The Sorority Hazing of Hope Solo

Every now and then, you enterprising sports thinkers, readers, and writers, author up a nice tight little rant that is just perfect. Instead of me trying to just quote it, or steal it outright, I'm just gonna make the dude famous by posting it. This one is a home run, that hits the outfield facade about 485 feet from home plate. Well done, Mr. Skidmore.

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Steve,

We can sit all day long and recite one instance after another why women's sports are inferior to men's sports on every level, but an article on the U.S. Women's Soccer team and the recitation of the Hope Solo saga in the June 30, 2008 issue of Sports Illustrated makes my (and likely your) arguments for me.

During the 2007 World Cup in China, Solo threw three straight shutouts in goal for the American team. Solo was then benched before the semifinal against Brazil in favor of veteran Brianna Scurry by coach Greg Ryan. Scurry and the U.S. lost to Brazil 4-0. Solo was rightfully (in my mind) annoyed and was quoted thusly by a Canadian reporter: "It was the wrong decision, and I think anybody that knows anything about the game knows that. There's no doubt in my mind I would have made those saves."

Personally, I love that attitude. Do you think a goalie in soccer or hockey should have that attitude? Or any other athlete? I do. The powers that be in the U.S. Soccer program thought otherwise. And her teammates according to the SI article, "banished her from the third-place game against Norway, from attending the medal ceremony, from eating at team meals and from the team's flight home."

Are you freakin' kidding me? Did they accuse her of having "cooties," too?

What would have happened to the Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock had he pulled Chris Osgood in favor of Dominick Hasek in similar circumstances? He wouldn't have been hung in effigy, he'd have been hung right there in Detroit. When Orel Hershiser was unhittable in the summer of '88, you didn't see Tommy Lasorda skip him for somebody else, did you?

This is yet another reason why women's sports suck.

Consider these little nuggets from the article:

From Page 52: "...but the healing process hasn't been easy. Solo issued a formal apology to Scurry and Ryan when she rejoined the team in St. Louis last October. But behind closed doors things only got worse. At a team meeting that Solo says had been billed as a first step forward, players took turns telling her how upset she'd made them." (emphasis mine)

"Solo wasn't allowed to play or train with the team during the tour, and only midfielder Carli Lloyd broke ranks to sit next to her on the bench, visit her in her room and join her for meals. (emphasis mine)

"After a month-long hiatus, Solo says she wasn't sure she wanted to return to "what I saw as a soroity-type atmosphere." (emphasis mine)

From Page 53, and maybe the most telling, Solo said, "I believe everything I said. Did I want to disrespect my teammates or Bri? No. Do I regret hurting them? There are days when I feel bad, and it's hard to keep my head up. I broke every code this team has been built on. I realize that." (emphasis mine).

Code? What about winning? What about competing? Not for the ladies. Feelings are more important. (Insert your own expletive here.) She shouldn't apologize for this idiot coach making a horrendous decision. If women's sports were legitimate, Ryan would have been roasted by every pen-and-microphone wielding reporter in the western world. If women's sports were legitimate, not only would his bosses have thrown him under the bus, they would have beaten the crap out of him, pantsed him, then backed up over him several times.

Ever read "The Bronx Zoo," Sparky Lyle's story of the 1978 Yankees? Those guys HATED each other. The feuds and fights were legendary: Reggie-Munson. Reggie-Billy Martin. Steinbrenner-Everybody. It's remarkable that nobody GOT SHOT in that clubhouse. Yet, somehow, they found a way to overcome a 14-game deficit, beat Boston in the one-game playoff and win the World Series. If Billy skipped Ron Guidry, who went 25-3 that season, Steinbrenner (and most of New York City) would have put a contract out on him. This soccer coach pulls a hot goalie and it's the goalie who's the villain for speaking out? I call shenanigans.

On that last page of the article, Solo makes a great point that needs to be read and taken to heart by every official of every women's sports league that wants to compete with men's leagues for attention, legitimacy and the American dollar. "We don't have to be friends to respect what somebody does on the field. I truly hope women's sports can get to that point. We like to say we are, but I don't think we're there yet."

I think she's absolutely right. Until that point is reached, women's sports will remain merely an avenue for catchy slogans and artsy TV commercials with no hope of ever being taken seriously by the average American sports fan. And the lasting image for sports fans will remain a player removing her jersey to show her brassiere.

Good night and drive home safely,

John Skidmore
West Bend, WI