Love is Love; Image is Everything

I had my recorder out for the mixed zone at the end of the USWNT game in Los Angeles some years ago and one of the stars of the match, after having answered a few questions, left the media scrum to affectionately greet a woman who called out to her. The pair then departed, holding hands.  

"We never write about that," one reporter told me. I looked at him, puzzled. I had had one more question to ask about the game and I was contemplating following them (they weren't technically out of the mixed zone area) to ask it of the women's national team player. 

"All the national team players that have girlfriends," the reporter explained. "We know, everybody close to the team knows, but we don't ever write about it."

"Why?" I asked. "I've seen a lot of articles about who on the team is married or engaged to men." 

He laughed, "Oh, the team puts out plenty of publicity about that, but not this. They don't want the public to know." 

I thought about that incident recently, partly because of Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird going public in a national media article, not about their relationship, but about key differences between the WNBA (and by extension, the USA women's basketball team) and the NWSL (and the USWNT) popularity.  

"Women's soccer players generally are cute little White girls while WNBA players, we are all shapes and sizes ... a lot of Black, gay, tall women ... there is maybe an intimidation factor and people are quick to judge it and put it down," Sue Bird said https://t.co/J3Wz9WXOr0

— CNN (@CNN) October 17, 2020

The blame is not entirely on the public here, given that US Soccer itself has gone out of its way to cultivate the image of the USWNT as, well, straight. Even as certain players have stepped forward and gone public with relationships with other women, there's been little coverage of that, at least from the team media channels or website, compared to the players on the team in relationships with men. Put "Zach Ertz" into the US Soccer website engine for comparison against Sue Bird or Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach's wife. Bird results come back in single digits and Doyle comes up a zero, opposed to Ertz's 24.  

There is a nice podcast on the site with Robbie Rogers from July of this year, which is notable since he was the first openly out MLS player. However, all of his USMNT call-ups took place while he was closeted, so the distinction of being the first openly out USMNT player to take the field remains for someone to claim someday. Soon, I hope. 

It's a positive to see national team players going directly to media about who they are and love. I believe the WNBA deserves credit for blazing that trail and it is sad to think some of the repercussions have been negative. It's also about time for the USWNT team known at one point as "America's Sweethearts" to break from a stifling mold of conformity and fear of offending anyone. It's good for the revolving cycle of the public being fed an image, but also being blamed for that image being cultivated in the first place to stop. 

Time in a Bottle

We're locked up. At least, if we're being careful, we should be. So much has changed since I last posted to this blog. The biggest change currently is that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, people who are trying to keep everyone safe are staying mostly indoors, wearing masks and social distancing when they do go out in public. 

I had dipped back into the educational field after my ESPN contract expired in 2017, but my contract at the school where I worked ended in June, so I'm job hunting during a pandemic. Fun. 

Lots of things give me hope, however, even during a Trump presidency. The moment for social justice and confronting racial inequality seems more timely than ever and in many ways, the sports world and athletes are leading the way. 

Also, since the untimely death of the Sol, there's a women's soccer team coming to Los Angeles! With a lot of female investors, including Serena Williams and her daughter, Olympia. 

I have to give the NWSL a lot of credit for lasting longer than any previous women's soccer league in the USA. I still wish it had done so without being propped up by the USSF paying the NWSL salaries of the USWNT players. Even more so, I wish the UWSNT players hadn't inserted that infamous clause into their payment contract. To clarify, I'm referring to the contract clause where the USSF had to guarantee the lowest-paid USWNT salary in the NWSL would always be more than the payment of any other player signed to the league. It wouldn't matter if the NWSL Player of the Year was non-USWNT, either (which happened multiple times). There was no bonus option for any non-USWNT NWSL player to ever out-earn the USSF-paid group.  All legal papers pictured here courtesy of Jonathan Tannenwald's posting of the initial filing of the USWNT lawsuit.

Then they sued for equal pay. No, not the NWSL players who weren't part of the USWNT (basically all the foreign players and US players just outside the USWNT top tier), the USWNT players sued the federation for equal pay to the men's contract, ignoring how they had recently signed a separate contract with their own specifications. I'll give them credit for great public relations, because they did an excellent job of promoting their cause as a progressive feminist one. 

It frankly puzzles me how the USWNT can package their pay movement as being on behalf of women when the contract they signed as a group created an NWSL caste system which kept their group (and their group only) as the highest paid. The contract clause was an unbreakable glass ceiling that kept other women from being compensated as well. Many of them looking for "fair pay" for their play either left the league (Kim Little, NWSL MVP 2014) or never signed with it (Deyna Castellanos specified that the inability to be paid as much as the USWNT in the league factored into her signing abroad).

I would love to consider @NWSL but hard to do that when rules do not favor international talent. This article explains some of the reasons in great form. Maybe one day 🤷🏼‍♀️

Me encantaría considerar la @NWSL como opción pero es difícil hacerlo cuando las reglas no nos favorecen https://t.co/dae9JoOBHX

— Deyna Castellanos (@deynac18) November 1, 2019

Think about this, since the NWSL started in 2013 all the way to 2019, a foreign player (Little, Sam Kerr 3x) has won the League Golden Boot the majority of the time. Due at least in part to the "Most-favored Player" clause, none of those players made equal or more than the lowest-paid USWNT player in NWSL salary. 

Back in 2016, I discussed some of these NWSL issues with a national soccer writer. Here's a transcript of our online messages on the topic. 

NSW: I find your candor in the WNT debate -- going back months -- refreshing and remarkably on point. Of course it's 20 women out for themselves. Too bad the woso set is so angry they're not actually reading the words. 

Me: I started out covering women's college soccer & figure the least I can add now and then to the convo is my honest perspective. 

NSW: Deep down, I bet the WNT players would sacrifice the entire NWSL in a NY minute for full-time residency on salary. Preferably in California. 

Me: Some definitely would, and they tend to be the ones with big sponsor compensation as well. You can see the huge difference in the way they play for their club teams versus the national team. Some play NWSL like they're doing the world a favor. 

NSW: Equal play, equal pay, equally M.I.A. 

Me: It's a PR disaster, for sure, for the USSF, and I'm sure they want it all to go away. Problem is, the whole "going away" thing at some point may take NWSL with it. I know it's worst-case scenario, but then again, I've watched two of these leagues go up in smoke. 

NSW: But for the optics of folding your women's league while bidding for a WC, I figured they'd pull the plug this winter. But hard to sustain. My bet is they cut a deal and fold it into MLS. Built-in stadiums, PR megaphone, ticket-sales partners, sponsors -- just makes more sense, financially, to me to have everyone in the same boat, rowing the same direction. Of course, the WNT will hate it, but they may not have a choice. 

Me: Beyond the WNT hating it, there's quite a few in MLS opposed as well. They see the women's league as a huge albatross & have the view that they prefer to follow NFL model, with no supplementary women's league. Even some former women's league supporters, like Anschutz, are in this boat now. My point is, MLS wants to be wooed into taking on a women's league. The WNT controls much of the NWSL structure and they're not going to that altar willingly, let alone wooing. So I'm not optimistic. 

NSW: Garber would be a negotiation genius if he can pull it off. Actually, what it will really take is for the three MLS-affiliated teams to really do well. Nothing convinces people with money like money. He needs Portland's crew to sell it to the others. 

Me: As long as Portland's success is alone, it's an outlier. 

(This part of the convo referred to the starting 11 of an NWSL game about to start)

NSW: As if any NWSL team is allowed to sit a WNT player.

Me: Never even thought about that. Might be unwritten rule, for sure, but how to prove it? 

NSW: Only a fired coach would say so. But then, only a moron would bench a NT-level player for some of the extras and emergency fill-ins that league regularly runs out.

Me: It's a Catch 22 again - why would any NT level players from other top countries ever sign with NWSL if teams can't even match the salary being made by lowest paid USWNT players? That's just a set up to sign mostly scrubs. 

NSW: Exactly. And protect the gravy train from interlopers. Or from getting shown up on the field by better pros. 

Me: Still, I was really surprised to see the venom among some WoSo players for Marta's contract back in WPS. Arguably, she was so good and so well known that she was still worth the profile she brought. But the backlash allowed the USWNT to sorta frame the exclusionary aspect of their contract as a GOOD thing for the NWSL to be so protectionist. But really, it's taking everything bad about Marta's contract and extrapolating it to the entire team, instead of just one person. It's jingoistic, and the opposite of "Fair pay for play" to have a contract that guarantees that the whole team will always make more than any foreign player ever will. 

NSW: That's the biggest bull in the whole argument. It's protectionism, pure and simple. And it makes them all full of crap. Of course, they'd probably just as soon see the league fail. Full time NT residency camp a much easier life. 

Me: Especially for those who prefer to live in Los Angeles anyway. It's just that the league now seems set up on a false premise - geared to players who are in it to try not to win for their clubs, but to earn a call-up and a USWNT contract to play for real money. They hang on to that dream as long as they can, then they let go. 

