Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. This week they discuss J.R. Smiths antics, Dennis Rodmans trip to North Korea, Toronto FCs spending and the inspiring story of a California high-school basketball player. Bruce Arthur, National Post: My thumb is down to J.R. Smith, the illegitimate clown prince of basketball. The New York Knicks are their own unique brand of farce, but Smith takes it to a different, dumber level. This week he was fined $50,000 for trying to untie an opponents shoelace again, after being warned by the NBA, hey, dont try to untie an opponents shoelace again. This had literally never happened before. He had already been suspended in his career for fights, for drugs, and even for reckless driving causing a death, and he has said over and over, "Ive learned." But he never learns. Hes a player with talent, no desire to shape it, no thoughts of consequences, and the brain of a slow-ish ostrich. Someone should tie his shoelaces together, and be done with it. Steve Simmons, Toronto Sun: My thumb is down to Dennis Rodman and his bizarre egotistical nonsensical attempt at diplomacy with his latest visit to North Korea. This isnt the Richard Nixon days, when ping-pong began to unfreeze the relationship between the United States and China. This is today, and this is the clown Rodman, trying to look serious in a political arena. The situation becomes all the more troubling when you consider Rodmans patty-cake friendship with dictator and admirer Kim Jong-un. While in North Korea, Rodman suggested that American tour guide, Kenneth Bae, jailed 15 years for state subversion, was at fault for being held captive and after saying that, blamed his verbal outburst on drinking too much. Dennis Rodman is, was, and remains something of a sporting embarrassment. The fact he is playing a more difficult game here only makes it worse. Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated: My thumb is up to Toronto FC for its showy efforts at ending its culture of failure. This week the club repatriated Canadian midfielder Dwayne De Rosario. It then made a global splash by acquiring striker Jermain Defoe from Tottenham and signing another midfielder, American international Michael Bradley, who had been languishing at A.S. Roma. MLSEs $100 million moves faintly echo President Tim Leiwekes investment in David Beckham when Leiweke was in Los Angeles, although labeling MLS most dismal team a "super club" is wildly premature. The last Toronto team to "win" an offseason was the blue jays last winter. Howd that turn out? Dave Hodge, TSN: My thumb is up to California high-school basketball player Austin Hatch, and this story will explain itself. In two airplane crashes eight years apart that killed his father, mother, stepmother, brother and sister, Austin Hatch narrowly escaped death himself. The most recent crash in 2011 left Hatch in a coma for two months. 10 days earlier, he had committed to a basketball scholarship at the University of Michigan. This week, he played in a high-school game for the first time since the crash - his first shot was a three-point attempt, he made it - his schoolmates roared and his teammates jumped from the bench and stormed the court, causing an emotional celebration....and a technical foul. Hatch still looks forward to Michigan, where his scholarship will be honored. Thumbs up all around. Indeed. Cheapest Jordan 3 . Last year, Matt Kuchar closed with a 4-under 68 to beat Kevin Chappell by two strokes for his second win of the 2013 season and sixth of his career. Jordan 3 Discount . Browns advice worked. Irving scored 20 points, including seven in the fourth quarter, and Cleveland defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 88-82 Saturday night. Irving made his first shot of the night on a layup a little over three minutes into the game. http://www.wholesaleairjordan3.com/ . Bale has had a successful debut season in Spain, and Ancelotti appears ready to reward him with a starting role on Saturday. Ancelotti says "Gareth had some problems at the beginning (of the season) but when he found good physical condition he scored a lot of goals, he had a good impact on the team. Air Jordan 3 Online Shop .com) - Australian Open champion Li Na, former Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova and former world No. Wholesale Jordan 3 Cheap . Louis Cardinals continued their offensive tear with a 9-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a four-game series.CLEVELAND -- Lucky in the NBA lottery, the Cavaliers are hoping their good fortune continues as they look for a new coach. The team asked the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday for permission to speak with assistant coach Alvin Gentry about Clevelands coaching vacancy, a person familiar with the situation told the Associated Press. Gentry, who has coached four other franchises, has not yet set up a meeting with the Cavs, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team is not commenting on its search. The sides are working through some details, and are expected to meet in the next few days. Earlier this week, the Cavs defied long odds to win the draft lottery for the second year in a row and third time in four years. Cleveland is seeking its third coach in three years after Mike Brown was fired -- for the second time by owner Dan Gilbert -- last week following a 33-49 season. Gentry worked previously in Phoenix with Cavaliers general manager David Griffin, who said there is no timetable to hire a new coach. "We do not feel this is a race," he said. "This is not about being first. This is about getting it right. At the same time, if the right candidate did meet the criteria that we set out and is available and is as interested in us as we are in them, we would act on it at the time it presented itself." The Cleveland Plain Dealer was first to report the Cavs intentions to interview Gentry. The Cavs are not limiting themselves to coaches with pro experience and are expected to reach out to college coaches. Having the No. 1 overall pick has certainly made them a more attractive destination.dddddddddddd However, Gilberts penchant for firing GMs and coaches would have to make any candidate at least hesitant about coming to Cleveland. Brown was told to make the Cavs better defensively, and did so as the team went from last in the league in defensive field-goal percentage to 12th. Still, that wasnt enough as Cleveland missed the playoffs for the fourth year in a row. Gentry has solid qualifications and is believed to be a candidate for other openings. He has a 335-370 record in 12 seasons with Miami, Detroit, the Clippers and Phoenix. He led the Pistons and Suns to the post-season. Griffin said he hopes to find a coach more attuned to his offensive roots. With the team expected to land one of the best players in what is considered a deep draft along with All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving and guard Dion Waiters, the Cavs could have the core for a high-scoring team. "Ive had a primarily offensive based focus with the people I was raised by," Griffin said. "And I think its fair to say the Cavaliers have had a defensive focus. What excited me most about coming here is that I believe you find the truth in the middle. No franchise thats incredibly well run is all one thing. We need to find a way to speak to the best of all parts of the offensive background I know, the defensive background thats dyed in the wool of this franchise. "Ownership believes in defence, I believe in offence, and theres a truth in the middle. Were going to find that." ------ AP Sports Writer Jon Krawczynski in Minneapolis contributed to this report. 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