Photo by Mark Konezny/USA TODAY Sports Images
By CAITLIN MURRAY
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Hope Solo is the best female goalkeeper the United States has ever produced. At least, it is easy to argue that is the case, especially after last week.
Solo broke the U.S. Women’s National Team shutout record, surpassing the previous record of 72 career shutouts in 19 fewer games than goalkeeper Briana Scurry needed. It added some tangible proof to the long-held perception that she is the best goalkeeper to emerge from the U.S. women’s program.
There wasn’t much time spent celebrating her accomplishment because, shortly after Solo broke the mark, she became the target for criticism. The fallout from multiple domestic violence cases involving NFL players soon led to a wave of questions about Solo and why she was being allowed to play for the U.S. considering she was due to stand trial in November for allegedly assaulting her sister and 17-year-old nephew.
Solo’s arrest on June 21 barely registered a ripple, but the Ray Rice scandal and Adrian Peterson’s child abuse charges stirred up a firestorm of criticism aimed at U.S. Soccer for allowing Solo to continue playing before her trial.
In an interview with SBI last week, before the wave of criticism and calls for her to not be allowed to play before her trial, Solo cautioned against passing judgment on her situation without knowing the factual details of her case.
“Nobody knows the truth, nobody knows the facts, people make assumptions,” Solo told SBI last Wednesday. “But at the end of the day I know I can look at myself in the mirror and be proud of the choices I’ve made, the decisions I’ve made and my commitment to this team.
“At the end of the day, the people who really know me are the people that I have to face — and I can face them with loyalty and with a smile. Distractions aside, my one and only focus is the World Cup.”
When the U.S. women head to Canada for the Women’s World Cup next summer, Solo is expected to be there. The national team certainly has capable backup goalkeepers, but the dropoff from Solo to her backups is considerable. If the Americans want to win the World Cup for the first time since 1999, they will need Solo in top form.
They will begin their qualifying campaign on Oct. 15. Little more than a week after they wrap up, Solo will go on trial for two counts of misdemeanor domestic violence on Nov. 4. She could face up to six months in jail.
If convicted, Solo’s sentence could see her incarcerated for the months leading up to the World Cup, and could cost Solo her place on the U.S. team. Despite that uncertain future, Solo is working hard to stay focused on playing and being in Canada for the World Cup next summer.
“My life has been filled with distractions and the one thing that always kept me sane and focused was my competitiveness on the soccer field, my desire and my drive to win,” Solo said when asked about staying focused on soccer. “I still have so much love for the game. I still have so much desire to win that World Cup trophy. Everything else is just chatter, to be honest — it really is.”
In the wake of Solo’s arrest, questions were raised about whether she would be forced to stop playing while she dealt with criminal charges. After sitting out one match around the time of the arrest, Solo was then benched for missing that match. She then went on to finish her season with Seattle Reign FC. Her team enjoyed a dominating regular season in the National Women’s Soccer League, but suffered a stunning loss to FC Kansas City in the final.
Solo has also played in three U.S. women’s matches during that time. The second of those matches, on Sept. 13, saw her set the team’s career shutout record. Last Thursday, Solo wore the captain’s armband in a 4-0 win against Mexico.
The context of her continuing to play changed seemingly overnight, as a groundswell of criticism erupted in the wake of Ray Rice’s suspension for assaulting his now-wife, an assault captured by security video leaked two weeks ago. Shortly after that incident, and Adrian Peterson’s arraignment on child abuse charges, attention turned to Solo and the fact she had been allowed to play while facing her own domestic violence case.
The U.S. Soccer Federation had avoided the topic in the wake of Solo’s arrest, and continued to promote her accomplishments even as a trial loomed in her future. That changed on Monday, when U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati issued a formal statement Monday reaffirming that U.S. Soccer was behind Solo, and would not change that position before her November trial.
“U.S. Soccer takes the issue of domestic violence very seriously. From the beginning, we considered the information available and have taken a deliberate and thoughtful approach regarding Hope Solo’s status with the national team,” Gulati’s statement said. “Based on that information, U.S. Soccer stands by our decision to allow her to participate with the team as the legal process unfolds. If new information becomes available we will carefully consider it.”
