Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. This week, they discuss Simon Whitfields grace in defeat, the pride of Oscar Pistorius, the legacy of Melissa Tancredi and the joy of competing shown by Mo Farah. Bruce Arthur, National Post: My thumb is up to Simon Whitfield, for showing us how to accept defeat. After four years of hard training, of family sacrifice, and of dreaming of one last big race, the 37-year-old Whitfield crashed his bike in his final Olympic triathlon. He knew, right then, that it was over. A six-year-old Irish girl on the side of the road began to cry, and what did Whitfield do? He limped over to comfort her, told her about his own little girls, and returned later with souvenirs. The London 2012 Olympic Games were full of bitter endings for Canadians. But faced with perhaps the toughest one of all, Simon Whitfields first instinct was not self-pity. It was grace. Steve Simmons, Sun Media: My thumb is up to Oscar Pistorius, the Blade Runner, who made his debut amidst controversy in the 400-metre event of London 2012. But once I saw him run, and once I heard him speak, whatever controversy there was about this double amputee from South Africa immediately disappeared. When he ran the track, he looked no different than anyone else: he looked like an athlete. And when he spoke to us in the mixed zone afterward, he did so with such pride and joy and spirit. He even apologized for being late because as he joked, he had to change his legs. Said Pistorius of the Olympic experience, "its something Ill remember for the rest of my life". Seeing him, meeting him, I left London feeling exactly the same way. Cathal Kelly, Toronto Star: My thumb is up to Melissa Tancredi. While Christine Sinclair was the star of the womens soccer team, Tancredi was its elbows-up engine. I will remember how she planted one foot on the bottom step of the team bus after being cheated out of her chance for gold, but could not bring herself to leave without talking. Tancredi always had her say. She may be the most physical player in world soccer - mens or womens. She was easily one of the classiest and most engaging. Without making a deal of it, she effectively retired after the Olympics. Shes 30 years old. She wants to complete her qualifications as a chiropractor. She says she may return, but... She should be remembered alongside the Howes and Messiers and Clarkes as one of the great sporting warriors this country has ever produced. She didnt ask for testimonials, but she deserves that at least. Dave Hodge, TSN: My thumb is up to the Olympian who best expressed the joy of competing and winning, and in his case, competing and winning the best way possible -- at an Olympic Stadium packed with his cheering countrymen. And they couldnt have been louder or prouder than they were when distance runner Mo Farah delivered them two gold medals. What a moment it must have been when he won the 10,000-metre event, and his reaction at the finish line said it better than words. And then Mo did it again at the shorter distance of 5,000 metres, and it looked as though he was able to enjoy that even more. If London 2012 needed a face, there was none better than Mo Farahs face. Cheap Jerseys China . - Offensive lineman Joel Reinders and the Toronto Argonauts agreed to a contract on Tuesday, the CFL club announced. cheap jerseys from china . Harrison extended his consecutive scoreless streak to 16 1-3 innings, pitching into the eighth before Mike Adams and Joe Nathan closed out the Rangers third shutout victory in their past five games, 1-0 over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday night. http://www.cheapjerseyschina.cc/ . raced to his second NASCAR Trucks Series victory of the year Saturday night, passing Matt Crafton on the final lap at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. cheap jerseys .C. United have signed Brazilian striker Rafael as a designated player on loan for one year. nfl jerseys china . Beachy improved his major league-best ERA with a five-hitter and the Atlanta Braves beat the Miami Marlins 7-0 Thursday night. SAN ANTONIO -- Gregg Popovich angrily called timeout after his San Antonio Spurs offered little resistance when Houston guard James Harden dunked on a 3-on-1 break. Tiago Splitter was the first to hear Popovichs scorn, but the reigning coach of the year saved most of his wrath for Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. MVP, All-Star, reserve or sideline reporter, no one is protected from Popovichs ire. His tirade led to the Spurs fourth straight win. Duncan, Parker and Manu Ginobili combined to score 84 points, and San Antonio snapped the Rockets five-game winning streak with a 122-116 victory on Friday night. Parker had 31 points and 10 assists, Duncan had 30 points and five rebounds, and Ginobili had a season-high 23 points for San Antonio (23-8). "They were unbelievable," Ginobili said of Duncan and Parker. "I had a nice stretch early in the third quarter, but those guys have been great all season. I kind of joined in on the scoring. The main thing is that we beat another great team that has been rolling." The Spurs beat Toronto on Wednesday to snap the Raptors five-game winning streak. It was the first time the Spurs had two players score 30 points in a game since Feb. 2, 2009, when Duncan and Ginobili both had 32. Those points were needed against the high-scoring Rockets, who lead the NBA in scoring at 105.3 points per game. Harden scored 33 points, Chandler Parsons added 24, and Jeremy Lin had 21 for Houston (16-13). While the Spurs "Big Three" were able to match the Rockets production, it was the teams defence that was key. After allowing Houston to shoot 55 per cent through three quarters, the Spurs clamped down in the fourth. San Antonio had seven steals in the period, and Houston shot 10 for 23 from the field. Ginobili and Patty Mills made back-to-back 3s to push the Spurs lead to 104-97. Mills also forced offensive fouls on Lin and Aldrich to help San Antonio go on a 7-0 run. "We got a group out there that did an excellent job of both sprinting back in transition, showing a crowd in full-courtt shell and getting guys off the 3-point line," Popovich said.dddddddddddd "But, other than that period, we were pretty poor in that respect, and thats Houstons game. Thats why theyre kicking everybodys butt and scoring all these points." The Spurs turned up their defensive intensity late in the third, with Splitter earning applause from Popovich after teaming with Stephen Jackson to trap Harden and force a jump ball. Harden was whistled for his fifth foul on the ensuing jump ball, forcing Houston coach Kevin McHale to sit his leading scorer. "It changed the entire game," Harden said of the call. "It gave me five fouls. I had to come out, and then I had to play hesitant. It changed the entire game." The Spurs stretched their lead to 19 points in the fourth quarter before the Rockets rallied, but were unable to get closer than the final score. "I think it was the start of the game," McHale said. "We had to fight back. I was proud of the guys and how they battled back." San Antonio set season highs with 41 points in the first quarter and 69 in the first half but Houston kept pace with 63 before halftime -- the most by a Spurs opponent this season. The Spurs shot 67 per cent in building a 21-8 lead in the opening 6 minutes. Cole Aldrichs running hook gave the Rockets their first lead at 65-64 with 1:05 remaining in the half. Ginobili made a 3 and a layup to stake the Spurs to a 69-65 lead at halftime. Danny Green was 5 for 7 on 3-pointers and finished with 17 points for San Antonio. NOTES: Rockets P Patrick Patterson (bruised right foot) missed his seventh straight game. ... Parker is the only player in the NBA averaging at least 18 points, 7 assists, and 3 rebounds while shooting over 50 per cent from the field, 40 per cent on 3s, and 80 per cent on free throws. ... San Antonio has five winning streaks of at least 3 games this season. ... While the Spurs rank first in total assists at 25.8 per game, Parker is the only player who has more than 10 in a game. He has done it six times. cheap jerseys from china ' ' '