Women's Soccer (Football) Thread Soccer • Page 13

"I'm a white, heterosexual, male so I know that colors everything and the privilege I grew up in. But for everything in this country that divides us, the anthem remains as one of the few very unifying things we have left. I don't want to lose that, especially representing the US. I respect why she's doing it, and racism is a very important topic of discussion. But if she was my teammate, I would ask her to do it in the locker room to let the rest of us stand in unity. It's disrespectful for the country you're representing and disrespectful to your teammates." (my rough version from memory)

Yeah, telling someone to leave the conversation is a bit rough with implications, for sure, but that's no reason to ignore the rest of what he's saying.

I think that it's a tough balance between club/country. Obama himself said Kaep was exercising his constitutional right but also said it's messy (I agree with him, and what Kaep's protesting, and that a peaceful protest is what people have been wanting so why are they upset?)... and he's representing a "club" so to speak. But this would be more akin to a US gold medalist kneeling during the anthem. It just has never happened. As long as she's playing well, nothing else should really matter, but we all know it will and I would argue it doesn't further the conversation in a good direction at all. Grant Wahl led a research team and not a single person has protested during the anthem ever in soccer. It's a sacred tradition of the international game. I do think that's worth preserving. Which is why I think not having her start so she can kneel, but not be in the spotlight of being on the pitch is a safe "midways" point.

 

May just be me, but I don't find this disrespectful. But I'm sure they did at the time. Idk.

 

Yes, the song that celebrates slave death in a part we don't sing, written by a slave owner. Extremely unifying.

 

Reading her quotes about it, she has really thought about her decision to do this. Of course, doing it on international stage is much different than at the club level but I support her doing it.

“Being a gay American, I know what it means to look at the flag and not have it protect all of your liberties. It was something small that I could do and something that I plan to keep doing in the future and hopefully spark some meaningful conversation around it. It’s important to have white people stand in support of people of color on this. We don’t need to be the leading voice, of course, but standing in support of them is something that’s really powerful.”

ASN article: Megan Rapinoe Kneels For Anthem at NWSL Match

 

As that isn't the part that's sung by large crowds at many sporting events, I wouldn't say it's entirely relevant to the unity discussion. I'd wager close to 85% of the country didn't realize there were more verses. I only knew in college because of my American Lit class. I was 21 years old when I learned. You as well as anyone should know how unifying the anthem is at a USMNT. We were there together.

That unsung part is repugnant, I'm not masking that. But to claim singing that first, insanely well-known verse isn't unifying seems to defy the American sporting experience.

Definitely support her and Kaep. And I'm glad they've thought through it. You definitely need to before opening yourself up to the hate machine. I just think there needs to be consideration to protect her from it in this case, especially as it's a friendly. It's not a must-win game, so her not starting (I'd argue based on current performances she shouldn't be starting anyways, but in form she's the best we've got in her position by far) isn't some set-back.

Or maybe the public outcry will have stopped by then and it won't be an issue. I'd love for that to be the case, I just don't think it will be the case.

 

The national anthem is not a central part of my sports experience, and I certainly don't think its as unifying as you do when you could be ostracized and put under the microscope for not paying proper respect to it.

Not to mention the practice of the anthem before every game can be seen as a remnant of cold war propaganda and proving how American one is.

 

I didn't know about it then and I'm not so sure I would have taken part or felt the same way about that particular moment.

Unification over the gross history of this country doesn't mean much to me, though it does--sadly--seem particularly American.

 

I've been seeing this idea lately that people have no issue with protest, so long as it's done the way they want it to be done. This almost always boils down to making the protest as non-disruptive - and ineffective, by proxy - as humanly possible.

Protest is only effective when it is uncomfortable. Even peaceful protest is an attack and a critique of the status quo. If it happens behind closed doors and on non-public stages, in forgotten forums and formats, it does nothing. It may as well never happen. To take something people hold sacred - the national anthem - and to refuse to honor it in the very arena where it is usually lauded without question, is a poignant and important form of protest.

