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There have been a number of great hockey teams from outside of North America. The 2006 Turin Olympic champions from Sweden had a Vezina winner, seven Stanley Cup winners, a Norris winner, three Art Ross winners and a Calder winner. The gold medal-winning Czech Republic team at the 1998 Nagano Olympics had two of the greatest players of the era in Jaromir Jagr and Dominik Hasek.With the World Cup of Hockey upon us, its a good time to examine the question of which international team was the best in history. Theres really only one answer: the 1980 Soviet Union team.To be fair, it could be any of the Big Red Machines teams between 1972 and 1984 because there was so little roster turnover, but the 1980 team melded the dominant teams of the 1970s with what would become the dominant teams of the 80s.The 1980 Soviet squad still had the Valeri Kharlamov-Vladimir Petrov-Boris Mikhailov line and other 70s stalwarts such as Helmuts Balderis and Alexander Maltsev. The team also featured Vladimir Krutov, Sergei Makarov, Slava Fetisov and Alexei Kasatonov when they were in their early 20s. And the legendary Vladislav Tretiak was in goal.They were close to unbeatable. In fact, it took a miracle to beat them.Al Michaels could not have summed it up better with Do you believe in miracles? New Jersey Devils GM Ray Shero told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in 2014, referring to the United States stunning Miracle on Ice upset of the Soviets in the Lake Placid Olympics. That was absolutely, positively a miracle. Thats what made it so special. Because the Russians were that good.How good? In February 1979, they faced an NHL All-Star team that featured an astounding 20 future Hall of Famers in a three-game series. The Soviets won two of the matchups, including Game 3 at Madison Square Garden in a 6-0 rout.In Eric Zweigs book, Twenty Greatest Hockey Goals, Fetisov said the 1980 team was probably the best team ever put together in the Soviet Union. We never thought of losing, never thought it could happen. Thats why they call it a miracle.The NHLers were the only ones really able to put up a fight. For example, the Finns played 66 games against their eastern neighbor between Jan. 1, 1970, and Dec. 31, 1980. They won two times and tied once.They dominated the game, said Juhani Tamminen, a former Team Finland captain who played in the WHA. Its almost not even up to discussion. In their time, they were superior to everybody else.The Finns had access to Russia, and several coaches made study trips to Moscow. They came back with the same shocking realization.They practiced and trained around 1,200 hours a year, said Alpo Suhonen, former Team Finland head coach and the first NHL head coach from Europe. In Finland, we practiced about a third of that, and the Swedes were about 100 hours ahead of us.They skated three times a day, perfecting both their individual skills and their teamwork. They had their set five-man units so everybody knew what the others were doing.While the Soviet players were thought of as robots because of their advanced tic-tac-toe plays and lack of wild goal celebrations, Suhonen said the foundation laid by Russian hockey coaching pioneer Anatoli Tarasov was based on creativity and getting the puck into an empty space.The thing that Viktor Tikhonov added when he became the head coach was military discipline, Suhonen said of the coach who took over the Soviet national team in 1977.Tarasov, known as the father of Russian hockey, had to be creative when launching the Soviet system after World War II. He looked to the arts -- theater and ballet, for example -- and to other sports, such as a game played on ice called bandy, to create a unique style.They arrived in the international stage with a completely new way of playing hockey, which changed the sport, said Leif Boork, head coach of the Swedish team that reached the Canada Cup final in 1984. And, as Tarasov liked to say, a copy is never as good as the original.In the Soviet Union, it was also easy to draft the right players to the Red Army team -- draft being the operative word -- that was the core of the national team.They were together for 11 months of the year, Boork said, and I remember seeing the players rush out of the Luzhniki Palace of Sports, the famous hockey arena in Moscow, and into the park just outside to meet with their family and friends quickly because it was time to leave again.Hakan Sodergren, a former Team Sweden forward, estimated that the Soviets were a generation more developed than the competition.They were so far ahead of us both physically and medically, he said. They were skilled, strong. They were individually excellent and played together as a team. And they had a great goalie in Vladislav Tretiak.In short, the Soviet way consisted of pooling the best talent into one team, practicing three times as much as the nearest competitor and working year-round.They were the best team, even at the 1980 Olympics, Tamminen said. They just happened to lose at the wrong time.It happens.Cheap Basketball College Jerseys . Peter Holland and Brad Staubitz were sent to Toronto on Saturday as the Maple Leafs traded defenceman Jesse Blacker and draft picks to the Anaheim Ducks. Clearance NCAA Jerseys .Y. -- Bills receiver Stevie Johnson has a bone to pick with the NFL schedule maker. https://www.chinajerseysncaa.us/ . "It doesnt get any better than that," Giambi said. "Im speechless." The Indians are roaring toward October. Giambi belted a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give Cleveland a shocking 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, keeping the Indians up with the lead pack in the AL wild-card race. 