Well Mrs. Garciapparra has finally said that this will be her last WWC... http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=ap-hamm-worldcup&prov=ap&type=lgns
Some observations about this article are in order. First, the "91ers" are sports heroes. Other than Hamm, they've played for years at personal financial sacrifice. These 91ers and Akers and Overbeck did wonders to build the world's greatest game in the world's greatest country. But, let's be honest. The article is unfortunately too glowing in its description of the marketing cache of the 91ers, save Hamm. I wish all of the 91ers had widespread name recognition. But the reality is they don't. Even Chastain, the only person ever to make the cover of Time, Newsweek, SI and People the same week, is not a household name. If you want to test it, just talk to general sports fans and ask them to name the player whose penalty kick won WWC '99. See how many of them just assume that it was Mia Hamm who (a) took the last kick and (b) took her jersey off after converting it. Those of us who know the game know that Hamm does neither. The article's statement that Fawcett and Lilly have widespread first name recognition is, sadly, a joke. I wish Fawcett in particular did have it. She was the unsung hero of WWC '99, a player who is always fun to watch and a genuine role model for soccer moms. But honesty compels me to note that she does not have widespread first name recognition. The "jersey-ripping" reference is also unfair. Only one player took off her jersey, and anyone who knew of Chastain before WWC '99 should have been able to predict her reaction to scoring the winning penalty kick (I predicted it right after the Germany game). The 40 million who tuned in to watch the final, though, had no idea that was coming. They tuned in to watch great teams play a great sport at the highest level in passionate circumstances. They tuned in because the Splendid Seven (Akers, Overbeck and the 91ers) worked so long and hard and successfully to convince this country's sports fans (mostly men) that the USWNT was worth watching. They promised us great play, delivered and earned their wide audience. Shoehorning the 91ers and the others who play in the WUSA into a sub-marketing niche excessively focused on appealing to 12-18 year old girls has deprived the league and its players of the widespread marketing capability America's women soccer players can deliver, to the detriment of the sport and those who want to be its fans. I hope the USA wins this World Cup so the non-Hamm pioneers get some measure of name recognition. They deserve it for what they've done for soccer in America. Only in America can we attribute soccer becoming a national sport to the success of our women's team. If this isn't America's ideals being actualized at their best, what is? The "91ers" deserve massive credit for this.
Awe-Inspiring is right... the 91ers are unsung heroes in that they basically paved the way for the '99 event, and women's soccer. The conditions the 91ers endured during the early days would be considered appalling by today's standards yet they persevered for the love of the game. Today the young players entering the WUSA have the 91ers to thank, as well as the 99ers (whom deserve credit as well). But unfortunately, outside of those who played in the '99 Cup, many of those players' names (from the 91 team) have been long forgotten.
Trayster, Thanks for the insight. If you want further proof that Fawcett is not a household name, in "Bend It Like Beckham", when Juliette searches for an example to give her mother of a woman who plays soccer, marries and has kids (and keeps playing), the obvious reference would be world champion Joy Fawcett. Instead, she cites a Brit probably unknown even to her mother. But lack of name recognition hardly means lack of accomplishment. I have been toying with the idea of writing a book about how the 91ers brought passion to American soccer and along the way became genuine heroes. They are living proof that in America you can dream a dream and live it even if nobody like you has ever done it. Anyone think such a book would resonate?
Based on the games I've seen. (Not many Pax once a week) I'd say Raveia would be someone to consider. She's tall and strong, my god, it sounded (sounded you could hear the crunch on TV and also looked) like the C-rays player broke her nose so she stuffed it with kleenex and kept playing. She's also good in the air, she won the header and then got her nose broken. She also blocked two or three chances by the Rays when they got by Webber. There was a ball bounced off her arm that was tucked into her body which was correctly not whistled much to the dismay of Anson and Beth...........
Her Power teammate Shannon Boxx needs to be called into every camp as well. I'm not a big fan of the Power (or when she was on the Spirit), but after watching their games on the various RSN's and PAX this season...the Boxx/Raveia combo has certainly impressed me. Not a carbon copy of Espeseth but they definately bring some "bite" to the defense.
I have been a fan of Raveia from her college days and when she played with the Hampton Roads Piranhas. She should certainly receive attention as the changing guard takes place.
Aside from the usual diatribes (those are starting to get pathetic ) about how the vets control the team or April's lack of intelligence and obvious homerisms... Can someone perhaps RATIONALLY take a stab as to why Shannon Boxx is not on the USWNT? I know she impressed the San Diego folks while she was on their team, but after seeing her in action with the Power this season...I have been nothing short of floored by her performance in all the televised games. Strong, tenacious, fearless....a damn good replacement for Espeseth. Are there things that these untrained eyes are not seeing as to why she is not on the USWNT?
Shannon Boxx to the Nats. Shannon Boxx to the Nats- I've been reading a number of frankly alarmist posts referring to the recent performance of the USWNT against Brazil. Let's face it -we shouldn't panic (in even if we were panicked and we're not we don't have sufficient time or the need to make wholesale changes). I would suggest just one change, add Shannon Boxx to the midfield. She is clearly the best Defensive Midfielder in the WUSA. An absolute human stop sign for oppossing forwards in the middle of the park. Since Michelle Akers has retired we've lacked a strong defensive prescence in midfield. Roberts and Fair don't have the physical and tempermental edge of a true ball winning midfielder. Foudy is an attacking midfilelder not a ball winner. So lets think outside the Box and put in Shannon Boxx!
We are talking about the defensive center mid position. The only position Alys ever played is offensive center mid.
