y so I think its something that should be treasured.Were going there for a good contest and I think [the All Blacks] are connected to [thhe caricature] obviously because they

RIO DE JANEIRO -- As an assistant coach for Britains womens field hockey team, Craig Parnham always admired the United States.Now the head coach of the American womens squad, he recalled why in the moments after a 6-1 rout over Japan at the Olympics last week.USA have always had a huge heart, great spirit, great passion, great drive -- they never give in, Parnham said. When I was working with other teams, we would always see those as big threats of the USA, and when you see it firsthand, you see it for what it is.Just four years ago, those intangible qualities were about all the Americans had going for themselves when they faced elite programs. Parnhams job when the United States hired him in 2013 was to improve the teams skill and fitness and turn the Americans into contenders for major titles. The players bought into his approach, and now the 43-year-old British coach has guided a squad that finished last at the 2012 London Games to a 4-1 record in pool play four years later.The Americans are in a position to make a run at their first medal since earning bronze in 1984. They play Germany in the quarterfinals on Monday.We just are meshing, U.S. striker Katie Bam said. Its just our time.The players met shortly after Parnham became coach, and he left them to decide their goals. Once he learned they wanted to rank among the best teams in the world, he put them in position to make that vision realistic.Hes opened our communication lines, U.S. defender Lauren Crandall said. Hes really allowed us to drive our program. Hes given us the power. Hes told us, figure out your goals, figure out your vision and drive this bus forward.Because the players have the power, they correct themselves.He creates a culture where the team are accountable, USA field hockey executive director Simon Hoskins said. I think that really works with todays modern athlete. To me, he really is the epitome of the modern elite coach.There were plenty of losses along the way. But then, the United States won the Pan American Games in 2015 and finished third in the Champions Trophy event in June. Their No. 5 world ranking is their highest ever.The United States opened the Olympics with 2-1 victories over No. 2 Argentina and No. 3 Australia, then set a U.S. womens Olympic record with six goals against No. 10 Japan. The Americans beat India, then faltered late to drop their final pool play match to Britain. The United States finished second in the pool and already has set a program high for wins at an Olympics.Its been 3+ years of hard work, Parnham said. We got together and established a program we thought was going to be useful. Weve been working on all aspects of our game -- physical, mental, technical, tactical. Im pleased for the team, Im pleased for U.S. hockey. Things are moving along nicely.---Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter (at)CliffBruntAPCheap Yeezy 350 UK Free Shipping .C. -- Manny Malhotra had two goals and an assist, leading the Carolina Hurricanes to a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. Yeezy 350 UK Sale . Jordan Lynch, the all-purpose Heisman Trophy finalist from Northern Illinois, failed to make it into that exclusive club. http://www.discountyeezy350uk.com/ . And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. From Pierre LeBrun While Anaheim GM Bob Murray said earlier this season he was not going to trade Jonas Hiller despite the fact hes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, some sources have told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun that Murray might be willing to move another goalie. 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LOUIS -- Lance Lynn was one of the more enthusiastic participants as the St. Wholesale Yeezy 350 UK . -- The plastic that was taped across the lockers in Oaklands clubhouse came down and the champagne that was on ice went back into the cooler.Michael Cheika will not be gagged, refusing to back down on Sunday after All Blacks coach Steve Hansen had accused his Wallabies counterpart of hijacking New Zealands Test world record celebrations.In a sensational aftermath to Saturday nights Bledisloe Cup series finale in Auckland, Cheika took aim at the New Zealand media after being depicted as a clown and then claimed the All Blacks did not respect the Wallabies, suggesting they were involved in the media caricature.Seething after being portrayed on the match morning as an angry clown complete with red nose in a cartoon headlined send in the clowns in the countrys biggest-selling newspaper, the New Zealand Herald, Cheika let rip in an extraordinary rant after Australias 37-10 loss at Eden Park.Hansen said later that Cheika needed to be bigger than to take a newspapers barb to heart, and said it was wrong to suggest the All Blacks could dictate what the media did.But Cheika was still stewing upon his arrival back at Sydney airport 12 hours later.Why would you let the opposition call your team clowns and mock the jersey, he said.Thats how I feel about it.Maybe others dont. Maybe thats not the way. But Ive never had an Australian jersey so I think its something that should be treasured.Were going there for a good contest and I think [the All Blacks] are connected to [thhe caricature] obviously because they are talking about it.ddddddddddddThats my opinion and Im entitled to voice my opinion, right or wrong.Cheika was also upset that he did not receive an invitation into the triumphant dressing room after the All Blacks chalked up their unprecedented 18th consecutive tier-one Test match win.He said that the Sydney bugging saga had been the spark that had set him off, saying he was deeply offended by any inference the Wallabies camp had been in any way involved in the scandal.Cheika remains furious the bugging report came out on the day of the first Bledisloe Test match in Sydney, after All Blacks management had alerted police about finding an electronic listening device in a team room early in the week.I dont want to keep going over the same points, but that [NZ Herald] is obviously their go-to paper, Cheika said on Sunday.The whole bug thing came out from there.We had policemen in our offices asking us questions, asking our management questions. Thats serious stuff to be accusing people of, and its not true.Thats their go-to. Nothing happens without that connection.Thats my point of view. They dont have to agree with it. Im not asking them to agree with it. ' ' '