U.S. Soccer to Honor Hope Solo for 200th Cap in San Diego https://www.ussoccer.com/womens-national-team#tab-1 What the H. I mean really What the H. Don't get me wrong, very few players deserve to be honored for their on-field play more than Hope. How did this even come about? Was it kind of..... Hope: I want back on this team D*mn it. Let me back on this team USSOC: It is a beautiful day isn’t it. Hope: I’m no angel but this Organization has always mistreated me USSOC: Name one instance Hope: You have never honored me for my Caps and I want back on this team USSOC: We will honor you for your Caps Hope: I want back on this team USSOC: Do you want the Ceremony or not Hope: Where and when During the Ceremony, will they hand her the mic?!? Holy Moly THAT would be worth the price of admission. During the Match, will ESpiN invite her into the booth for one of those extended interviews/commentary on the Match? No seriously - for ESpiN on that day what is the bigger story/opportunity for them...USA v Denmark -or- Hope Solo is in the House. I know I will have the DVR set for this one. 186 hours and 33 minutes to Kick in San Diego.
Traditionally they don't get to talk...they just get handed flowers and a shirt before the match. I would expect ESPN to have her on at the half either live or something taped.
Just saw Daphne Corboz got called in to NT camp .... unfortunately it was for the French NT. This isn't a rant about Corboz being good enough for USWNT...it's a rant about basing these decisions on parameters instead of actual play. Corboz doesn't look like the typical US midfielder so lets not even bother to look at her. I assume France is more interested in how she plays with the other ladies than how tall she is.
Knowing Hope, she will just grab a mic from the nearest person and start spouting off about something!
Look at the mids Ellis favors - Ertz, Sam Mewis, Horan, Lloyd. All big, imposing, physical players. Corboz does not fit this mold. She is wasting time waiting for a USWNT call-up, so this is a wise move for her. Good timing too as France is rebuilding its midfield almost from scratch right now.
Being a bit of a cynic, I have to wonder if she would have accepted the honor if it wasn't a nice photo op for the campaign
Being maybe more of a cynic on this one, I wonder if she requested the honor as fuel for her campaign and put US Soccer in the position where they couldn't refuse her request because, if they did, it would have looked like denying her an earned honor because they don't want her to have a successful campaign.
And for the counter-argument: she did play with the US U23's; its not like no one in the entire program ever saw her. Plus, as far as height/size, we do have Lavelle, Pugh, and Klingenberg who are all on the shorter or slimmer side. I have to think she was just not considered good enough. Plus, her parents are French. Maybe she just felt that she'd rather play for them, and made that clear to US Soccer. We don't know.
None of the players u mentioned play inside. I believe the US still feels more comfortable with larger central midfielders who r more durable. On a side note, a lot of people believe Colaprico's opportunities have been limited more by her size than the way she plays. Then again maybe Ellis just doesn't like players whose name begins with C.
I agree. Colaprico, I believe, is an in-betweener -- too small to play in the central midfield, too slow to play on the flanks. Of the U.S. team that is.
In more than half of Lavelle's limited caps, she has definitely played inside, and Pugh has played inside a few times as well. But you might be right though and maybe Corboz's biggest liability was not fitting the US prototype for a CM. I was just pointing out that there are other explanations.
In Pugh's or Lavelle's case they may adapt the system if they feel they r a difference maker. If they changed to midfield to a pair of DMs behind either it would compensate a bit. They aren't doing that for Corboz.
I must be a real cynic then as I figured she pledged the votes of her delegates to Kathy Carter to get the tribute.
... maybe because she is not one of the best smaller difference makers we have? lavelle, pugh, and colaprico are definitely better in my eyes, and likely in the coaching staff's eyes as well. the numbers game is kind to bs. it always leaves us players with which we can denigrate the coaches.
Colaprico has gotten a couple camps but no game roster. Pugh & Lavelle have been used almost exclusively wide...if they were being tried in central midfield u could write this off as people like Corboz just being well down the pecking order. The only player who has been brought in and worthy of a look in the midfield since 2014 is Sullivan. I guess that tells me r midfield is really good.
Just noticed that the Scheduling Gods were not nice to the Ertz household. While the eyes of the World will be focused on SDCCU Stadium in San Diego starting at 4:30 (PT), Julie's Husband will be playing in a relevantly meaningless NFL Playoff Game starting at 3:40 (PT).
That's my Eagles playing in that meaningless NFL game!!! Sorry WNT, but you're going to have to wait.
<Edit> While the eyes of the World minus Millennium will be focused on SDCCU Stadium. Good luck to Julie's Husband and you too Mill.
...was just responding to your own post #37 about how they might accommodate for pugh/lavelle in midfield but not for corboz.
Tierna Davidson is still with the senior team and is not joining the U20s until after the Denmark game. NEWS: @tierna_davidson to join U-20 #USWNT at #CU20W after our match vs. Denmark. Details » https://t.co/A8NZlsRJSo pic.twitter.com/IgvdcaOaTa— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) January 19, 2018
THEY HAVE RETURNED!!! The mostest, awesomest Team on the Planet will once again take the pitch tomorrow. Sunday, San Diego, CA at 4:30 (PT), 7:30 (ET) vs. the Danes….ESPN has the coverage. Match conditions looks like 61, sunny and winds at 7 mph. 69 days between USWNT Matches is the textbook definition of cruel and unusual punishment as prohibited by the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution. - - 42 hours and 28 minutes to Kick my little soccer buddies. The Journey with these Women, with this Team will always….be….GLORIOUS STRONG ALONE UNSTOPPABLE TOGETHER
Well, if Davidson gets in the Denmark game, it'll certainly be more challenging than the group stage matches for the U20 team and theoretically better for her development. Camp itself is also more challenging than the U20 games. However, if she doesn't even make the game day roster, then I think she should have joined the U20s where she can be playing in games.
Like everything else in this small blue world it's about Ellis missing the bigger picture. Why was Davidson brought into this camp when the 20s just had a camp and would be heading to WCQ during the NT camp? Absolutely no reason. Im sure Ellis will say her plan was to release Davidson early but that got muddled when Sauerbrunn needed rest for an injury. Truth is it was muddled the minute Ellis thought of it. Now I don't think for a minute Davidson effects whether the 20s make their WC. Even a pedestrian performance seems to get them the top three spot they would need. This is about letting development run its course. While Davidson certainly gets a lot from NT camp at an individual level, it comes at the expense of the 20s down the road. They need to build chemistry and develop together as a team not have player parachute in from other gigs. This is one of the few opportunities the 20s get to jell and its derailed at least in a small way so Ellis can plan her bench for a tournament 18 month down the road.