We all know Brandi Chastain for her iconic moment in U.S. soccer history: scoring the final penalty kick of the 1999 World Cup, which led her team to victory over China and catapulted womens soccer to global fame. While she doesnt spend too much time dwelling on that day, she says she understands how important it was for people watching at the time and the growth of the womens game.We talked about that moment with Chastain, who is now the assistant coach of the boys soccer team at Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, California, and the assistant coach of the womens team at Santa Clara University, her alma mater. We also discussed the U.S. squad heading to Rio for the Olympic Games, coaching and her 10-year-old son, who last year was diagnosed with Crohns disease.This interview has been edited for length.espnW: What do you think about the U.S. roster heading to Rio this summer?Brandi Chastain: Im very confident that they have a team that can win the gold medal. Winning a championship like the Olympics or a World Cup takes a lot of attention to detail. Theres timing, theres commitment to the overall goal, a lack of self-interest and good management at the same time, either game-by-game or in lineups and rosters.Theres a lot that goes into it, but I think theres a great combination of veteran leadership and experience, and youth and enthusiasm that exists on this team.espnW: What do you like about some of the younger players, such as Mallory Pugh and Crystal Dunn?Chastain: I think Mallory Pugh and Crystal Dunn share some unique qualities. They have speed and agility and quickness and explosiveness that is very difficult to deal with. When you look at the best teams in the world in mens or womens soccer -- to win a championship, there needs to be players that scare the other team. And they scare the other team because theyre unpredictable in their own right and they can explode at any time.Then when you have someone like Julie Johnston playing in the back, who can clean anything up, win anything in the air, track things down on the ground, that gives a lot of comfort to the midfield and allows the other players to feel a bit freer to express themselves in a creative way and take risks in that attacking half or final third. The complement of players is what really allows Pugh and Dunn and Christen Press to do what they do best.espnW: And you were just inducted into the Hall of Fame -- how does that feel?Chastain: Very humbling. There were many, many amazing players who came before me who started on this crusade or journey of sharing soccer with the masses in America. Im very proud that I was on and a part of some amazing teams.Im super grateful to U.S. Soccer for the opportunities that I had, to wear the red white and blue and our countrys flag. Im incredibly grateful to my father and my mother for, from the very beginning, recognizing that they had a young girl who was super aggressive and loved to be competitive. They were unapologetic and allowed me to go out there and get dirty and to sweat and to think that I could conquer the world. To all my friends and family: none of this would be possible without every single person -- in the good times and the bad times-- because I learned something from every one of those moments.espnW: Do you think about that famous moment back in July 1999?Chastain: I cant say that I spend too much waking time on it. But I am in an environment constantly where there are young soccer players around me, boys and girls, or adults or people my age who were playing soccer at the time who remind me of how much that moment meant to them and how it changed, influenced or improved their life because they witnessed it; just as I think I felt when I watched and cheered and said to myself that I want to do that when I saw the 1980 mens hockey team win the Olympic medal. I didnt play hockey, I had no reason to watch it, but it was on the Olympics. Maybe I was just very patriotic from the get-go. When they won and celebrated and the American flags were waving, it was just such a thrill for me. I wanted to be in that environment.I get that people want to talk about it, it feels good. It reminds them of a good moment.espnW: Are there any other Olympic sports youre looking forward to watching?Chastain: Im excited about swimming. My son has taken up swimming, he really enjoys it. Of course me, I love watching the soccer, so Ill be keyed into that.But the Olympics are special. I dont care what the sport is. I will watch and record probably every moment of it. Im such a fan of the ideals of the Olympics: do your best, be your best. Competition is important. Of course we love to all celebrate the medals, but, can you personally take yourself to new heights? Can you go beyond what you thought was possible and reach new outcomes?Right now I feel like I can go out and conquer the world just thinking about it. Its so special.I feel like the womens side of this U.S. team has great potential to make an impact like the 1996 Olympic team did -- softball, basketball, track and field, gymnastics, soccer, water polo. The list goes on and on about the success that was experienced. Again, its not just the success of winning the games and winning the gold, its the manner in which it is achieved that I think makes it the most special of outcomes.espnW: Youve coached both boys and girls in your career. Do you see a difference in how they approach the game?Chastain:?I enjoy coaching both of them equally as much, and what I found is that the information is not any different, the skills are not different. What is unique to each side is the way they receive and process information and communicate information. If you know your audience and you know their strengths and their weaknesses, you can be a successful and positive influence on them.There is great confidence and physicality on the mens side that I think exists on the elite level for women. But for young girls, its more about the communication and each other and togetherness and team. And on the girls side, its caring about your teammates.I really had to instill in my boys program that, for us to be successful, we need to care about each other -- not just can the guy pass me the ball, or dribble through someone and score a goal. Its: can I help him be