NSW: Except there is no room at the inn. 

Me: Yep. It ends up like the lottery, or the Hunger Games for those females scrapping so hard with so little, for so long, for just a couple of new USWNT spots that these days are more likely to go to a college phenom anyway, not an NWSL player at all. 

NSW: Truth

What's changed in four years? 

Well, the NWSL has endured and even raised their salary cap a modest amount. The USWNT won another World Cup, which gave them a great bargaining position against the USSF. Also, the infamous NWSL clause disappeared -- or at least, it wasn't specifically present in any of the current documents of the USSF/USWNT lawsuit agreement. The entire 2017 CBA agreement, which expires in 2021, wasn't ever released publicly, so we don't really know. 

 Some other stuff came out, including a horribly sexist and paternalistic argument from the USSF about the USWNT. This led to the resignation of Carlos Cordiero (next time, read your lawyer's papers) and the installation of former WC winner Cindy Parlow Cone. 

Though the latest judge's ruling has focused on how the USWNT as a group signed their contract and it is binding on that basis, it didn't really address the inequality aspect. Frankly, the stupid USSF wording about the women  concerning "certain physical attributes such as speed and strength." made it impossible for the public to focus on more valid differences between the WNT and MNT, like how the qualifying for the World Cup is completely different or how WNT contracts pay salaries differently & offer different benefits (such as to pregnant players) because the women have different situations. Equal pay by the USWNT is always presented without their NWSL pay factored in, although the USSF not only pays that, but through the clause, affected the pay of other league players.  

Media coverage of the USWNT has generally been solidly in their camp, with very few bothering to mention that the 2017 labor contract was voluntarily signed, or that USWNT NWSL salaries are paid by the USSF. Not a single reporter has ever, to the best of my knowledge, even asked any USWNT member about the salary clause that kept all of them on a different earning plane than their club peers, let alone the possible hypocrisy related to their current lawsuit. 

Beau Dure has been one of the few soccer writers even looking at possible USWNT lawsuit ramifications on the next generation of female players.  If you don't want to sign up for Soccer America's free articles or subscribe for unlimited access, I'll spill the tea -- it could be very bad. Even without the worst case scenario, the current lawyer costs have no doubt impacted the USSF finances and therefore, investment in youth development somewhat. 

I'm not changing my name from Canales to "What Happened to the NWSL Salary Clause, USWNT?" yet, though I'd buy a reasonably priced T-shirt of that phrase. It's long been my view that the WNT are deserving of a better contract with the USSF, one that's specific to their needs and desires. The equal pay campaign of USNT being warriors on behalf of all women players, however, that glosses over their past of being decidedly unequal in regards to NWSL seems conveniently revisionist at best and downright deceptive at worst. Pretending there was never a clause about "no non-WNT Player receives compensation greater than a WNT Player," doesn't make it true. The clause was in multiple MOUs that appeared to be in effect from 2013 to 2017, at least.

That matters, even if it's gone now. In this Caitlin Murray article about the new NWSL allocation pay structure, Megan Rapinoe is vociferous in her objection to the possibility that someone on her NWSL squad might possibly get paid more than herself.  Though she specified "we need to find a way to appropriately compensate our best and brightest," that clearly wasn't as big a priority in 2013, when she signed onto the clause that kept all non-USWNT players out of  Most-Favored Player status; that clause isn't mentioned in the article. 

I'm not paid to write on soccer anymore, so who knows if I'll ever get to ask any USWNT member the clause question. Perhaps by the time I do, no one on the current team will know. 

Solo and Female Exceptionalism

For a long time, my issue with Hope Solo was that she got a fair shake as an athlete, instead of being judged by a different standard as a female athlete. 

Meaning, I thought Solo shouldn't be expected to be kinder, sweeter, or more polite and soft-spoken than any male athlete who is competitive and eager to win. 

I defended her right to be honest, blunt, human and hungry for victory. I didn't think that U.S. Soccer should have to market her or the women's team as picture-perfect ladies. Let them get their ponytails dirty, lose tempers, let them be real people. 

That's partly why I cringed at the federation pushing stories of the women on the squad with traditional marriages & babies, but not celebrating in the same way the partnerships of those on the team in same-sex relationships. Abby Wambach, Lori Lindsey and Megan Rapinoe, for example. On the other hand, I understood the federation's idea of giving them the privacy to come out in their own way and in their own time. 

Ultimately, though, the being judged as an athlete standard comes down to one thing - are you good for the team, or are you a detriment? 

Solo's flouting of team rules isn't anything new for national team players. From the time they're first called into youth camps, there's a cat and mouse game on for some of the most rebellious players to see what they can get away with and still get called into the next camp. For the men's teams, I've heard stories of clubbing until dawn, picking up prostitutes, etc, all while supposedly under curfew rules. For the women's team, I've heard less rumors/stories, but always assumed some degree of the same flouting of the rules. 

The multiple drunken fights (with family and others) Solo has been involved in, and taking a team van out with her husband, Jerramy Stevens, while the pair had been drinking points to bad judgment at best and at worst, alcoholism. 

A substance abuse problem could be the health issue that sources in US soccer indicate Solo is dealing with. Athletes push themselves to the extreme and often, that leads to risks taken as well. But teams have to take a stand to protect the group - and ultimately, the athlete as well, if possible, from self-destructive behavior. 

So I'm not giving Solo a pass because of fall-out from her father's death years ago. It's possible she might be dealing with mental health issues as well, but drinking is a terrible way to self-medicate that. She should be disciplined, (and she is now suspended from the USWNT) and if she is unwilling to get help for her condition, whatever it may be, her national team and club future should be in jeopardy. 

Just like it should be for any athlete. 

What I would fault the national team for the most at this point is, knowing that Solo can be a loose cannon - why not get more starts for her backups? 

Love is in the Air

Isn't this the cutest ever? 

'@soccercanales: But @sydneyleroux, the important question is how @bossleroux feels about @Ddwyer14' 😊 pic.twitter.com/9c135YJGla
— Boss Leroux (@bossleroux) December 15, 2014

I mean the dog, of course. 

But that's not just any mutt tweeting at me, it's Boss Leroux. The lil' chihuahua with more followers than most soccer writers (including me) reached out to assuage my concerns. 

What was I worried about? Ah, I just wanted to know Dom had the seal of approval from Boss because of this revelation about America's Soccer Power Couple. 

So happy to have this guy in my life even if he's prettier than me. #caesarandkoba pic.twitter.com/f0MYcxy1lv
— Sydney Leroux (@sydneyleroux) December 15, 2014

Not So Money

It's funny, right after I've been going on about how the USA women's soccer team needs to keep things real instead of presenting a plastic image of perfection, an interview with Hope Solo comes out that definitely depicts the players as flesh and blood. 

Be careful what one wishes for, I guess. 

I mean, did I need to know that the whole USA team got drunk celebrating their gold medal? 

Well, it's really no different than what the guys do - champagne showers are standard for victory moments, and it's easy to drink the fizzy stuff and get wasted.

Mighty Megan

I remember when I first started covering women's soccer and another reporter mentioned the girlfriend of a top player. He seemed surprised at my confused look, then calmly explained that a few of the USA women's national team were gay. 

My confusion, though, wasn't because I was surprised that some of the team's players were lesbian. My first thought had been, "Really? Why is anyone hiding someone they love from the public?" 

When I voiced this question out loud, my fellow reporter smiled, "Well, they aren't really hiding. I mean, their teammates know. If you cover the team long enough, you'll see their girlfriends often enough that you'll figure out which players are gay. They just don't really make it obvious to fans or anyone else."

Basically, the world at large was kept in the dark. I'm all for privacy in people's personal lives, but frankly, that's not what has historically happened with the straight members of the USA women's team - or the men's team, for that matter. Engagements are trumpeted and marriages are announced regularly on the official blogs for both squads. 

It's especially the USA women's team has sold to the public an image of themselves as "good girls". I've long thought that it should be more about athletes as real people. 

Megan Rapinoe is definitely keeping it real by letting the world know that she is homosexual.

In doing so, Rapinoe is setting an example not only for some of her fellow teammates, but also for young soccer-playing athletes everywhere to be true to themselves and to who they love. 

Women's World Cup Final - USA v Japan, Running blog commentary

Aw, that was a cute bit on the space station, but maybe that's because I'm a sucker for space travel.

ESPN's Bob Ley calls the USA the favorites, and even a homer like Brandi Chastain has to point out that the USA isn't playing that great. 
Nice background on Pia, because she really is like that, in terms of working song lyrics into actual stuff she says. I like her decision to sit ARod, because Cheney and Rapino have been cool and effective customers. I think Amy sitting back and plotting how to make an impact when she comes on, will be a good idea. 
The highlights of the USA -France semifinal game are well-done, NFL films style - dramatic music and narration. 

tomsiff Siff

@soccercanales Alex Morgan gets the game winner at 82'

US 2 Japan 1

Predictions  coming in via Twitter, and if you're reading now, you can add them in the comments, too.

