I question the too "old" theory for this reason....age is not something that just happens all of a sudden. Decrease in ability due to age typically happens over a length time. How were they not too old to be selected for the team a few months prior to the games and then too old during the games? Was that just a huge coaching mistake that he selected too old of players? Maybe it was good intentions out of loyalty to the older players that he selected. Our opinions regarding the poor results are based on 20/20 hindsight, however, with age you do have some benefit of foresight. The irony is that if they had won we'd be claiming that they won because of their experience. Win = Experience, Lose = Too Old.
USWNT Olympic roster announced
- Thread starter Soccer43
- Start date
GoldenGate
GOLD
He is just digging a deeper hole and made it up. There was no protesting during the event. There was only protesting when they were winning two WCs and going 44 games undefeated. If anything, that means they would have won gold if they protested during the event because obviously they perform much better when they protest, right? Clearly it couldn't have been age finally catching up to them according to Watfly. In comparison, MNT players have never protested anything and played so poorly they couldn't qualify for the Olympics or WC. Clearly it is not protesting and its attendant lack of passion and moral courage that is the problem. We need more strong and outspoken women, just younger ones, if the WNT is to continue dominating.
Even if the WNT had protested during the Olympics, which they didn't, the only way to rationalize that they can't still be 100% focused although that has not been a problem with male athletes, is gender bias. There is no other explanation. He'll never admit it, but he would need to if he ever honestly answered "How then did the WNT manage to win two WCs, go 44 straight games without a loss, and develop into the greatest women's soccer team in history while simultaneously supporting civil rights if it isn't possible to focus 100% on soccer and civil rights at the same time?" I'm sure he also honestly believed Carlos and Smith did not protest before they ran their races, but he clearly never even looked into it because he would have realized how much bs wrong that was had he done so. How does a false assumption like that even pop into someone's head, and so strongly that one doesn't even bother to figure out whether it is even true? Gender bias, probably mixed with a touch of race bias and/or homophobia since fundamentally he is rationalizing why he thinks WNT players should be silent on the issues they support.
It's fair to criticize my opinion about whether the protest impacted their focus, but don't lie about their protest. Their are plenty photos showing them protesting right on the pitch seconds before kickoff.
Tyler Durden
BRONZE
These are professional athletes and protest really had no impact on how they played. They have played so many games while protesting that in no way this was a distraction and at this point it was just part of the warm up. No excuses they just didn't get it done.
Fair. I suspect there were a number of contributing factors. It's not unreasonable to question their focus, an article in Soccer America questioned it. I think it's a cop out to lay the blame primarily on their age.
I don't doubt that the ladies can walk and chew gum at the same time. However, if I were a coach I would prefer that my team be 100% focused on the task at hand seconds before kickoff. Maybe I'm just old school. Personally I think a protest would be more powerful after a winning result. Imagine delaying your celebration to take knee and recognize an issue that is greater than the results of the game. Timing matters.
GoldenGate
GOLD
You mean like every other country that knelt before games? Like every men's team in England has done for years? Keep digging.
Those Canadians are the worst, btw. Not only did they kneel before games, but have you seen them kneel in their BLM shirts? I've never seen such a pathetic bunch of unpatriotic "unfocused" losers in my life, especially that disrespectful Fleming woman who also knelt at UCLA. She should not be allowed into our country ever again, am I right? How on earth did she win gold without being able to focus anyway?
Too bad you aren't the WNT coach. We would really love to hear how you "old school" mansplained to the little ladies (who happen to be two time WC winners and holders of the longest string of games without a loss in WNT history) that you know better than them, and how much better they'll play going forward if only they keep their pretty lips shut. Or maybe you should have been the Packers' coach and whipped Reggie White's pansy ass into shape every time that loser lost focus praying before games. Or is it ok to do non-sports things and think non-sports thoughts before a game so long as they happen to be the things you support?
You also clearly have not considered the fact that every one of their protests was after a winning result, starting with the 2015 WC, followed by 2019 WC and then 44 straight games without a loss. It took the WNT a decade of overwhelming dominance and near perfection to establish sufficient credibility to make an impact through their protests.
Is that you EOTL?
I appreciate your passion. Hopefully you feel better.
I will say one thing. I'd rather "mansplain" to the women that their focus before the kickoff should be 100% on the game rather than tell them they're past their prime and too old to win a gold medal.
Are you referring to the photos of when the whole team knelt before the kickoff of the first game?
(just to be fair, the entire Swedish team and the referee also knelt then)
SoccerLocker
SILVER ELITE
As does every team in the EPL, as well England in the Euros. I guess that's why England didn't win that penalty shootout...
Too eloquent……
kickingandscreaming
PREMIER
... didn't use "pathetic" at least once.
GoldenGate
GOLD
Yes, I created my account long before EOTL knowing he/I would eventually get kicked out. Or no, I posted a few times years ago before realizing this place was full of mostly hateful and ignorant posters, but stupidly got involved again after recently stumbling upon offensive comments about the WNT.
Desert Hound
DA
I assume that realization came about when you were looking in the mirror?
kickingandscreaming
PREMIER
"mostly hateful and ignorant posters" - Well, he has that misanthropic streak like EOTL. Let's see if he goes down the road of "bending the board to his will" and checks off the "delusions of gradeur" box.
It is uncanny. You express yourself just like EOTL. Well, prior to being known as EOTL, they, them, it went by End Of The Line for a year or so.
So people ask how protesting could distract or divide the team... this is how.
Rapinoe bullys team into protesting
Rapinoe bullys team into protesting
outside!
DA
Hope was a great goal keeper, but it is hard to imagine her being bullied. She is also has a reputation for saying stuff that is not entirely believable. I am not saying she is lying, but she is not exactly the best source for facts.
Interesting claim. A friend who is an exec for a sports network said the same a few weeks ago.
The article content does not match the headline.