she's still hot.
she's still hot.
the coach should be the next one to go.
Wow. I entered this thread, given its title, and thought I would see numerous posts stating how Hope Solo's spoiled response to being tactically replaced in a team sport is another example of what is wrong with sport today, and her dismissal is refreshing to see, something you would never find in the NFL or NBA.
Instead, I guess I am completely out of touch with the younger generation, even though I coach athletes your age everyday. Maybe my athletes just have a better understanding of acceptable public behavior than some of you, but that's all a product of how you are raised and who has coached you. As the article stated, failures and losses reveal your true character. I guess replying on letsrun also reveals one's true character.
From a soccer perspective, and from my screen-name, I played at U of MD and have coached professionally, this is a common goalie situation. Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel, Zach Thornton, Tony Meola, Tim Howard, Marcus Hahnemann, the list goes on, have all been left off of men's World Cup rosters, or traveled and not played one single minute. In 2002, Friedel played every minute with Keller watching from the bench. That was after Keller had started in 1998, and 4 years before Keller would again start every game (correct me if I am inaccurate) in 2006.
None of these guys even peeped publicly regarding the National Team decisions made, and they have all, except I believe Meola, played or currently play in the English Premier League as well, where the scrutiny can be unbearable for a goalie.
Such is life as a keeper. There is only one on a field at a time. Remember, this is the same Hope Solo who got hit directly in the hands by a shot, which then found its way through those apparently-not-so-dependable hands, in the 2-2 tie with the North Korean team earlier in the week. I am sure Coach Ryan had not forgotten that moment when he was making his decision on Brazil. It appears Hope Solo had forgotten it though as she was describing how she would have made all the saves Scurry missed vs. Brazil. I don't remember Scurry coming out and blasting Solo for getting hit in the hands and causing a tie instead of a win vs. North Korea.
You think by now Hope Solo would have been used to the ups-and-downs of that lonely position she chose to play.
lou groza wrote:
the coach should be the next one to go.
by this i mean i don't support EITHER of them.
bottom line: solo performed brilliantly. scurry was put in for her for no reason whatsoever (aside perhaps from political ones) and failed COMPLETELY. solo told the truth and was sacked for it.
what monumentally stupid decision. you put in the people who PERFORM, period. nobody has to like them. if soccer ever wishes to be taken seriously in this country -- if it ever truly wishes to become a real, professional sport here on par with football, baseball and basketball, they need to learn this lesson now.
fools
terps wrote:
Instead, I guess I am completely out of touch with the younger generation, even though I coach athletes your age everyday. Maybe my athletes just have a better understanding of acceptable public behavior than some of you, but that's all a product of how you are raised and who has coached you. As the article stated, failures and losses reveal your true character. I guess replying on letsrun also reveals one's true character.
Yup, you're absolutely right.
It's all the fault of the younger generation - most of whom have no concept of how to act, and it's just bad upbringing and parenting when people don't share the same views as you do.
Welcome to the real world, coach. It isn't a generational thing - old people, young people, black, white, rich and poor all have the same capabilities of acting either nicely or poorly, of agreeing with you or not. It's part of the human condition.
There are in the world who are arrogant, those who are demure, those who "know their place", those who rock the boat.
That anyone should reach middle age without realizing that the diversity of human behavior and personality are independent of things like age, race, gender, etc. scares me.
Go back to doing your job and wondering about your athletes. Hope Solo will go back to worrying about her career. The simple rule of this world is that you either take care of business, or you don't. Hope Solo did, Brianna Scurry didn't. To imply that someone shouldn't have an opinion, or speak out, is simply ludicrous.
I guess you missed the North Korea game when her blunder directly resulted in a tie vs. a win.
Hope Solo could have expressed herself privately with the coach and team, but she chose to publicly embarrass the national team. Ryan will probably lose his job for the decision he made, but such is life as a team sport coach. No matter who he chose to play vs. Brazil, I will always respect him for dismissing Hope Solo. That is a response that should, although it is not apparent on this thread, resonate with young athletes everywhere: there are ramifications for acting unprofessionally in public to the detriment of the team.
You obviously do not follow soccer, given the examples of 10 years worth of men's national team goalie decisions that have never come to this level of idiocy. Maybe men are just better at understanding and respecting the team sport ethic.
Finally, you obviously have never competed or coached professionally if the way the scenario played out for Solo is counter to your personal belief of how it should have. That was the only result. I was surpised it lasted until Saturday, when I heard her comments, but I guess the coach left the team hold a meeting to decide her fate as a group. If you had ever been involved in a tournament of that magnitude, you would understand that.
serena wrote:
Really? So if Tom Brady or Steve Nash or A-Rod were to say the same thing on TV if they got benched by their coach in similar circumstances, you'd have no problem with it?
I would have absolutely no problem with it if Steve Nash or whoever was playing great and then in the semifinals was inexplicably bench in favor of some has-been and then said has-been played poorly and the team lost the dream that they had been shooting for all year. How could someone not react in such a way?
This is as big as it gets for these players. I would hope that Solo would be upset.
It's not like she got personal or anything.
Bottom line, Solo was correct and this isn't some Girl Scout Troop where everybody's feelings are paramount.
The worst sportsmanship was by the other players for voting to kick Solo off. Talk about stabbing a teammate in the back.
It's pretty clear that simply not putting Solo in the game had a much greater "detriment to the team" than her comments. You don't pull a great goalie because of one mistake.
Maybe the rest of the team could grow thicker skin next time.