For now, Solo will continue to play with the U.S. women through World Cup qualifying, right up until her trial. How that trial goes will ultimately determine whether she spends the first half of 2015 playing soccer or serving jail time.
The NFL has got a lot to lose -Antitrust exemption/non profit status so they enlist dumba$$es like Olberman to pick on the Sport that is gaining in their rear view.
Uh, Olbermann has been on the NFL for most of this month regarding its problems. Oh, I understand. It’s the “Waaa waaa, waaaa! This isn’t faaaaiiir! You can’t go after one of our darlings! Look at all she’s done! Such a goooo rooooole model!”
Lets take a look at what’s she done, off the field, specifically, that night in June.
It was partly Olbermann’s take that got Hope and others to respond finally on the record regarding the incident when they were hiding before now.
At least Mr Gulati admitted the words “domestic violence” and not a private matter. Very big of him to concede what the law has officially charged US Women’s Soccer’s biggest faces and names.
If she takes a plea deal to make this go away at a reduced charge, the Canadian government will need extraordinary reason to allow her entry into Canada for the WC. I expect no favours to be granted, and they should definitely exclude her. Hope, you need real, lasting help. This exit from soccer should give you the time
I initially thought this would end with a plea agreement to a lesser charge without time serve (probation, suspended sentence, what ever it is called), but it had to be something that does not violate the terms of her USSF and endorsements contracts. The environment has changed since June and US soccer and her sponsors may be quicker to take actions to such a guilty plea. Solo may now be forced to go all or nothing route with the trial, with the strategy of enough doubt of what happen to be found not guilty.
You are missing it. She WONT take a plea deal because she believes herself to be completely innocent. If she’s found guilty it will impact her endorsements. The fact that Nike has now gone on record saying they’re monitoring the situation means that they won’t like it if she’s found guilty and goes to jail.
FACT: If the two relatives (eye witnesses on the night of the incident) testify vs her, she will be found guilty. Whether or not she receives prison time would be up to the judge as to the length of time served.
FACT: The minor sounds verrrry credible, as he gave complete and lengthy details of what occurred to the police. The mother, Hope’s sister, will also share her side of what occurred.
FACT: The sister called the police back to her house the next day to fully document for the record ALL of their injuries. Her doctor also stated that it appeared as though she suffered a fractured cheek bone due to a punch to the face. Doesn’t sound like she’s gonna quickly forget what her sister did to her that night.
FACT: Again, what was Hope doing at her sister’s house? She wasn’t invited. Yes, she was mad her husband wouldn’t drive her to airport. So what? She couldn’t have called a taxi to take her to the airport?
Doesn’t make any logical sense.
Per the police report, the sister gave some lengthy details, chronicling quite a bit about her sister and not in a good light. If she takes the stand at the trial, she’ll talk about it and then it’s public.
FACT: The nephew was a MINOR at the time of the incident. In the eyes of the law, that’s a serious matter, he’s a child and his aunt hit him. She won’t win that one.
Nope, not looking good for Hope at all. Not sure she can use the old “it was self defense, he asked to be hit by me.” Especially when the cops arrived she stated on the record that she didn’t hit anybody. And she was very much drunk, which also doesn’t help her case any.
FACT: In the police report, the sister details that she had just reestablished contact with Hope. Hope threatened to punch her in the face several months before, she had been drinking and angry w/her husband. This will all come out in the trial if she testifies vs her. She asked the DA for a no-contact order because, according to the media covering the June preliminary she feared for her safety. That will be very compelling evidence vs Hope because it paints a pattern of DV or at least of physical violence and threatening on her part. The nephew, her son, will testify that he feared for his mother’s safety and that’s usually sympathetic.
Also, there are the visible bruises and injuries that will be entered into evidence. When the cops asked Hope where were her injuries she refused to cooperate. Also, the cops stated that they did not notice any visible injuries on her.
Where did the relatives get those visible injuries? And she claims she didn’t hit anyone at all.
Nope. Not looking very good at all for Hope. Little chance of reasonable doubt especially when one is a minor/a child, and she came over to the sister’s house uninvited and a bit drunk to begin with.
