Bring back Hope Solo

Before I start ranting, a little bit of background.

The US Women's Team in is China for the womens World Cup. The US are favourites to regain their title from Germany with young upstart, Hope Solo in the nets. They face an exciting Brazil team that's just happy to be in the semi-final.

Hope Solo has kept 3 consecutive clean sheets and has only conceded 2 goals the entire tournament. However, hours before the big semi-final, coach Greg Ryan announced that he was benching Solo for veteran Briana Scurry. Scurry had an unbeaten record against the Brazilians but has not played from 3 months.

After getting beaten 4-0, Solo filibustered Ryan's decision.It was the wrong decision, and I think that anybody who knows the game of soccer knows that.

Ryan's response was to announce a team decision that Solo will not take part in the 3rd place playoff against Norway, in fact, Solo will not even suit up or travel home with the team.
That was the background. Now I can get pissed off.

1) Greg Ryan
That idea was stupid from the get-go. Scurry was a hero about 3 years ago. I respect her and what she did but sometimes you have to let legends die. What exactly did Ryan do wrong with this one fell swoop?

• Interrupted the fabled team chemistry of the US team
• Killed the confidence of a promising young goalie (Solo)
• Ruined Scurry's legacy
  
• Finally, on hindsight, removed one of the women's games best goaltenders, possibly for good, way before her prime

What was the point of the exercise? Solo was fresh, familiar and fit. All 3 Scurry was not.

2) Her Teammates
What I don't understand is how the team turned their back on Solo. Sure, the part about being able to make the saves that Scurry could not were unwarranted but Solo came out and spoke her mind. All she's saying is what the whole world already knows about Ryan. By not spouting the same diplomatic non-sequitors that every single athlete (this side of Charles Barkley that is) has been spewing since the dawn of the post-game interview, Solo has violated the unwritten rules about PR.

Thick or thin, Solo was the woman that was holding the team together from behind. She had been a constant in the team not just for this tournament. I don't exactly expect a riot because Solo got benched, but they shouldn't have frozen out Solo after her comments.

Solo's beef wasn't with Scurry. That much became clear. She was a woman who spoke out what everyone was already thinking but were just afraid to say out loud. And what happened? She got benched, disgraced and her career ruined. She couldn't play, wasn't on the bench, couldn't even suit up. It's the display of honesty that everyone wants but are just too gosh darned scared of accepting. Remember Tim Hardaway?

I've been a fan of Hope Solo since she took the top goalie job in '05. She's probably the best reaction goalie in both the Men's and Women's games and she has a smart goalkick. She's young and I hope this doesn't sour her career. But unfortunately, until the squad forgives this error, she might never play competitively with the US team again.

And that will be sad. Let's go back to pissing on Terrell Owens or Charles Barkley, just leave Hope alone.