The question is why is April constantly bringing in new people? Is it so the players will have new meat to play against or as protection if any of the biggies get tired of her crap and raise a commotion? I have heard there is civil unrest because AH is worse than a Marine Drill Sargeant. I had a friend who watched some practices and said the players did not seem happy coming off the field. Has any one else seen this in person? GB out........
From a conversation I had with my Mormon neighbor a while back, he said that even among the Mormons, it was not widely known that a woman could, in fact, serve on a mission. While the Church encourages their women to get married and bear children, Mormon women can apply to go on a mission when they reach 21 years of age, provided that they’re unmarried and have no children.
Cramer was already a known commodity under DiCicco’s regime. Cramer was playing for the U16s under Ape – who worked for DiCicco. Cramer was way better than the rest of the ‘82s, and played “up” with the U21s. Cramer also outperformed & outgrew the U21s. The next step was the senior squad; Cramer earned her spot by outperforming some of the senior hopefuls. To anyone who’s seen Cramer play her way up the youth ranks, it was no controversy that Cramer played her way “up” to the senior squad. Cramer was being groomed for the d-mid position. After Akers retired, Ape had a three-year audition for that spot that featured Foudy, Fair, Hucles, among others. Cramer seemed to be the best of the bunch, then she retired from international duty. Ape’s search didn’t stop until Boxx emerged.
Indeed, it was the infinite wisdom of Ape & the USSF that prevailed in this episode. If Cramer told Ape that she wanted to play again, Ape & the USSF could not deny Cramer that opportunity. To deny Cramer the opportunity to try out would have been un-Constitutional. To deny Cramer the opportunity to try out would have violated Cramer’s First Amendment rights, specifically, by the USSF imposing [petty] consequences for Cramer’s [action] for holding certain beliefs. In this case, Cramer’s religious beliefs. It would have been easy enough for Ape to have Cramer go through the tryout & tell her afterwards that, based on the results of that tryout, she wasn’t good enough. But that didn’t happen. Perhaps once again, Cramer earned her stripes. I am not surprised that, after holding a tryout, Cramer made the grade. In any event, the selection process for the Olympics is too far along for Cramer to squeak her way into the final lineup. If one looks at the issue(s) objectively, the hostility against Cramer, her actions, & Ape’s decision to bring her back, is without merit. To deny Cramer the opportunity to try out would have been petty, mean, and most of all, un-Constitutional. I would not have been surprised if, by denying Cramer the opportunity to even try out with the team, that this incident would have made its way to Federal Court. And a big black eye for the USSF & women’s soccer. Ape & the USSF were justified in their actions. Ape probably liked what Cramer could bring to practices, & the USSF inked Cramer to a contract. It’s a win-win situation for all parties concerned, & I’d like to think Cramer, Ape, & the USSF are happy with how things worked out.
Are you implying that because Rose may wish to play with the WNT again all she had to do was TELL them and they were legally required to give her a tryout? I'm confused!!!! There is no constitutional basis whatsoever for the WNT to give Rose an opportunity to again make the team. Think Debbie Keller. Now, they may WANT to give Rose another tryout, which is what they are doing (btw - I believe she's in as a "guest" player at this time, not as a contract player). There have been plenty of players over the years who have removed themselves from the WNT scene. Once they do that it is harder to work their way back in due to the fact this level of play requires not just the skills but the mental attitude to go with it. If that's missing, hang it up. I think Rose was a great player, and she may still be, but it remains to be seen whether she is now, or can be, back up to speed both physically and mentally.
Yay!!!! My girl Lorrie Fair has been called into camp! http://www.womensoccer.com/refs/usteamnews/ust-fairback_24may04.html
I think your reaching. There is absolutly no indication that Cramer has "earned her stripes or made the grade" or that she's even being concidered for a spot. At this point all we know is she's there to train. Most likely just there as an extra body. Are you kidding me? Unconstitutional? Cramer made the choice to quit. Her religion didn't prohibit her playing on sunday. It encouraged her not to. and you know what she did play on sunday quite a few times. She just didn't want to anymore. Is all this just your conjecture or do you actually know Cramer called April and the USSF decided it was "the right thing to do"?
