on Thursday.Crotone is in last place with one point from eight

Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. This week they discuss Andrew Albers, “Doctor” Donovan McNabb and the best and the worst of the tennis world. Bruce Arthur, National Post: My thumb is down to the retirement of Marion Bartoli, who walked away from tennis 40 days after winning Wimbledon at age 28. She said her body was done. She said Wimbledon was probably the last bit of something that was left inside her. Well, its a shame. It feels like a snap decision from someone who made tennis so much more interesting - Bartoli was a basket of intellect and indiosyncracies - starting by not bouncing the ball before she served, in a sport where so many athletes seem mass-produced. But maybe this is for the best. Shed had a rough year, and Wimbledon was a soft-schedule burst of lightning in a bottle. In the end, she left her way, which was always how she played. Steve Simmons, Sun Media: My thumb is up to Andrew Albers, the 27-year-old from North Battleford, Saskatchewan, for winning the longest drive competition in major league baseball - and Im not talking golf here. Albers drove from Saskatchewan to Arizona, from Arizona to Florida - 32 hours in all - to pursue a future in baseball. The drive to Florida and some craftiness earned him a contract with the Minnesota Twins and against all odds, he began his big league journey in incredible form last week. First a shutout. Then another. He threw 17 1/3 innings before finally giving up runs and being defeated Saturday night. We have no idea how long this will last for Albers, but we do know this: this lefthander has drive. Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated: Yes, Rafael Nadal schooled him in the Rogers Cup final last Sunday. And yes, he lost to John Isner in Cincinnati on Thursday. Still, my thumb is up to Milos Raonic. Sandwiched between those defeats, Raonic had an obscure yet significant win. Raonic beat Janko Tipsarevic in Cincinnati to run his record against the Serb to 3-0, but this was the first time he had won in straight sets. You will soon be pronouncing Tipsarevic with ease. With Viktor Troickis doping suspension, Tipsarevic will be the serbian no. 2, behind Novak Djokovic, in the Davis Cup semifinal against Canada next month. Even on Belgrade clay, a confident Raonic makes an upset possible. Brent Wallace, TSN: My thumb is down to the former Washington Redskin quarterback who wants to become the personal shrink to current Redskin quarterback Robert Griffin III. Donovan McNabb has plenty of experience after playing 13 seasons in the NFL, but that doesnt mean he needs to impart his wisdom on others in a public forum and use the excuse that hes just trying to help. On his radio show this week - McNabb - who had a very tumultuous one-year stint in Washington - said RG3 is being "brainwashed" and then added "clearly the young generation... they think they have all the answers. He is going through a little turmoil right now... trying to make it out on the field and its unfortunate." Saying those things in a public forum - whether theyre true or not - is not helping. You played the position, you should know how it works. Reach out to him quietly if you want, but dont scream it to the world. You had your time in the spotlight, now its time to let others shine and for you to fade into the background and to not keep making the story about you.Riley Reiff Jersey .2 billion agreement with Rogers Communications for the leagues broadcast and multimedia rights. Chuck Foreman Jersey . I cant pinpoint a date, but I do remember a player from my youth. Brian Downing was with the Chicago White Sox at a time when I listened to every game I possibly could on the radio. That particular season the late great Harry Caray was calling the White Sox games. http://www.cheapvikingsjerseyselite.com/?tag=cheap-laquon-treadwell-jersey . - Chris Tierney snapped a tie with a power-play goal late in the third period as the London Knights rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Erie Otters 5-3 in Ontario Hockey League action on Wednesday. Holton Hill Jersey . Rob Manfred, baseballs chief operating officer, testified last week during the grievance filed by the players union to overturn Rodriguezs 211-game suspension. A person familiar with the hearing, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press on Saturday that Manfred testified the sport wasnt concerned whether Bosch distributed performance-enhancing drugs to minors because MLBs interest was his relationship with players under investigation. Khari Blasingame Jersey . Westbrook has missed 27 games since having a procedure on Dec. 27 to deal with swelling in his injured right knee — the third operation on the knee in nine months.MILAN -- Calabrian club Crotone has been cleared to play its first real home match in Serie A against Napoli on Sunday.Promoted to the top division for the first time in its 106-year history, Crotone played its first three home matches 600 kilometers (375 miles) away in Pescara while its Ezio Scida stadium was expanded to meet league regulations.League officials announced approval of the Crotone stadium on Thursday.Crotone is in last place with one point from eight mattches.ddddddddddddMeanwhile, Crotone president Raffaele Vrenna and his brother Giovanni Vrenna, the clubs CEO, are being tried for alleged association with organized crime groups. They deny wrongdoing and were cleared by a Crotone court in January. An appeal is being heard by a court in Catanzaro, with a verdict expected in the coming days.[url=http://www.authenticws