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Remember when Team Great Britains Steph Houghton scored a goal to beat Brazil 1-0 at Wembley Stadium during the 2012 Olympics, in front of the largest crowd for a womens international match in Britain? Or when England battled its way to a bronze medal in the 2015 Womens World Cup? Are you looking forward to seeing the best of British womens soccer in Rio this summer?Well, youll be disappointed. Because the 2012 Team GB was a one-off.In fact, none of the soccer teams from the four countries in the U.K. -- England, Scotland and Wales (which make up Great Britain), and Northern Ireland -- will be competing at the Games this summer. And the reason is more complicated than just qualifying or not qualifying.Previously, Team GB soccer was composed of athletes from the U.K. (the so-called home nations), all of which have their own football associations (FA). Each association has its own voting rights at the international level, a degree of independence thats closely guarded by all of the associations. They fear losing their seats at the top tables if they joined forces for any competition -- that if they compete as Team GB once, they will be made to compete as Team GB in every single tournament.For the London Olympic Games in 2012, the associations reached a compromise. As the Games host nation, the U.K. was eligible to enter a soccer team by right, instead of by qualification. The English Football Association allowed a womens soccer team to compete under the GB banner and put the then-England manager Hope Powell in charge. Officially, players from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were also eligible for selection to this super team.In practice, it was a touch more complicated. Powell called up a squad that was almost entirely English -- players with whom she was already familiar. She added into the mix Ifeoma Dieke, a Scotland defender, and Kim Little, a then-22-year-old Scottish player who had been lighting up the Arsenal midfield.In a phone interview, Little said she knew that people within the Scottish FA were not happy about their players joining the Team GB squad. Still, she said she never considered turning down the call-up from Powell, adding that playing in the Olympic Games would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.In the 2012 Olympics, the team made it out of group play before losing 0-2 in the quarterfinals. Afterward, Powell talked about how she wanted the team to continue, and a few months later, the English FA announced that it would be very happy to carry on coordinating a Team GB for future Games.Their counterparts in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were not so keen, and FIFA declared that all four nations would have to agree to allow the Team GB experiment to continue.They didnt.So despite the fact that England technically qualified for the 2016 Olympics after its third-place finish at the Womens World Cup, there will be no British representation on the Brazilian pitches in Rio. (The English wanted to compete as Team GB, but without the aforementioned agreement by the three other nations, FIFA said no.)It is disappointing, but I think we knew that four years ago was going to be a one-off, Rachel Yankey, the Arsenal, England and 2012 Team GB winger, said in a phone interview. She said the squad then had secretly hoped that it could sway the intransigent governing bodies by impressing them with their performances, and they felt extremely sad that they had not managed that.We had the opportunity four years ago. We went out there, we played well, we proved to a lot of people that we deserved to be on that stage and possibly should have done better, but this ones out of our control, she said. We cant be disappointed that were not there, because theres not a lot, as players, that we can do about that.Gemma Fay, the Scotland captain who has led her country to the brink of Euro 2017 qualification, said shes in favor of a Team GB soccer roster, but not at the cost of losing each home nations unique identity.I think first and foremost everybody wants to represent their home nation -- in the U.K., thats Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and England, she said in a phone interview. With Team GB, it was quite a unique thing, once in a lifetime. I understand why it was in the last Olympics, we accepted a home place. I can understand also not to put it in [Rio].For other sports, Team GB operates in different ways. Some sports are governed by a British association, so for Olympic competitions such as swimming, gymnastics, golf, etc., there will be a Team GB participating in Rio. And in rugby sevens, for example, if one of the home nations qualifies for the Olympics, that team represents Team GB and has the opportunity to call up other eligible players.Fay said that model could cause problems within home camps.If Im an England player, and I was in that squad who qualified for a place in that GB team, and then all of a sudden Im potentially not in that squad because a player from another nation comes in that wasnt there, that didnt secure that place, does that create an atmosphere, does that create an issue? Fay said. Is it fair to let an England team qualify, but then not let that entire England team represent at a Team GB level?Ciara Sherwood, whos from Northern Ireland but plays club for the Crystal Palace Ladies in England, said having a Team GB womens soccer squad would improve domestic soccer immeasurably, giving players the chance to work with different coaches and train with full-time schedules.It would help to continue to raise the image of the game, she said. It wouldve helped to create role models and idols, but also helped to develop our game -- all competitive games and tournaments result in either winning games or learning on how to improve, what to do next, what couldve been done better.Fay says she agrees that the sport would benefit, but she says its up to the football