What was she doing there that night? She wasn’t invited. She should’ve called a cab to take her to the airport.
This is the public face of Women’s Soccer and to a great degree, the public face of US Soccer. Awaiting trial for Domestic Violence and one charge vs a minor/ a child.
The media’s handling of this case has been nothing less than appalling. This is just self serving journalism and those responsible for it would be just as happy making a buck at ur expense as they r Hope Solos. From the journalists point of view one of two things must be true. Either this case and domestic violence are not very important, explaining why all these journalists seemed to over look it when it happened back in June…or…it was an important story in June and an important issue and these journalists completely dropped the ball by not covering it then. That they r ready to jump on the bandwagon now that it’s hot topic only proves their ulterior motive.
As to USSoccer, they r involved with Solo in two ways. First Solo has a one year contract with the USSF. Depending on the language of the CBA, the USSF is likely required to keep paying her unless her actions in the matter have breached the conduct clauses in her contract. Secondly, players r called to participate in camps, matches and tournaments. Just because Solo has a contract, the USSF is in no way obligated to bring her into games or put her on rosters. This means that if the USSF had chosen to, they simply wouldnt have called Solo into camps or used her games until the matter was clarified. There was suspension needed. That they chose not to do this to this point has been a business decision. It was also a business decision in the NFL, not some statement of outrage about domestic violence. In the NFL a six game suspension can cost a player millions of dollars. Solo basically made a couple thousand in the two wins over Mexico.
So basically, you’re saying that US Soccer could NOW decide to bench/suspend Solo over this, say, for the WC qualifying tournament? If they so wanted.
Because after all, US Soccer is completely innocent and has no self serving agenda or want to make any money profit at all by playing Solo, knowing that there are bigger crowds to watch her play, and she is their best GK.
But US Soccer could correct the situation right NOW and suspend her at least until her trial concludes and then take further appropriate action vs her if need be.
Thank you.
Stupid, Dont bring up suspending her now that there is a media frenzy on these types of things. This type of pitch fork madness should been done when the incident occurred. For example espn all of a sudden wants to talk about womens usa soccer out of the blue, and police it. NO it doesn’t work like that.
It is staggering how many people claim to know the “facts” of this case. Were you there?
The only things I know for sure are that she got into a fight, and that her half brother claimed to hit her (in self defense…of course, why would he say he started it?) and pull a BB gun on her, and that she was winning the fight at one point.
Who started it? That is ultimately what a jury will have to decide beyond a reasonable doubt or she goes free.
Anyone who thinks this is a slam dunk against her or against US Soccer hasn’t been paying attention.
It is a fairly slam dunk actually. If the two relatives testify vs her and back one another up, well, she could very well be convicted. Now does that mean she’ll get the full 6 months? Pehaps not and then US Soccer will have to decide to actually, you know, take a stand and decide on actual course of punishment suspension etc.
Her half brother?? What the….?? You mean, her half SISTER, right. Her half SISTER wasn’t arguing with her at all. The 17yr old MINOR nephew was talking with her, stating about his acting abiilties and she starts calling him names for no reason. He asks he rto leave she follows him, she throws a punch and tackles him. Then she starts punching her half SISTER who was trying to break it up.
EVIDENCE: A 911 call to be played where the caller STATES BY NAME the person who is beating people and “we need help” now, why would anyone call the cops for help unless you were getting beaten up?
FACT: The sister had all her injuries documented the next day by the police, to make sure it was all on the record of what Solo did to her.
At the initial hearing, the DA requested no alcohol and no contact order. The local media covering the court proceedings that day stated on record that the DA asked for no contact order because the sister feared for her safety. There is actually some more telling details in the police report, and on the record, that hasn’t been fully discussed widely. It will be brought out at the November trial, however to help the DA establish their case.
It doesn’t look good for Solo and it won’t at the trial when many things are made public.