successful every day, and how do I do that and take great pride in knowing that Im doing that, and that will help our team?And on the girls side, I had to say, take the baton, take the ball, run with it, be aggressive, be confident, know that you personally can make an impact and your team will always support you. This is not about being conceited or look at me. This is about: what can I do to help my group? And if confidence is something that is necessary and needed, I have to show that to my teammates, because that will inspire them to also be confident and strong.Its good for both sides to know there are different ways that you can look at a problem and find solutions.espnW: Tell us about your familys battle with Crohns disease and how your career as an athlete has changed the way you approach it or how you talk about it with your son.Chastain: One year ago, he was diagnosed with Crohns disease. The pathway to that diagnosis was -- he wasnt feeling well for a while, he was struggling in the third grade, he just wasnt himself. And as parents, we were taking the precautions we thought we necessary. Most kids get some kind of cold or sickness being with other kids so much, and we didnt know anything about Crohns disease, we didnt know anything about IBD (inflammatory bowel disease).Then things persisted, and we ended up taking him to his pediatrician, where he had a physical system that was undeniable, and the doctor said, you need to have an appointment with a gastroenterologist. Again, that was a term I had never really thought about.The next day, I was given the diagnosis. From that moment on, sort of similar to my soccer career, we had choices to make. You can attack something with a positive attitude, with the can-do spirit, with, how can we make this better and find positive results, find your resources?Im partnering with AbbVie right now on My IBD Game Plan, and were sharing this story because we know that there are 1.6 million Americans out there who have some form of IBD, more specifically Crohns or ulcerative colitis. Imagine 30 major-league ballparks full to capacity, plus 300,000 people sitting outside waiting -- thats how many people have been diagnosed.And theres a population that hasnt been diagnosed yet. Because of the nature of the disease, it can be awkward for some people. It could potentially make them feel slightly isolated or alone. Thats why I feel like sharing my sons story and our familys story is really important, to say, Youre not alone. Just like the athlete who has been hurt and is on the sideline, I understand that. I know the feeling that youre having, I was there too. I know what its like to be cut from the team. I know what its like to be nervous about whats going to happen to your child.Ever since sharing my story publicly, Ive found out I have friends Ive played soccer with for more than a decade who have been dealing with these things. So now Im even closer to them. I can say -- Ive got your back, I understand what youre dealing with, let me help you, heres a resource at IBDgameplan.com where you can go to find a gastroenterologist thats close to you, or that suits your needs.There are tools and tips out there that I didnt know existed for people. And now, because I have a little more education, I have a great opportunity to help.Just like I had a responsibility to all the millions of young people, not just girls, who were playing soccer to be their advocate, to have a voice, to help them find their way, this is no different. My passion may be even deeper because its my own son. Knowing what he has gone through initially, and now where he is, hes in a great place with a great treatment, a gastroenterologist he feels very comfortable with. He can move forward. Hes on the swim team, and hes going to soccer camp and baseball camp -- he does all the things that 10-year-olds should do (and probably shouldnt do). Were living our life in a really positive way. Offerte Uomo Nike Air Max TN Plus Ultra Betrue Nere . - Goaltender Philippe Desrosiers of the Rimouski Oceanic has broken a shutout record that was only three months old in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Offerte Scarpe Nike Air Max Tn .C. Lions has come to an end. Banks told TSN on Jan 2 that he had no interest in playing out the option year of his contract with the Lions in 2014, and he again made that clear in a conversation with Lions GM Wally Buono last week. http://www.niketnscontate.it/ . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. Scontate Uomo Nike Air Max TN Plus Ultra Blu Bianco .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Nike Shox Nz Italia . Tevez, who has had conflicts with coaches in the past, has not been called up since Sabella was named coach in 2011. Argentina boasts Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Angel Di Maria. The giants of golf need stages big enough to accommodate the outsize deeds that define them.For Jack Nicklaus, those stages were Augusta National, where he won six Masters titles; the Old Course at St. Andrews, where he won two British Opens; and a less-heralded course about 20 miles west of lower Manhattan.Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield Township, New Jersey, has its own history. Its two courses were designed by A.W. Tillinghast just two years after Tillinghast was present at the 1916 founding of the Professional Golfers Association (PGA).Bobby Jones played on Tillinghasts course in Springfield. So did Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer and, later, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods.The present greats of the game -- including Jason Day, Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth -- are scheduled to appear at Baltusrol for the PGA Championship, which starts Thursday. They will try to make their own golf history on a course where its still possible to hear echoes of past legends.Jones.Hogan.Palmer.But mostly Nicklaus, whose legend was established and reinforced on the Lower Course at Baltusrol.Is it the toughest of the golf courses? Probably not, Nicklaus told ESPN.com recently. Is the quality of golf as good? Its a matter of debate, but I think its very good. They are all different. As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Since Ive won multiple victories