I guess I'll just post this in here... http://www.ussoccer.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=66627 I kinda have the feeling it's gonna a "throw-em-a-bone" roster...ie some of the significant non-Greece players will get named to it.
Good to see Lorrie Fair get another look. I know a lot of people hate her, but she has more talent than some of the other players in camp. It's probably too late to make a come back in time for the Oly's, but she provides a lot of hustle and tenacity in winning balls back. Where she does need to improve is making the decision of what to do after she has made the hard fought defensive play. If she improves in that area, she could be a very useful player, on D or in the midfield. She had a great 2000 Olympics, especially the final, and assuming she doesn't make this Oly team, I hope Ape (or whoever the new coach is), brings her back into the mix. By the way, is ESPN dropping her from the MLS broadcasts or what?
No, She, like so many others, have written into their contracts clauses for the NT or the WUSA. She does so much more than just when she is on TV for the MLS broadcasts, and is definately missed
Why would April do that? I think she should have picked her roster a long time ago and these friendlies should be "team building" games. To try out a "B team" at this point would be dumb. That said, I hope MacMillan gets to play...if fit, she should be in Athens.
Looks like Michelle French may have had an opportunity to train with the team... http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/othersports/175987_where02.html
According to the rules and stuff for the Olys...the 18 players plus 4 alternates must be turned in by midnight Athens time on July 21st. The US plays Australia at 5pm my time on that day...what time is that in Athens? I wonder if April is gonna wait till after that match (if it works out logistically time-wise) to name her Oly roster or if she will submit the final roster prior to that match.
FearM9, Let's see, by my calculations, midnight in Athens would be about 5 PM EDT. So, she would probably not have time to play the game and then name the team. I just hope she has enough smarts to name the team in time.
Uhhh I'll guess I'll just put this in here... From the San Fran Chronicle: U.S. WOMEN'S TEAM America's transition game Hamm and Co. pass the torch to young blood Michelle Smith, Chronicle Staff Writer
"But I don't measure myself on one result. I don't think you can define a coach's career on one event," The Heinee The world cup and olympics is what every womens coach judges their career by. Using the men's coaches as an example...Sampson's team laid and egg in 98 and Sampson still gets grief for it. Arena's team exceeded expectations in 02 therefore he is praised. Ape came into a situation where she was taking the reins of a dynasty. Coaching the USWNT is like coaching the Brazil men's team. You either win or you failed. If you can't handle that reality and go into a tournament expecting victory, then you are in the wrong line of work. Ape has had an advantage that no other womens coach has had before and may never have again. She inherited a world championship team and ran the women's team during a time when we have a three year window of pro women's soccer in the USA. No other national team had that kind of advantage. Yet the team is still built around the WC 91 talent and is playing worse team ball than in 1999 IMO. Yes April, with all the advantages that have fallen into your lap, we are going to judge you by this tournament. She probably should have been canned after Oly 2000.
Well....BChaz didn't play in the Blaine festival cuz of a foot injury...and this weekend at Home Depot she will not be playing for the CheetoRays and will be one of the sideline reporters for both matches... Any word on the seriousness of her injury? April has to submit her 18+4 roster on July 21st. There are two matches before that...the Canada match on 7/3 and the Australia match on the 21st. Will she be recovered by then? I love BChaz and I'd really love for her to at least be playing as a sub in the second half so that she can be with the rest of the 91ers....but at this point is she too much of a risk to take up a valuable Oly roster spot?
I heard the same blip about Brandi's leg injury, no details. Maybe she shouldn't have been at residency AND playing in the WPSL right now? Could it have been too much training if she wants to play in the Olys? I, too, want to see her play in August, but I don't want her picked, as with any player, if they are injured.
BC reinjured her foot, when someone at practice stepped on it AGAIN!!! I was not lead to believe it was serious but why play when it needs the rest GB out.............