Don’t throw stones…especially since you haven’t read the available police report
Hope Sole got into a fight with her 17 year old nephew and her older sister. Ray Rice knocked his fiancee unconscious. Greg Hardy threw his wife on the floor, in a bathtub, against a futon, on a sofa filled with guns and strangled her. Jonathan Dwyer headbutted his wife, punched her in the face the next day and threw a shoe at their young sun. Putting Hope Solo in that category is a false equivalence from people looking to prove a double standard that does not really exist. And with Hardy and Rice both of those cases have already been handled by a court of law Hope Solo has just been charged. These people are pretending to be morally outraged by an athlete that plays a sport the general public only cares about every few years just so they can take heat off of all these NFL players. Hope Solo could be guilty for what she was accused of but let us wait until a court of law decides these cases.
From reading the police report Solo did not GET “into a fight with her 17 yr. old nephew and her older sister (sic. half-sister).
She attacked her nephew and was beating him up, had him on the floor, and when her half-sister came to his defense Solo then began beating on her half-sister. This was not a fight, it was an attack!
The Ray Rice saga was different. Ray Rice did, in fact, get in a fight with his wife. His wife actually pushed and punched, or slapped, him first. Unfortunately, Ray Rice retaliated by knocking her unconscious.
People should also take the time to read the official police report of the case. She came over to her sister’s house, uninvited and a bit tipsy. The fight escalated that the nephew made weapons out of a bb gun, a mop, a broom to get her off of his mother. There was visible scratch marks, as well as bruises on both of them, one enough to draw blood.
FACT: The next day, a Sunday, the sister called police dispatchers back to the house to fully document the injuries she received. Per Seattle local media’s coverage of the June preliminary hearing on Monday, the DA asked for a no alcohol and a no contact order because the sister feared for her safety (which is also in the police report, that the sister had been afraid of her for some time going back to earlier in the year, etc).
Bottom line. Per the police report, it doesn’t look too good for Hope Solo. Just to state that she’s completely innocent won’t work too well during the trial, especially if the two relatives agree to testify vs her.
For some reason, Solo had decided to skip playing in a WNT game the previous day for whatever reasons. Wonder what they were? To catch up on her drinking? Local Seattle public paid appearances that were deemed more important than a meaningless friendly?
She showed up uninvited and was nearly drunk when she arrived. What was she doing there in the first place?
Nope, doesn’t look good for Solo.
For sure. But when (if) she is convicted and sentenced she will still be able to say with a straight face that she is innocent and that everyone that “really knows her” knows that she would never, could never, do such a bad thing.
Textbook abnormal psych 101.
A couple facts not mentioned above…all three parties were intoxicated including the 17 yo and apparently Solo refused to cooperate with police on the report so most of comes from one side. A key to this is going to be the testimony of third party witnesses and whether the altercation began in the party proper or in a private part of the house.
Now that’s a lie. That is a lie. The police have never ever stated that 17yr old nephew was intoxicated. It was the nephew who called 911. It was the nephew who gave the police all the details for their initial report, so he had to be the most sober of the group, duh, to make sure all the details were written down by the cops.
And, who’s fault is that that she refused to cooperate with police? Hers. If she was soooo injured she initially said, why didn’t she let the cops examine her for bruises. She didnt. If she so cared about getting her side documented, she should’ve cooperated with police, like the relatives who CALLED 911 on her.
FACT: On the 911 call, the voice states a NAME of the person “beating people up, and we need help!” WHO is the person NAMED as the instigator of the attack?
OOPS.
The sister, you forgot to mention, called the cops back on Sunday (when she was 100% sober) to make sure her injuries were fully documented and on the record. Her doctor stated that it was very possible that the sister had had her cheek fractured by a punch.
Also, the police report states that many if not all the others at the get together had left the house by the time the fight started.
The two biggest witnesses vs Solo will be her two relatives. If they both back each other up, she will be found guilty. And, the nephew is a minor (a child, in the eyes of the law).
There are also pictures of visible injuries on the two relatives. Wonder who gave them these injuries??
All they have to do is testify vs her and stick to their version of events and she could very well be convicted, especially since one of them is a 17yr old minor child.
Sounds like you’ll be testifying.
However, I still don’t think you’ve established that NWSL or USWNT are rife with domestic violence, or that either organization is doing anything wrong by allowing the justice system to play their role, and at this point I’d be surprised if they even know as much about Solo’s case as you do.
