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. .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. . Vettel, who has already clinched his fourth straight F1 title, enters the finale with a chance to equal Michael Schumachers 13 victories in a year and match the record of nine consecutive wins by Alberto Ascari in the 1952 and 1953 seasons. .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. . -- Its been a long road back for Sean Bergenheim. .Y. -- Bills receiver Stevie Johnson has a bone to pick with the NFL schedule maker. RENTON, Wash. -- Just as the Seattle Seahawks are evolving offensively and appearing to find success, they have another problem emerging.In the last few weeks, Seattle cant get off the field on defense. And its not the best time to be struggling on that side of the ball about to go on the road, on a short week and face Tom Brady and New England on Sunday night.In the past two weeks, Seattle has started to display signs that maybe the wear of its overtime tie with Arizona on Oct. 23 is starting to impact its defense. Combined with an offense that seems to be abandoning their attempt at running the ball and controlling time of possession, the Seahawks defense has been asked to be on the field for an inordinate amount of time lately.Were playing a little bit more ball but at the same time I think were doing some good things, Seattle defensive end Cliff Avril said.While the players say this is not an issue and Seattle coach Pete Carroll is almost defiant that the amount of time the defense has spent on the field is a benefit, the statistics are telling a different story.And the biggest indicator is on third downs.Weve had 13 third-and-2 or less in the last two weeks. Thats really hard to win like you would like to on third down, Carroll said. We have to play better ball on earlier downs and then we have to get off when we have our chances. But it has been kind of a theme here allowing these third-and-shorts and not getting out of those. Thats really the focus.Over the past three weeks -- games against Arizona, New Orleans and Buffalo -- the Seahawks have allowed 31 of 53 third downs to be converted, a conversion rate of 58.4 percent. Buffalo was 12 of 17 against Seattle on Monday night and had 30 first downs, tied for the seventh-most ever against the Seahawks in the regular season. The inability to get off the field on third down, combined with the Seahawks own struggling to run the ball and sustain drives has led to three straight teams with 36 or mmore minutes of possession against the Seahawks.ddddddddddddArizona got it started when it dominated possession in the 6-6 overtime tie. The Cardinals held the ball for 46:21 and ran 90 offensive plays. New Orleans followed up a week later with 72 plays and 36 minutes of possession and on Monday night, Buffalo ran 82 offensive plays and held the ball for 40 minutes.Its a recipe for exhaustion, even if Carroll doesnt view it that way.I think were getting stronger, he said. If weve endured it, I think were in pretty good shape. If we can get a game of 60 or 70 plays, its going to seem like a lark. Well see if we can change it a little bit.The timing of the struggles on defense is troubling because the Seahawks appear to be morphing offensively and potentially exposing their defenders to even more time on the field. Seattle enters this week 30th in the NFL averaging just 75.4 yards per game rushing and in Mondays win had 26 passes and just 12 runs. No matter who is in the backfield, Seattle has been unable to establish the run and keep drives moving on the ground. Seattle has one offensive drive of longer than 6 minutes in the past five games and rank 25th in the league in time of possession.We have a lot of improvement to make and were just going to keep banging away at it, Carroll said. We know where were going, were just not quite getting on that track yet.Game notes SS Kam Chancellor (groin) was a full participant in practice and is expected to play Sunday as long as he doesnt have any setbacks. Chancellor has missed the past four games. ... RB Thomas Rawls (leg) was a limited participant in practice Wednesday but wont play this week. Rawls, who has been out since Week 2, is targeting next weeks game against Philadelphia for his return.---For more NFL coverage:
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