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Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. This week, they discuss the NBAs fine on the Toronto Raptors, the ice bucket challenge, Candlestick Park and Jimmy Grahams reaction to the NFLs goal-post no dunking" rule. Bruce Arthur, Toronto Star My thumb is up to the $25,000 tampering fine that the NBA levied against the Toronto Raptors this week. The fine came after the rapper Drake, the teams unpaid but omnipresent global ambassador, spotted league MVP Kevin Durant in the crowd during a Toronto concert and all but openly recruited him with the aid of a chanting crowd. So, the team received the fine, and its about time. Drake is popular in NBA circles, and you can bet hes talked to guys like Durant off-stage, too. In the NBA, the best players choose their destinations, and even if the NBA insists they never asked for Drakes removal as ambassador, that makes him sound like a threat, right? Which, he may yet be. And finally, with this fine, the Raptors have at least paid something for his services. Steve Simmons, Sun Media My thumb is up to the ice bucket challenge, the charitable campaign inspired and enhanced by social media that has worked so well to raise money for the dreadful disease ALS, also known as Lou Gehrigs disease. Suddenly, in recent days weve seen the likes of Sidney Crosby, Gary Bettman, Henrik Lundqvist, P.K. Subban from the hockey world and other athletes and celebrities dumping a bucket of ice over their head inspiring donations worldwide, the likes of which we have never seen before. A year ago this timeframe, ALS had raised $32,000 in a two-week period. Since the ice bucket challenge began, the brainchild of former college baseball player and ALS sufferer Peter Frates, more than $5.5 million has been pledged. Sometimes a simple idea, for all the right reasons, with the aid of social media, can go an awfully long way. Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated My thumb is up to memories of San Franciscos Candlestick Park, the 54-year-old stadium whose swan song was sung this week at a concert by Paul McCartney. It was fitting Sir Paul closed the place considering the Beatles gave their last live performance there, in 1966. Candlestick chilled the body. Giants fans wore parkas in June. But it often warmed the sporting soul. This was hallowed ground where Willie Mays roamed center field and Joe Montana connected with Dwight Clark on "the catch." The Stick held up well, especially during the 89 World Series as I sat worriedly in the auxiliary press box during the Loma Prieta earthquake. For that, and for everything, thanks. Dave Hodge, TSN My thumb is down to Jimmy Graham, the New Orleans Saints standout tight end, who is probably the best at his position in the NFL, even better than the grown-ups. Graham is responsible for the so-called "goal-post no dunking" rule because he went too far and managed to bend a goal post. Well, he hates the rule, has vowed to protest it by ignoring it, which he did twice after touchdowns on Friday night. Now, you can call it the "no fun league," you can say that pre-season games arent to be taken too seriously and that unsportsmanlike penalties after touchdowns are no big deal, but if you play for Saints coach Sean Payton, who was suspended for a year by the NFL, you do not show up the league because you know your coach - any coach, I guess - will tear into you. Thats what Payton did and Graham yelled back and a sideline shouting match ensued, during kindergarten. Wes Unseld Jersey . They named Mark Washington as their defensive co-ordinator on Thursday and appear to be closing in on an offensive co-ordinator. Gilbert Arenas Jersey .com) - It appears both the Houston Rockets and Chicago Bulls will reach the playoffs, but the two squads are coming off losing efforts. http://www.cheapwizardsjerseyssale.com/k...rds-jersey/.com) - Australian Open champion Li Na, former Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova and former world No. Sam Dekker Jersey . As the schedule flipped from November to December, they would go on to drop five straight, falling six games below the .500 mark before a franchise-altering trade turned them into an unrecognizable team. Chris McCullough Jersey . - The Minnesota Vikings have ruled Christian Ponder out for Sundays game at Baltimore, because the quarterback has not yet passed all of his post-concussion tests.NASHVILLE -- The St. Louis Blues just continue to roll -- especially against the Nashville Predators. Patrik Berglund scored twice to lead the Blues to a 4-1 victory over the Predators on Saturday night. Vladimir Tarasenko and Alexander Steen had the other goals for the Blues, who have won seven of their last eight. The game also marked the fifth and final game of the season series between the Central Division rivals, with the Blues winning all five matchups. "Nashville is hard to play against because you might beat them, but you are never going to outwork them," St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock said. "You have to have your mind right to play against Nashville. You are going to have to finish on your chances." Ryan Miller made 30 saves to improve to 6-0-1 since the Blues acquired him in a trade with Buffalo on Feb. 28. Two of those victories came against the Predators. St. Louis is 19-0-2 against the Central this season. Eric Nystrom scored for Nashville, which saw its three-game winning streak come to an end. The Predators have lost their last five home games, all in regulation. Berglund scored the games first goal at 11:32 of the opening period. Nashville failed to clear the puck from inside its blue line, and Berglund grabbed it and skated to the top of the left faceoff circle, where he beat Pekka Rinne with a wrist shot. "I cant fault him on any of those goals," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "We left him out to dry a couple of times." Rinne started for the second game in as many nights, his first back-to-back set since returning to Nashvilles lineup after missing 51 games with an infection in his right hip. "It wasnnt good enough," Rinne said.dddddddddddd. "They scored four goals, which is a lot. I didnt play well." Berglund struck again at 2:02 of the second. He carried the puck into Nashvilles zone on the right side and pulled up at the right faceoff dot, where he beat Rinne between the pads with a wrist shot. It was Berglunds third two-goal game of the season. "I think Ive kind of been playing the same way," Berglund said. "Ive been shooting the puck and now it is finding its way in. Obviously, its nice." Tarasenko made it 3-0 at 7:21 of the second when he collected a rebound off of the end boards and beat Rinne to the far post to record his 21st goal of the season. He has points in five consecutive games. Nystrom scored Nashvilles lone goal at 16:50 of the third after he collected the puck following a goalmouth scramble. The goal was Nystroms 13th of the season. Steen scored his 30th at 8:05 of the third on a one-timer from the top of the right circle off of a pass from Jaden Schwartz. It is the first 30-goal campaign of Steens career. Steen and his father Thomas are just the third father-son combination to each score 30 goals in an NHL season. Thomas scored 30 in 1984-85 with the Winnipeg Jets. "That will be nice to chat about after the season is over, and especially when the career is over, but right now, its another goal," Steen said. NOTES: Nashville LW Viktor Stalberg played in his 300th career regular season game. ... This is the first time the Blues have swept the season series with Nashville. ... Tarasenko had five points in five games played against the Predators this season. . The Blues have 99 points in 67 games played. ' ' '