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Julie Foudy played on the U.S. womens national team for 17 years and won two Olympic gold medals during that time. Her first, in Atlanta in 1996, was especially meaningful, because it was also soccers debut as an Olympic sport.They said womens soccer would never get a World Cup -- or be in the Olympics. But in 1991, we got that World Cup. And in 1993, we found out wed get to be an Olympic sport. We were so pumped. My teammates and I had been fighting for it, so we were very excited get womens soccer in the Olympics -- and to have it in our home country.The crowd went absolutely berserk when the U.S. athletes walked in during the opening ceremony. We were the last country because we were the host nation. Youre waiting forever and waiting forever and then you finally get to go. We were rocking really cute red blazers and little white hats with red trim. (I still have the blazer.)I think Bruce Willis and Demi Moore were the first people we saw on the sideline and we high-fived. I was like, How cool is that? Theyre with their kids, high-fiving people. I dont think I realized how special it was to be in your own country at the time because it was our first Olympics.In the semifinal against Norway, we wanted to show the United States how cool our team was. The crowd was huge -- 64,000 fans -- and this was a period when we were still fighting to get recognition and support, so this was our chance to showcase this group.We had lost to Norway in the World Cup the year before and had to watch the Norwegians do this whole slow centipede victory march after they won, and that was still on our minds. How dare they do that? So we get a chance to get them again -- which we were ecstatic about -- and this time around we knew we werent going to fall to them.At halftime we were down a goal and I remember walking into the locker room and feeling like, Were fine. It was just a totally different atmosphere from the year before. This time, in the end, we got to finish them off.It can get super emotional when youre playing at home. The challenge was not being too pumped because you get so excited and so over-hyped. You dont want to be on this roller coaster of emotions, similar to a sugar high where you come crashing back down.The stadium was packed with more than 76,000 fans for the final against China and we had never really had that before, so you can imagine the excitement. It was always the challenge of appreciating the moment and soaking it in, which we were good at, but not letting that moment drain your energy. We actually talked about it a lot.We knew China was very good. The players were skillful, fit and well-trained, but we also knew this: We could be stronger than them mentally.I might have missed the dog pile. Shannon MacMillan scored the first goal -- and it was key to get in there and get a goal early to calm the nerves. After she scored, I just remember Mac sliding headfirst into the turf and all of us sliding in behind her. I think I ended up a little short of the celebration. Maybe I thought the grass was a little wetter than it was.When we won, we were up there on the podium, belting the national anthem at the top of our lungs. I remember thinking, does it get any better than this? Youre with your best buddies who youve worked so hard with, and to win the first-ever womens soccer gold in your home country, it was insane. It was surreal.We knew right away that people were mad. Only highlights of the final were aired on NBC -- not the whole game. Here you have a packed stadium with chanting Americans and I remember thinking, Wow, that tells you something. Theyre pretty set in how they cover sports and there will be a paradigm shift after this.At the 2000 Olympics, NBC Sports President Dick Ebersol pulled us all in and apologized for not covering us more in 96. He said, We missed out on that one and I take the blame.There was really a feeling that this could be a pivotal moment for women in sports in this country. All of these women in Atlanta -- some we knew, some we didnt -- we all had similar struggles in terms of acceptance and popularity and Title IX. Here we were collectively so successful, which isnt surprising given that many of us had been given the opportunity to play thanks to Title IX. After having to fight for so much, we thought maybe this was the breakthrough that was needed to get people watching and paying attention.On off days at the Olympics we had to be off our feet, so we would lie down and watch all the other sports on TV. We would watch and cheer the other women on all day. That was super fun. I was ecstatic for softball, for basketball, for the gymnasts, knowing that we all had worked so damn hard to get there.The 1996 Olympics also set the stage for the 99 World Cup to happen. At the time, FIFA did not want a big 99 World Cup. They wanted to keep it regional in smaller stadiums in the East. And U.S. Soccer said, No, we want to go big.That 1996 Olympic team somehow had the confidence to keep saying, We can do better. We can do more. We can do bigger. We should set the standard. Thats what I loved about that group.There was always a shared belief that this could be a tipping point for sport and women. And we helped tip it.Maury Wills Jersey . On Mar. 16, coming off a "fight of the year" performance at UFC 154 the previous November, St-Pierre faced Nick Diaz at UFC 158 in what would be his eighth defence of the welterweight title. Using his superior athleticism, St-Pierre cruised to a five round, unanimous decision victory setting up a much-anticipated title defence against number one contender Johny Hendricks. Kirk Gibson Jersey . The third-ranked Ivanovic, who won the event in 2008 and 10, served five aces and broke Wickmayer, also a former winner in 2009, five times. "The result looked easier than it really was," Ivanovic said. http://www.dodgerssale.com/dodgers-kenley-jansen-jersey/ . Radwanska, making her debut in the Seoul tournament, hit eight aces in a match that lasted 1 hour, 4 minutes at Olympic Park tennis stadium. "It was definitely a very good match -- I was playing really good tennis," Radwanska said. Chris Taylor Dodgers Jersey . According the Toronto Star, a knee injury will keep Sundin out of the lineup, which includes former teammates Gary Roberts, Darcy Tucker, Tie Domi and Curtis Joseph. David Freese Jersey . Artturi Lehkonen, Joni Nikko and Ville Leskinen had the other goals for Finland (1-0) while Juuse Saros stopped 28 shots. Tim Robin Johnsgard had the lone goal for Norway (0-2).NEW YORK -- Edwin Encarnacion needed no further prompting when asked what the Blue Jays needed to most improve upon in the second half. "I think