Goalkeeper Hope Solo was told not to show up for the Women's World Cup third-place game after she criticized coach Greg Ryan's decision to bench her for the semifinal against Brazil. But she hasn't been banished for good, and when Team USA begins a three-game series with Mexico in St. Louis on Saturday, Solo will be on the roster. It's not clear whether Ryan will pick Solo or the woman she was benched for, Briana Scurry, in St. Louis, but presumably both of them will get some playing time against Mexico, either in St. Louis Saturday or in one of the following games, in Portland and Albuquerque.
This is a magnanimous gesture from Ryan, but it's also the only move he could make if he wants to salvage his own reputation. As much as Solo was criticized for her comments about Ryan and Scurry, Ryan was criticized more for benching Solo in the first place. He won't be Team USA's coach for much longer, and at least he's not going out holding a grudge.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-11-2007 @ 7:44PM
Pele said...
Solo was right in defending her stand . Those biatches on the team knew it and stabbed her in the back saying ,"the coach was right and did it the "old
American Way .That's why women have been kicked around ,not expressing themselves .Solo will kick ass
in the Olympics and that coach will be back,teaching kids the old "American Way".
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10-12-2007 @ 10:30AM
yallkma said...
Had Scurry defended well against Brazil and the USA team had won, this conversation would have been over after the game, leaving Solo looking like a pouting superstar who didn't get the glory! But , Solo made it a different issue by criticizing Scurry and Ryan on national television. She lost the respect of her teammates by dumping on one of their own. I wouldn't want her back on my team, knowing I might be the next national conversation if I don't play well!
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10-12-2007 @ 11:51AM
bluemeanies said...
Um, If Scurry had defended well no one would ever had asked Solo for her opinion. The destruction to reputations is roughly in order of least damaging to most damaging:
1. Brianna Scurry. She proved that she was really past it and this episode was an embarrassment the coach shouldn't have put her through.
2. Hope Solo. The comments have been forgiven by most everyone and most womens national team fans know that barring the emergence of a great younger goalkeeper she is still the future.
3. Greg Ryan. Exposed himself as an idiot and is taking all the blame for the poor way the team has played. The longer he stays the louder the fans are going to get.
4. The US Womens national team for showing the cattyness of a sorority and the shunning mentallity of a strict Amish village. Abby and Lilly are getting a ton of shit for this and scapegoating Solo when the attention needs to be on firing Ryan now.
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10-12-2007 @ 2:59PM
kauffelt said...
I'm not a soccer fan, but I found the team reaction to Solo's comments incredible. From what I read, Solo kept her mouth shut until after the world cup was lost. Then she told the world what she thought, and apparently she was right. I think she acted most appropriately. When you play so well, as she had, to be pulled for an over-the hill player is outrageous and I'm glad she said so. Atheletes work too long and too hard to reach Solo's level to have playing time and championships pulled away arbitrarily. The team should have just thanked her for keeping her mouth shut until after the loss. Then they should have blasted a stupid coach.
How many people would keep their mouths shut when an obviously incompetent co-worker gets their job, a job that they were already doing very well?
The rest of the team owes Solo an apology.
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10-12-2007 @ 11:44PM
Luis said...
I believe Solo did the right thing to criticize coach Ryan. She was playing so well during the World Cup. Ryan made a big mistake playing Scurry in the Semifinal. Scurry had not had any playing time in at least 2 months! This really pissed me off when I did not see Solo as a starter against Brazil, but I am glad Solo is back with the US Womens Team! You are my idol Solo!!! Keep working hard to earn your spot in the team!!
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10-16-2007 @ 8:35AM
Aaron said...
I would like to add that Ryan should be FIRED..why he is still with the national team after the biggest F-up in US Womens Sports History..is more than I can bare...Were did we go so wrong..Solo is the best goal keeper of our time and Ryan is to blame because the Womens should have a world another world cup....
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10-17-2007 @ 10:39AM
Chelsea said...
Hope may have been completely right about what she was saying, and it's good that she waited until after the game, but she should have thought about how what she was saying on national television would effect fans and team mates. As a public icon she will obviously get criticized and looked at more in depth, she should have thought about this. Again I do agree with her, but she should have handled it in a different manner thinking of the consequences.
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