Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more

This Friday I will be attending the US Men's vs Colombia Copa América Centenario opener at Levi's Stadium.

It's the first time I will be in a supporter's section for a US game in about 10 years. I'm curious as to how the culture has changed since I was so deeply involved in it. I'm hoping that it's not become too bro-tastic, but to be honest I'm afraid that ship has sailed as soccer has gotten more popular in this country.

I will be making a visual protest regarding the current dispute with the women's team by not only wearing my women's jersey (3 stars!), but having "#equalplayequalpay" on the jersey front and back. I'm hoping to have other supporters join me in this.

This will be the last time I give U.S. Soccer money until this is resolved.

I believe that SHE will win!

#equalplayequalpay

DO

WE

REALLY

NEED

TO

DEBATE

THIS???

SHOW THEM THE MONEY!!!

(I've included the Forbes article because of his strawman argument of taking into account the lack of attendance at the club level. This ain't about the NWSL.)

CHAMPIONS!!!

3 STARS! One for Abby!

Still farther to go

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/22/sports/soccer/womens-world-cup-colombia-cultural-victories-to-go-with-on-the-field-ones.html?rref=collection%2Fcolumn%2Fon-soccer&contentCollection=sports&action=click&module=NextInCollection&region=Footer&pgtype=article

Being Abby

This is not crossdressing

I am the owner of over a dozen soccer jerseys. The one I've always wanted most since 1999 was the one I'm wearing now. Two stars over the US Soccer crest.
The U.S. Women's National Team jersey.

Available in men's sizes for the first time.

I'm interested in the politics of this move. Plain and simple sexism kept this from happening before.

"Men wearing a woman's shirt/blouse? Har, har!"

To be honest the design is a little dull, but it's simple enough for anyone/everyone to wear. I look forward to hearing the reaction from people when I wear this in public (the first time being this Sunday when I go to Avaya Stadium for the first time to watch the USWNT take on Ireland, a friendly crowd for a friendly). I expect the usual sexist bullshit from soccer fans whenever I bring up the women "it's slow, it's not technical".

Don't care, I'll wear my stars with pride. I watched them earn that second star in person.

As an aside, this isn't my first jersey from a woman's team. I bought an orange Cyberrays kit back in the day with Chastain on the back. It was a woman's XL size and cut and didn't fit the way I like. I finally got rid of it after the letters and numbers peeled off. I keep hoping to see someone in it after I gave it up for donation.

Women's World Cup shouldn't be on turf

The women deserve to play on grass, dammit!

Letting it marinate

A week has passed since the final, and I wanted it to settle in before I commented.

Sure enough, what I said happened. The US didn't bury their chances, and Japan came back–twice. The US should have put in 3 or 4 by halftime. They didn't and they paid the price. When the penalties came, they had nothing left to show.

That said,

that was the best overall game the US played. Japan absorbed wave after wave of US pressure, bent, cracked, but they didn't break. Good on ya, Japan. Good on ya.

It was a fine, fine win.

Japan v US

I'll just come right out and say it.

The US has been playing some ugly soccer.

It's mostly been route one, bypass the midfield, over the top, hopefully Abby can get a head to it, use brute force, tactics.

The thing is...it's working. It drives me batty, but it's working. They made it to the final.

Japan, on the other hand, has been playing some of the most beautiful soccer this tournament. Short, crisp, concise passing. Incredible build-up play, beautiful finishing. It's the best I've ever seen them play. Japan has been one of the best teams to watch in the Cup. However, they've never beaten the US.

This is a game the US should win. It's taken them too long to get here for them to say they're overlooking Japan. However, they better get their goals early and often. If they allow Japan possession, and the game remains close, Japan could get their first star, and they would have earned it.

C'mon US. Show me what you've got.

Holy fuck!

ABBY!
C'MON HOPE!!!

ETA:
The US dodged a bullet. The penalty call was the correct one, and if you call the foul, you have to give the red card for preventing a goal scoring opportunity.

However, that retake? That was pure bullshit.

It was pointed out on the ESPN broadcast that Brazil's second goal shouldn't have counted because the pass to Marta came from an offside position. However, Marta's finish was magic.
People really love to hate Marta. That's too bad, I don't think she deserves it.

The US (and Brazil) just wilted in the heat and humidity. Their passing needs to be much, much crisper to win. I think they can out muscle and out intimidate France, but if they meet Sweden in the final, they need to be sharp.

US v Brazil - Halftime

So far so okay...
The US defense has been good against Brazil thus far. They've kept the Brazilians in front  of them. They surrounding Marta when she gets the ball, and most importantly, they're frustrating the fuck out of that team. Brazil loses their heads, they're gonna lose the game.

On the other hand, what's with all the tired passing from the US? Get your fucking heads in the game, offense. You need to connect a lot more cleanly with your forwards. This long ball shit ain't gonna do it. You'll be chasing those gold jerseys all game if you keep this up.

Man, my butterflies doing push-ups watching this. The stream of profanity I'm letting loose with each poor US pass is gonna teach my twin toddler girls new words. :)

Muffmeg?

