Bruce Arthur, Toronto Star: My thumb is up to small mercies for Toronto Maple Leafs fans. Every year, ESPN the magazine ranks 122 North American sports franchises, and this year, the Leafs ranked dead last. They were 119th last year, 122nd the year before that, 120th, 121st, 120th - well, you get the picture. ESPN uses a mixture of factors, but the Leafs are persistently rotten in both affordability and wins, the first of which has no chance to changing this season. But theres an upside to the bottom of the barrel: it cant get worse, right? Well, of course it can. Beer prices could rise, a meteor could strike, some league could add an expansion team. But numerically, this is as bad as it gets. If youre a Leafs fan, well, thats got to count for something. Steve Simmons, SUN Media: My thumb is down to the National Football League - I know, its an easy target these days - for its inability to see success, celebrate it, and understand the moment. On Thursday night, Devin Hester - now of the Atlanta Falcons - broke Deion Sanders remarkable record for most return touchdowns in history. Hester did so with style, with Deion in the building and he did so by paying tribute to Sanders by high-stepping the final yards to the end zone. For that, he should have been applauded for both respect and his acknowledgment of history. Instead, he was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct. The NFL, in need of an moment it could call good news, flagged itself on the play, spoiling the celebration. Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated: My thumb is up to the other referendum in Scotland this week. By a resounding margin of 85 to 15 per cent, the Royal & Ancient voted to allow women members at St. Andrews. Nice of these gents to enter a new century: The 20th century. Please hold your applause. Finishing runner-up to Augusta National in the category of social change is only mildly praiseworthy. At an existential level, golf is the most egalitarian sport. The only thing that matters is the number on the scorecard. But getting to post that number, getting through the figurative gates to the first tee in this exclusive sport, can make an otherwise great game exasperating. Dave Hodge, TSN: Once more before he plays his last game, my thumb is up to Derek Jeter and the way he has conducted his career. Im not suggesting hes a) the greatest shortstop or b) the best person in baseball history … a) hes not and b) hes probably not. But Derek Jeter has represented himself, his team, his city and his sport about as well as you could want. If you were writing a handbook guide for future athletes, Jeter could be chapter one. Who knows how many would turn out like him, but the number would be greater because of the opportunity to witness what he has done, and to learn from it. Dont make him an idol--the sports world has too many who arent. Make him a good example--the sports world has too few who are. Cheap Angels Jerseys ." Also, defencemen "were found to be at a higher risk of suffering a concussion than other players, perhaps due to turning their back to retrieve pucks along the boards, which leaves them vulnerable. Los Angeles Angels Pro Shop . Vettel only needs to finish fifth or better Sunday to wrap up the championship with three races remaining, and bettered his own lap record to claim his third straight pole at Buddh International Circuit. https://www.cheapangels.com/. PETERSBURG, Fla. Los Angeles Angels Store . He made another correct read. The Browns, who have been shuttling quarterbacks on and off the field all season, finally got some good news on that front: Campbells ribs are only bruised. Los Angeles Angels Shirts . Last year, Islanders forward Colin Mcdonald released a "Do It For Colin" campaign to promote his teammate and friend John Tavares for the EA sports honour:The most popular sports voting video ever has to go to Chris Bosh who showcased his comedic abilities in his effort to get fans to vote him into the 2008 All Star Game:You can vote for TJ and other star players for the NHL 15 cover vote here.BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Dayton is re-configuring the college basketball map in Ohio. It no longer runs through Columbus after Vee Sanfords layup with 3.8 seconds left secured 11th-seeded Daytons 60-59 victory over sixth-seeded Ohio State in the second round of the of the NCAA tournament on Thursday. "I guess they called us the little brother, or whatever," Flyers guard Jordan Sibert said. "We cant be called that anymore." Sibert has seen it from both sides after transferring to Dayton following two seasons at Ohio State. "To be able to go out there and play with this group of guys, to be able to come up with this win, its unbelievable," Sibert said. Leave it to another transfer, Sanford, to secure the victory in a back-and-forth game that featured 15 lead changes between two schools separated by some 120 kilometres. After Ohio States Aaron Craft hit a reverse layup with 15.5 seconds remaining, the Flyers set up a play during a timeout with 10.8 seconds left. Dayton inbounded the ball and worked it to Sanford on the right wing. Driving the lane without hesitation, he got a step on Craft and laid in a shot from about four feet away. "No, I wasnt nervous," said Sanford, who transferred to Dayton from Georgetown. "Weve drawn up a play like that, and I messed it up previously. But (coach Archie Miller) just kept his trust in me, and Im just thankful that the shot went in." Sanford finished with 10 points, while Dyshawn Pierre of Whitby, Ont., led Dayton with 12 points and a game-high eight rebounds. For Miller, in his third year, the win came against his former mentor, Thad Matta. Pierre hit three key free throws to give Dayton a lead with under a minute left. The Flyers (24-10), of the Atlantic-10 Conference, who have won 11 of 13, advance to play Syracuse, the South Regions third seed on Saturday. The Orange routed Western Michigan 77-53 in their second-round game. Its one and done for the Big Ten Conference Buckeyes (25-10), who were eliminated in the first game for only the third time in 26th tournament appearances. This season, Ohio State got off to a 15-0 start, and then stumbled down the stretch, splitting its final 20 games. The loss marked the end for three seniors, including Craft, who were part of a team that had advanced past the third round in each of the previous three yearrs.dddddddddddd. Craft had a chance to pull out the win. Driving the length of the court on the Buckeyes last possession, Craft bulled his way through three defenders only to have his 10-footer hit off the backboard and roll off the rim as the buzzer sounded. Craft remained on his back in disappointment as the Flyers rushed to celebrate at their bench at the other end of the court. "I just wanted to do everything I could to help our team win, and down the stretch I couldnt do that today," Craft said. "I can take the blame for that." Sam Thompson led Ohio State with 18 points, and Craft scored 16. Craft had no time for questions about whether Dayton can stake claim to being the states better basketball school for one year at least. "Sorry, I have zero thoughts on that right now," he said. "Im upset at the way we played this game, and the way we didnt take the opportunity and make the most of it." Craft was involved in a questionable play when he draped his arms around Sibert and was called for an intentional foul with 2:35 left. Sibert hit both free-throws to put Dayton up 55-52, but the Flyers couldnt score on the ensuing possession. Craft made up for that at the other end, when he was fouled while hitting a 6-footer, and then completed the three-point play. Miller was antsy right up to the final buzzer. Having spent two seasons at Ohio State, he was fully aware of Crafts ability to score clutch baskets. "I thought it was going in," Miller said, referring to Crafts miss at the buzzer. "Ive watched those guys win that game 1,000 times. Hes a bulldozer with the ball. He got it down there in about three dribbles and got a good look. And it ended up rimming out. And we got lucky today." The Flyers have shown a flare for dramatics this season. Sanfords basket marked the third time the Flyers have won a game on a shot in the final 4 seconds. Sibert hit a three-pointer with one second left in an 81-80 win over IPFW on Nov. 9. Then there was Devin Olivers buzzer-beater in an 83-80 overtime win at Ole Miss on Jan. 4. "A lot of people were going to make a big case out of beating Thad, or beating Ohio State," Miller said. "We didnt get real complicated. It wasnt about Ohio State or where theyre from, or blah, blah, blah. It was about us." ' ' '