TORONTO -- When Sidney Crosby first stepped on the international stage, Team Canada fell flat.It was 13 years ago in the summer of 2003 and Crosby had just turned 16. He was by far the youngest player on an under-18 squad shooting for an eighth consecutive gold medal at the junior World Cup. Canada finished a distant fourth, trounced 8-2 by the hometown Czechs in the bronze-medal game.It was by no means a preview of what was to come for Crosby on the world stage. He has won nearly everything there is to win while wearing the Maple Leaf -- except the World Cup of Hockey, which he will play in for the first time later this week.He has won two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Crosby has come up golden at the world juniors, world championships and twice at the Olympics.I feel like every time you put on a Team Canada jersey, youre representing your country, theres a lot of pride that comes with that, Crosby said Thursday at World Cup media day.His golden goal at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver stands as one of the most impactful goals in the countrys history. Indeed, Crosby has met expectations on the international stage, despite the bright spotlight and increased pressure that comes with being the most hyped player of his generation.For Sid and a lot of these kids coming up, they have a little bit of an unfair target on their back at all times, said Ryan Getzlaf, a frequent teammate with Canada. People expect so much out of them on a daily basis that they forget that theyre still players and theyre still humans. Its part of the role I guess that hes taken on his back and hes done a great job with it.Crosby was again the youngest player for Canada when he helped the team win silver at the 2004 world junior championships. A year later, on a loaded squad that included Getzlaf, Shea Weber and Patrice Bergeron, among others, the Canadians emerged with gold, trouncing Russia 6-1.Crosby had a team-leading eight goals and 16 points in only nine games at the 2006 world championships, but the Canadians finished fourth.Then came 2010 and that unforgettable moment at the Vancouver Olympics. Crosbys overtime goal sunk the U.S. in the final and handed Canada, under especially potent pressure on home soil, a satisfying victory.Crosby says he doesnt think about the moment much, though it remains a great memory. While it may lack the significance of the Olympics, the World Cup is another chance at international glory on home turf for Canada.Crosby thinks home-ice advantage can help.I think theres always pressure, theres always expectations (and) you may feel that a little bit more being at home, said Crosby. But I think its something you can definitely embrace and use to help you, too.If not statistically productive at the 2014 Olympics, Crosby still made a dent in Sochi. He was a mostly controlling force with the puck, scoring in the gold medal match against Sweden -- a 3-0 win and second straight Olympic gold for Canada.Crosby flew to the Czech Republic for the 2015 world championships where he helped Canada snap an eight-year gold-medal drought. Crosby mustered 11 points in nine games, including a goal and an assist in the final.I think anytime I go on the ice I try to work hard and try to be at my best, but I think you know the circumstances in most of these events -- its one game, its not a playoff series, Crosby said. I think with that kind of format I think it brings out the best in everyone and that desperation levels probably at the highest it could be.Next up is the World Cup, where Crosby will serve again as Team Canadas captain and the biggest star among stars.He always has the spotlight on him, said John Tavares, picked first overall at the NHL draft four years after Crosby. Hes obviously accomplished a lot (and) hes very deserving of all of the accolades and then obviously a lot of the attention he gets as well. And he handles it extremely well, I think thats whats most impressive. Zapatillas Nike Baratas China .5 million, one-year contract on Friday. 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Zapatillas Nike Baratas Online China . 