I agree. Which I could live with. At least Heather is one of the better players in her sport. Unlike Anna WhatsHerFace. For advertisers femininity is the key. Had Brandy been less attractive and personable, there is no way she would have gotten the attention and endorsements that she did. There would have been some ‘Oh good for her coverage' but that would have been it. I am personally glad Brandy got the attention she did. When she ripped of that shirt about 40 million people discovered that a muscular female athlete could also be very attractive. It might have been my imagination, but after Brandy’s moment in the sun, more and more athletic women began appearing on magazine covers and advertisements at the expense of the heroin chic pencil waifs. Not a bad thing for women. As for the People Magazines 50 Most Beautiful People Contest between Abby and Aly, I think it depends on the on field opportunities for heroics and whom the moneymen perceive as being more feminine......And dare I say this.....safely heterosexual. JMO
Given the US loss, I don't think you'll be seeing much of either Aly or Abby in the media. For a sport like women's soccer you need to win to be noticed. Women's tennis is on TV all the time, so there is more recognition. The competition for face time in Athens will be pretty tough too. The World Cup, if it's played in the summer, is the only true media focus capable of lifting a women's soccer player to the national spotlight. In four years time, who knows who will be leading the team.
old boy, you are, unfortunately, probably all too right. With the USA loss, neither Wambach nor Wagner is likely to be a hot commercial property. However, the Olympics can lift soccer's focus. It happened in '96 (true, it was in America, but women's soccer was a first-time sport then). Finally, your question as to who will be leading the team in four years is right on. After all, who had heard of Abby Wambach in 1999?
I suspect much of the mia, foudy regime will be going to Athens... So NBC will go with the older folks to hype... Wagner needs to emerge as a major player. Unfortunately, the current style of this team doesn't suit her well. The big problem was mamillian being hurt. Millbrett being in poor form and heather O'reilly breaking a leg... the ability to threaten defenses with speed up top was largely missing... Heinrichs went with the power approach. largely because she had no other options..
I like 'em both. Abby for her power and will, Aly for her ability to create chances. The right coach with the right system (i.e. a new coach and a new system) can combine the strengths of both players to build a great offense for many years to come. Abby, along with Lilly and Hamm, was one of the three best players on the USWNT in this WWC. Aly was lost in April's scheme. She'll have better tournaments.
Park her behind the forwards - one forward who can hold the ball (a la Wambach & Parlow), one who can move off the ball and find space (a la Hamm or Millbrett), play 2 wingers and have outside backs that can move forward into the offense, give her a solid defensive mid. When in possession keep the ball on the ground, switching direction with runs from the midfield and diagonal runs from midfielders and crossing runs from the forwards. In short, give her the ball, let her see the field, and create mismatches or breakdowns on defense that she can exploit through passing. Just look at what Sweden did to Canada in the 2nd half of their semifinal. And that doesn't just help Aly, but will help any team with a high degree of technical skill and a good dose of speed. The type of team the US is certainly capable of fielding (and fielded in '99).