Um, I'm waiting for a nice video piece on Japan's semifinal win over Sweden, or their epic win over Germany. Still waiting. Be fair in your coverage, ESPN.
Ley is saying "pitch" now, endearing himself to the Eurosnobs, I guess. Foudy makes a good point about how the crowd may give sentimental support to Japan.
Ah, finally, here's Japan's video bit, and I'm teary already. The interviews with Sawa and Miyama, juxtaposed with the terrible tsunami images are touching, and a reminder that reality is so much bigger than sport, but sometimes, sport is a welcome relief from the burden of reality. It's a step back to normal, and joy, for Japan to be able to cheer their players.
The retro 1999 video would be more impactful if they hadn't  trotted out the players or had them on color commentary for the entire tournament. I'm with Hope Solo here, "tired of the comparison".
Ooh, Martin Sheen on the pregame intro commentary. Mr. President, basically, for all the West Wing fans.
Japan are already in their game gear, the USA still have warmup jackets on for the tunnel time before they march out.
Yikes, Ian Darke makes the Japan-Barcelona comparison again. Fine, then, I'm going to compare the USA to Real Madrid, since they're wearing white. It's about as relevant.
One of the little German ballkids looks startled to see the Japan players behind him with heads bowed and eyes closed during their solemn anthem. The USA players sing along to theirs, nicely in tune, for the most part.
Last time I saw Aya Miyama and Christie Rampone on the field together for a championship final, Rampone's team carried the day as Sky Blue defeated the favored LA  Sol, Miyama's team in the first-ever WPS championship.
I worry a bit about Buehler's speed, which isn't great. She risks fouls if she's playing catch-up.
1 - Cheney in the attack, but she doesn't pass to Wambach and her own shot gets blocked. The corner gets cleared by Japan.
2 - Reilly on the attack, but her cross goes awry and out.
4 - Japan has blunted the USA's early attacks and now is doing well at cutting off the USA's sloppy passes.
5- Nerves showing for both teams. Not really a chance since Cheney's.
6 - Wambach with a crappy backpass gives away possession.
7- Krieger, for me, is showing overawe at the moment. Almost all her touches have been poor. She needs to settle down.
9 - Rapino to Cheney - almost - the close redirect misses by less than a foot. Wambach on the next attacks shoots over the bar.
10 - Japan may be zeroing in on the suspect speed of the USA backline. They're playing longball to Ohno.
11- Lloyd with a shot as the ball bounces out, but it's over, though not by much.
12 - Cheney to Rapino - almost again! The close redirect misses. Except for the switch in assister to shooter, it was a similar play.
14- The USA really should have scored on one of their early chances.
16-  Game settling down tactically, but the crowd is restless, wanting to see more chances.
17 - That's interesting. German chancellor Angela Merkel is spending her birthday at the final.
18 - Lloyd may be trying too hard to be the hero. Two shots in a row off-target. Then Rapino has a go from a tough angle. Should have passed to Wambach in the middle.
20 - How does LePelbeit end up shooting? She's never scored for the USA before.
21- Despite the USA's industry and dominance of chances, they have nothing to show for it. Anyone who saw the Japan-Germany game should be worried. 
25 - Another attacking sequence of almost-chances that doesn't come off for the USA.
28 - It's a crafty strategy for the USA to drop back whenever Japan have the ball, forcing the team to look for spaces. Wambach lopes into the counter and strikes the ball well - OFF THE CROSSBAR. shucks.
31- Japan finally unlock the USA backline well, Ando free in the box shoots, but Solo is well-placed for the save.
34- A play like that is all Japan need to hang their hat on for a lead.
35- Cheney header - over the bar. Yikes. Another chance gone.
36- Japan with the ball in the USA end. A set play here for Miyama could be dangerous for the Americans.
38 - Japan have a corner kick - leads to an outside shot over the bar.
39 - Ando in the box again, but Solo picks off her feed.
41 - Japan will be happy to take a draw to the half, while the USA will be frustrated at themselves.
42 - Scrapping in the midfield, Japan have clearly stepped it up a notch before the half. But the USA break open and attack again, but Boxx lets the ball roll just out before hitting her cross.
44- Rampone far into the USA attack, but that doesn't happen, Japan coming the other way gets a cross into Ando, but she can't quite reach it. That was dangerously close for the USA.
45 - Japan on one last attack, with the final shot goes way over.
Now it's halftime and Bob Ley asks if this is the best the USA has played. Well, no. They played better when they scored. 

46- Cheney if off for Morgan, injured ankle. Unfortunate.
49- Morgan hits the post! What a nearly perfect entry that would have been to her joining the fray.
52- Lloyd from a tough angle and Foudy is now taking the USA to task for shot selection and rushing the play in their eagerness for a goal.
53 - Alex Morgan tries to take on three defenders with her limited dribbling skills. It ends predictably.
56 - Japan have a corner, and yet the ball misses everyone in the box and bounces free till the USA clear.
57 - OReilly earns a corner. Japan double-marks Wambach, and clears the service.
60 - Rapino toiling near the corner, but when she loses and then regains the ball, she fires aimlessly from distance for an easy goalkeeper catch.
62 - Sawa with a glorious chip pass to Kinga, but the shot is over the bar.
63 - Japan handled Germany on set pieces, they're doing just fine with Wambach and the USA corner kicks so far.
64 - Ohno is in on goal, called back for offside. Foudy has the guts to call the offside wrong - and it was.  Too bad she couldn't do the same in 2007 for the Greg Ryan call on goalkeeper switching.
65 - The USA with a chance the other way, but Kaihori makes a nice save on Wambach.
66- Nagasato on for Ohno.
67- Now Japan's compact defense is denying USA chances.
68- But the USA's defense is tough, too, holding a line at the box to dispossess the feed into the box.

69 -GOAL!  Rapinoe on the counter feeds Alex Morgan, and with a clear line in front of her, she bears down on goal and fires a low shot into the side netting. 1-0 USA.
71 - Well, Tom Siff did predict Morgan would score the winning goal.
73- Sawa from outside, Solo catches. Japan doesn't want their World Cup dream to die and they're fighting for it.
74 - Set play for the USA, but Kaihori's catch creates a quick Japan counter that Rampone chases down.
76- Japan chasing the equalizer, but also looking a little tired. They may lack the punch to get it.
79 - Miyama tries from distance. Solo collects.
82 - GOAL! Miyama! She got an extra chance when Buehler fell, then tried to clear from the floor, but the ball bounced off Krieger and fell perfectly for Miyama. 1-1
84- Tragic error from Krieger, who should have moved away from the ball as it came towards her, just turned to let it pass and clear, instead of blocking it to the opponent in front of her.
86 - USA with some frenzied play looking for the winner, but the finish is lacking.
87 - Morgan loses the ball in the corner again. She's fast, but she's not that tricky with her feet.
90 - Sakaguchi with a hard low shot, but it's wide.  USA on the counter firing into the box, a chance looks around the corner, but Japan scrape clear.
90+ - OReilly over the bar!
90+- Now Japan with possession, but O'Reilly runs all the way back for a good defensive play.
Extra Time!
I'm with DiCicco that better fitness doesn't mean a win in extra time. For example, the USA in the World Cup versus Ghana in 2010.
92 - USA lively right at the start. Corner kick bounces around, USA collects, feeds Wambach, but not from close and Kaihori collects the header.
93 - Pia, where's Amy Rodriguez?
95- Morgan in the box, keeps the ball, turns, shoots, wide. Good try, though.
97 - Yellow card for Miyama
98- Rodriguez and Cox, warming up for the USA.  Buehler in a footrace makes the play.
100 - OReilly and Wambach nearly combine in the box, but the Japan defense clamps down.
103- GOAL! Morgan shows she can pass, even if she's no dribbling wizard. She nails Abby on the pass, and Wambach doesn't miss from there. 2-1 USA
105 - Siff did predict a 2-1 win.
107 - Japan on the attack, and the USA are sloppy in the box again, but eventually escape.
110- Marayama from distance, but it's wide.
112 -   Bodies down in the box as Solo misses the catch and Lloyd trips with the ball free - and yet the USA somehow escape.
113 - Even unflappably cheerful  Pia looks like her nerves are fried now.
114 - Tobin Heath on for Rapinoe.
115- Heath foolishly dribbles into defenders instead of keeping the ball. Rampone clearance kick after Solo misses the catch when Sawa lofts a ball into the area. Close to disaster again for the USA. Solo is down for a bit.
116 - GOAL! Miyama with a low service, deflects off Wambach, past Solo and it's all even! WOW. 2-2
120- Wambach gets a great ball in the box, but her feet aren't as sure as her head and it's over the bar even though she was in super close.
121 - RED CARD - Iwashuma gets it for a sliding tackle on Alex Morgan just outside the box.
122 - Free kick trick play doesn't come off. Heath tries to follow but her shot is blocked out.
PENALTY KICKS!
It all comes to this. A still hobbling Hope Solo steps into her net.
Wow, the World Cup melted my computer for a while.
It all went south for the USA in penalty kicks.
Kahori made a great kick save on Boxxy, then Carli Lloyd had a terrible miss high, then Tobin Heath hit a weak low shot that was saved. Solo managed to save one shot and Wambach made her penalty, but when Kamugi stepped up and nailed her shot, it was over.
Japan wins their first Women's World Cup ever. They fought, and fought and never gave up, and in the end, they triumphed. What an excellent tournament. What a crazy game.


