Lori Chalupny was doing a few interviews today; here's one for USA Today.
Lori didn't have to travel much for this upcoming match, since she is based in St. Louis.
She mentioned to me as well that she hadn't known that Solo was on the roster for the Mexico game until she saw the roster.
And Andrew's soccer365 article picked up some responses.
22 comments:
A. C. I'd love to see you do an interview with Briana Scurry and ask her for her take on the Hope Solo shunning; in light of her past comments in 2004.
How can Ms. Chalupny and Ms. Wambach not realize how hypocritical their statements about banning Hope Solo for the purpose of team "unity" are.
Well Lori I imagine by now that Hope has learned a lesson from this, that is: when dealing with this "team" - watch your back.
A.C.
I look forward to reading your ESPN article regarding your telephone conversation with her.
What are your thoughts on her comments in the US Today article?
My jaw dropped in total disbelief!
Even in her home town this Saturday night, I do believe she is going to be in for quite an awakening!
S
Email I sent to Lori C. yesterday asking her to show some much needed "Leadership" in this sorry situation.
So much for that effort!
Hi Lori,
Thank you for all you have done for US soccer past, present and future. You girls are an inspiration to the girls I coach and young soccer players everywhere.
Having said that, fans of the WNT really need to know how the "Team" could treat one of their own "Family" the way Hope Solo has been treated?
Yes, Hope should have simply stated to the Press that she was devastated by both the decision Coach Ryan made and the results of the game but she felt she needed, at that moment, to defend herself against the PUBLIC criticism that Coach Ryan sent her way when he indicated Bri was the better equipped Keeper to handle Brazil??? Hope really wasn't being critical of Bri, just defending herself from her coaches comments and decision. The sad part is, everybody was saying it for her so she really needed to say nothing as all. Unfortunately, it has served to deflect the focus from where it needs to be, that being on Coach Ryan for his coaching "style" and decision making process?
Anyways, I hope you will all find it in your hearts to patch things up as I can't imagine the level of mental anguish Hope is going through over what she has endured over the past 12 days and indeed the past several months.
You have the opportunity to be a "Team" leader here. Grab this opportunity Lori. The fans will appreciate it.
Sincerely,
A Girls U18 Soccer Coach Who Just Does Not Understand?
A.C. what i would like to know is whether it was US Soccer's legal team that just gave K4C a cease and desist order for their hope/bri is my homegirl tee shirt event. I bought a hope one partially to support solo and also because part of it was to go to right to play. now k4c is having to refund all the orders which i expect are a lot, because they do not have finances to take it to court.
There are a lot of other Hope shirts people can wear:
http://www.cafepress.com/buy/hope
It could well be that agents of the players themselves flexed their legal muscles.
I love the way everybody is so upset that Lori doesn't share their view on how Hope has been wronged by the team. That somehow she's been brainwashed. It's ridiculous.
Obviously you people feel that one person is bigger than the team and are just 'shocked and appalled' that the team would punish a member for publically critizing it's coach and a teammate. Why is it such a foreign concept that the team comes first and that no one player is bigger than the team.
Let's be honest. The only reason people are outraged that Hope got suspended for 1 game (she is back on the team you know) is that they personally agree with what she said. I doubt that you would be that upset if she was suspended for saying something that you personally disagreed with.
Yet, because you agree with Hope's comments, anything that Lilly, Wambach, Chalupny or anyone else says about doing what they feel is best for the team you will not agree with. And because the team doesn't agree with your view of the situation, then they must be the ones in the wrong.
However, based on the fact that the team played it's best and most attactive soccer in the 3rd place game, perhaps there is some merit to their thinking, whether one agrees with it or not.
Anybody that condones the treatment that Hope Solo received by members of her "team/family" in this situation is morally bankrupt.
They played like they did in the final game because there was zero pressure on them as they had already blown it by inept coaching.
This quote is incredible: "We kind of want to set the precedent that this isn't going to be acceptable for this team, regardless of whether it happens on other teams or not," Chalupny said. "I hope we get over it as soon as we can, and I'm looking forward to this game."
Sadly, she's talking about the Hope Solo/Greg Ryan/Briana Scurry debacle...instead of them getting their butts played off the field by Brazil.
What continues to trouble me about this issue is that it's deflecting attention away from the team's real problems-- the lousy tactics and crappy coaching that saw us dumped from the WC in the first place. Everyone on both sides of the issue is continuing to talk about Hope vs. THE FAMILY instead of criticizing the team's route 1 ball tactics in pretty much every game, or how how Aly Wagner got left on the bench to rot for the entire tournament when we needed her speed, or that Ryan was content to let Wambach run until her legs fell off instead of using Kai more often.
That said, I'm firmly on Solo's side on this issue and sincerely hope that the crowds at every game spend plenty of time chanting her name, regardless of whether she plays or sits.
Is anyone marketing gold # 18 shirts with tire tracks up the back? Or a knife handle sticking out of the back?
Lori just confirms that the entire team thought Hope's speaking out was behavior of which they do not approve and was deserving of punishment (as opposed to saying the team was unanimous in backing Ryan's decision, which we will likely never know). I can't say that I disagree. Hope's statement, while completely correct and not intended to disparage Scurry, was unprofessional, over the top, and warranted the apology she gave.
However, their treatment of her is equally unprofessional. The team wants to live in their own world of love and unity, but they need to get real. People have feelings and need to be allowed to state them if they wish. Sometimes that's a mistake and there are consequences to be dealt with, but you learn from them and move on. Hope was punished not just for the content of her statement, but for the fact that she spoke at all. To be completely cut out from enjoying what she worked so hard for many years to obtain is just vindictive and cruel.
