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NEW ORLEANS -- The two co-defendants in the drug and rape case that brought down one-time NFL star Darren Sharper were formally sentenced Thursday to lengthy prison terms -- after hearing blistering condemnations from two of their victims in open court.Brandon Licciardi, a former suburban sheriffs deputy, was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison; former restaurant worker Erik Nunez was sentenced to 10 years. Both pleaded guilty to state and federal charges that they drugged women so that they, and Sharper, could rape them. Prosecutors said in court documents that the case involved multiple women assaulted on various dates in 2013.Both accomplices apologized. Nunez read a statement rapidly and sometimes unintelligibly. Ive always respected women and held them in high regard, he said at one point.More emotional, Licciardi spoke haltingly, telling one victim, I made a terrible decision to leave you in the hands of a monster, an apparent reference to Sharper.Sharper has pleaded guilty or no-contest to drug and sexual assault cases in Louisiana and three other states. He filed a federal appeal after being sentenced to 18 years.Unmoved by the mens apologies, the victims who spoke in court Thursday described the emotional turmoil they felt after realizing they had been raped while incapacitated.One accused the defendants of being star-struck by Sharper and his athlete friends, and said Licciardi set me up to be drugged and raped.You both steamrolled whoever was in your way to become best friends with these people, this woman added.The other woman said she has dealt with bouts of depression and low self-worth since being attacked by Nunez and Sharper.Licciardi and Nunez each pleaded guilty in federal court this year to a single count of participating in a conspiracy to distribute drugs with the intent to commit rape. In state court, where both are expected to receive the same sentences next week, Licciardi pleaded guilty to sex trafficking and forcible rape. Nunez pleaded guilty to sexual battery.During a 14-year NFL career, Sharper played in two Super Bowls, one with the Packers as a rookie and one with New Orleans Saints when they won in 2010. He retired in 2011 and was working as a broadcast NFL analyst when allegations that he drugged and raped women began to surface.Under a deal that was expected to net him about nine years in prison, Sharper pleaded guilty or no-contest in state and federal courts to charges that he drugged and sexually assaulted women in Arizona, California, Nevada and Louisiana -- all part of a multistate global plea deal announced in early 2015.But U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo, saying there were as many as 16 victims in the four states, rejected the sentence as too light. That led to his 18-year federal sentence, followed by a 20-year state sentence that attorneys said was essentially the same given state and federal sentencing practices and credit for time served. 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A sea of bright Netherlands orange illuminated a most unlikely place.Back in 2008, the nation with about 16 million people at the time, in an area roughly half the size of Indiana, played for the Olympic gold medal in womens field hockey. Its opponent was the host nation, China, which boasted a population of about 1.3 billion.One would never have guessed those numbers, judging by the crowd. It was largely filled with orange, the standout color on the Netherlands uniforms. The Dutch won, and Beijing seemed more like Amsterdam, Rotterdam or The Hague.There was orange everywhere, said Max Caldas, an assistant coach for that team who now is the mens head coach. We are very proud about our colors and very proud to represent the country.The small nation between Belgium and Germany has put up big field hockey results for nearly a century, and the sport holds a significant place in its culture. The Oranje men have won two Olympic gold medals and three World Cups. They won their first Olympic medal, a silver, in 1928 in Amsterdam. The womens team is ranked No. 1 in the world and is seeking its third consecutive gold medal in Rio de Janeiro. It has won the World Cup a record seven times, with the first title coming in the inaugural event in 1974. No other nation has won more than twice.Field hockey trails only soccer in interest in the Netherlands. The nations hockey federation said some 253,000 people play club hockey there -- roughly one in 67 residents.They see the national teams playing up close, they can mimic and copy, and you see a huge amount of success from that model, said Craig Parnham, the U.S. womens coach who lived in the Netherlands and speaks Dutch. Success breeds success.Several factors have helped the nation overcome its small population.The Netherlands, among the worlds wealthiest nations per capita, has committed significant resources to the advancement of the game, starting at the youth level. Australia mens coach Graham Reid remembers playing in the Netherlands, back when there were about 40 artificial surfaces in the country, a huge number at the time. Now, the nations hockey federation said the country has 880 artificial surfaces -- a massive number for such a small nation, and importantt because of the way the sport beats up grass fields.ddddddddddddTheres a lot of money in the sport over there, which allows them to develop training programs, to develop things that help develop players and the player base, participation numbers, Reid said.The way the teams play grab attention, too. Their aggressive style of play influenced the total football style the Dutch soccer team used to finish second at the 1974 mens World Cup. In total football, versatile players seamlessly switch positions, allowing the team to maintain its organizational structure.The nations mens and womens sides are known for successful penalty corners and well-placed passes. For example, in the 2008 Olympics, Maartje Paumen led the womens tournament with 11 goals, all on penalty corners. No other player scored more than five goals in the tournament.Reid used fanatical, almost to describe the way the nation develops technical skills.Dutch hockey are trailblazers in the way they play, said Caldas, who coached the Netherlands women to gold in 2012. Always had very creative players. We always had a great penalty corners, best in the world for men and the women. Thats a part of our DNA.Four former womens International Hockey Federation (FIH) players of the year -- Naomi van As (2009), Paumen (2011, 2012), Ellen Hoog (2014) and Lidewij Welten (2015) -- are on the current roster for a nation that has had six different winners. Even with the individual success, the teams rich tradition keeps the stars focused on the big picture.Each player has a different ability, Netherlands womens coach Alyson Annan said. Each player can do something that some girls cant. They learn and identify and share with each other, and when someone is weaker at something than another, they fill the gaps for each other.On the mens side, Robert van der Horst was the FIH player of the year last year. In the past, Teun de Nooijer won three times and Stephan Veen won twice for the Dutch.To have a nation like that produce so many great hockey players is quite phenomenal, Reid said.---Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter (at)CliffBruntAP ' ' '