s finance director Markus Kattner told the governing

Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. Cheap Ducks Jerseys . This week, they discuss the American support of the World Cup, the passivity of NHL GMs, the clubhouse issues of Bryce Harper, and the career of the retired Alex Kovalev. Bruce Arthur, Toronto Star: My thumb is up to American soccer fans, who have been much maligned over the years. Americans dont like soccer, people say - the same people, of course, year after year. Too little scoring, too much diving, too many ties, blah blah blah. Americans, the laziest critics have said for years, are too good for soccer. That typically mindless braying resurfaced during this World Cup, but a funny thing happened: it was overwhelmed by a tidal wave of support, of enjoyment, of commitment to a U.S. team that didnt have the most talent, but that rewarded its fans with everything it had. TV ratings? Through the roof. Online support? Inescapable. Americans embraced soccer, and it was so much fun. If they cant accept the metric system, they can at least love this. Steve Simmons, Sun Media: My thumb is down to the passivity of NHL general managers, who are sometimes too polite for their own good. The GMs missed out on the opportunity to make an offer to restricted free agent PK Subban and now that Subban has filed for arbitration, his rights are protected by Montreal for the coming season. But if Im a GM, I would have made a monstrous offer to Subban, more than $10 million a year, and not just because he was the only game changing player available. I look at this two ways. If I throw huge money at Subban, I have a shot to get him - albeit its a long shot. And if Montreal matches, which is usually the way these things go, then Im messing up their payroll. Either way, I have nothing to lose. Even if the GMs dont agree. Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated: My thumb is down to Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, for more unwelcome Washington punditry. After missing 57 games following thumb surgery, the uber-talented 21-year-old returned this week full of enthusiasm and suggestions. He critiqued the batting order - he was hitting sixth - and, more tellingly, the personnel. Harper was in left field, not his preferred position of centre, implying that Denard Span, the Nats centre fielder, should have been on the bench. Great for clubhouse chemistry. In publicly slagging first-year manager Matt Williams lineup, the prodigy wasnt breaking one of baseballs murky unwritten rules. He was violating basic workplace etiquette. Everyone has bosses and co-workers, even Harper, the young and the restless. Dave Hodge, TSN: And my thumb is sideways - thats right sideways - to the hockey career of Alex Kovalev, who announced his retirement this week at age 41 after playing last season in Switzerland. Why is my thumb sideways? Well, because like a lot of people, I cant decide whether Kovalev had a great career or is one of the great underachievers in the sport of hockey. The term enigma is thrown around too loosely in sports, especially at Russian hockey players. But how else to describe a player would could appear to be the most talented of any in one game, and then invisible the next, a pattern that existed throughout his career. Fans and even Kovalevs teammates used to debate how hard he was trying on any given night. Which, more than anything he accomplished on the ice … seems destined to be what we remember about him most. Adam Oates Jersey . Carey Price made 27 saves for Montreal (30-21-6) for his fourth shutout of the year and second in four games. David Desharnais added an empty netter for the Canadiens. Reto Berra stopped 25 shots for Calgary (21-28-7). Ruslan Salei Jersey . Winning more at home probably should be on the list. The Flames look to avoid a fifth defeat in six home games by winning a sixth straight meeting with the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night. https://www.cheapducks.com/197c-bobby-ryan-jersey-ducks.html . The Wizards announced Friday that Webster had surgery to repair a herniated disc in his lower back. The operation was performed Thursday in Los Angeles.SAO PAULO, Brazil -- FIFA plans to pay out $200 million in total bonuses to its national members and confederations from its World Cup revenue of an estimated $4.5 billion. Each of the 209 member countries will get $250,000 this month and should get a further $500,000 early next year, FIFAs finance director Markus Kattner told the governing bodys congress Wednesday. The six continental bodies will get $2.5 million this month and $4.5 million more next year. Kattner said the bonuses must be approved by independent audit panel chairman Domenico Scala, but that there is no reason to think the extra payments wont be made. The planned bonuses are a $200,000 raise compared to the payments made after the 2010 World Cup when each FIFA member got a total of $550,000. Rickard Rakell Jersey. Then, the six confederations received a total of $5 million each. FIFA expects improved revenue of $4.5 billion for the four-year commercial cycle tied to the 2014 World Cup. It had budgeted to earn $3.8 billion. Kattner said FIFA expects to earn $5 billion in the cycle leading to the 2018 World Cup. A total of $2.7 billion should come from broadcasting rights sales, and $2.3 billion from sponsors and licensing. FIFA has budgeted to spend $4.9 billion through 2018, with $100 million added to its reserves. FIFAs reserve fund is currently more than $1.4 billion. ' ' '