AJC.com > Sports > Soccer blog > Archives > 2007 > October > 01
Monday, October 1, 2007
Asleep in Seattle; sad for Scurry
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The less said about the USL finals the better.
Four-nil. The Silverbacks team that shocked Rochester and Portland in the playoffs didn’t show up in Seattle Saturday night.
That shouldn’t take away from what turned out to be a pleasant surprise of a season for Atlanta. And the fans have nothing but gratitude.
As for Seattle, there’s plenty of speculation afoot that the Sounders may soon become an MLS franchise.
A few hours later, in Shanghai, the German women made Brazil look like a very different team by winning the Women’s World Cup by a 2-0 score. It’s the first time the event has had a repeat winner.
In addition to having the perfect blend of skill and athletic ability, the Germans sported something one observer said was glaringly absent in the American camp: astute coaching.
Now U.S. coach Greg Ryan, coming off the only loss of his tenure in the semifinal debacle against Brazil, wants to make up with Hope Solo.
This was before he banished Solo from being around for the third-place game won by the Americans over Norway. Nothing like compounding mistakes; this was his goalie for virtually his entire three-plus-year coaching run.
Then, when Solo kvetched loudly about her benching in a completely justifiable reaction, such an outburst was punished, apparently with the endorsement of the rest of the team.
This isn’t DeAngelo Hall here; Ryan undermined the preparations and emotions of his whole team, and he might just pay the price, even with the Olympics a year away.
The person who deserved none of this is Briana Scurry, who was put in an impossible position and just wasn’t up to snuff, even though the Brazilians most likely would have lit up Solo just as well.
The ripping into Ryan came immediately from ex-U.S. captain Julie Foudy, now ESPN’s top color commentator. And Brandi Chastain, whom Ryan rather gracelessly dropped from the team shortly after his hiring, couldn’t wait to blast him.
Classless? About as bad as Ryan’s moves and his unconvincing defense of them. Finally! Some squawking by the revered “Girls of Summer!” Well, the bloom is off and they can’t wait to point the finger of blame. Look what’s been done to their legacy!
Foudy’s comments were hard to avoid since she’s being paid to observe, just as Eric Wynalda did in blasting Bruce Arena during the men’s World Cup last year. But it was a cheap shot to blast the U.S. Soccer Federation, which she long has accused of not supporting the women’s program. Plenty of people who follow the men’s team wonder the same thing about the guys.
Chastain’s bitterness and pettiness is surprising and unfortunate. And then to chastise Solo for speaking out… . Very tacky — but human. Even though I agree with her point that Ryan’s preferred style is all wrong not only for what the U.S. can do, but to beat the best teams in the world.
Later Sunday a friend who mocks soccer asked if I missed covering the U.S. women’s team. While chronicling the ‘99 and ‘03 World Cups and ‘00 Olympics all were a blast, I had to say on balance no, not any more. And not just because of the long travel and because I got to see more than I ever expected. No regrets at all.
Then I saw this item today and remembered why I really felt I had had my fill.
When everything’s going great, as in ‘99, you couldn’t get enough access. When there’s a loss, or a controversy, it’s a whole different story. It’s not unique, of course, but when the athletes are women who’ve been highly pampered when times are good, the flip side can be especially appalling.
Of course, all kinds of teams, pro and college, men’s and women’s, do this all the time.
After the Americans were beaten by Germany in the ‘03 semifinals, one of the few players who either would stop to talk or didn’t try to duck the media/athletes “mixed zone” was Scurry, who calmly and matter-of-factly took questions. Where was Mia at a time like that? Didn’t see her. And Foudy? Not so loudy. Maybe I missed them in the flurry, but let’s just say they didn’t make a beeline for the notepads, cameras and microphones.
A goalkeeping controversy is nothing new in soccer; it’s about the same as a QB dilemma on the gridiron. This isn’t a U-14 team here; these are grown women. The idea of trying to muzzle them generally backfires.
Whether it’s the NFL or the Girls of Summer
