for the Panthers if it had counted.But things were going so well for Brees and the Saints passing offense that they declined the penalty, since Brees wound up throwing an 8-yard touchdown pas

The United States Olympic womens basketball team is absolutely destroying its opponents, and the carnage is palpable.Heading into Thursdays semifinal against France, the American women are 5-0 in Rio, winning by margins of 46, 30, 26, 40 and 65 points.The feats of the U.S. women got us thinking about the most dominant teams in sports history. With that in mind, here are 10 of our favorites:2011-present New Zealand rugby teamThe facts: Even by the high standards of the famed All Blacks, they have played at a historic level for the past five years -- winning 92 percent of their matches during that span. New Zealand won the 2011 World Cup on home soil and the 2015 World Cup in England. Not surprisingly, the All Blacks currently sit at No. 1 in the world rugby rankings, comfortably ahead of No. 2 England. New Zealand begins play in the 2016 Rugby Championship on Saturday in Australia, with designs on avenging last years Southern Hemisphere title loss to the Wallabies.Key player: Dan Carter is widely recognized as one of the finest players in rugby history. He was named the top player in the world twice during this span, in 2012 and 2015. Carter holds the all-time international scoring record, having tallied 1,598 points since his national debut in 2003.Key statistic: The All Blacks havent lost consecutive matches since August 2011. Since then, they have played 64 times, with the following results: 59 victories, 3 defeats, 2 draws.2008-09 FC BarcelonaThe facts: Barca became one of a handful of clubs to achieve the coveted treble -- winning its league, national cup competition and continental championship in the same season. Rookie coach Pep Guardiola, who played midfield for the team from 1990-2001, guided the squad to a record of 49 victories, 7 losses and 13 draws -- not including a 6-0 record in preseason friendlies. After winning the Champions League final 2-0 over Manchester United, Guardiola put the feat in perspective, saying: We are not the best team in history. But we have played the best season in history.Key player: Lionel Messi scored a team-high 38 goals as Barca captured trophies in La Liga, Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League.Key statistic: Barca outscored its opponents 105-35 during the La Liga campaign and finished nine points ahead of Real Madrid atop the standings.1998 New York YankeesThe facts: Its easy to forget that the 98 Yankees lost four of their first five games. Owner George Steinbrenner was growing impatient, and manager Joe Torre was being questioned about his job security. Then history happened, as the Yankees stormed to a 114-48 regular-season record and went 11-2 in the postseason on their way to a World Series championship. Those 125 combined victories stand as an MLB record.Key player: Derek Jeter emerged in a big way in his third full season, earning the first of 14 career All-Star selections. He batted .324 with 19 home runs and 84 RBIs, and he led the major leagues with 127 runs.Key statistic: The 1998 Yankees led the majors with 965 runs despite fielding one of MLBs oldest teams, with an average age of 30.5.1995-96 Chicago BullsThe facts: Behind arguably the greatest player and coach in NBA history, the Bulls ran roughshod through the league to a then-record 72 regular-season wins. The discussion of the Bulls dominance could extend to much of the 1990s, but the team truly reached its zenith in 1995-96 -- leading the league with 105.2 points per game and ranking No. 3 defensively by allowing only 92.9 points per game. Most importantly, Chicago won its fourth championship in six seasons.Key player: After missing most of two seasons to try playing professional baseball, Michael Jordan returned to being the NBAs best player by winning his eighth scoring title at 30.4 points per game.Key statistic: The Bulls finished in the NBAs top five that season in rebounds, assists, steals and 3-point shooting percentage.1992 U.S. Olympic mens basketball teamThe facts: After settling for bronze at Seoul in 1988, the U.S. took advantage of professional eligibility for the subsequent Olympics to assemble the greatest team in basketball history. Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson headlined a roster that included 11 future Hall of Famers. The Dream Team went 8-0 in Barcelona, with a 43.8-point average victory margin, to capture the gold medal and restore the U.S. as the worlds top basketball power.Key player: On a team of superstars, Charles Barkley shined the brightest from a statistical standpoint. He led the team in scoring at 18 points per game while shooting 71.1 percent from the field.Key statistic: Zero. Thats the number of timeouts called by U.S. coach Chuck Daly at the 92 Olympics.1985 Chicago BearsThe facts: The Bears demolished opponents and embraced celebrity status on their way to winning Super Bowl XX. Chicago went 15-1, and its ferocious defense allowed the fewest points and yards in the league. Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton racked up 2,034 yards and 11 touchdowns from scrimmage to anchor the NFLs No. 2 scoring offense.Key player: Payton is undeniably one of the greatest players in NFL history, but Hall of Fame defensive end Richard Dent might have been the Bears best player in 1985. Dent recorded 17 sacks and two interceptions in addition to forcing seven fumbles and recovering two.Key statistic: The Bears won their three postseason games by a combined score of 91-10, including a 46-10 blowout of the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.1963-75 UCLA Bruins mens basketballThe facts: Under legendary coach John Wooden, UCLA won 10 national basketball championships in a 12-season span, culminating with an 88-game winning streak from 1971 to 1974. The Bruins became a factory for NBA standouts, producing future Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton, Gail Goodrich and Jamaal Wilkes.Key player(s): Centers Abdul-Jabbar and Walton rank among the top players in college basketball history, although neither was allowed to play at the varsity level as a freshman due to NCAA rules at the time. Abdul-Jabbar, known as Lew Alcindor while at UCLA, averaged 26.4 points and 15.5 rebounds per game in three seasons. Walton averaged 20.3 points and 15.7 rebounds in three seasons.Key statistic: Walton made 21 of 22 shots from the field and finished with 44 points in the 1973 NCAA tournament championship game against Memphis State. The Bruins won 87-66 to extend their winning streak to 75 games and claim their ninth championship in 10 seasons.1958-66 Boston CelticsThe facts: Beginning with the 1958-59 season, the Celtics established a mark for NBA excellence that almost certainly will never be broken, winning eight consecutive league championships.Key player: Bill Russell, the greatest champion in NBA history with 11 titles in 13 seasons, averaged 16.2 points and 23.7 rebounds from 1958-59 through 1965-66 while playing 44 minutes per game. He performed even better in the postseason during that span, averaging 18.3 points and 26.4 rebounds in 46.5 minutes per game.Key statistic: During those eight glorious seasons, the Celtics went 461-165 in the regular season and compiled a 67-33 postseason record.1953-57 Oklahoma Sooners footballThe facts: Under coach Bud Wilkinson, the Sooners won 47 consecutive games, a mark unmatched before or since in major college football. Oklahoma won the Orange Bowl twice during that streak, but it also had to sit out the postseason twice during an era when many conferences didnt allow teams to play in bowl games in consecutive seasons.Key player: These Oklahoma teams were extraordinarily balanced, so we will spotlight the entire 1956 defense. That undefeated season, the Sooners allowed only 5.1 points per game and recorded six shutouts on their way to the national championship.Key statistic: When the Sooners finally did lose -- 7-0 against visiting Notre Dame on Nov. 16, 1957 -- it also ended a streak of 124 games without being shut out.1869 Cincinnati Red StockingsThe facts: This team is widely acknowledged as the first openly professional sports team in North America. The Red Stockings opened the season on May 4 with a 45-9 win over a crosstown squad, the Great Westerns. The Red Stockings ended the year on Nov. 6 with a 17-8 win over the New York Mutuals. In between, the barnstorming Cincinnati squad played games from Boston to San Francisco, winning 57 games, losing zero and once playing to a disputed tie.Key player: A former professional cricket player named Harry Wright was the manager, captain and center fielder of the Red Stockings, who reportedly maintained a payroll in excess of $10,000.Key statistic: The Red Stockings eventually extended their unbeaten streak to 81 games before losing a road game to the Brooklyn Atlantics in extra innings on June 14, 1870.Honorable mention2008-present Connecticut womens basketball: Hall of Fame coach Geno Auriemma has guided the Huskies to six national championships in eight seasons, including a current streak of four in a row. The Huskies won a record 90 consecutive games from November 2008 to December 2010 and went 40-0 in 2013-14.2012-13 Bayern Munich: Bayern won the Bundesliga title by 25 points and lost only once in league play. Then the Bavarians defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the Champions League final in London. They wrapped up the treble by beating Stuttgart 3-2 for the German national cup.2008-12 Spain national football team: La Roja captured titles at the 2008 and 2012 European Championships and 2010 World Cup and won 15 consecutive matches from June 2008 to June 2009.1998-99 Manchester United: Man U became the first -- and so far only -- English squad to achieve a treble when manager Alex Ferguson guided the storied franchise to the feat on the eve of the millennium. Man U edged Arsenal for the Premier League title by one point before defeating Newcastle 2-0 to win the FA Cup and Bayern Munich 2-1 to win the Champions League crown.1989-90 UNLV mens basketball: The audacious Rebels compiled a 35-5 record on their way to the national title under Hall of Fame coach Jerry Tarkanian. Led by future NBA standouts Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon and Greg Anthony, UNLV went 21-1 down the stretch, including a memorable 103-73 demolition of Duke in the national championship game. The Rebels started the 1990-91 season with 34 consecutive wins before losing 79-77 to Duke in a national semifinal.1979-83 New York Islanders: No team has won more than two consecutive Stanley Cups since the Islanders won four in a row. During that run, the Isles compiled a 60-18 postseason record.1975-79 Montreal Canadiens: Even more overpowering than those Islanders teams were the Canadiens who preceded them. In winning their four consecutive Stanley Cups, Montreal went 48-10 in the playoffs. Les Habs also won five consecutive Stanley Cups from the 1955-56 season through 1959-60, during an era when the NHL had only six member clubs.1949-53 New York Yankees: With Hall of Famers Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Phil Rizzuto in the fold, the Yankees won five consecutive World Series under Casey Stengel. The Yanks went 20-8 during those Series, beating the Brooklyn Dodgers (1949, 52, 53), Philadelphia Phillies (1950) and New York Giants (1951).1927 New York Yankees: The legendary Murderers Row lineup started with four Hall of Famers: Earle Combs, Tony Lazzeri, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. The 27 Yankees went 110-44 and swept the Pittsburgh Pirates in the World Series. They also combined to hit 158 home runs, which led the majors by 49 and the AL by 102.1901 Michigan Wolverines: Culminating with the first Rose Bowl game, the Wolverines played an essentially perfect season in 1901. Michigan outscored its opponents 555-0, including a 49-0 rout of Stanford in Pasadena.Dominant ... until they werent2015-16 Golden State Warriors: The Warriors set an NBA record with a 73-9 regular-season record and led the league in scoring. But they also ranked 19th of 30 teams in scoring defense and lost the NBA Finals to the Cleveland Cavaliers after leading the series 3-1.2007 New England Patriots: The Pats put together the best regular season in NFL history, going 16-0 and outscoring opponents by a gaudy 315 points. Then came the helmet catch and one of the biggest upsets in sports history when the New York Giants won Super Bowl XLII.2001 Seattle Mariners: Buoyed by the arrival of Ichiro Suzuki from Japan, the Mariners equaled a 95-year-old MLB record for regular-season victories by going 116-46. But the Yankees ended Seattles dream season by winning the AL Championship Series in five games, thus protecting the 1998 Yankees record of 125 combined regular-season and postseason victories.1906 Chicago Cubs: These Cubs also won 116 regular-season games -- but with just 36 losses. Then came postseason disappointment when they lost the World Series to the crosstown White Sox in six games. Cheap Custom Bulls Jersey . For the Wild it was their first win of the