Watching the Montreal Canadiens lose goaltender Carey Price to injury this week reminded me of what I often think is the great weakness of North American sports. Dennis Rodman Spurs Jersey . The reliance of individuals in team sports. Hockey is obsessed with goaltenders. A team loses and the first place people look at for blame is in between the pipes. Baseball? As they say, momentum is all about the next days starting pitcher. NFL? Find an elite quarterback if you want to win the Super Bowl and stop using Trent Dilfer as an example (unless you can find one of the greatest defences to go alongside him). Basketball? You wont find many NBA championship teams that doesnt feature a current or future hall of famer. The global game of soccer is often very different, as the achievements of Atletico Madrid this week have shown. A sport that is so reliant on teamwork rarely allows a figurehead to rise to such prominence to make a championship be about them. Sure, domestic leagues have outstanding players who take over games, weeks, even months of a campaign, but without their teammates they are just one man with a ball at their feet. Even the greatest players in the world today are surrounded by players close to their level that allows them to perform brilliantly so often. For some reason, however, every four years many forget the common sense around this belief and two words are the reason for it. World Cup. There have only been nineteen of these in history and, specifically for the last 16 of them, it has been considered as the ultimate thing in the sport to win. However, the World Cup is not without its failings. Many games produce predictable, sterile games dominated by defensive-minded teams, unable to replicate the teamwork earned by club teams over long periods of time, who, subsequently, know its far easier to stop than score. It is a tournament that lasts one month every four years. The best team plays seven games and does not even have to win them all. Yet, because it is so short in time and so infrequent on the games calendar, the World Cup cares little for reputations, instead choosing to make them. This allows the sport to be much more North American in terms of individuals stamping their authority on it. With this in mind, collectively, we owe it to future generations to be extremely careful with the evidence provided (and this is not always easy with the lack of video available to us once the tournament ends). First of all we must remember that players can have excellent tournaments without actually winning it. This rule is for all, not just for those you didnt expect to win it anyway. Take Lionel Messis 2010 World Cup. Many adjectives have been used to describe this including poor and disappointing. What nonsense. Messi was excellent in South Africa but because he didnt score a goal some thought he was disappointing. When his out-of-his-depth manager, Diego Maradona, decided to play without a central midfield, Argentina were sent home packing in the quarterfinals. They never had a chance of winning the World Cup and none of that fell on the shoulders of Messi. Since leaving South Africa, Messi, with Barcelona, has won everything there is to win in club football, and added three more Ballon DOr awards. He has consistently succeeded in the most competitive tournament, the Champions League, the sport has to offer. He is described by many as one of the greatest players to play the game but suddenly he is removed from such a camp, by some, the closer a World Cup gets to starting, when a new hurdle is put in his path to reach the pantheon of greatness; a hurdle he simply cannot jump himself. Messis countryman, Ossie Ardiles, who won the World Cup in 1978, hit the headlines last week with this gem of a quote: "To be considered alongside the top, top guys like Pele and Diego Maradona and so on, Messi not only needs to be in the World Cup but to win it." Mr Ardiles isnt the only one who feels this way, of course, and in fact there is an alarming chance he is in the majority rather than the minority when it comes to this topic. What a pity. And while we are on this quote, who is so on exactly? When Pele played, the World Cup was everything. He changed the sport and is arguably the greatest player to play the game. The World Cup made him the global star that he simply couldnt reach himself at Santos. Maradona graced four World Cups and is forever remembered as the face of Mexico 1986. It is fitting for a man so talented that he had that event to catapult him towards the legends of the game but many who celebrate Maradonas greatness, because of those 30 days in Mexico, often, conveniently, forget his 1982 and 1994 World Cups ended in disgrace. 