That is completely different IMO from the NFL who apparently holds video evidence and then pretends like nothing is happening.
To me, all the righteous indignation towards women’s soccer is misplaced.
He is talking about a particular case and he’s right. Solo should not be treated differently. D men do it more? yes. Should she get treated differently? No.
There is a difference between a misdemeanor like Solo is accused of and the violence against a spouse or dependent like in the NFL cases. Violence in your household where the accused has a financial and power position over dependent victims is what sets DV apart from other assaults and is why it is so hard to combat. For some reason people have decided it serves their argument to believe Solo is among the NFL rank when what she is accused of, while troubling on its own, isn’t of a kind. Unfortunately the entire dialog pushed by the media doesn’t match her case which is why her issues aren’t getting proper discussion. It also gives men an excuse to make the NFL players victims of being men. Really it is better to take things on an individual basis when it comes to players. Don’t use them as stand ins for what should be aimed at the NFL itself that needs to change.
Hope was excused from the WNT game for family reasons (her husband’s child custody hearing).
Glad you brought that up. Since google isn’t talking, this must have occured whne he played for Tampa. That would make sense, him having a baby mama in FL, because he admitted to the police that he and Hope argued about where to live post-wedding.
Now then. Will this help or hurt his chances of getting custody? The fact that, you know, his wife is currently on trial for Domestic Violence and one charge against a MINOR/a child. Will this help or hurt his chances? It will greatly affect his chances and hurt him. If she testified on his behalf as a “character” witness, and is now on trial for DV, that’s going to impact his chances negatively.
ALSO, Stevens has a major rap sheet. Just wiki it. From attempted rape, to convictions for DUIs, assault and battery, marijuana charges, and also a conviction at 18 of beating a kid with a baseball bat.
And Hope was supposed to be his “character” witness. Per his numerous convictions and charges it is probable that he must establish FL residency for any chance of custody ( he can’t take the child out of state).
So, ironically, the courts won’t award him custody of his kid (DV does have a way of impacting things).
Since this is Stevens first marriage, he had an out of wedlock child and most likely in FL. Again, why should the courts award him anything? The baby mama can’t do any worse than this thug and now his wife, Ms. Stevens, his main “character” witness is now facing Domestic Violence charges one vs a child/minor of her own.
Won’t get custody, period, now or anytime soon. Is THAT the kind of family environment suitable to raise a child? Dream on. And since he’s retired from the NFL he doesn’t even have any “pull” as a famous athlete warranting “special treatment” as many NFLers tend to get.
Nope, not gonna get custody now, especially when DV trial is facing the spouse.
Solo: “Nobody knows the truth, nobody knows the facts, people make assumptions,” “At the end of the day, the people who really know me are the people that I have to face — and I can face them with loyalty and with a smile.”
What, nobody knows the facts? Wrong, Solo’s half-sister and nephew and everyone else in the house know the facts. Also, I would assume the puplic realizes that they all “know” her.
So, we have Hope Solo saying she can face them, you know, the “people that know her” with loyalty and a smile. Unbelievable! This people, is exactly what a psychopathic personality personality would say.
“This people, is exactly what a psychopathic personality would say.”
Amen.
“This people, is exactly what a psychopathic personality would say.”
And one who is the biggest name and face of US and Women’s Soccer as a whole. Per mainstream, Q score, etc. No one else on that team comes close to her in name recognition and most certainly in yearly income per endorsements.
And, how would she know and able to recall with complete clarity the events of that night, when by all accounts, including the police, she was drunk?
Again.
“No one else on that team comes close to her in name recognition and most certainly in yearly income per endorsements.”
Did I wake up in a world where Alex Morgan doesn’t exist?
I would have said Wambach is still the biggest name, then Morgan, then Solo third but I don’t know
Wambach is the most recognized Woman in soccer now. Clint Dempsey or Tim Howard are the face of US soccer right now. Hope is a great keeper and though I don’t personally know her, what she has said in the past leads me to believe she’s arrogant and has a warped sense of reality. Brianna Scurry remember what Hope said during the Women’s World Cup when benched in favor of Brianna? Then last Dec. she whines about not being in the best VI for All time History of USWNT?