the starting pitching," he said. "If we want to win, we know and they know we need to pitch better." The numbers back up Encarnacions statement. Whats more, Encarnacions All-Star numbers give him the platform to offer an opinion few other position players could share. Toronto enters the break with the second-highest starters ERA in baseball. At 5.07, only Minnesotas (5.23) ranks worse. Pundits figured the Twins would have a poor rotation but R.A. Dickey, Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle were supposed to be the backbone of a revamped Blue Jays rotation that would propel the club to its first playoff appearance in 20 years. Encarnacion is hitting .264/.345/.476. He has 25 home runs and his 67 since the start of 2012 are third most in baseball behind Miguel Cabrera and Chris Davis. Hes a leader, respected not only in his own clubhouse but around the game. "We have the talent in the clubhouse and I know the pitchers can do better than theyve been doing," he said. "We just need to focus in the games and I know things are going to change." Jose Bautista, voted to New York City by the fans, pointed the finger at himself. "Were totally capable of playing a lot better baseball than weve shown," said Bautista. "We just need to play better as a team. Like I said earlier today, Im number one on that list. Ive been very inconsistent this year and I need to pick it up some and bring that consistency that I know I can bring to the table and bring more of a steady production and help the team win more games." Trade talk will intensify once the schedule resumes later in the week. The July 31 non-waiver trade deadline is looming. Toronto has been linked to the Cubs Matt Garza, to the extent that scouts have been watching his starts, but general manager Alex Anthopoulos says he wont acquire a rental player. Garzas contract is expiring so he falls into the hands off category. Whether or not moves are made is irrelevant to at least one Blue Jays All-Star. "I would take the perspective of that (Alex) doesnt think we need to make a move because he thinks we can do it with what we have," said Brett Cecil. "Thats just me personally. I would hope all the guys, even without talks of trade or anything, would think that we could do it without any types of moves or anything like that and I would hope guys would take it that way if we didnt make a move." The Blue Jays are 45-49, in last place in the American League East, 11.5 games behind division-leading Boston. Toronto is 8.5 games behind Texas for the second American League wild card spot. BORAS TALKS PEDs In the wake of ESPN reports that Major League Baseball will seek to suspend as many as 20 players with alleged links to Biogensis, super agent Scott Boras put out the call for due process. "If we have positive analytical we have no issue," said Boras. "Now were in an area where weve got negative analytical and yet weve got circumstantial pursuit on non-analytical cases. That is in the rules, that is in the rules but it is causing a problem in the game. The problem is its affecting the masses that are innocent. Its affecting the integrity of the game and we have to look at that as to how we approach that. Do we allow the witch hunts? Do we allow the early speculation?" Among those with allleged links to Biogenesis, a now defunct Miami-based anti-aging clinic that peddled performance enhancing drugs, are the Yankees Alex Rodriguez and Milwaukees Ryan Braun.dddddddddddd. Rodriguez is an admitted steroid user but he claims to have stopped after departing the Texas Rangers following the 2003 season. Braun, the 2011 National League MVP, tested positive for a banned substance shortly afterward but the case was thrown out when a judge ruled the samples chain of command had been compromised. Others, like Texas Nelson Cruz, have never had a positive test. CONFIDENCE IS KEY Cecil admitted to TSN.ca he lost confidence in himself during his trying seasons of 2011 and 2012. Its a fragile thing. "I think a lot of players would tell you that its not because they have all the confidence in the world in themselves," he said. "Sometimes its not necessarily the most truthful thing thats coming out of their mouths. I know as far as me, I mean I told you guys, 2011 and 2012 I still had all the confidence in the world but I really didnt, I really didnt." Prior to his scoreless inning in Baltimore on Saturday, Cecil had allowed runs in two consecutive appearances for the first time all season. He admitted, even then despite his brilliant year, his confidence began to waver. The difference now? Cecil trusts his repertoire. "Back in 2011, 2012, even when I had a good outing I still didnt know if my stuff was good enough to play up here and when I got knocked around I really didnt think it was good enough to play up here," he said. "After the last two outings I know my stuff plays up here and its just a matter of how Im going to deal with the little things that I did wrong and how am I going to take it into my next outing." MUTUAL RESPECT AMONGST VOTTO AND ENCARNACION Edwin Encarnacion and Joey Votto were teammates with the Cincinnati Reds from 2007-2009. Votto, Toronto born and raised, had high praise for an old friend. "Edwin was one of my favourite teammates," said Votto. "Actually, whenever we made the trade for Scott Rolen, for the first month or so whenever Scott would start chirping at me I would tell him how much I miss Edwin. You know, I really miss Edwin, I wish we wouldnt have made that trade, Scott. Im very fond of him and Im really, really happy for his success and I hope he keeps it up because its fun watching him on the highlights hit all of those home runs." "He loved the way I acted," said Encarnacion, whose outgoing personality runs counter to Vottos more reserved countenance. "He loved it. We enjoyed all moments when I was there in Cincinnati with my old team." TAKING IT ALL IN Four-year-old Edwin Encarnacion Jr. was sitting on dads lap during the afternoon media availability session. Each player is seated at his own podium and the assembled media can wander at their leisure. Young Edwin was a trooper. The session was held in the open air of the concourse inside the home plate entrance to Citi Field. With a humidex reading outside of close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit and hundreds of bodies roaming a confined space, it got a little warm. Brett Cecil was looking most forward to having his three-year-old son, Bryton, on the field with him during the home run derby. Steve Delabar had pictures taken with family members including his wife, infant daughter, parents and in-laws, all of whom traveled to New York to share his first time All-Star experience. ' ' '