1990? Dont let their runner-up spot fool you. His team was even worse than Messis 2010 side and his performances werent even close to the ones shown by Barcelonas current star in South Africa. There is no disputing Maradonas greatness on the field but if the guardians of football history and, subsequently, the makers of reputations are going to base so much on what happens at World Cups then they need to be fair about it. In a sport that cares so often about who wins and loses this seems like an impossible task. Only one team can lift the trophy when it all finishes on July 11. Of course, Messi will be considered as one of the true greats if that team proves to be Argentina but why should we wait to find out what some of his flawed teammates can do for him before we give him such an honour? Just because Maradona, Pele and so on won the World Cup? The game is full of true, elite greats who never did. Pele and Maradona call Alfredo Di Stefano the most complete player ever and what of Johan Cruyff, who was magnificent in the 1974 World Cup and did everything but win the tournament? Rather than holding the World Cup to a higher standard that some cannot reach, those who lean on individual quality, should enjoy its beauty at producing other stars whose solo acts can carry their teams far. Garrincha, Eusebio, Cruyff, Paolo Rossi, Toto Schillaci, Roberto Baggio, Romario, Davor Sukur, Ronaldo, Oliver Kahn, Fabio Cannavaro, Diego Forlan and David Villa are just some examples of that. Some won, some didnt. Some are true greats, some arent. Their reputations were enhanced by their World Cup play but also because their team was able to get to the final week of the event. Neither Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo needs to win a World Cup to be graced amongst the greatest ever. It appears, before the tournament already starts, that Ronaldo doesnt have the team to get him to the trophy, and if the tournament proves the same for Argentina why should Messi be judged differently to Ronaldo? This special group, created by the likes of Ardiles, that features Maradona, Pele and so on is a hindrance to football history and an ignorance to the game itself. Patty Mills Spurs Jersey . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. Dennis Rodman Jersey . Mike Trout, Josh Hamilton and Kole Calhoun all homered to help the Los Angeles Angels get their first win of the season with an 11-1 rout of the Houston Astros. http://www.authenticspursauthority.com/manu-ginobili-spurs-jersey-c-5/ . With the win, the Marlies complete a three-game series sweep of the Admirals and move on to the second round of the Calder Cup playoffs. T.J. Brennan added an empty netter with less than 25 seconds remaining for his second of the playoffs.It started with an absolute clinic and it ended with an astounding howler. "What kind of a goalkeeper is the one who is not tormented by the goal he has allowed? He must be tormented! And if he is calm, that means the end. No matter what he had in the past, he has no future," once said arguably the greatest goalkeeper to ever play the game, Lev Yashin. On Saturday in the Premier League, Wojciech Szczesny, John Ruddy, Tim Howard and David De Gea all produced magnificent saves for their sides on the way to securing crucial points. All four goalkeepers stood tall during periods of the match that their teams struggled in. They were calm and ready when needed. On Sunday, with night falling on another weekend in the Premier League, the opposite happened when Manchester Citys Joe Hart rushed out of his goal, in the final minute of a 1-1 game at Chelsea, compromising defender Matija Nastasics options, and allowing Fernando Torres to score a dramatic late winner. It was another poor moment in a poor season for Hart. Many immediately took to twitter to question the position of Englands number one but the real question should be around whether he is now Manchester Citys number one. England do not play another game of significant importance for over seven months. Man City have less than seven days until their next league game. City are a magnificent football team that, in large parts of this season so far, have shown strong glimpses of the greatness they could achieve. Their fullbacks are disciplined but dangerous in attack, Alvaro Negredo and Jesus Navas have adapted well to their new surroundings, Yaya Toure, David Silva and Sergio Aguero are back to the world class standard they once played at earlier last season, and even Samir Nasri and Alex Kolarov are improving by each game. They are primed to take a serious run at the Premier League title. In order to do that, however, they need to solve two significant issues. Vincent Kompany is virtually irreplaceable at the heart of their defence and there is nothing wrong with that, after all he is one of the worlds finest defenders. However, any replacement they have inserted when he has been injured has so far let them down. Martin Demicheles was guilty of conceding the first goal to Chelsea on Sunday, much like Javi Garcia was in Russia on Wednesday. With this problem, there are, of course, expected solutions. Demicheles is a defender manager Manuel Pellegrini knows well and is likely to get better with more games under his