Well, well. Yes, the USA should have done better to put chances away, but Japan earned the win by taking the chances they did get. And in fact, the USA got lucky on a few points as well. Anyway, I'm off to see if Brazil chocked on penalties in the Copa America.

The End of the Innocence

Billy Witz has a nice piece up about how the USA Women winning the World Cup tomorrow could be bad for the team and the women's program in the long run. 

However, I don't agree with all of it. Yes, I do think the USA is now relying more on athleticism instead of skill to squeeze out wins against teams who have advanced their programs at a faster rate, but I guess I have more faith than Billy in Pia Sundhage. Granted, Billy says Pia has the right temperament for the squad, but doesn't explain beyond that. 

 I think Pia has recognized what are the strengths of the current USA program and tried to work within that context, while at the same time, she has also tried to bring more skill into the USA squad. 

Rapinoe and Cheney, probably among the most skilled players currently on the squad, are Pia's additions to the roster, and she has trusted both to make a difference when it really matters. Wambach is a useful warrior, but Pia proved she can get the team to win without Wambach in the 2008 Olympics. I think Pia's basically overseeing a transition period for the USWNT squad, and yes, she is looking to bring up more skilled youngsters like Alex Morgan and Tobin Heath to the forefront as time and her future contract status allows. Basically, I think Pia's doing a decent job with the talent currently at hand. 

Yet I also think it's a convenient sort of nostalgia to believe that Mia Hamm, Akers, et al, were so amazing as players because the USWNT trampled over the majority of teams in an era when most other women's programs were basically pitiful. The USA women didn't suddenly get less graceful and more brutish - other teams got a heck of a lot better. It happened even before Hamm left, too, which is why the USA didn't make the final in 2003. Even going back to that 1999 victory, it wasn't exactly a sporting vision of the beautiful game in full glory, given that the USA didn't manage a goal from the run of play. 

Basically, what Barcelona and Spain do at their best is very difficult. It's a worthy goal, of course, one destined to usually improve a team's play even if they don't reach it. Japan's improvement can probably largely be based in its pursuit of that model. It's not the only way to play or win, however. It also isn't the best fit for other teams that are talented in different ways. 

Soccer is soccer. What works shouldn't necessarily be condemned for not being pretty enough. While I agree that long-term development of skill will help the USA stay at the top of the increasingly competitive women's game, so will speed, strength, hustle and sheer determination. 

To me, if the USA Women win Sunday, it will in some ways be the most meaningful championship of all, because it has come in a new era of parity and rankings be damned, a dawning awareness that they are not the best by leaps and bounds. It's a real dogfight to be the top dog now, and if and when they are champions, they will have truly earned it over worthy rivals.

Email on WWC Commentary

Hi AC-  I read your blog and enjoy your media criticisms and was wondering what you thought of their Women's World Cup coverage?
I think it's better than the men for a few simple reasons
1. No Lalas
2. Diciccio- great analyst, just wish they'd allow him more than just a few sentences a game. 
3. Foudy, Chastain, Darke- They all know their stuff, and Darke has much better chemistry with Foudy than he does with the men.  And Foudy actually has critical things to say.   
Japan and France have definitely played the most attractive style of technical and fluid soccer.  Brazil had their moments too.  Speaking of Brazil do you see an underlying anger or fear in their players  Individually they just projected like very unhappy people to me.  Unless that was just their game face. 
Dicicco and Foudy are right about their constant criticism of the US midfield.  Boxx and Lloyd have been very substandard and expect another massacre for the US at midfield against Japan if it's Lloyd and Boxx in the middle.  I expect Pia won't wait as long to make the move this time to Rapinoe at left and Cheney in the middle. 

Thanks,

 JM

Thanks for writing, JM. I hope you don't mind that I'm sharing your email with other blog readers. 
I agree with many of your observations, though I can't help wondering if ESPN's coverage would be as comprehensive and enthusiastic if the USA team wasn't contending to the very end. Also, as much as I admire and respect former USA players, especially the ladies of 1999, do we have to have so many of them on the broadcast? Markgraf, Chastain, Foudy, Scurry, etc. it's a bit much, and comes off as jingoistic, too. Frankly, it also still raises the question of how objective these ladies are, since they know many of the players personally. There's insider, and then there's too close to the whole thing. What's funny is I did complain for the men's World Cup coverage that there were so many foreigners commenting who didn't know the USA men's team well at all, and for the WWC, it seems like the the numerous Americans on the commentary can say a lot about team USA, but not that much about the other squads.
ESPN hasn't done justice yet, IMHO, to Japan's story of inspiring their country in the wake of the tsunami disaster. Instead, I keep getting updates on whether Pia's going to start Rapinoe or Cheney. 
Part of me feels like I'm griping about small potatoes, because in the main, the coverage is really excellent. That said, Darke and Foudy don't need to push good chemistry into "wait, I know there's a game on, but let me get the next teasing comment in" territory. If it wasn't for Healey's occasionally completely baffling asides, I'd probably prefer him and Markgraf on the call. 
I think your observations on Brazil are valid, and I feel sorry for their women's team. Germany, as a country, does a nice job supporting both their squads, but I get the feeling Brazil's women feel like they wouldn't get attention in their home country even if they won the WWC six times. I'm also wondering if the reason the women's jersey has the five stars of the WC is because Brazil was too cheap to buy their women's team separate jerseys and just got them small ones of the men's that they had in stock. Seriously, though, Brazil's biggest problem is that they've overdue to win a WWC, and that weighs on them. It's like Spain before they finally won. In some ways, Marta adds to that burden. You have the world's best player, of course you're supposed to win, except it's tougher than that in a team game. 
Japan and France on their best games are so great to watch. Their players are capable of fluid, flowing soccer that really takes the women's game to another level. Both teams have really been a revelation this tournament, and in some ways, I think the great untold story in this WWC is the changing of the guard in Europe (France stepping forward, Norway and Germany left behind) and in Asia ( China falling back while Japan advances). The reasons behind those changes deserve investigation. 
As for the USA midfield, I also agree, though I think Boxxy doesn't get enough credit for how strong her game is when she's had plenty of rest. Lloyd has been disappointing, but watch that all dissipate if she cracks a great shot from outside to win it like she did in the Olympics. It's been Lauren Cheney though, who has really impressed me. The kid who fell just a bit short in youth World Cup and on the college level wants this one badly, and she's worked like crazy to get it. 
It's going to be a difficult match, though. Japan is the team of the tournament in many ways. Their cohesion is amazing, their emotional motivation is unreal, and finally, they know the USA team very well. They know what they have to do to triumph. No surprises. Best team on the day wins. 

USA - Brazil; Reflections

1) To me, the shots of Abby Wambach and Hope Solo hugging it out in triumph after the USA's legendary and improbable win over Brazil yesterday are the most poignant. The two were at odds in the last World Cup, with Wambach one of the harshest critics of Solo's outburst, ignoring the honesty of her statements to lash out at the breaking of the team code. 

Four years later, the teammates have clearly rebuilt trust and appreciation for each other, and the joy in their ecstatic embrace and recognition of each other's heroics was clear for all to see. 

2) It took a win this crazy, this controversial, this flat-out miraculous, for women's soccer to garner the kind of headlines Solo managed in 2007 by daring to question what was clearly a terrible decision by then-coach Greg Ryan. 

3) Credit to Christie Rampone for still having the speed to catch some of the world's best, but Rampone aside, the current lack of swiftness on the USA's backline is worrisome. 

4) The refereeing issues at the Women's World Cup will invariably raise the issue of whether it's a good idea to keep preferring female referees for these matches instead of just appointing the most experienced and accurate officials available, regardless of gender. It's sexist to not make a big issue of mistakes that would horrify fans of the sport in any other context simply because they're made by women and in a women's tournament.

5) Where's the YouTube videos of the fan reaction to Abby Wambach's goal like the ones made after Landon Donovan's goal versus Algeria? Point me to a link if you know.