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Fake NCAA Jerseys .com) - The red-hot Los Angeles Kings will try to extend their winning streak to a season-high seven games when they visit the Edmonton Oilers for Sundays clash at Rexall Place.With the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro just around the corner, athletes from all over the world will come together with the same goal: to win.But what good is winning without being able to share it -- and the events leading up to it-- with the billions of people who watch the Olympics?From USAs Simone Biles to Indias Yogeshwar Dutt to Irelands Katie Taylor, there are thousands of athletes social media accounts fans can follow to get behind the scenes action from some of their favorite athletes, or some they havent even heard of until now.Here is a list of 24 athletes fans should follow on social media ahead of the Olympics:--Kieran BehanKieranBehanIRL , Twitter, Ireland GymnasticsThe Ireland gymnast was told he could never walk, let alone compete again after a botched surgery to remove a tumor in his leg when he was 10 years old. Now 27, Behan competed in the 2012 London Olympics and will compete again in Rio.--Simone BilesSimone-Biles , Twitter, USA GymnasticsStanding at only 4-foot-8, the 19-year-old gymnast is dominating the gymnastics circuit and just recently won her fourth consecutive U.S. all-around title over U.S. teammate Aly Raisman, a double gold medalist at the 2012 Games. While an elite athlete, Biles still knows how to have fun on social media, posting pictures of her and her friends going to concerts and late night frozen yogurt runs.--Carlin IslesCarlin-Isles , Twitter, USA Rugby SevensIsles, referred to by many as the worlds fastest rugby player, will be a member on the inaugural USA Rugby Sevens team in Rio. Rugby 7s is a new sport at the 2016 Olympics. The Detroit Lions signed Isles to their practice squad in 2013, but he chose to leave in February 2014 to play rugby for the Glasgow Warriors.--Caroline BuchananCBuchanan68 , Twitter, Australia BMXA six-time BMX and Mountain Bike World Champion, Buchanan is taking her talents to her second Olympics after being a 2012 Olympic finalist. Buchanan had a half an hour TV show made about her journey to Rio that has been airing on FOX Sports in Australia. On social media, Buchanan shares her journey to Rio through pictures and videos. Shes also an avid French bulldog lover.--Jordan Burroughsalliseeisgold , Twitter, USA WrestlingBurroughs, a 2012 Olympic Champion, looks to be the favorite headed into Rio in the 74kg/163 lbs. division. Not only is the four-time World Champion a star on the mat, but also his charismatic personality off the mat has made him a fan favorite. He has two children and shares pictures of them both regularly.--Bubba Watsonbubbawatson , Twitter, USA GolfWith golf making its return to the Olympics after a 112-year hiatus, Watson is 100 percent committed to going to Rio -- unlike a handful of other golfers who have shown concerns or withdrawn their names completely. One of the top golfers in the U.S., Watson has a large social media presence and often uses it to share pictures of his wife and their two adopted children.--Bob BryanBryanbros , Twitter, USA TennisBob will look to defend his 2012 gold medal in Rio with his brother, Mike. Rio looks to be the last Olympics for the pair who compete in mens doubles. On social media, Bob often features his three kids on and off the tennis court.--Stephen Lambdinstephenlambdin , Twitter, USA TaekwondoLambdin will compete in his first Olympics after earning the silver in the Pan American Olympic Qualification Tournament. On social media, Lambdin has been doing a countdown to Rio complete with customized photos. Lambdin once got asked for an autograph on the plane. The kid thought he was Kevin Love.--Daniel Goodfellowdanngoodfellow , Twitter, Great Britain DiveGoodfellow is competing in his first Olympics this summer and will be competing alongside Tom Daley in the mens 10m synchronized diving event. His Twitter feed is often filled with videos and pictures of him and his teammates training in the pool.--Domantas SabonisDsabonis11 , Twitter, Lithuania BasketballThe Gonzaga star was chosen 11th in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic then subsequently traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The NBA rookie will be missing summer league and instead be playing in his first Olympics for the Lithuania basketball team. On social media, Sabonis took his followers behind the scenes for the NBA Draft and looks to be starting to do so for the Olympics.