She's okay when Greedo shoots first.
The problem with this whole situation is that unfortunately, she was exactly right. And moreover, she's the future of US Soccer. She's the best goalkeeper in the country, and she's still young. She learned a hard and highly valuable lesson this summer, and it sounds like she's picked up something useful from the whole thing about how to deal with the media. This will only help her moving forward. Cut her some slack or don't cut her any slack, but she's going to be the starting goalie on the national team for the next decade. She's that good, and she's not going anywhere. The media might as well make nice.
She may have been correct in her assessment of the poor coaching decision, but she still acted like an immature, self-centered ass. I'm sorry her father passed away (I have lost both of my parents), but that is no excuse to slag your coach and teammates. The AP interview reads more like spin than a heart-felt apology.
"I have spoken to a handful of different teammates here and there at different levels. In the end, we are all professionals and have a common goal to qualify for the 2008 Olympics. I can only hope we put our differences aside because we have a job to do."
Differences? Differences? You slagged your coach and teammates, Hope. What differences?
but that is no excuse to slag your coach and teammates There certainly was an excuse to "slag" her coach. He made a coaching blunder so bad that even non-soccer fans were talking about how stupid a decision it was. At the point he made that asinine decision, he introduced himself to criticism by fans and teammates alike. Where she stepped over the line was criticizing her teammate who had no part in the bad decision.
I thought Solo should not have been dumped from the team over one intemperate interview after a tough loss. But I think it's an error in judgment for her to dredge this up. Her quotes in the article, such as "we don't have to be best friends off the field" and "beyond the Mexico series we have not really spoken," suggest that the rift within the squad is far from resolved.
But I think it's an error in judgment for her to dredge this up. Agreed, rcade. She seems like a very honest person, and I look forward to her interviews in the future. I don't think she has the ability to sugar-coat anything. Good Luck to the U.S. team.
(I won't comment on futbol threads because I don't know enough-I won't comment on futbol threads because I don't know enough-I won't comment on futbol threads because I don't know enough) Oh shit. Solo was right. Coach was wrong. She maybe spoke with a bit too much venom and her pain was evident, but jeez, cut some slack to the girl. Hard to predict a human being's reaction when her whole life has come to this focal point and it is seemingly dashed arbitrarily. Keep in mind, her play had not merited benching. To send her packing was cold. Ryan made a move that was reverse thinking and then punished Solo when she publicly called him on it. And then subsequently got fired. (In best Dr. Phil voice) It's time to stop punishing, and start healing. And now that's two they owe her, junior.
Goaltenders ARE different. I can easily imagine Patrick Roy, in a similar situation, saying the same thing. Now, none of that makes any of it right, but I'll cut her more slack than I would a position player. I want my goalie to be an independent cocky bastard ("bitch" in this case?) Goalies are essentially playing an individual sport but just happen to be on a team. And I refuse to recognize the version where Greedo shot first. It's just ridiculous on so many levels.
She used to be great. Now she's Bantha fodder.
There certainly was an excuse to "slag" her coach. He made a coaching blunder so bad that even non-soccer fans were talking about how stupid a decision it was Here we go with the mythologising again. We had a couple of discussions post WC about the result in the USA - Brazil match. Whatever the controversy over the selection of one player, the US got outplayed all over the park by a better team. The Hope Solo stuff is a distraction from other, more important errors in tactics, game plan and execution that night (and from what others have said, during tournament preparation). Hopefully Ryan got sacked for the right reasons.
Here we go with the mythologising again. We had a couple of discussions post WC about the result in the USA - Brazil match. Whatever the controversy over the selection of one player, the US got outplayed all over the park by a better team. There was also several discussions in those threads pointing to the fact that the new goalkeeper could in fact have contributed to the poorer play of the US in that game: making improper defensives calls, missing stops that Solo would have made, and otherwise getting them in a hole in which they had to play a different game (of which they then got outplayed all over the park). Your opinion isn't necessarily the correct one, so you can spare me with the condescending "mythologizing" comment.
Now she's Bantha fodder. Bring me Solo and the Wookiee... If I had been in Solo's shorts, I would have had a private chat with the coach, after which coach would have had a private room at the nearest ER.
"(of which they then got outplayed all over the park)." Thats "pitch" I didn't appreciate her ripping a team-mate. I also didn't think it wise to rip her coach in print or video. That said, she has an honest arguement. That was one of the dumbest coaching decisions ever made, but it was made. Ya gotta live with it. As a big time fan of all sports involving goalies, yes, they are a strange breed. Every goalie I have ever met or been a fan of is a bit off. You have to be to allow people to shoot pucks and balls at your head!! I wish she would have gone about it differently, but she will be ok and so will the U.S. team. Kicking ass solves a lot of inner-team problems.
I'd rather you didn't take part my comment out of context, bdaddy. I said whatever the effect of dropping Solo, the team was still outplayed and there were may reasons contributing to that result. Having a very accomplished player such as Scurry in goal would not be one of the main ones, I suspect.
I hope Solo learned a lesson, and from this story it appears that she did. The coach ended up where he belonged, watching from afar. What's sad is that this World Cup was supposed to result in momentum for a new Professional Women's Soccer League in the US. But this CF has let the air out of those tires. What's it going to take to get the mo again? Who knows.
"(of which they then got outplayed all over the park)." Thats "pitch" Both are perfectly acceptable. Park is more of an English colloquialism rather than that defined in the rules. 'Goaltender' & 'benched' on the other hand make this Englishman's skin crawl. :-)
Well said, and gotcha.
I understand that some sort of patching up needs to occur, and Solo will be peppered with interview requests more than normal leading up to the Olympics, but it would probably behoove her to never mention Brianna Scurry's name ever again, even if it is to tell us that "Never did I intend to put down a teammate, and that is the thing that hurts the most. I always have respected and will respect Bri. And that is the thing that hurts me the most. Given her comments about Scurry, it doesn't sound genuine. If I had been in Solo's shorts That, my friend, is a whole different game.
I feel most for Brianna Scurry. The whole flap essentially hinges on her being past her pull date. Every time it's about Hope Solo, it's also about how poorly Brianna Scurry played; everyone agrees that she was the wrong choice. Coming to grips with this must really hurt. It's a raw deal for a hell of a goalie.
If "Hope Solo" isn't the best possible name for a goalie, I don't know what is.
Don't know much about soccer, especially international scene. Posted to get reaction for Solo's criticising teammates and coaches from fellow bloggers and if any leeway is given soccer players as opposed to other sports. Thanks for your responses.