at Augusta National, St. Andrews and Baltusrol, all three of them are fantastic golf courses to me.Nicklaus won two U.S. Open championships at Baltusrol, one as an in-his-prime 27-year-old in 1967 and one as a fading 40-year-old in 1980. Each of those titles served as significant mileposts on Nicklaus journey from Ohio to golfs Mount Rushmore.White Fang and a 1-ironIn 1967, Nicklaus was viewed by many golf fans as an unwelcome challenger to Palmers unquestioned eminence. The two had dueled on courses all around the world, all through the 1960s. In the U.S. Open at Baltusrol, Nicklaus put the matter to rest. And he did so in historic, unforgettable fashion.Nicklaus earned that championship, his seventh career major, by playing four rounds of consistently brilliant golf. His secret weapon was a putter that hed possessed for only a few days. It had belonged to a man named Fred Mueller, who was friends with touring pro (and future PGA Tour commissioner) Deane Beman.Nicklaus wasnt happy with his putting during a practice round. Beman suggested trying White Fang, an old Bulls Eye putter that Mueller had painted white. Nicklaus figured it was worth a shot. He tried a few putts with it and liked it, but decided he wanted to improve the grip. Nicklaus talked about that putter and the 1967 U.S. Open during an interview conducted by the PGA last year.I remember Deane putting a pencil down behind the grip and making a pistol grip, he said. He broke the pencil off. We wound the leather around the shaft, and that was my putter grip.Using the putter, Nicklaus played well enough to win the U.S. Open. But it was another club, a 1-iron, that elevated Nicklaus performance to the realm of legendary.Nicklaus and Palmer were paired together for the final round. The pair, along with defending champion Billy Casper, entered Sunday tied for second, one shot behind then-amateur Marty Fleckman. By the time Nicklaus and Palmer approached the 18th hole, the tournament belonged to Nicklaus. He had a three-shot lead on Palmer. More than that, though, he had a chance to break Hogans record for best score in a U.S. Open.To break the record, Nicklaus needed a birdie on the final hole. That wasnt looking too promising when he hit his tee shot into some rough. The ball landed in a rut that had been left behind by a golf cart.I had to chop it out of there, Nicklaus said. Didnt chop it very far -- left myself with 237 yaards or something like that into the green, uphill, into the wind, with an approaching thunderstorm.ddddddddddddNicklaus decided to use his 1-iron, figuring it was his best shot to get the ball onto the green and give himself a chance to break Hogans record.So I hit it and I just nailed it, Nicklaus said. I pushed it just a touch, hit it right over the bunker and onto the green. I made about a 22-foot putt to break Hogans record. And I won by four over Arnold.That was a great tournament for me. I played well. It was a love affair with Baltusrol.Jack is backIt was a love affair that wasnt really reciprocated until 1980. By the time he got to that years U.S. Open at Baltusrol, Nicklaus hadnt won a tournament in almost two years. He had failed to make the cut the week before.In 1980, I worked harder than ever to get my game back, and I was rewarded for it, Nicklaus told ESPN.com. Obviously, I played very well in 1967. I broke Hogans record and beat Arnold coming down the stretch. Both were very good, but 1980 was my fourth [win at the] U.S. Open, and I think it was pretty special.Nicklaus played brilliantly in 1980. He shot a 63 on the first day. So did Tom Weiskopf, but Weiskopf shot 75 or higher on each of the next three days. Nicklaus remained locked in. Going into the final day, he was tied with Isao Aoki.Nicklaus shot a 68, beating Aoki by two strokes. His total of 272 for the tournament was a U.S. Open record that has since been matched but not surpassed. Nicklaus fourth U.S. Open title tied him with Hogan, Jones and Willie Anderson for most at the event.This time around, the crowd showed Nicklaus the appreciation he hadnt experienced back in 1967. Then, Arnies Army held up signs telling Fat Jack to hit the ball into the rough. Palmer got roars of approval, while Nicklaus, the usurper, got only polite applause.But 1980 was different. As Nicklaus walked up the final fairway, he heard chants from the gallery: Jack is back, Jack is back.Stuart Wolffe, now Baltusrols official historian, was in the crowd as a teenage fan in 1980. He remembers chanting and then seeing the scoreboard light up with the words: Jack is back.Nicklaus won two more major championships after the 1980 U.S. Open, completing his record 18 career majors.Do I think it could have been more? Yes, he said. But could it probably have been less? Yes. When you have 19 seconds and nine third-place finishes -- with that many times sitting at the gate and the chance to win -- you look back and say, Gee, I had quite a few more I could have won, but I didnt.Im proud of my record. I think most records will get broken at one time or another, and I dont imagine this will be any different.Nicklaus still had some great golf left in him in 1980, but an awful lot of great golf was behind him, and it had become intertwined with so much of the games history. When Nicklaus broke Hogans record in 1967, Hogan was still playing. He was at Baltusrol for that tournament and finished tied for 34th.It took a U.S. Open record for Nicklaus to outduel Palmer in 1967 and another record to top Aoki in 1980. A quarter-century later, during the 2005 PGA Championship, Phil Mickelson had a chance to put the tournament away on Baltusrols 18th hole. Before his second shot, Mickelson reached out with his 4-wood and tapped a plaque that commemorates the spot of Nicklaus famous 1-iron in 1967.Mickelson won, and the long line of Baltusrol history -- of golf history -- remained unbroken.From my perspective and on my list, sure, Baltusrol is on a level with Augusta National and St. Andrews, Nicklaus said.A giant needs a worthy stage, and for Nicklaus, Baltusrol was just that. Wholesale Black NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys 2018 Cheap Stitched Jerseys Wholesale Black NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys From China Cheap Jerseys Wholesale China NFL Jerseys White ' ' '