--Katie TaylorKatieTaylor , Twitter, Ireland BoxingCredited for raising the profile of womens boxing in Ireland, Taylor has become an icon in the world of boxing and was the flag holder for Ireland in the 2012 London Olympic opening ceremony. On social media, Taylor is known as outspoken -- recently openly questioning golfers who are choosing to skip the 2016 Olympics.--English GardnerUgHLyDuCkLiN , Twitter, USA Track and FieldSouth Jersey native Ennglish Gardner is one of track and fields biggest personalities.dddddddddddd While last year Gardner finished seventh in the Olympic trials, this year she won the 100m at U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials. Gardner is very outspoken both in person and on social media. She claims she wants to become the fastest woman alive.--Keri-anne PayneKeriannePayne , Twitter, Great Britain Open Water SwimmingPayne just missed out on earning a medal in her hometown in the 2012 London Olympics, but now is back and looking to compete as one of the two open water swimmers for Great Britain.--Lisa DarmaninLisa-Darmanin , Twitter, Australia SailingDarmanin has her eyes set on earning the gold in the 2016 Olympics -- as stated in her Twitter bio. As well as sharing her Olympic journey on social media, Darmanin also writes a blog for the Australia Olympic Team in which she talks about her time preparing for the Olympics.--Edwina Tops-AlexanderEdwinaAlexander , Twitter, Australia ShowjumpingSponsored by Gucci and Jaeger-LeCoultre, Tops-Alexander is both one of the most successful showjumpers in the world as well as a fashion icon in the sport. Tops-Alexander helped to launch Guccis first equestrian line and had a dual passion for horses and fashion design since high school.--Cyrus Hostetlerchostetler15 , Twitter, USA Track and FieldNow the national champion in javelin for the first time in his career, Hostetler is headed to his second Olympics. Hostetler has faced multiple injuries in his career, but now is Rio-bound holding the No.1 spot in the U.S. Self-proclaimed graphic designer on his Twitter bio, Hostetler worked on the project management team for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials and has his own blog.--Scott Morganscottmorgan- , Twitter, Canada GymnasticsHeaded to his first Olympics, Morgan will be Canadas sole mens artistic gymnast in Rio. Morgan was Canadas second-most decorated athlete in the 2014 Commonwealth Games where he won four medals including two gold medals.--Kassidy CookKassidyCook1 , Twitter, USA DivingTaking a year off from studying at Stanford University to train for the Olympics, Cook has been on the USA national team in 2010, 2011, 2012 and now 2016. Cook narrowly missed the 2012 London Olympics and then was out of competition for two years while she battled injuries. On social media, Cook acts like a normal teenager and likes to joke around.--Andrew Yorketrialsyorke , Twitter, Canada TriathlonYorke is headed to his first Olympics after being named an alternative in 2012. The 27-year-old is one of three triathlon athletes competing for Canada. September 17, 2014 was proclaimed Andrew Yorke Day in the Town of Caledon after Yorke finished fourth at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. Yorke grew up and trained in Caledon since a young age.--Patrick HustonSirHuckPatton , Twitter, Northern Ireland and Great Britain ArcheryA three-time World Champion archer, Huston will make his Olympic debut in Rio. The 20-year-old finished third in the European Championships in May. He will compete in the individual recurve event. On Twitter, Huston claims he will be coming home with one of these in reference to a tweet showing the 2016 medals in Rio.--Yogeshwar DuttDuttYogi , Twitter, India WrestlingWinning a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics for 60kg freestyle, Dutt is back for another shot at claiming the gold medal. One of an anticipated 110 or more athletes from India, Dutt will be participating in his final Olympics. On social media, Dutt has over 113,000 followers and often shares pictures of how he is training for the Olympics.--Michal Smolenmichalsmolen , Twitter, USA Canoe SlalomRio will be Smolens first Olympics. Smolen could have competed last year for Portugal, his native country, but decided to wait until he became a U.S. citizen and compete for the U.S. in 2016. On social media Smolen often posts pictures kayaking.--Abby Ercegaerceg5 , Twitter, New Zealand SoccerA self-proclaimed Muggle on her Twitter bio, Erceg is going to her third Olympic Games at the age of only 26. Erceg plays on the Western New York Flash when she isnt competing for the New Zealand soccer team. On Twitter, she likes to share pictures of her teammates and looks like she will continue to do so with her national team in Rio.--Manu Ginobilimanuginobili , Twitter, Argentina BasketballKnown for his storied career with the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA, Ginobili will be going to his third Olympic games with the Argentine national team. Most of Ginobilis tweets are in Spanish, and so is his blog. The basketball star came back from a three-month hiatus in June and looks to be tweeting more than ever. ' ' '