Regardless, this entire fiasco is a perfect example of why soccer will always remain a 3rd tier sport in this country. If this were a national football, baseball, or basketball team - even if it were a track and field team - you would see the best athletes playing, period. The rest of the team would be grown up enough not to give a damn about some immature comments a teammate made. Because they know the job is to WIN, not to like each other.
terps wrote:
Finally, you obviously have never competed or coached professionally if the way the scenario played out for Solo is counter to your personal belief of how it should have. .
Obviously never have you either. Oh I dont doubt you have been paid for your services. But don't insult true professionals by calling yourself one. A professional is there to WIN, not hold hands.
Kobe Bryant is a much better example. Rapist and crybaby extraordinaire. Hope gets drop kicked. The Lakers hope Kobe shows up for the next season. A double standard for sure.
serena wrote:
Really? So if Tom Brady or Steve Nash or A-Rod were to say the same thing on TV if they got benched by their coach in similar circumstances, you'd have no problem with it?
You guys are funny. After all, the whole team and coach contributed to the loss by not playing well and making poor decisions, not just Brianna Scurry.
Let me just throw this out there. I assume most of you guys above are distance or middle-distance runners, given the website. Your high school coach (you called me middle-aged when I am only 42, so I will assume you are in high school, insert college if I am wrong) decides on the team of 4 middle distance guys in the 3200m relay. The coach switches out one guy who has run in the conference and regionals, choosing a stalwart senior who has run on the 3 consecutive previous year state championship relay teams, but this year has been running comparable, but not better than the guy he ends up replacing.
The team fails at winning the gold, maybe takes the bronze, based on this perennial leader's average relay leg, but also COUPLED WITH AVERAGE PERFORMANCES BY THE OTHER 3 GUYS AS WELL.
Do you, as the guy left off the final relay team, respond to media interviews (let's say the local media actually cared about your relay race, for the sake of argument) as Hope Solo did, disparaging your coach's decision and teammate's performance? If so, what do you expect would be the reaction of your teammates and coach?
what a waste wrote:
You know, I'm all for team unity and all that, but these fools need to remember that they are not there to love each other. They are there (on OUR dime) to win.
Somebody on that team needs to remember who is footing the bills for this.
On OUR dime? You think tax dollars support US Soccer? Or are you a big contributor?
I have a question that hopefully someone can answer. Who runs the show and actually calls the shots on the womens soccer team? Is it really as simple as the team saying " We would disagree with you speaking out so goodbye"? I read somewhere that Chastain and foudy said the coach should be fired. Who is in the position to fire the coach but not step in with this team matter?
I agree with you except the part about failing to win the gold. Winning gold or being first is no guarantee. Other teams are out there trying to be #1 as well; or maybe even #2, #3 or #4. Those who don't like it can play with themselves.The younger people complaining here don't understand competing simple for the sake of competition. A coach has the difficult task of balancing competition with how well their team can place. It's like gambling; sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and sometimes you do okay. There's nothing wrong with losing and doing okay. Competing is what's most important.
terps wrote:
The team fails at winning the gold, maybe takes the bronze...
You cite the past controversies over which male goal keeper should have been playing. Not being a big soccer follower, can you recall a similar instance of benching the regular male team keeper in a similar situation? Seems from what you stated that they stuck with the guy that brought them that far.
Oops has obviously been left out of games or competitions he/she (he 99.999%) knows they would have won. Not could, WOULD. Oops future is as an armchair quarter pack. A six pack of beer and a mega bag of chips by his/her side. Oops will be twice the person he/she is now; plus 100 pounds or more. "I could of been a contender" will his/her constant wail.
oops wrote:
You cite the past controversies over which male goal keeper should have been playing. Not being a big soccer follower, can you recall a similar instance of benching the regular male team keeper in a similar situation? Seems from what you stated that they stuck with the guy that brought them that far.
terp, no offense, but your example is a slightly softer version. Imagine the World Championships and a 4x400 team (or 4x800 or 4x1500 or 4xwhatever team to let people draw their own understanding). They run through the heats and get to the finals with the same 4 guys, considered, if not the best, one of the ebst in the world. Then the finals arrive and their BEST leg (22 year-old kid that has neevr been in the world championships finals) is inexplicably pulled because the replacement, a replacement for the last 4 years on this national team, has performed very well in the finals (albeit 4 years ago). On top of this, he has only raced two or three times the entire 4 years he has been a replacement, still training the entire time, but no race sharpening (referring to Scurry's lack of playing time during the last 3 years, what 7 starts or something?). Is this a smart decision? I think 99% of people who even know what a baton is would say no.
oh and yes, i have been involved in team sports my entire life.
come on folks. we all know there is something more goin on here. the coach wanted solo to catch his soccer balls in her mouth and she said no.
Naples wrote:
Who runs the show and actually calls the shots on the womens soccer team?
That's a great question. The team gets to factor in the decision to send her home because she's now a distraction? WTF is this, a world cup soccer team or the sisterhood of the traveling pants? And what about the coach? He's not even more of a distraction? Did any players call for his dismissal yet?
Other than directly calling out Scurry, I have absolutely no problem with Solo's comments. She gave up 1 shaky goal and pitched 3 consecutive shut outs in the WORLD CUP and she's benched for an inferior player because of results from 3 years ago?!? And it's supposed to be sunshine and kittens sound bites from her after the game? She had every right to point out how stupid the coach is. US soccer officials should have fired him immediately following the game.