Uh, in fairness, Hope IS the best women’s GK of all time and now has the individual stat to prove it.
Remember, Scurry said verry similar things vs her 2000 Olympics replacement, but since it was simply “Scurry being Scurry” and she was a part of the 99ers, then that was okay.
The biggest face of US Soccer is still Hope Solo. Certainly she’s the biggest name of Women’s Soccer in the US within mainstream culture.
Every year google ranks the top 15 women athletes by google searches etc.
For ’12 and ’13, Hope Solo was like, 3rd overall (just behind the Williams Sisters) Wambach was not even in the top 15 of most women athletes searched. Alex Morgan was the 2nd women’s soccer athlete searched the most.
Alex will one day surpass Hope as a transcendent US superstar but today is not that day.
Hope remains the biggest name in women’s soccer bar none. She’s the Lebron of Soccer; 100 non-soccer fans in a room, at least 50 will know who she is right now (can’t say that about Wambach or Morgan–just yet) hence she makes the most in endorsements and has the biggest q rating among women soccer players.
Just ask yourself. If this were a subby bench player on the WNT, would this story really be getting half the attention or would that sub have already been kicked off the team.
Uh, I’ll try again. Mainstream recognition, Q score rating (which measures an athletes recognition among the public at large) and income via endorsements, Solo is the biggest name on the WNT bar none.
Alex Morgan is the future. She is her generations version of Mia Hamm. The ’15 WC will make her a superstar without question but right now of the two, Solo is still the biggest name on the team bar none. Facts are facts. Morgan is a major star but she has not quite transcended into mainstream the way that Hope Solo has as of yet. She isn’t quite at Hope’s level and the Q scores bear this out. Almost, but not quite. She’s the future and has a long term marketability.
The irony is in both athletes demeanors. Alex Morgan is the official version, the anti-Solo. She’s the perfect teammate and will never say anything negative about anyone in public. Alex won’t cause any drama off the field and won’t ever say anything controversial. Her handlers should be proud of her ; she’s the official version of Women’s Soccer “Go team go, we’re all in this together, I just loooovvvee the 99ers, they’re my role models,” etc.
Solo wrote a semi-controversial autobiography; Morgan writes…..children’s novels. She’s the official version, and the PRs, the powers that be in Soccer won’t ever have to worry about her causing drama, or having any type of controversial opinions about anything.
If Morgan were ever benched, she’s not going to publicly say “That’s a dumb move, cause I’m the greatest forward ever to play on the WNT.”
But for now, at present, Hope Solo is the biggest mainstream name in Women’s Soccer. Alex is the future, but not quite there yet.
Next yr, no question, especially if she scores a winning goal in the WC finals or semifinals.
Look for Alex Morgan to be on DWTS or some major mainstream show next fall.
U could argue that Solo is the most recognizable but she isnt the biggest earner. It’s been reported that Morgan made over $1million last year. Id put Wambach somewhere behind in second, then probably Solo. Keep in mind that the very issues u r complaining r not new and advertisers arent stupid.
Not true at all. In 2011, Hope was on DWTS, where the contestants earn up to 200K per week. PER Wk. And she was on the show up to the semifinals. She also got a sizable 6 figure sum for her autobiography in ’12
She easily earns up to 2million per yr. and has a few more sponsors than Morgan at present.
Unlike Alex, Hope has transcended into the mainstream and that’s where the big money is. Most non-soccer fans or even most non-sports fans in US have no idea who Abby is. Alex not quite yet, but they know who Hope is.
With her trial coming up in November and the issue of DV at large, its safe to say that most non fans will definitely remember Hope and know who she is.
“At the end of the day, the people who really know me are the people that I have to face — and I can face them with loyalty and with a smile.”
And she will face them in court at her November trial. Will she be smiling then? Perhaps with all the media attention on domestic violence in sports will in turn bring more national media coverage to the trial.
How will she face them then? With a smile akin to the Joker in the Dark Knight?
They’re right. A borderline psycho.
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Sports leagues are not equipped to investigate and dole out punishment for people’s crimes off the field. That’s why we have a justice system. NFL is dumb for getting involved with that. Let’s hope us soccer doesn’t go down the same dumb path.