belt and it is hopeful Kompany - who has missed 13 of their last 23 Premier League games since - will get fit soon. What arent predictable at all are the form and the mental state of the clubs goalkeeper. Earlier this season at Cardiff, City were in control of the match 1-0 but lost 3-2 after Hart was guilty of two poor errors, and against Bayern Munich in the Champions League earlier this month, he once again let in soft goals, which led to his manager considering dropping him for their next match against Everton. "He feels like he didnt do well against Bayern, I spoke a lot about this to him this week," said Pellegrini. "He is mentally strong and after talking to him, I decided he had the character to play (against Everton), it was a decision I made on Friday (the day before)." Following the loss to Bayern, Pellegrini obviously gave the prospect of dropping Hart a lot of thought. Hart, as his manager suggests, comes across as a confident man but even he will be rocked by his latest error. Costel Pantilimon is Harts backup but hasnt played a single Premier League minute since arriving at City in 2011. He is no long-term replacement, that is for sure. What he is, however, is the League Cup goalkeeper and City play Newcastle in that competition on Wednesday. Matt Bonner Spurs Jersey. What he could also be is a band-aid to stop the bleeding from a wound that is sucking the life out of an otherwise lively and legitimate title contender. The game is full of goalkeepers who benefited from moments such as this when a supposed superior goalkeeper struggled and the Romanian deserves his chance. On an outstanding team like City, the goalkeeper is rarely there to win them matches. At the moment, their current one is, far too often, losing them matches and on Sunday, handed two precious points to one of their main challengers in the league. The idea of goalkeepers winning matches used to be equally rare across Manchester, for rivals United. Until this season. Three weeks ago, United were trailing 1-0 at Sunderland when Emanuele Giaccherinis powerful header look set for the top corner to put the home side up 2-0. Spaniard De Gea reacted brilliantly, leaping to his right to fingertip the ball away. It was a magnificent save and one that prompted Uniteds legend Peter Schmeichel to call it one of the best Ive seen. Two second half Adnan Januzaj goals gave United a much-needed three points. On Saturday against Stoke, United again started slowly and found themselves down 1-0. Much like Sunderland, it should have been 2-0 when Jon Walters got into the box and volleyed the ball towards goal, only for De Gea to react brilliantly once again to keep him out. United would go on to win 3-2. "We needed our goalkeeper to make an extraordinary save again in the first half but thats what hes in the team for," stated manager David Moyes. Through nine games this season, almost a quarter of the campaign, De Gea has been Uniteds most important player. United were booed off at half-time and cheered off at full-time at Old Trafford but it is when the crowd, and the team, are not at their finest that De Gea needs to be. (photo: fourfourtwo.com - Click For Larger Image) In their last three home matches, United have allowed much more shots and attacks than they did against the same teams last season. Against West Brom, they lost 2-1 but De Gea produced a brilliant stop with his feet to deny Saido Berahino and an ever better save, finger-tipping Morgan Amalfitanos effort heading for the top corner. (photo: fourfourtwo.com - Click For Larger Image) Hosting Southampton, they drew 1-1 but it could have been worse, De Gea standing tall to deny Danny Osvaldo on a one-on-one breakaway that the inconsistent defence in front of him allowed. (photo: fourfourtwo.com - Click For Larger Image) Being goalkeeper of Manchester United is not easy. Schmeichel was absolutely brilliant at it and the dozen goalkeepers between the Dane and Edwin van der Sar were abysmal. When De Gea replaced the Dutchman at 20 years-old, many were quick to turn on him. Evaluating goalkeepers is not easy. There is no specific statistic that tells you the complete story, while analysts in England preferred highlight shows, such as the iconic Match of the Day, which is never a true test of a goalkeepers worth. For example, last season at home to Fulham, De Geas spill led to an early goal by the visitors and, subsequently, more criticism that night on television but for the rest of the match, he was spectacular. Uniteds disjointed midfield and frequent poor defending this season has pushed De Gea back into the spotlight and this time, he has done nothing but shine. Hart may be keeping City from the top of the table in Manchester but De Gea is the only reason United fans still think that is a possibility for them this season. Wholesale NFL T-shirts China NFL Gear Cheap Jerseys 2020 Wholesale NFL Womens Jerseys Cheap NFL Black Jerseys Youth NFL Jerseys Cheap Youth NFL Jerseys Wholesale ' ' '