6) Rachel, Rachel - Rapinoe, that is. I was just remembering Megan's twin sister, herself a great college player until ACL injury issues proved too much to overcome, and how special it must be to watch her little sister (by a few minutes) have her heroic moment in the World Cup, bouncing back from the start of the tournament, where Megan lost her starting spot. The sisters used to also play basketball together, and Megan's pass to Wambach was as close to an alley-oop Hail Mary as one gets in soccer and could one day be remembered along the lines of Lorenzo Charles'  (RIP) game-winning dunk from a Dereck Whittenburg pass in terms of doing for USA women's soccer what that moment did for college basketball.

7) The USA seems to have become the default team for the Germans to cheer for, especially with Kriger, who plays in the country, knocking home the deciding penalty kick to clinch it for the Americans versus Brazil. 

8) Ah, the adrenaline rush of the sport where it's not over until it's really, really over, and then there's still a bit of added injury time. 

9) Shannon Boxx is a beast - never mind the botched first penalty kick. With that in mind, it recalls again how doomed the USA was in 2007 when the red card sent her off versus Brazil. 

10) This seems to be the tournament showcasing how much women's soccer has grown worldwide, which means that it should also be time to finally revise some of those crappy qualification criteria. That the USA was so close to being out of the World Cup tournament, due to one loss, while Germany is now out of the Olympics, is kind of ridiculous. Now that there's more legitimate parity, there needs to be a more fair qualifying system.

WWC - USA - Colombia Running Blog

USA lineup - Solo; Krieger, Rampone, Buehler, LePeilbet; O'Reilly, Lloyd, Lindsey, Cheney; Rodríguez, Wambach

Colombia - Sepulveda; Montano, Gaitan, Peduzine, Arias; Ospina, Salazar, Dominguez, Rodallega; Castro, Usme  
Brandi Chastain is rocking some mini French braids in the commentary. Haven't seen players in anything so fancy - probably because it would be a pain if it came loose. Cheney is composed in her interview - I remember her arrival to UCLA and how she used to have curly hair. The next generation of USA players is on the scene folks. There won't be another Mia, but they're still pretty good. 
 Not sure about the video intro piece with the male rock star violinist. O-kaay. Nice piece with the American high school students from Heidelburg, though.
The USA need to win to assure advancement. Sweden has already won twice, so a USA victory would eliminate both North Korea and Colombia. Colombia's players are singing, loud - "Yellow, blue and red, Colombia is in my heart": among other lyrics.
Just to clarify, Colombia's players were singing in the tunnel. Now everyone is on the field.  Rampone doesn't sing the USA anthem. Too focused. Colombia's bench players are all singing the anthem as well. That's a bit unusual. 

1 - USA free kick into the Colombia box, but they don't manage to get a shot off. 
3 - A Rod is in the box, but her cross is cut off by the goalkeeper. 
5 - Cheney sends a long  ball for LePelbet, but then gets hacked and is limping slightly. 
7 - SAVE!. Wambach gets a great pass from O'Reilly, but Sepulveda makes the tough save. Rodriguez rushes the shot on the rebound, misses high. 
10 - A-Rod with another miss - this time off a fantastic through ball by Lori Lindsey, who looks very comfortable in midfield. 
11 - Sepulveda catches an incoming cross. 
12 - GOAL! OReilly showing A-Rod how it is done. Off the goal kick, a bad touch gives O'Reilly just a bit of a chance and she charges in for the ball and fires it straight into the side netting. Kickass kick. 1-0 USA 
13 - The team celebrates in unison with a salute to the American military folk serving in Germany.
15 - Colombia do manage to cross the halfway line, there. 
17 - O'Rielly tries to chip the keeper, who had come out to prevent an A'Rod run.
20 - Crowd boos as a Colombian chance gets snuffed. Sympathy for the underdog. 
22 - O'Reilly again in the box, but she does a Cheney, shoots straight at the keeper. 
23 - On the ensuing corner, Wambach goes wide with her header, after Cheney hit a great corner kick. 
25 - USA again threatening the Colombia goal, but so far the lead remains narrow. 
27 - A'Rod from the top of the box, but Sepulveda makes the save.  
29 - Colombia is actually providing a bit of grit in the midfield for the last few minutes - it's not so unfettered for the USA now. 
30 - Wambach misses an almost open header! Great O'Reilly cross to set it up. 
32 - Castro on the break gets a weak shot off that was a bit wide, but Solo shut it down for practice anyway.  
34 - USA corner kick, Cheney sets up. It's a bit far, but Colombia clear for a throw.
37 - It's a scramble in front of goal, and Cheney forces another Sepulveda save. 
39 - Sepulveda out again to catch a pass before A-Rod can reach it. 
41 - Sepulveda picks off another Cheney pass just before it reaches Wambach. 
43 - Another USA attack is repelled.  
45 - Colombia is offside, but Castro shoots and celebrates.  Foudy mentions A-Rod might be subbed at halftime, but Wambach has been just as wasteful.

46 - It's Rapinoe who comes in for A-Rod. 
48 - Another USA build-up is wasted.  
49 - And Colombia are on the break, but Rampone snuffs it out before a shot gets off. 
50 - GOAL! Rapinoe! She takes a pass from Cheney, cuts across the top of the box and hammers it in.  2-0 USA.
54 - Colombia goes down fighting, and Solo is forced into a high save. 
55 - Colombia with another shot - this one low - Solo saves again. 
57 - GOAL! Lloyd from distance hammers a shot and Sepulveda makes the save, sorta, but can't push it back strong enough and the ball drops in.  
65 - It's more back and forth now for both teams. 
68 - Rapinoe off the crossbar!
73 - With Colombia out of their defensive shell, the USA has more room to exploit chances.
75 - Tobin, one of my fave players, tried to do too much there, lost the ball.
77 - Technically, the USA women are having the same problem as the men this World Cup. None of their forwards are scoring yet.   
79 - USA passing the ball around, not looking too eager to score.  
80 - Wambach off the post! She didn't even get up for the rebound, she seemed so sure it would go in. It didn't. 
83 - Rapinoe testing her dribble skills - eh, they're not so hot and she gets dispossessed of the ball.  
84 - Wambach clatters into the keeper - and gets a yellow. 
85 - Velasquez at the top of the box, hesitates and then shoots weakly. Carli Lloyd is limping.  
88 - Despite the wasted chances, the USA have garnered a pretty efficient victory here. 
90 + Rapine should have seen yellow for that tackle. 
One last attack for Colombia, but Solo collects the through ball. 


It's over! the USA win. It all comes down to the final match versus Sweden for the leadership of the group.  

Women's World Cup USA - North Korea

Predictions? Give them in the comments. This has been a low-scoring World Cup so far - 2-0 USA is my guess, and I think I'm being generous with the scoreline. To the USA, that is.

Lineups: USA - Solo; Le Peilbet, Buehler, Rampone, Krieger; Cheney, Boxx, Lloyd, O'Reilly; Rodriguez, Wambach

North Korea - Hong; Jong, Ri Un Hyang, Ho, Song; Ri Ye Gyong, Jo, Jon, Kim; Yun, Ra

I like Rapinoe's skill on the ball, but Cheney offers more of a finishing threat, so I'd guess Sundhage's move is to try to put more scoring punch into the lineup.

Team USA seemed to do wonderfully when Sundhage first arrived, and winning the Olympics got her an extended contract. However, she's hit a bit of a Bradley downturn, where her style of attack seems a bit dated and predictable - or maybe it's some the current players, the last of an aging generation hanging on for a final shot at glory, making it look that way. What I see of the American ladies right now is tough physical play, but it's too obvious what they're going to do whenever they have the ball and they are rarely surprising and creative.

Tobin Heath's play is one notable exception, but she's only one player, and not even a starter.

Ha! The start of this match cuts off blathering Drew Rosenhaus trying to convince the world Owens is just fine after an ACL injury. Sure.

Funny, again, to see Hope and Abby the central focus for the USA promos, considering what happened last World Cup. Oh well, I guess it's all water under the proverbial bridge.

