS ROOM Cubs: 1B Anthony Rizzo missed his 17th straight game with a lower back strain but remains on course to return to the lineup Monday night when Chicago hosts Cincinnati. Pirates: LF Starling Marte sat out for the second game in a row with a bruised left arm and likely wont return to action until at least Tuesday for the opener of a three-game home series against Boston. UP NEXT RHP Jacob Turner (5-9, 5.84 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Cubs on Sunday against RHP Edinson Volquez (11-7, 3.36 ERA) in the finale of the three-game series. Turner is 1-2 with a 6.19 ERA in three starts since being acquired Aug. 8 in a trade with Miami. Volquez is 3-0 with a 2.29 ERA in his last nine starts and has not lost since July 21 to the Dodgers. HE GOT THE BALL, EVENTUALLY It seemed as if Szczur was in luck when a fan in the left-field bleachers threw his first home run ball back onto the field. Snider retrieved the ball and tossed it to the ball girl along the left-field line, but she gave it to a boy sitting in the stands. At the end of the inning, third base umpire Paul Schrieber gave the young fan another ball in exchange for the Szczur ball. ' ' '