31, the CFL club announced Monday. The team also has yet to decide on the future of Doug Berry, who began the season as a consultant to the head coach but took over the offensive co-ordinators duties in July. Plans for middleweight world titleholder Billy Joe Saunders to defend his belt on the undercard of Canelo Alvarezs next fight as a prelude to a possible December showdown are off because Saunders rejected all of the opponents presented to him, Golden Boy Promotions vice president Eric Gomez told ESPN.com.Alvarez (47-1-1, 33 KOs), of Mexico, will challenge Englands Liam Smith (23-0-1, 13 KOs) for his junior middleweight world title on Sept. 17 in the main event of an HBO PPV card at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, in Arlington, Texas.Golden Boy and Frank Warren, Saunders promoter, were in the midst of negotiating a deal under which Saunders would appear in the co-feature in his United States debut. If Alvarez and Saunders (23-0, 12 KOs), of England, both won, they would have a deal in place to meet in December on HBO as Alvarez, the lineal middleweight champion (but boxing at 155 pounds), builds up to 160 pounds in anticipation of a megafight against unified middleweight titleholder Gennady Golovkin next year.Golden Boy brought up three second-tier contenders as possible opponents for Saunders: Gabriel Rosado (23-9, 13 KOs), Curtis Stevens (28-5, 21 KOs) and Willie Monroe Jr. (20-2, 6 KOs). All are Golovkin knockout victims, but Saunders turned all of them down. Saunders also called out Golovkin for a unification fight earlier this year. When he was offered career-high money to face him in April, he turned that fight down as well.Golden Boys first choice was to make the match with Saunders and Rosado, which would get a fighter it promotes a title shot. Philadelphias Rosado, a fan favorite who is usually in exciting fights, agreed to terms and signed a contract, but Saunders turned the fight down.I was working hard with Frank to make this deal, and it was going well, but Saunders is not going to be on the card now, Gomez said. We tried to make it happen. We offered him reasonable opponents, and he said no. We thought it would have been great to have Saunders and Canelo on the same card before a possible fight between them. But now we are moving on.Even though Saunders wont be on the Sept. 17 card, we have not closed the door to still trying to make the fight for December. Im not sure what else Saunders wants to do, but this was a great opportunity, and Frank knew it. Anyway, the fight with Canelo could still happen at some point.Rosado has won two fights in a row but is just 2-4 with a no-decision in his past seven fights, so it came as a surprise that Saunders would turn down the fight for which he would be a big favorite -- not to mention the American exposure that would go with it. Rosado was tickked off.ddddddddddddI signed my contract a week ago, Rosado said. From what I hear, Saunders wanted an easier fight. They didnt want to fight me. The WBO champ [is] acting like a coward.Saunders response to heavy criticism for rejecting the various opponents came on social media.Dont believe everything youre told, he said. Ill be in the ring very soon.Saunders won a 160-pound belt from Andy Lee by majority decision on Dec. 19 and has not fought since.With Saunders off the Alvarez-Smith card, Gomez said he is working on a new co-feature, but he declined to get into any details.There are others, however, set to appear on the card.Up-and-coming featherweight Joseph Diaz Jr. (21-0, 12 KOs), a 2012 U.S. Olympian from South El Monte, California, will appear in a fight on the pay-per-view portion of the card against an opponent to be announced, Gomez said.Mexican junior featherweight prospect Diego De La Hoya (15-0, 9 KOs), a first cousin of Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya, and middleweight prospect Jason Quigley (13-0, 10 KOs) will also be on the card against opponents to be determined, though not necessarily part of the pay-per-view telecast. Gomez said Quigleys bout likely will be part of the PPV free view show before the formal start of the PPV.Diaz, Quigley and Oscar De La Hoya appeared recently at Cowboys training camp in Oxnard, California, with team owner Jerry Jones to promote their appearances on the card.This is a big step up and great opportunity for me to showcase my skills and what Im truly about, Diaz said. I know that 126 pounds is a stacked division, but I want to showcase to everyone Sept. 17, with all the 100,000 people that are going to be at the AT&T Stadium, that I can be the next world champion at 126 pounds.I would like to fight any champion at my weight class. Hopefully, Ill become mandatory for the WBC so I can fight Gary Russell Jr. because I know he is the champion. But if not, if I become mandatory for any other world titles, Im willing to fight anybody: Vasyl Lomachenko, Leo Santa Cruz, Carl Frampton and Abner Mares. Im willing to showcase that I can get in the ring with the best and beat the best.Quigley is also excited to be on the card.Im absolutely delighted to be on such an amazing card, said Quigley, who is from Ireland. To be fighting under Canelo again is going to be amazing. To be fighting in Texas and at AT&T Stadium is a massive platform to show what Ive got. Im going to take full advantage of it and will be ready to shine on Sept. 17. ' ' '