"The land of the free". What does that mean? A black man and a gay woman have never been who that lyric was about. We may be getting closer, but there are still miles to go before we sleep. There is nothing more freeing than speaking and living your truth. That is what these protests encompass. Where some feel their tradition being attacked, I see the first vestiges of a real kind of solidarity I hope Americans can find. Not in who we were, or even who we are, but in who we could be. Accountability and owning the inherent darkness in our anthem, in our flag, and in our history is an important part of that. Maintaining or demanding silence - or working to diminish visibility - makes us complicit.

"The home of the brave". There is nothing more brave than exercising the 1st amendment with so much at stake in such a public forum, knowing what the outcry would be. If we believe in those words, there is no choice but to support that bravery. Tradition is a shield atrocities and oppression have hidden behind since recorded history began, and probably before that. The only traditions I want to see upheld - or, more accurately, established beyond lip service - are freedom and bravery. There is nothing brave about asking your fellow citizen whose lack of freedom has made their very existence braver than you have ever had to be to tell their truth where nobody can see it.

Or maybe not. All I know is, that's the America I hope I live long enough to see.

Carry on.

 

Washington Spirit kept the players in the locker room while they played the national anthem to stop Rapinoe from kneeling during the anthem again.........

 

absolutely garbage

 

apparently the league commish was at the game and wasn't too thrilled about the move.

also interview with Megan here:

Megan Rapinoe: ‘It’s [expletive] unbelievable. Saddened by it’

most notably:

 

She plans on kneeling while wearing a U.S. jersey, geeeeeez louise.

 

I know, right? Taking a stand for what she believes in. In America. The sheer audacity!

 

Of course you let the whole post fly over your head. It's okay. I won't hold it against you

 

Hey! Instead of watching football on Sunday you guys should watch the NWSL game that's being broadcast on FS1 at 9:30 pm EST. It's the Portland Thorns vs. the Western New York Flash. They're the 2nd and 3rd place teams in the league, respectively; Portland's tied for 1st in goals allowed, WNY is in first for goals scored. It should be a really good game!

k thanks!

 

I'm not ready for HAO's last game tomorrow night, it's going to make me so sad. I really hope she gets to play the full 90.

Also, Morgan Brian is out with concussion-like symptoms and Pugh is staying with U-20 team so she won't play in either of the the friendlies this week.

 

A great article from HAO ahead of tonight's game.
The Best Team I've Ever Known | By Heather O'Reilly

There are also countless messages from her teammates out there today but Sam Mewis's is fantastic.
HAO: The Ultimate Teammate

 

Just back England's win over Estonia. We rushed into a 3-0 lead in the opening 20 minutes but took the foot off the gas after that. I was impressed by how comfortable we were in possession throughout the night and even when we lost the ball we worked hard to regain possession almost instantly. A very comfortable 5-0 win in the end.

The real challenge for us will be in Belgium on Tuesday after we only managed a draw at home to them.

 

I managed to catch the second half of that game but the stream was pretty crappy so I didn't actually do much watching lol. Hoping to catch Tuesday's though.

England has a really great squad and I'll be really interested to see how they do in the Euro's and the next World Cup. It's such a bummer that they weren't able to compete in the Olympics but hopefully they get that stuff figured out and will be to go to Tokyo.

 

We did brilliantly to finish 3rd at the World Cup. There's real expectations on us for the Euros. Genuinely thought we'd be seeing and England vs USA final at the World Cup before Bassetts devastating own goal.

I really think we'll be able to go all the way next year and win the European championships.

As for the Olympics, womens football isn't as popular as in the other three countries so I'm not sure if Team GB would just be the England squad. I think the main issue was that the FAs wouldn't work together to form a joint men's team. For me the solution is simple, send the English women and the Welsh men.

 

all the emotions for HAO

 

An HAO assist putting the nasty on a defender to start the game. Couldn't really ask for more, but she better score.

 

Press! Poor Thailand.


HAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Tobin did them dirty with those tekkers