Despite the focus on Wambach, I look for Krieger to make an impact, partly because I'd like that to be an argument for more USA players to go abroad. I don't want all the USA players to leave the U.S., but more should try leagues abroad.
Holtzman had Pia's thoughts on the Cheney pick, yep, it's partly the offensive angle.
I think Solo is cagey about the info about her right arm having trouble on high balls for a reason. Watch her opponents aim high a whole bunch and miss. Seriously, it's hard to keep a shot low as it is. Most misses are high.
Scurry quite gracious about looking back on the Solo comments. DiCicco, not so much. I wish he'd just be honest that Greg Ryan was wrong, which was really all that Hope was saying, for the thousandth time, people.
Hey, that was Clint Dempsey's Modelo Especial commercial. I'm crushed. I was hoping he's speak some Spanish.
The USA look happy and excited in the tunnel, but as has been pointed out, they've lost a number of their matches leading up to this game.
Anthems. North Korea does look really young. But some of these players were the same ones who upset the USA U20 team (which included Cheney) in that World Cup a few years ago.
Kickoff!
1 - Cheney tries to reach Wambach in the box, but Abby can't quite get there. The Wombat has lost a step.
3 - Lloyd gets pushed off the ball surprisingly easily there, but the USA recover.
5 - Kreiger with a good cross-kill starts O'Reilly on the counter, but her pass to Rodriguez is cleared.
7 - O'Reilly fails to catch up to a Krieger pass, and that ends the latest USA attack.
9 - Buehler misses badly trying to touch down a long Korean pass and it's dodgy for the USA for a bit before the ball is out for a goal kick.
11 - It's early, but Cheney is justifying Pia's pick so far. She's creating chances and just fired from outside.
13 - The USA are failing in the third pass. Passes one and two are fine, but the third is continually dodgy and North Korea tends to break up the play on that one.
14 - North Korea with a deep throw, but a foul in the box benefits the Americans.
15 - Cheney pass right into a defender kills USA chance.
17 - The USA are knocking on the door of getting the final pass right. From there, it's getting the finishing right. Baby steps, folks.
19 - Heather Mitts is a fine player, but is there any need to mention that she's on the bench, unless it's to keep her male fans hopeful of a sighting or game time to come?
20 - Cheney sets up for the game's first corner. The USA do what looks like an I formation in the box, then break apart as the ball is kicked. Not sure it helped a lot, the NK side eventually clears the ball.
22 - Lloyd muffs a good shot and then recovers to send a pitiful one on goal. Easily saved.
24 - Lloyd leaps for a ball and cartwheels down to land on her head. Ouch. Looked painful.
25 - Hwa shoots high, so maybe Solo's plan is already working.
27 - The USA is almost too eager, trying to take balls down high, instead of letting them drop, charging into the box instead of waiting for help, and taking too many hopeful shots from distance instead of looking for the pass.
29 - Solo looks good in purple - her old Washington colors. She's going to need to be sharp, as USA defense just looked really shaky there, finally managing to desperately clear a good NK cross.
31 - Krieger, O'Reilly & Boxx working hard to make something happen.
32 - They get a corner, but Cheney puts it too low.
34 - Cheney hammers a shot on goal, but it's right at the keeper.
35 - SAVE! Solo's defense cracks again, but she makes the near post punch.
36 - Game is more back and forth than many might have suspected. Lloyd fires a rather tame shot, easily saved. Didn't get any mustard on it.
38 - Jong Sun beats Lepiebet again, getting into the box and puts the ball past Solo, across the front of the goal, but no teammate is able to poke it home. USA escapes.
40 - Rodriguez in the box, but the NK defense is tighter than the USA, and they shut her down.
42 - Ra Un Sim shoots for the corner of Solo's goal, while she misses, it's not by too much.
43 - USA defenders let Solo down again, but she makes the tough close save and gets ball out for break - Rodriguez great work to get down the field and into the box, pass to Wambach is there, but unfortunately, happened right when Wambach was cutting to change direction and she sprawls awkwardly trying to reach ball. Misses it.
45 - Why does Wambach chase balls she has no chance of getting? She's a veteran, she should know what she can reach and not waste energy.
45+ - Last chance on a freekick for the USA, and it's a metaphor as the ball misses everyone but reaches the goalkeeper, who keeps calm for the catch.
Halftime - The USA have to step it up. North Korea's teenagers are tough, fast, and skilled.
47 - Cheney looking to make something happen for the USA - but yet another shot is right at Myong Hui.
49 - USA with a freekick - Kreiger lines it up. It's put back out and Boxx eventually fires off a shot. High and wide.
50 - Nice cross from O'Reilly leads to Cheney shot, but it's saved.
51 - Wambach in the box. Fires way high in her rush to get shot off before defenders block it.
53 - Lepeilbet with a crappy pass. Where's Cox?
55 - GOAL! Lloyd with a great long pass to Wambach, who does well to take a look around, and sends a cross to goal - Cheney heads it in to the corner. Nicely done.
57 - Gyong fires from distance, gets solo diving, but misses high.
58 - Scrambling, sloppy defense from the Americans, gives NK another chance. Yikes.
60 - Lepeilbet with another pass that makes life difficult for her teammate.
62 - Cheney lines up a freekick. Gets a corner out of it. Sets up for that. Boxx can't reach it, falls down.
66 - Ouch! Wambach heads a creat Lepeilbet cross on goal, but the keeper and the crossbar combine to deny her. Looked like a sure thing.
68 - Lloyed with another great long pass to Wambach, but Wombat's cross is poor and kills the USA chance.
70 - Speedster Rodriguez nearly catches up to a Solo goalkick in the box, but not quite.
71 - Crappy corner from Cheney.
73 - Wambach to A-Rod, who manages to check back for the ball and fire a shot that earns a save and a corner.
74 - Cheney takes the corner short with LePeilbet and the two make a hash of it.
75 - Alex Morgan in for A-Rod. Cheney and LP combine better now to earn a corner.
76 - It bounces around, and Kreiger puts it back in the mixer - and it falls to Buehler, who quickly fires it into the corner. GOAL! 2-0 USA. Check prediction above, folks.
79 - Rapino in for O'Reilly. I don't think the bright blonde hair suits her. She should try red. Go bright ginger, Megan!
82 - Wombot whiffs at the corner ball as it bounces in the box. Kreiger connects, but it's way wide.
85 - Rapinoe has good ball skill, but not quite the push forward Cheney provides.
86 - Morgan fires at goal, good turn, crappy shot.
87 - Solo saves as the USA defense gets a little lazy.
89 - Wambach jumps for the ball, doesn't really get it, but cleans out her defender.
90 - GOAL! Rapinoe - oh, its dissallowed because Rapinoe kicked it out of the goalkeeper's hand, though it wasn't really in the goalkeeper's control at all.
90+ Corner chance for North Korea, but the shot is off target.

Fulltime! The USA with a neat little win get their World Cup campaign off on the right foot.

Better all the time. . .

My WNT article about their upcoming tour is up. As I was writing the article, though, I couldn't help but muse on the what-if scenarios.

What if Greg Ryan hadn't made the goalkeeper switch? What if the USWNT had only lost to Brazil by a goal, and without the team issues that followed Ryan and other team leaders deciding to ostracize Hope Solo? Would Ryan still be coaching the team?

In hindsight, is the ultimately team better off after all the crap they went through?

Now they have an internationally experienced coach who has instilled a more versatile, flowing offensive style. Pia Sundhage really understands the pressures of the women's game and the psychology needed to confront an opponent from the inside out (from the start of the announcement by Ryan to switch goalkeepers, my concern was for the lack of confidence this displayed in his players and how the change would affect the defense - voila, own goal by Osborne). More importantly, the team also has a coach who is professional enough to look at emotionally charged situations objectively and make the best decision for the team as a whole. Pia didn't pick sides. She just came in and asked everyone to work together as a team and leave the past in the past.

Aside from Pia, I think the players have, or should have, a better understanding of team unity. It's not everyone doing everything the same way and thinking as one and saying the same thing. It's working together in spite of differences.

Moral of the story is - was it worth it? Would you trade a third place finish in the World Cup for a new coach and a gold medal? Or if Ryan had gotten the team to the final of the World Cup before losing, would you have kept him around for "more of the same"? Would you insist upon change instead?

It's possible that Greg Ryan did the team a favor with his odd call to trade out goalkeepers. It set the ball rolling for a host of changes. While some were painful ones with continuing repercussions, there's a clear argument to be made that things have improved a lot. More attractive soccer looks especially good with a glint of gold.

Golden Tarp

That's Lindsay, of course, who along with Heather O'Reilly is part of the U.S. women's national team 'tweeners - not a veteran perhaps contemplating retirement in the near future - but not exactly a fresh face. After all, both won gold medals in 2004 already, so they've got a set going now.

Anyway, I had a recent interview with Tarp, who is one of the nicest and most articulate players around, even if she does at times pull off the politician's trick of dodging some questions by giving thoughtful answers to ones that weren't asked.

Example: How have your responsibilities on the field changed through the years, if at all?

"The biggest thing throughout my career is appreciating the moment. Being in the Olympics is a surreal thing. While I’m there it’s just about having fun and enjoying where I’m at."

Great answer - not exactly pertaining to what I asked, however. It's actually a really effective technique to use with me, though, because I always get self-conscious and wonder if I'm mumbling and my interviewee can't understand me. That's usually not the case, though. It's a clever sidestep.

Here's more of what Tarp said - leftover quotes I didn't use for the article.

The victories were both very different. In 2004, I was one of the youngest players on the team. There were a lot of veteran players and it was their last tournament. We felt that the best thing possible was to send them out with a victory. This time, we all believed in ourselves and we all believed in each other and we believed we could do it.

