Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. Wholesale Shoes China Free Shipping . This week they discuss the Philadelphia 76ers, Gregg Popovich, Royal and Ancient Golf Club and Bill Belichick. Bruce Arthur, National Post My thumb is up to the Philadelphia 76ers, proud possessors of a win streak for the first time since two weeks before the Olympics began. Any task worth doing is worth doing with commitment, and while you can argue whether tanking to get a good draft pick should be worth doing, thats the system, and the Sixers have been crafting a masterpiece. Before Saturday night they had lost 26 in a row, 29 of 30, and 36 of 39, and 27 straight losses would have a set a new record for consecutive defeats. But Saturday in Philly, the Sixers pulled one out, blowing out the hapless Detroit Pistons by 25 and getting a standing ovation. It was a raft in an ocean, a blip in the sky. But now, no matter what, they can say this: it could have been worse. Steve Simmons, Sun Media My thumb is up to Gregg Popovich, who just might be the greatest coach in the history of professional sport. And I dont say that lightly with terrific respect for the work done by Scotty Bowman and Phil Jackson and Bill Belichick, and yeah, certainly Vince Lombardi. Put your championships aside for a moment - this is the 15th straight season in which Popovichs San Antonio Spurs have won between 50 and 63 games in the NBA. To put that into perspective, thats the same number of 50-win seasons combined over that time that the Knicks, Celtics, Bulls, Warriors, Nets, Wizards, Pacers, 76ers, Bobcats, Hawks, and Raptors have won. Having Tim Duncan helps. But Duncan at 37 is slowing down. Heading to another 60 win season, Gregg Popovich doesnt seem to be. Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated My thumb is up to the R&A, for finally entering a new century. The 20th. The Royal and Ancient is urging its membership to allow women to become members of the venerable St. Andrews golf club in Scotland when it votes in September. This is a mere 260 years after the home of golf was founded, which qualifies as progress. Two other courses in the Open Championship rotation, Muirfield and Royal St. Georges, have yet to tiptoe down this perilous path to equality. By comparison, the nice gentlemen at Augusta National, which started accepting female members in 2012 - hello, Condoleeza Rice! - look like wild-eyed progressives. Dave Hodge, TSN My thumb is up to New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, for making me seem less crazy than others think I am. I have been saying for years that the complexities of video review are confusing and unnecessary, and that a better system would be a very simple system that allows anything to be challenged. And no less an authority than Belichick is leading a push in this direction in the NFL. Never mind "this can be challenged under certain circumstances, but not that under any circumstances"--as Belichick says, "if a coach thinks his team has been victimized by a bad call, he should be able to question it, and its up to him to use the limited number of challenge flags with that in mind." As I say, "challenges might actually be fewer--same with wrong calls--and replay rules would be simpler. You can challenge those assumptions, but Bill Belichick wont. Trendy Wholesale Shoes . And by all indications, the team is expected to select phenom Connor McDavid with their selection. The Buffalo Sabres, who were knocked down to the second overall pick after finishing with the worst regular season record, are expected to take the other generational player in Jack Eichel. Authentic Shoes For Cheap . -- Brendan Leipsic had two goals and an assist and Nicolas Petan extended his point streak to 11 games as the Portland Winterhawks slipped past the Red Deer Rebels 5-4 on Saturday in Western Hockey League action. http://www.cheapshoes.us.org/ . While Minnesota takes aim at its eighth win of November, the Canadiens will try to post just their third victory in nine games this month.Chris Woakes will replace Ben Stokes in the England line-up for the second Investec Test with Sri Lanka, which starts at Chester-le-Street on Friday, live on Sky Sports. Stokes has been ruled out of the match with a knee injury he suffered in Englands thumping win in the first Test at Headingley last week.Nottinghamshire fast bowler Jake Ball again misses out with England skipper Alastair Cook pointing to Woakes ability with the bat - as well as ball - in maintaining the balance of the XI. Woakes will bat at No 8, with Jonny Bairstow moving up to No 6 and Moeen Ali at seven.Woakes had a sensational match for Warwickshire against Durham at Edgbaston this week, taking a career-best 9-36.Paul Collingwood, Durhams former England batsman, said Woakes was bowling 90mph leg breaks as he ripped through them. Woakes has been in fine form for Warwickshire, taking 9-36 this week But Woakes has strugglled at Test match level, taking just eight wickets in his six matches, the last of which was four months ago against South Africa at Centurion. Shoes From China Wholesale. hris Woakes is going to come in for Ben Stokes, Cook said. [Picking Ball] was brought up in conversation. But we enjoyed playing with the balance of the side. It gives Chris another opportunity to play for England .I dont think weve seen the best of him yet in an England shirt. Hes in form for Warwickshire - taking nine. We know that Ben balances our side really well but like anyone he can get injured so we need competition in the all-rounder places.Ben has got that ability to win games of cricket, or change games really quickly. Hes done that a few times in the last 12 months. Hes going to be a big loss for us but injuries are part and parcel of the game. We need to learn how to play without him. Also See: Anderson takes 10 in England win WATCH: Players of First Test England fixtures/results Sri Lanka fixtures/results ' ' '