Now that’s a lie. That is a direct lie. Playing for the National Team is not a right but a privilege. Christine Brennan from last month and Keith Olbermann recently have been consistent voices on this. Why is it ok if the abuser is a man and not a woman to punish them? It isn’t and they both need to be punished. If an ordinary person is charged with DV, he can very well be fired. It IS the NFL’s responsibility to make sure that their players aren’t thugs, criminals, and charged with DV; otherwise, per the morals clause in every single player contract the league has the sole right to take action and suspend them with pay or in some cases per the new policy re: DV, to suspend them without pay.
Yes, it is trickling down to other sports including Solo’s case. If it does go to trial in November and if covered by the national media, tons of embarrassing things will be made public which will then have a substantially higher effect of tarnishing US Soccer in general.
A few facts have emerged via this attention on her DV charges.
FACT: As this is Women’s Soccer’s biggest name since Mia Hamm, and a well decorated on field player, we must ask an honest question. If this were some subby bench player, would Solo have been suspended long before now? Answer is quite apparent, and is a sound “yes”. Alist Athletes oftentimes get special treatment while 2nd and 3rd tiers get no quarter and are swiftly kicked to the curb.
FACT: the biggest name in womens (and it can be argued the biggest name in US Soccer as a whole) soccer is charged with Domestic Violence. per her memoir and what is publicly known about Solo, is it really a major surprise that she was charged with DV?
Answer: No.
Reading this blog I had to keep remembering that this is a part of US Soccer and perhaps a slight conflict of interest is involved. If USWNT truly trusted their backup GKers then this shouldn’t be too difficult a problem to suspend her until her trial is concluded and then take whatever additional action is required.
The WC qualifiers aren’t such that Solo couldn’t be benched and the US not still qualify for the WC. After all, Mexico will be one of the teams the WNT faces and they were soundly defeated by 12-0 in two games.
Uh, is it really the law’s problem that she’s so indispensable to the WNT that she should not have to serve any time if convicted, that’s not what is being said here or is it? Another case scenario: Solo is convicted and must serve time in jail. She asks for parole to play in the WC. If she is granted this parole, she then has to petition the Canadian government to travel and play, because, technically, the Canadian government has to grant special permission to a convicted DVer and as she’s traveling across border from US, all kinds of special exemption (more special treatment, perhaps another case of double standards) would have to be granted to her to play.
If US Soccer truly wants to show they are taking DV seriously, then they should suspend Solo completely from playing in the WC qualifier games next month. Also, from a practical matter, it gives the backup GKers necessary games and minutes just in case, you know….
If she is convicted and has to serve the maximum of six months, it could very well be that she would be sitting in jail DURING the WC. Think about that for a second. Women’s Soccer’s biggest name since Mia Hamm sitting in jail which in turn would mean a major distraction for answering all the questions at the WC about Solo. Once again, she has managed to make an issue about herself and cause more drama whether on field or off.
Start playing the backup GKers now. They just may need the experience for the WC.
Exactly there is a reason why the people who run sports leagues did not become judges. The criminal justice system is messy. It makes no sense for a sports league to try and dole out their own form of criminal justice.
Lets not act like the NFL acted for any other reason then the fact it got to the point where the player wasn’t worth the trouble. Having Rice in the league was hurting the NFL brand and possibly it’s bottom line. If it got to a similar point with Hope then US soccer would act the same. However I don’t see that happening.
“Nobody knows the truth, nobody knows the facts, people make assumptions.”
Essentially, this is the same thing that she would say when she would publically defend her husband against charges that raped another student while he was in college. Seems like everytime she’s caught up in something awful, it is just another case of everybody being out to get her and her family.
And you know what, I for one believe her! The Illuminati are out to get the Solo’s! (or the Stevens, or whatever).
That last part was sarcasm by the way. Just thought I should state that for the record. Don’t want anybody to “make assumptions”.
I don’t know what to say about Hope Solo, frankly. If there were a video of her punching people, I doubt she’d still be welcome on the field.
Its pretty easy to be sure about things that never happened.