After losing to Norway in that first game we did a great job of regrouping. We believed in each other and believed we were going to win. It was more for ourselves than anything.

It was tough to lose those players – but at the same time, we found a way to win.

Pia has done a great job of coming in. She always reinforces enjoying the moment and enjoying where we’re at, enjoying the process. She loves soccer and her feelings are contagious. Personally, I’m loving the game right now. I love to play. I love to play with my teammates. I’m really enjoying this time in my life.

I did feel that we were going to win before we stepped onto the field and I feel that that’s part of every great team. You have to believe you’re going to win. I had that feeling and I think the whole team had that feeling and as a result, I think that helped us win.

More reaction

Simply Solo

Ok, here's an easy one. This post will have stuff on Hope Solo, so if one is tired of that, don't read the rest of it.

Ann's take.

Hopeful celebration

Helene's take

Jeff's view

Mark's observations

Michelle muses

Scott says

Art's aware

People pipes up

Scott F. says

Hope reaches out and touches someone

It doesn't take a genius to guess that the second imitation gold medal Hope celebrated with was for her father, Jeffrey Solo.

What a difference a few months makes.

Back around ten months ago, Hope Solo was at probably at her lowest point.
And now

The Pia Principle

I think if there was ever any doubt that Pia Sundhage is the ideal coach for the U.S. women's team, they've been erased. In gold.

This piece highlights some of the reasons why her approach works.

I can't help but wonder if the men's senior team had taken a similar chance, had been willing to go a different route and stretch their concept of the game by bringing in someone who looks at play in a fundamentally different way, if they might not be better off in the long run.

Sundhage knew she couldn't overcome the resistance the U.S. players had built up to a possession style all at once. Everyone saw a lot of long balls punted by the American players during the tournament. No one could do a complete 180 from the way they played for so long.

She stayed positive, however, and kept preaching the message, in close games, in blow-out wins. She'd emphasize again and again: keep the ball, be creative, work together, look for each other.

Sundhage walked the walk as well. There was no wholesale replacement of the team, but there was a steady infusion of young blood. Players were rewarded for playing well, not just scoring goals. Heath, Rodriguez, Cheney, Hucles and Barnhart all moved up the depth chart. Solo was brought back into the fold with as little drama as possible. When Briana Scurry complained about Nicole Barnhart being made the second goalkeeper at the games, Sundhage didn't bat an eye. She named Scurry as the alternate and got on with the business of preparing the team.

One thing that I was concerned about before the Olympics was the claustrophobic nature of residency camp with the same players over and over. It's hard to avoid cliques and petty issues in such a fishbowl environment. Sundhage told me that yes, it definitely affected players to not be involved in more competitive games. She made the best of the situation, though.

Now that the WPS is in place, players will scatter to different teams. Sundhage can monitor games, see who is progressing, who is breaking out and hold camps instead of trying to simulate a competitive environment with the same players taking on club teams of teenage boys anxious to show off their latest dribbling tricks (actually, that was probably good practice for Brazil).

In some ways, as the U.S. team continues to improve, I think we'll really see then how good of a coach Sundhage is. She was under the gun all year, signed to a short-term performance-based contract, but now, the future looks golden. This Olympic medal, earned against the odds and against the grain, could signify the sunrise of a new era for the U.S. women.

Hope and Glory

That was a pretty good movie, actually. Rent it sometime if you haven't seen it.

It's cool to see Meredith Viera get excited for the team. She actually knows more than a bit about soccer and I think that's what also made this interview a good one. I really like what the players said about Pia as well.

Brazil/U.S Olympic final running blog

This is it, people. For country, for glory, for gold.
The U.S. versus Brazil.
Anthems. All the U.S. players are singing along.
Solo, Mitts, Rampone, Markgraf, Chalupny, Tarpley, Boxx, O'Reilly, Lloyd, Hucles, Rodriguez.
Brazil
Barbara, Simone, Tania, Renata Costa, Erika, Maycon, Daniela, Formiga, Ester, Cristiane, Marta,

Kickoff!
1- THe ball slips off ARod's foot as she tries to cross. It's raining.
6 - Marta gets the ball forward, but Rampone puts it out for a throw.
7 - The U.S. is hustling well in midfield, breaking up Brazil's linking play. Brazil is slowly, but steadily working the ball into U.S. territory, though.
8 - Marta is offside.
9 - Solo gets to a cross before Cristiane can. Then she cuts off a pass over the top to Marta.
12 - Brazil gets a corner. There's a foul on the play even before it's taken and the U.S. gets the ball.
13 - Chastain opines that trust issues still linger for the U.S. team after the Solo incident. Oh, get over it, players. It's the gold medal match.
15 - The U.S. has a corner. All tournament long, they haven't really taken advantage of these. Hucles hits it close to goal, actually lands it on top of the net. Somehow, Chastain thinks this is the right thing. Ok, she means right idea, but it has to be said that was poor execution. It give the corner kick no chance.
18 - Rampone knocks a ball too far.
19 - ARod with a shot from distance. It's wide.
20 - Daniella tries to do the same, but her shot is blocked. Lloys backpass nearly gets picked off, but Chalupny's quick feet saves the ball for the U.S.
22 - Chalupny just beats Marta to a ball, the foul means the U.S. get the ball back.
23 - Chastain rightly points out the U.S. is playing perhaps the best soccer they have yet. I think that's the problem. If this this the U.S. at their best, and they're not generating chances, the U.S. is doomed. They're not playing badly, but they have to kick it up a notch and score.
24 - Right there, ARod's quickness gets a pass off in close, but it's just a bit too far for Tarpley.
27 - Cristiane runs onto a pass, but the U.S. defense gets back in time.
28 - Lloyd goes down near the box. She doesn't get the call and I wish she would have just tried to shoot it. I don't think the U.S. has a shot on goal, yet.
30 - The long-ball style could work for Brazil if they use it to advance to a close, quick play. Right now they have a corner. But the U.S. clear it - good header by Lloyd.
31 - Cristiane gets the ball in the box, rides a bump from Chalupny and continues, but somehow doesn't shoot and Solo gets to the ball in time. Cristiane goes down.
32 - Chastain goes on a little tirade against gamesmanship as Cristiane stays down, probably furious at herself for not shooting.
34 - Marta with an acrobatic dribble beats two defenders and then gets squirrely with her shot, putting it way wide. Awesome talent and nerves both on display there.
37 - Mitts cuts down Formiga on the break, gets a yellow. The tackle took a toll on Mitts as well, she's limping a bit. Brazil attacks that side, but Solo catches the cross.
39 - FK for Brazil, and their players flood the box. Solo is out for the catch. She falls, but hangs on.
40 - Marta with another amazing play beats two defender and gets a cross off, Solo is stuck on her line, but Chalupny puts the ball out for a corner.
41 - Solo punches out the corner kick. The ball works it's way to Hucles near the arc and she shoots - high.
42 - Maybe it's contagious - Cristiane shoots high.
44 - Chastain calls O'Reilly's pass "optimistic". It was actually a bad pass right to the Brazil defense.
45 - Solo scoops up a pass in the box.
The U.S. then stops another Brazilian attack. They've been putting out fires fairly well, but can't seem to start any of their own.
Halftime
Well, the U.S. has been feisty in their defense, not so much on the attack. Still, the strategy by Sundhage might be perfect, because it does seem to be frustrating Brazil. They're an emotional team, and if they get flustered about not scoring, it could provoke a mistake that the U.S. can exploit.
The cheerleaders at the stadium have the crowd going to HSM's "We're all in this together." It's cute. Very innocent compared to the U.S. halftime routines I've seen. Not that I was really expecting China to get raunchy.