To anon who said, "The only reason people are outraged that Hope got suspended for 1 game (she is back on the team you know) is that they personally agree with what she said."
I don't agree with what she said and I am still appalled at her treatment by the team and coach, not only for her sake, but for the message it sends to the young players we hope are starting to follow US soccer. Someone says something you believe to be wrong or hurtful and you stop speaking to them and ban them from your clubhouse? Kids are taught not to do that in pre-school!
My opinion has nothing to do with a one game suspension, if that's what it was. If the coach doesn't like what a player does or says, they suspend, fine, whatever. What I take exception to is the astoundingly childish cruelty of this "shunning," and the possibly illegal banning of a player from the medal ceremony (isn't FIFA the only body able to make that call?).
When I was impressed to hear that so many of my daughter' H.S. teammates were getting up at 5:00 in the morning because they were so excited to follow the world cup, this is the last thing I wanted them to take from the tournament. On the other hand, it gives me some comfort that, after 20 years of involvement in youth sports at every age level, I've never heard of a coach that would allow their players to respond to a teammates' behavior in this manner. By the time kids get to H.S. and college, even team captains regularly deal with far worse negative behavior and/or divisions than this, putting out the fires instead of fanning the flames.
I remain disgusted with the adults they should be looking up to.
Yes, distraction from the real issue is exactly what Coach Ryan wants but he needs to be shown the treatment of Hope is worse then the original 2 wrongs.
It has already been firmly established that Coach Ryan needs to go, or that he never should have been hired in the first place. Now it's up to the USSF to act, so send a message or letter to them letting them know how you feel.
A quote from a pro football player about a coach & his coaching style/ability:
"My mom always told me if you do people wrong, wrong will follow you."
What goes around does indeed come all the way back around. Ask Earl about karma.
Bannishing & ostracizing a teammate is just NOT acceptable behavior.
Shame on every single person that feels o.k. about this behaviour.
I conclude these people were/are also high school bullies of the physical or physcological variety.
A message to Lori Chalupny:
Good Morning Lori,
Re: my Leadership message of Wednesday.
Your quotes yesterday were not what I had in mind.
It is never o.k. to ostracize anybody, never mind a teammate, and that's what this "Team?" did.
If anybody needs to learn something, it's the members of the team that feel it was alright to do this?
Please tell your fans you were "misquoted" again like your original comments about Hope speaking out?
Sincerely,
A U18 Girls Soccer Coach
Who still does not understand how a teammate can be treated this way and have some teammates continue to feel it was proper treatment?
Wow. Wouldn't it be ironic if, after all the outrage (including my own) over the New Scarlet Letter drama that unfolded with the USWNT in China, they simply put Solo back in net and nobody ever said "boo" about it going forward... rather like children who, after a terrible spat, act the next day as if nothing happened?
You know, I might be OK with that, if they address the style, technical, and speed issues that were also apparent on the field in China (and not just against Brazil). I suspect nobody wants some form of "normalcy" back more than Hope. I think she's been through enough; I sure would like to see her get at least that.
But, despite what the posted roster says, I will believe when I see it any rapprochement between Hope Solo and these "teammates" or this "coach".
This video is AMAZING, if a little painful to watch!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGmNE6G-TlU
Stay Strong Hope Solo
To anyone involved in the WNT who might happen to read this:
Going into this tournament, I was an excited, supportive fan of this team, having been so for many years.
Up until the Brazil match, I was an excited, supported fan of this team who was baffled by the poor decision-making of the coach.
From the Brazil match to the end of the tournament, I was disgusted with the team's coach and senior leadership, but hopeful that things would turn around and the younger players would help steer things in the right direction.
Having now read multiple quotes from several younger players of the team, I am now disgusted with the entire team, its leadership, and the leadership of US soccer in general. I no longer have any interest in watching or supporting these so-called "women with heart" who have shown anything but over the last couple weeks.
So, to whomever is behind the appallingly miscalculated form of "damage control" that informs the zombie-like responses of players on this team: it's not working. It's making things worse. Much worse.
You can call this anecdotal, but I think it's pretty clear from the hundreds of blogs and comments that have grown over the last few weeks that it's representative of how a great many people feel.
Soccer will be fine. Women's soccer will be fine. But this team is suddenly on the verge of being a black mark on the sport. Will we as soccer fans have to wait until all its current members have come and gone before we can feel good about the team again? Or does the team really have "heart" after all, and will show us some of it?
Sincerely,
Someone who used to believe in this team
From ussoccer.com, says "18 Players", not 19, who might be the 3rd not playing other then Stephani & Marci? Oh my, what are they up to now??
"The U.S. Women’s National Team will face Mexico three times in an eight-day span starting this Saturday, Oct. 13, at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Mo. (kickoff at 7 p.m. CT) AS 18 PLAYERS from the 2007 U.S. Women’s World Cup Team will travel through three times zones to finish the schedule this year."
Say it ain't so, Hope!
Morally Bankrupt? Grow up.
What about how Hope treated Brianna Scurry? Is that o.k.? Is it o.k. to publically criticize someone who did their best in a difficult situation?
What about the concept that you are responsible for your own actions? Hope did something wrong and was punished by the team. Ryan was wrong with the goalie switch and should not have his contract renewed for making such an obvious mistake.
Grow up?
If you agree with all this, then that is what you indeed are, a morally bankrupt bully!
if thats bri's best she should be off the team. this isn't a love fest its our national soccer team. They need to stop acting like a faimly and start doing their job.
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