I feel the need if not the borderline obligation to make this trip to ensure by testing that all the Frozen Margarita machines in that country are working flawlessly before WWC 2023. If not, just think of the sleepless nights in the interim……….just not knowing.
New Zealand trip confirmed by USSF with dates of the matches and stadiums announced: 𝙉𝙀𝙒 𝙔𝙀𝘼𝙍, 𝙉𝙀𝙒 𝙕𝙀𝘼𝙇𝘼𝙉𝘿🇳🇿 New Zealand vs USA 🇺🇸📆 January 17📍 Sky Stadium🇳🇿 New Zealand vs USA 🇺🇸📆 January 20📍 Eden Park— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) November 2, 2022 EDIT to add: Sky Stadium is in Wellington and is where the US will face the Netherlands in the 2nd group stage match in the WWC 2023. Eden Park is in Auckland and is the stadium where the US will play their opening match (vs Vietnam) and the 3rd group stage match.
Bad news for the USWNT: https://www.uefa.com/insideuefa/new...new-women-s-national-team-competition-system/ , UEFA teams will play even fewer friendlies with none possible in the second half of 2023
The USWNTPA hosted the Players' Ball for current and former players to celebrate equal pay and the signing of the CBA, and Ashlyn Harris announced her retirement from professional soccer there. Hopefully this works - Ashlyn’s speech in three parts. 1/3 #uswnt pic.twitter.com/EtvpGwL9Sc— Meg Linehan (@itsmeglinehan) November 15, 2022 There's been some superlative awards, such as Sauerbrunn for Most Supportive Teammate and Naeher for Most Under-appreciated (she wouldn't go up to the stage to accept the award). I think they're having a good time: Things have escalated 😂 pic.twitter.com/21GxSO2j2U— NJ/NY Gotham FC (@GothamFC) November 15, 2022
Jill Ellis elected to the US Soccer Hall of Fame: From daughter to mom 💙Lily Stephenson-Ellis swung by the Wave FC holiday party to deliver a special announcement. pic.twitter.com/c60kHECx4w— San Diego Wave FC (@sandiegowavefc) December 1, 2022
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/footbal...cant-build-future-womens-football-friendlies/ How will this affect the future of the USWNT?.
I realize this has more to do with the MWC in Qatar, but Grant was a legend in the soccer journalism world and did a ton for woso as well: 1601286478234910720 is not a valid tweet id Shocked and saddened definitely describe how I feel, but don't do quite enough. I do hope there is an investigation.
Whoops, I mistakenly copied and pasted the previous tweet again, and it's too late to edit. It should have been this one: NPR can confirm the death of longtime soccer sportswriter Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl). He died today in Doha, Qatar while covering the Argentina-Netherlands World Cup quarterfinal. Story to come.— Russell Lewis (@rdlewis) December 10, 2022 It's being followed by tons of condolence statements from American soccer folks and teams, including the NWSL and some USWNT players. But I was coming back here to say that there's lots of speculation going on. The social media hypotheses so far: 1. Grant Wahl had protested (worn a rainbow shirt) and been detained earlier in Doha. He also had written about human rights abuses in Qatar; just yesterday he had written about the Qatari apathy towards a recent migrant death. Some, including his brother who said he had received death threats recently, thus suspect foul play. 2. Grant was sick earlier this week with bronchitis. It may have been somehow tied to that. 3. There's also antivaxxers in Twitter threads asking if he was vaxxed, because of course.... In any case, it is a tragedy.
Absolutely. For those not from the US, just for context, Grant was a HUGE part of the growth of soccer in the United States. He had been covering soccer in the US since the mid-1990s and had covered most of the World Cups since then (both men's and women's), mostly with Sports Illustrated. Plus, back in the day, he used to post here on BS. His presence was large on the American soccer scene. If you've been a fan of American soccer for any length of time, you knew who he was. Really, my deepest condolences to his family and friends and all his colleagues in the American soccer journalism world. I know how I feel just as a fan, so I can't imagine what they're going through with such a shock.
It's hard to believe he was live tweeting the Argentina match several hours ago and is now dead. Supposedly a heart attack possibly complicated from pneumonia or whatever he was recovering from. I don't know if I exactly buy it but I'll let the investigation run its course.
He collapsed in the press box during overtime, so yes, it's surreal that you can go back and see his tweets and Instagram posts from just before his collapse. I think it's possible that there was foul play involved, but it's much more likely that it was natural causes. But, with his wife's connections and background (she's an epidemiologist and was on Biden's transitional COVID taskforce), I have no doubt that there will be strong pressure for a thorough investigation into the cause of death. Honestly, this is just somehow hitting me personally, even though I didn't know him. I guess its partly because I started avidly following soccer on the national stage at about the same time as he started covering it. Plus, I've read and listened to so much of his work, and he's only a few years older than me. Also for those of us long-time American soccer fans, it just feels like he was one of us.
I was of course aware of who Grant Wahl was, but I didn't know he used to post on BigSoccer: do you know what his nickname was here? I wouldn't mind going back reading some of his posts.
I wasn't here then, but according to a Supermod in another thread, it was under his own name and mostly in the men's forums. But, that would have been early 2000s, and I don't think you can find them after the many crashes between now and then. I think a lot of MLS insiders in the earlier years were well aware of BigSoccer; even Bruce Arena admitted to finding info on CONCACAF opponents from BS back then.
Not mentioned so far is how much Grant Wahl wrote in support of women’s soccer. I first learned of him when the University of Portland women were in their prime and he wrote about them and their fan support. His support of women’s soccer will be really missed.
Same feelings here. I'm still in disbelief that his voice is just gone now. He really was the driving force for US soccer news and US soccer culture in general.
I met him in the press boxes during the WWC 19. Such a nice and friendly person and he really championed women's football to the max.
The outpouring of tweets from fellow journalists, players, and all types of people in the soccer space and beyond are all repeating the same refrain of how he was a genuinely kind and helpful person. This is just one of the examples: #FutbolAmericas tribute to Grant Wahl RIP @GrantWahl 🙏🏼 https://t.co/IuNzaBG7Kn pic.twitter.com/xEzvvWSbJp— herculez gomez (@herculezg) December 11, 2022 That's a life well lived, even if it ended way too soon.
In happier news, it looks like yesterday Mal Pugh married Dansby Swanson, who plays for the Atlanta Braves. I saw posts from some of her Red Stars teammates who were in attendance. I guess we'll wait to see which name she chooses to play with on the back of her jersey.
Sounds like the perfect reason to get an "updated" Mal jersey.......although I never run out of reasons.