associations to come up with a plan, leaving the players to choose whether they want to represent Great Britain and Northern Ireland.From a completely objective perspective, I think that any sport that goes into the Olympics raises the profile of that sport and that country -- thats proven, she says. [At the] home Games, there was the feel-good factor around sport in general, and womens football absolutely took advantage of that, and rightly so.But when the U.S. womens national team aims to defend its gold medal in Rio, the British stars will be watching it all on television.If [Team GB] was to happen, if there was a Scottish player who had the opportunity, I think they should take it, same as Welsh, same as English, Fay said. Its an individual opportunity that the individual has earned, and I think they have the right to choose to represent the U.K. if they wish.Derrick Favors Jersey . The quest begins with what is supposed to be an easy one, although Germany has traditionally been a stubborn opponent to Canadian teams at international tournaments. Nickeil Alexander-Walker Pelicans Jersey . The team said Saturday that Lopez was hurt during its 121-120 overtime loss at Philadelphia on Friday. The Nets said they would issue another update next week after consultation with their doctors. https://www.pelicanslockerroom.com/Darius-Miller-City-Edition-Jersey/ . - 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. Frank Jackson Jersey . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. Darius Miller Pelicans Jersey . Detroit and Boston are deadlocked, 1-1, and Tigers manager Jim Leyland could be forgiven if he was caught rationalizing instead of dissecting how his club could blow a 5-1 lead late in Game 2.HOUSTON -- There was need to sugarcoat the harsh reality of what moving forward without All-Pro defensive end J.J. Watt will mean for the Texans, both in the short term with their first AFC South game on tap and from the extended view of maintaining their status as a postseason hopeful buoyed by their stout defense.The Texans (2-1) placed Watt on injured reserve Wednesday, a move necessitated by Watt reaggravating the back injury that resulted in surgery in July and his missing the entire preseason. Watt returned in time for the season opener against the Chicago Bears, but with three relatively modest performances (eight tackles, five quarterback hits and 1.5 sacks) came the stark reality that Watt just wasnt himself.Going on IR will give J.J. all the time that he needs to make sure hes 100 percent healthy and back to being himself the next time he steps on the football field, Texans coach Bill OBrien said. This decision made by the organization is in the best interest of J.J.s long-term health and thats what is most important to us, this organization and this team, is obviously the health of the player.Watt, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, is the fulcrum of the defense. But the Texans have done a fine job cultivating pass-rushing talent to complement Watt, with defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and linebacker Whitney Mercilus having combined for three sacks and seven quarterback hits. The Texans are tied for third in the NFL in sacks (10), first in net passing yards allowed (151.3), third in opponents third-down conversion rate (26.8) and fifth in net yards allowed (277).The Texans have produced these impressive numbers without Watt resembling the dominant form of seasons past, so it bodes well that even without the best defensive player in the league, a collapse isnt imminent. The initial challenge facing the Texans is simply adjusting to not having Watt available for the first time ever.When you have that kind of ability and that kind of playmaking, its hard to replace with one guy, Texans defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel said. So were going to ask all the guys on defense to pick it up, to put a little bit extra in it and see if we can gain some of those plays that J.ddddddddddddJ. used to make. Thats what we have to do.I think that, defensively, we always talk to the guys about being a team, being a unit. Its not just one guy, its everybody doing their job and fitting, and that makes the defense really good. Then when you have a player like J.J., that also makes the defense really good. Were going to try to ask everybody else to tighten their belts and then go play the best game that theyve played.The Texans were coy about the potential return of inside linebacker Brian Cushing, who suffered a knee injury on the first series of the opener yet was back at practice. Cushing didnt commit to playing against the Titans (1-2) on Sunday, but a healthy Cushing would to a slight degree offset the absence of Watt, at least the initial shock.The Titans were careful not to overplay how a Watt-less Texans defense influences their preparation.Tennessee has scuffled offensively, particularly in the passing game, ranking 24th in yards at 229.3 per game. Quarterback Marcus Mariota has thrown four interceptions and has fumbled three times. And while the Titans have been sound running the ball behind DeMarco Murray (245 yards on just 41 attempts), they havent struck the balance necessary to reach full throttle.Tennessee appears poised to welcome back receiver Kendall Wright, who has yet to play in the preseason or regular season after suffering a hamstring injury in training camp. Wright offers the promise of another viable target for Mariota, should the Titans offer Mariota the protection required to revive the modest passing attack.How effectively the Texans pressure Mariota without Watt is a mystery. There was no topic more pressing as both teams discussed what lay ahead.To lose someone like that of his caliber, its tough for them, Mariota said. You never want to see anybody go down. Truly you just wish the best for him. For us, weve just got to continue to game plan, focus on what we can control and do our best to execute whatever is asked of us. ' ' '