Did I hear Julie Foudy correct herself in the 54th minute of US/Sweden? My guess was that she was about to transpose the "n" and the "m" in nutmeg, but if muffmeg is the women's term for nutmeg, then I gotta say it's brilliant.

Well, I can't say the loss was a big surprise, but it's disappointing, nonetheless. Sweden completely sped past the US backline, and I see Brazil doing the same. I don't know if we've got a defender with the speed to man mark Marta like Equatorial Guinea did for one half. If the US can control the midfield and find their finishing, and to do that they need to learn to be as ruthless as Hope Solo, then they might survive a goalfeast, but outside of that, I see their tournament ending on Sunday.

Let's see if they've learned their lessons with this loss.

Where da white women at?

All over the USWNT, that's where. Not taking away from the talented individuals who make up the current team, but there seems to be a lack of diversity, racial and otherwise, on the USWNT.  Considering the way the team plays, it's overdue for an infusion of new talent and different styles of play. Somewhere out there is an American Marta, one who would have coolly buried all those chances Abby missed today against Colombia. I think of a Sissi controlling the midfield, slotting passes where needed.

I found it amusing that Mexican-American players were found to play for Mexico. The assumption being that they weren't good enough to play for the US.  However, I have a hard time believing that one or two of those players aren't even worth a call up for a friendly or two.

I blame several factors. The reliance on colleges to find players for the pool will always filter a group to upper and upper middle class citizens. Nepotism plays a role as well. It's easiest to stick with what's familiar. I also blame US Soccer for not going out and doing the work to find these players. It effects both the women and the men. The whole organization needs to be more creative. It's gonna end up keeping soccer stagnant in this country. Time to evolve.

Much better...

...but still not good enough to win the Cup. It's funny when you can't finish when you're 3 up on Colombia, but it won't be so funny when it's 0-0 or you're one down against Brazil or Norway. Abby, you need to get your head on straight, and you need to do it now. You can't rely on just out muscling teams in the knockout rounds.

Y KANT JOHNNY/JANE SCORE?

After watching the women take on Mexico in their WWC send off friendly, and last night's USMNT debacle against Panama, I've fucking had it with these teams not being able to put away their opponents.

Let's start with the women, they did everything but score until Cheney saved them with a blast from the goddesses. They're not ready for the World Cup, and they need to be a lot cooler in front of the net if they're going make their way through the knockout rounds. If they expect Abby to provide the goals, they're in trouble. She's a holding forward now. She's good for heading set pieces, and for laying the ball off to speedy, clinical forwards to slot the ball home. She's not fast enough or good enough with the ball at her feet to do anything else. Let's hope someone steps up for the women to be that stone cold finisher. Can someone tell me what happened to Sydney Leroux, and why she isn't on this team?

The men...fuck...the men are in piss poor shape. I wasn't happy with Bob Bradley's re-up after South Africa, but I was willing to give him a chance. His teams don't come to tournaments ready to play. This learning as you go shit has to end, and that's Bob's fault. I'm tired of the US figuring out how to attack after they've put themselves in a hole. It's gotten stale, and it's time for a change. Short of a miracle win against an on fire, in form Mexico (+13 goal differential in 3 games!!! Are you fucking kidding me?) in the final. I think Bob's gone after this tournament. They need new blood. The forwards aren't getting shit for service. The midfield is too unsettled, and the defense is just too green. Do it now before World Cup qualifying. Please.

The die is cast (part 2)

Two beautiful goals. More of that please. Abby's looking dangerous as a presence in the box. Japan wasn't really that strong I'm sad to say.
The foundation is there. They do need to build up if they want to get that third star over their crest. They've got several weeks to do it.

The die is cast

I think the US headed for a letdown at the Women's World Cup. I just don't see the quickness of thought and speed on the ball needed to get to the final. Let me watch this friendly against Japan. Hopefully, they'll prove me wrong.

More tomorrow...

Quick shots

Well done, Quakes. You went much further than I thought you would. A few more offensive tweaks, don't overdo it, could bring greater results for San Jose.
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It was so nice to see the US ping the ball around instead of route 1 over the midfield. Breathtaking goal too. The youngsters have got some game. I've got some hope. Bradley, make the vets compete against the young'uns. They need that inspiration...including your boy.
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C'MON YOU ZIPS!!! BRING HOME THE CUP!!!
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Congrats to Mexico beating the USWNT. It's a good wake-up call for that team. Italy's gonna get stomped, though.
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Sporting KC? C'mon, man! At least Athletico KC or (the) Kansas City Athletic(s) would've had a nod to past history. Wiz and Wizards wasn't great, but it doesn't drip of pretentiousness like "Sporting" for an American team. Kinda like Real Salt Lake.
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R.I.P. FC Gold Pride. Possibly the best women's soccer team on the planet. I long for the day when people get over their bias about women's soccer and women's sports in general. Look for something to love in those games instead of something to criticize. Thanks for for bringing another soccer title to the Bay Area.

10 years ago today

I was getting one of the worse sunburns of my life, and the famous ending took place on the other side of the field.

However, I wouldn't trade the experience of being there live for anything.