season and they now have a record of 1-1-2 while the Jets fall to 2-2. Jets start a six game home stand Friday with another divisional game, home to the Dallas Stars. Bulls Jerseys China ., for the next three years with the signings on Monday of Daryl Townsend and Michael Carter. http://www.custombullsjersey.com/ . The 20-year-old Pelicans big man glanced up and smiled widely at the well-wishers -- a fitting end to a day he wont soon forget. Davis responded to his selection earlier in the day as a Western Conference All-Star with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-91 on Friday night. Custom Bulls T-shirts .ca look back at each of the Top 10 stories of 2013. Today, we look back at Boston Strong - a citys recovery from tragedy. Custom Bulls Jerseys . Miller finished in two minutes, 6.09 seconds, one day before the first medal race on the Alpine schedule. The 36-year-old American also turned in the top time in Thursdays opening training session. Quarterback Drew Brees set an NFL record with his 15th career 400-yard passing game, throwing for 465 yards in the New Orleans Saints 41-38 victory over the Carolina Panthers?on Sunday.He and retired quarterback Peyton Manning had been tied with 14 400-yard passing games entering Week 6.?I dont know what to make of that [record], Brees said. I mean, I guess its a record for you guys to talk about. But its more so stats like you score 41 points, and youre really good on third down, and you made some big plays in the passing game, and you had 10 different receivers catch the ball. ... Id say probably most of those games were that way. So its just good execution for us offensively and guys making plays.Brees also extended his NFL record number of career 300-yard passing games to 99.He also threw four touchdown passes as the Saints dropped the defending NFC champion Panthers to 1-5 this season.Brees reached another milestone in Sundays game, becoming the sixth player to record 50,000 passing yards with one team. The other five are Manning (Colts), Brett Favre (Packers), Dan Marino (Dolphins), Tom Brady (Patriots) and John Elway (Broncos).Brees day included an 87-yard touchdown pass to Brandin Cooks, who now has the two longest passing plays of the NFL season (he also caught a 98-yard touchdown pass in a Week 1 loss to the Oakland Raiders).Listen, if you can hit Cooks in stride, then I dont think theres anybody thats gonna catch him, except Usain Bolt, said Brees, who also credited fullback?John Kuhn?for a block that allowed him time to make the deep throw.The Saints needed every bit of Brees 465 yards for their second straight win. He completed 8 of 9 passes for 46 yards to set up the game-winning 52-yard field goal with 11 seconds left.These are definning wins, Brees said.dddddddddddd These are ones you can draw from as the season goes along and really get a lot of strength from. Also, it gives you great confidence and poise, I think, when those situations arise in the future. Honestly, weve played five games, and weve had five games just like that.Brees went home with a fat lip to go along with the thrilling victory -- thanks to what he described as a punch to the mouth from Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short.Short was penalized for roughing the passer on the third-down play late in the fourth quarter, which would have been severely costly for the Panthers if it had counted.But things were going so well for Brees and the Saints passing offense that they declined the penalty, since Brees wound up throwing an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Josh Hill anyway.Well, I dont know if it was [a hard hit]. It looked like he just straight punched me in the mouth, Brees said when asked about the play. Thats what it felt like; thats what it looked like on the JumboTron. But listen, Ill take the 15 yards every time. But we got the touchdown anyway, so were good.Short shoved Brees hard in the face, knocking him to the ground, a moment after Brees released the ball.But Short insisted afterward that it was not an act of frustration.Not at all. Not at all, Short insisted. I was getting outside to contain and I just threw my hands up. Hes a shorter quarterback. I just happened to hit him in the face. It wasnt on purpose. It wasnt out of frustration or nothing. I was just doing my job.ESPNs Mike Triplett and David Newton and ESPN Stats & Information contributed to this report. ' ' '