Julie Foudy has, in my opinion, really mischaracterized Hope Solo's comments. I don't think Solo attacked Scurry. In fact, I think Solo did nothing more than Foudy did in the broadcast of the game - when Foudy mentioned that it was the wrong decision to switch goalkeepers. Solo can criticize a decision like that and say that she thought she could make the saves without it being an attack on a teammate. It's confidence in her ability and hurt because of the denial of an opportunity that she had earned.
For example, when Foudy questioned the insertion of Tina Ellertson into the match, was she saying that Ellertson wasn't a good defender? No, she was harping on Ryan's decision. To make the leap from that to say that Foudy was attacking Ellertson is basically the one that Foudy makes here about Solo and Scurry.
The point that Solo was making in comparing 2004 to 2007 was obvious - it was to say that over those passing years, she has earned her place and become the starting goalkeeper for a reason. To reverse all that was a mistake. To say that, on current form, she is the best goalkeeper is a perfectly valid statement. To point out Ryan's mistake does not defame Scurry.
On the other hand, this is where it feels a bit like U.S. Soccer is closing ranks. It makes me wish that we had people covering the broadcast who were more objective. Heather Mitts is still on the team. How far will she go in criticizing Ryan when he could hold her playing fate in hand? Foudy is obviously close with many of the U.S team, especially Scurry. She seems to have reacted as if her friend was attacked. I think that's a limited perspective.
8 comments:
I completely agree. I can't stand Foudy and her holier than thou perspective. She's really hypocritical.
Mitts and ESPN has a huge conflict of interest. Obviously she doesn't want to be banished like Tiffany Milbrett.
That's why I call the US team, the US National Sorority Sisters Soccer team. You gotta be part of the inner circle fit the profile.
I don't see how Hope threw anyone under the bus other than her coach. Unfortunately, the people with game coverage are very biased. From Foudy defending her friend to Jemele Hill defending African-American women in general, it's difficult to take that outlet seriously once they open their collective mouth to express a thought.
There seems to be many reasons, outside of the Solo debacle, to dismiss Ryan. Any ideas on who would be a good and likely replacement?
Anyone remember the part in Pulp Fiction, where Vincent and Jules are in the restaurant and Yolanda has a gun pointed at Jules, who has Pumpkin in front of him? Vincent walks out in the middle of the whole ordeal and pulls a gun on Yolanda.
Anyway, when Jules starts to tell Pumpkin how he's going to give him $1,000 or whatever he's got in his wallet, Vincent starts to protest and says something about shooting him on general principle. Yolanda objects and Jules tries to calm her down.
Then he turns and says something to Vincent.
That's what someone needs to say to Julie Foudy.
"The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men."?
No, that was said later on.
Oh, oh, I remember now!
Yeah.
Completely agree with you Andrea.
Well thought out article.
Ryan said that this was his strategy all along to have Bri in the goal against Brazil. Well he should have communicated that with his team earlier. This should have been managed well before the game not some 23rd hour change. Poorly handled by Ryan. This is the first time he really had any monumental decisions to make and it failed. 51 game unbeaten streak in relatively unimportant competitions (excluding qualifying) does not protect you from this huge blunder. I cannot believe I miss April Heinrichs. The USA was the best team in the world and you go into a game and tell the opposition you are afraid of them when you make a move like this. The only switch should have been inserting Ellertson to bring more speed to the back line. If this were the Men's game and US Soccer was like any other country in a FIFA competition Ryan would have been releaved of his duties Thursday evening.
Foudy misunderstood Hope and stepped over the line by making such an antagonistic comment about the team not wanting Hope behind them on the field.
I usually like Foudy, and was surprised that she was so harsh and judgmental; Solo spoke in the heat of the moment, after a terrible team loss, and she is not experienced in either dealing with the media, or, from the look of her blog, articulating her thoughts.
And I agree that Hope was, ironically, saying about Ryan almost exactly what Foudy said on live TV!
Foudy had some decent quotes in this Yahoo sports interview:
http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news;_ylt=AvqPfdQ2gfVtCrlH8Xxxme8mw7YF?slug=ms-gregryan092807&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
She knocks on most everything, with Solo only a smart part. And Chastain just rips in her quotes.
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