47 - Coach is right, this is s a very tactical match. Both teams are almost too careful with the ball. Someon will have to take a chance.
48 - Brazil is pushing the pace early on.
49 - ARod faces and attacks the Brazil defense. She earns a corner. Hucles knocks it to the far side of the box - too far for anyone to reach.
51 - Mitts foul on Cristiane and Chastain, a former defender, questions the intelligence of that move, because Cristiane wasn't in a threatening spot and Mitts already has a yellow.
52 - ARod trying to break through two defenders. Who does she think she is - Marta?
53 - Mitts loses the ball in a deep defensive position versus Cristiane. It leads to a Brazil corner. It's taken short, then Marta runs behind, picks up the ball and runs the endline with a quick dribble and gets a cross off that Solo cuts off quickly.
55 - Tackle on Hucles leads to U.S. FK. Lloyd practices a bit of gamesmanship as well - when Cristiane won't back up far enough, Lloyd keeps moving the ball forward, as in, "If you don't back up, I'm placing this ten feet forward, then."
57 - Mitts tackles Marta. She gets ball, but another yellow would see her gone.
59 - ARod is bleeding, apparently, so the U.S. is a man down at this point. I'm getting my blondes mixed up - Rodriguez is the one bleeding.
60 - Brazil attacks in force now. Chalupny puts the ball out for a throw with a desperate lunge.
61 - Renata Costa nutmegs the U.S. defense, earns a corner. Who does she think she is - Marta?
62 - Corner leads to another corner. On this one, ARod tries to break, so the U.S. is even on numbers.
63 - Marta shoots high.
64 - Mitts is playing with fire, fouling on a header and Brazil wants that second yellow. They don't get it, but a very dangerous FK, just outside the box.
65 - Or not. Daniella hits the wall.
68 - Play has settled down in the midfield a bit. The U.S. is outclassed a bit there, but they are breaking up Brazil's play, at least.
70 - I promised myself I wouldn't start talking about a scoreless draw until the 70th. I don't think it favors the U.S. They're already tired. They've already played extra time.
71 - Tarp goes out, Lauren Cheney comes in.
72 - SAVE! In yo face, Greg Ryan! Solo can make the reaction saves. She keeps her team in this by stoning Marta point-blank.
73 - Foul by Mitts again sets up another deep FK for Brazil. It's cleared.
75 - Tired passes from both sides leading to a lot of giveaways.
76 - Lloyd from distance. No. Wide.
78 - Daniela is out for Brazil. Fabiana comes in. Who? That's what I thought, too. If she scores, though, we'll never forget the name.
79 - Fabiana with a nice attack knocks the ball to Simone. The U.S. puts the ball out for a corner. Solo is struggling to reach the ball - she gets a punch off and the U.S. finally clear.
81 - Even though I picked Brazil to win, I think this match clearly puts the lie to all those who said last year that "It didn't matter who was in goal, or the red card on Boxx - Brazil was so clearly superior that they would have won no matter what." No, no, no.
82 - Marta from distance. She wants a foul call on the shot, which Solo catches.
83 - Fabiana caught offside.
84 - Tired defending from the U.S. leads to an extended run of Brazil possession.
86 - Tanya dribbles too long, and the U.S. takes the ball away, ARod in the box and Barbara is out scrambling. She kicks the ball out for a corner.
87 - The corner is cleared. Hucles gets another chance when the ball comes to her on the play after a throw and she puts the ball on frame. Barbara saves it, but finally the U.S. put a ball on frame.
88 - Fabiana tries to reach a long ball, but Mitts cuts it off. I really don't like how Mitts plays up the sideline so often. It gives Brazil too much of a chance to cut the ball off.
89 - Marta draws a foul from Boxx, just at the corner of the box. Dangerous. Cristiane heads the ball - up and out.
90 - ARod on the break! Why, oh why the chip? Barbara gets her hands up to it and makes the save.
90 + Fabiana earns Brazil a corner. The U.S. clear it and regulation time is done.
Chastain takes ARod to task over the chip. It's true - a golden opportunity wasted.
The U.S. look like their spirits are high. They're smiling and nodding as Sundhage talks to them. It's helps a lot to have a coach who instills confidence and believes in the youth of the team. That's going to go a long way to helping ARod shake off her chipped shot.
Extra time
2 - Brazil trying to be more cagey, build up their opportunities. It's not a bad move, but it's not taking advantage of the weariness of the U.S.
4 - Cheney and ARod hook up on a play. Pass, pass to Lauren - but ARod shoots instead and Barbara has it.
5 - Both sides are so wary right now they're downright tentative.
7 - GOAL! Cheney helps build the play up, getting a tricky little pass in to ARod, who holds the ball up for a bit, then pops it out to Lloyd, who unleashes with venom. Barbara dives, but it's too late. 1-0. U.S.
8 - Marta into the box - a touch too far.
10 - Brazil came back from a goal down versus Germany, and there's still lots of time left. Corner for Brazil. It's cleared.
11 - Natasha Kai is hippetty-hopping on the sideline. She's in for O'Reilly.
12 - Boxx goes down on a foul. She's been a rock for the U.S. Ooh, and
Ooh, Brail in in the box! Marta's shot gets blocked again, and again as the U.S. defenders scramble. Wow. So close.
14 - Speaking of close, Fabiana is called offside in the box. It looked even.
15 - Rosana comes in for Simone.
Brazil has a corner. It bounces around in the box a bit, but Brazil finally clear.
First period of extra time ends.
Well, Solo kept the team in it, ARod shook off her miss to make the right pass, and Lloyd didn't miss.
17 - Yello card for Rosana, taking down ARod.
18 - Kai tackled by Erika. FK for the U.S. in a dangerous spot.
ARod can't quite get a cross off, though.
19 - Solo slips. But the defense holds.
20 - For a while at least. Brazil corner. It's cleared for another corner. on the other side.
21 - This corner crosses the face of the goal as Solo misses, but Cheney holds off her player and puts the ball out for yet another corner.
This one lands on top of the goal.
21 - Marta beats three defenders and lets loose with a shot! High by a few feet.
23 - Brazil in the box, attacking furiously, while the U.S. clear like mad. Marta gets another shot off, but it's blocked.
24 - Brazil FK - close in. Marta takes it, and the ball bends toward the far post - it nearly goes in! Solo was pegged to her line, trying to cover the deflection. Very close.
26 - Kai gets fouled on the outlet. The U.S. just hoofs the ball far.
27 - But now the U.S. actually builds up a play. ARod to Kai, to Cheney, to Lloyd, who breaks into the box and shoots, off the post! Game ender was on her foot. Still good to see.
29 - The U.S. is actually stretching the field a bit, playing in Brazil's half. But Brazil get the ball back and earn a corner through Fabiana.
30 - The U.S. burns a bit of time with a sub. ARod comes off for Stephanie Cox. Chastain questions the move.
Solo punches the corner, but not far and the follow shot - is into the outside side netting!
31 - Marta with a daring run crosses in front of goal, Solo misses on the dive, but the u.S. just barely clear.
Last chance for Brazil. Corner whips in to the box, Cristiane heads the ball - just wide.
Final whistle.
GOLD, GOLD for the USA! They did it. They lost versus Norway, they were behind versus Japan, they went to extra time twice. They didn't have Wambach. They hung tough and they did it.
To me, the best part is that Sundhage keeps her job and she can continue to make this team even better. Make it happen, Sunil.
The stadium is playing techno to celebrate the win. It might not be Kai's style, but she's dancing around anyway. Of course. Brazil's players are weeping. Again they're the bridesmaids.
The U.S. may have been outplayed by Brazil at times, but they were never outworked and they finally outfought the South Americans.
Now the stadium is blaring the Queen classic. You know the one.

I've paid my dues -
Time after time -
I've done my sentence
But committed no crime -
And bad mistakes
I've made a few
I've had my share of sand kicked in my face -
But I've come through

We are the champions - my friends
And we'll keep on fighting - till the end -
We are the champions -
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions - of the world

Now some plaintive Chinese song is playing. I'm sure it's about persevering, never giving up. The female singer is hitting some astounding high notes.
Chastian 'fesses up to criticizing Lloyd sometimes for her outside shot, but gives her props for composure on the goal.
JP points out how no U.S. vets were there. If I were Rampone or Markgraf, I'd be offended.
JP also points out how much the win means for U.S. Soccer and the new women's pro league. That gets to start off with a golden sheen.
Out comes Germany, skipping and jumping, looking cheery as bronze medals winners. THe U.S. team is holding hands - nice show of solidarity. Brazil marches out, looking glum. A lot of people have stayed in the stadium for the ceremony, which is a bit unusual.
Solo is standing next to Lloyd. Why does that not surprise me? The two friends stuck together through everything, and now they have gold to show for it.
Germany gets their medals. They're gracious and pleased. Wonder how many of them will join the WPS. Prinz - this is likely her last Olympics. It's Germany's third consecutive bronze medal. Can't say they're not consistent.
JP lauds Brazil's play, calls them "most entertaining". I think they could have won, though, if they hadn't tightened up in crucial moments. The players still are somber and teary-eyed, especially Barbara, who looks heartbroken. Marta is crying as well. The silver medal is no consolation.
The U.S. team is holding hands still, ready to step up to the podium. Chastain reminisces about how special the moment is.
It's a smiling contest for the U.S. team as they receive their medals. They're grinning like crazy. Kai adds a fist pump. Chastain points out that Pia taught the players to enjoy the game again. The players have to untangle their arms from each other's shoulders to receive their bouquets.
The U.S. anthem plays. Like they did hours ago, all the U.S. players sing along.
Hee - the camera catches Solo taking time to smell the roses on her Olympic bouquet. As well she should. Enjoy it, Hope.
The U.S. team shakes hands with Germany, and then with Brazil. They pose for the winning team shot. We'll see that on U.S. Soccer's website soon, I'm sure. Rylie Rampone runs out to her mom. Keegan gets to Markgraf as well.
The camera fades out on the happy scene.