Can I say amen to that?! Shannon's got it both coming and going. Her performance last Saturday showed not only what a defensive powerhouse she is, but man, if she didn't come thiiiiiiiiiiis close to having a hat trick... pinging it off the crossbar and posts several times and with amazing power. Aly Wagner doesn't even come close to being the type of player Akers was. Shannon on the other hand... She's big, she's strong and has a hell of a presence on the field. Wagner is a fine playmaking mid, but I can't imagine anyone being "afraid" of her. I sure as hell can imagine them being afraid of Boxx! LOL! Now if only Ape would wake up and call her up.
I do not understand why April hangs onto both Fair and Roberts. Neither one is really capable of playing the defensive mid spot. I agree that they need someone with a physical presense and perhaps Boxx is one possibility. She certainly is big, strong and athletic but I have never been inpressed by her technical play. But then neither Fair nor Roberts are that technical either. The Nats certainly could use a true defensive mid but there are not too many Akers around. Wagner will never be an intimidating Defensive Mid, that is not her job but she does play defense very intelligently which is more than half the battle. Too bad Akers had to age as her defensive presence with Aly in front of her at Attacking mid would have been an unbeatable combination. It would be awesome if April had a true defensive mid now so Wagner could be free to do her magic. We certainly will need her in the WC as was evidenced in the 4 nations tourney, the gold cup and the Algarve cup.
World Cup roster I'm just wondering what it'll be. Has April Heinrichs released it yet? I'm hoping she'll play some of the younger players. Anything that will make us look good. That friendly with Brazil was downright embarrassing.
It has not been set yet. When it has been, you'll find it at USsoccer.com. This article there talks about the line-up some. Still hoping Shannon will be back in time. http://www.ussoccer.com/teams/default.sps?iTeamID=242
Me too. I hear she's being very optimistic about it. They say she can jog around for a little while even. So, hopefully, she'll be there. If not, she'll be very missed.
I don't understand why any of these injured or hurt players are even being considered when you have a whole bunch of healthy (IN SHAPE) players who can easily fill the roster.
The match against Brazil should have been a wake up call for Coach Heinrichs (The weak spring competition -- Ireland, England and a last-minute pickup Canadian side -- may have given us a false sense of security). The coach needs to watch the WUSA form of the US players. If April has been paying attention to WUSA, she would understand there is no justification for keeping Shannon Boxx off this team as defensive midfielder. There is also no justification for leaving Abby Wambach out of the side. My starters would be: GK: Scurry DEFENSE: Slaton - Fawcett - Chastain - Mitts (Slaton and Mitts to generate some offense up the flanks; Chastain can be a threat on free kicks; Fawcett is a smart, tough defender who will do a great job organizing the back line) MIDFIELD: Boxx (DM) Lilly (LM) - Wagner (RM) Hamm (AM/CF) FORWARDS: Wambach - Milbrett Essentially 4-4-2, with the diamond midfield giving Hamm the discretion to join Wambach and Milbrett in the attack. Reserves: Mullinix Reddick Benson Bivens Foudy (EXTREMELY tough decision -- if Aly Wagner doesn't generating enough offense on the right, I'd place Julie there. I remain a believer in Aly, even though she has not yet been dominating in the SD midfield. And I do understand that Aly is really a central midfielder. As an alternative, I wouldn't mind seeing Hamm-Milbrett up front with Wagner in the AM position and Foudy on the right -- but that gives up the height advantage you would get with Wambach or Parlow) Tullock Hawkins Parlow Macmillan (if healthy -- if only for free kicks -- very dangerous) This roster and lineup maintains the presence of veterans who know how to win a World Cup yet provides greater pace and dynamism on the wings. I also like the idea of having some of the veterans in reserve as 60th minute supersubs. It gives April the option of changing the team's look and confounding the opposition, which should have much less depth than the US. Difficult omissions: Fotop, if healthy -- I'd still place her third, behind Wambach and Parlow, of these very similar type players. O'Reilly -- The US has enough finishers that Heather should be allowed to focus on her full recovery and then take a key role in the Olympic team at Athens. Not-so-difficult omissions: Lorrie Fair -- Has not played well in WUSA this year, albeit with a depleted Charge side. Angela Hucles -- I would take Jena Kluegel from Boston before Angela. Lindsey Tarpley and the rest of the UNC roster -- With the exception of Reddick, whose has played so much with the Nats, I don't think any of the college player are really ready for the WWC. The level of competition in WUSA has, I think, really raised the game of the pro players to a point where few collegians can match them.
An update on O'Reilly -- She just got off crutches but is walking around with a boot on her leg. She said there is still a possibility she can make the World Cup team, but it is very slim because she had some unexpected surgery on a ligament in her ankle that happened at the time of the break. She said it all depends on how long April waits to announce the final roster.
If April is planning on taking four forwards, why is Cindy counted as one? Hasn't April been playing her in midfield with the idea of Cindy holding the ball, getting it forward, and still being a target with her height? I'd say count Cindy as a midfielder and take Mia, Milbrett, Shannon and Abby all as the four forwards. And let Heather have a chance too if she's healthy and fit. If she takes all of these girls she has some versitility as Mia, Shannon, and Cindy all can play well as midfielders or forwards and are all three VERY dangerous on set pieces. Take them all and especially don't leave out Abby for goodness sakes.
If you're looking at WUSA form, Millie shouldn't be starting under your criteria. I think we all can agree that she isn't playing her best ball right now (wait, this is BigSoccer...) I think Abby should be on the team and get PT. Abby and Mia seem to really click and I think the Nats could really benefit from it. As for your back line of Slaton--Fawcett--Chastain--Mitts, neither Slaton nor Mitts are 100%. I'm a Slaton fan but I don't think she's 90 min fit. I've never been a Mitts fan (at least not for the Nat'l team) and she, too, is just coming back from injury and needs to get 90 min fit. I think Boxx should have gotten a look but it may be too late now.