That's My Girl

Abby Wambach and nine other U.S. athletes were on a "troublemaker" list created by the Chinese government before the Olympics. China gave the list to the USOC in July, warning that the athletes (most were members of Team Darfur) might protest and disrupt the Games.

Click on the USA Today story to watch the video of Abby Wambach being interviewed in April 2008 about human rights in China.

Interesting that 9 of the 10 listed are women.

Way to go Abby, and all the athletes on the list. That's like Paul Newman being on Nixon's enemies list, an honor to have been blacklisted by an opponent so foul.

Christine Brennan, USAToady: China listed U.S. athletes as possible troublemakers

China's government was so concerned about the possibility of athlete demonstrations in the Beijing Olympics that it created a list of nine U.S. athletes and one assistant coach it thought might cause trouble at the Games, according to an internal U.S. Olympic Committee e-mail obtained by USA TODAY.

[]

"This may be the biggest compliment of my life," Wambach, a member of Team Darfur, said in a phone interview when informed of the list. "If they're worried about us, maybe we do have more strength as athletes and as people to speak out. This just gives me more empowerment."

BEIJING WATCH LIST

The 10 Americans on Beijing's watch list, not all of whom were actually Olympians:

Jessica Mendoza, softball.

Jennie Finch, softball.

Natasha Watley, softball.

Amanda Freed, softball.

Karen Johns, softball assistant coach.

Laura Goodwin, golfer.

Abby Wambach, soccer.

Jonathan Page, cyclist.

Jen Howitt, Paralympic basketball.

Cheri Blauwet, Paralympic wheelchair racer

Political Contributions by Sports Figures

ESPN: Pro sports figures more invested in this presidential campaign

Database of pro sports donations

Most of the athletes (except for golfers) donate to Obama; most of the owners to McCain.

Most athletes don't give to either political candidate despite their enormous salaries. What do they care?

Here are some things to read about my favorite political athletes, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, and the price they paid for a simple gesture which was meant to convey their support for civil rights:

[W]hile the gesture was redolent of the militant Black Panthers, it was actually a plaintive cry for civil rights. Indeed, the athletes were figurehead members of the Olympic Project for Human Rights, a non-violent student organisation that transposed racism in sport into the civil rights agenda.

BBC ON THIS DAY: 1968: Black athletes make silent protest

Times (uk): Olympics: Tommie Smith and John Carlos warn of the price of protest

Times (uk): America finally honours rebels as clenched fist becomes salute
Tommie Smith and John Carlos were hailed as heroes this week but it was not so 37 years ago

JohnCarlos.com

SI: John Carlos
Party to one of the most incendiary moments in the history of sports, he's gone from pariah to hero over the course of four decades—but not without paying a high cost

SI: A matter of civil rights
Dr. John Carlos supports, speaks out on the 'Jena 6'

Counterpunch: The Living Legacy of Mexico City
an Interview with John Carlos

ESPN: Tommie Smith/John Carlos 2008 Arthur Ashe Courage Award Pt1

ESPN: Tommie Smith/John Carlos 2008 Arthur Ashe Courage Award Pt2

Tommie Smith & John Carlos Tribute

More Video of USWNT Celebrations

From Martynnny, via JordanCornblog.

More Video of USWNT Celebration

From the same Swedish newspaper site, via JordanCornblog, which I am adding to the blogroll. Another blog that loves women's soccer, whoo-hoo!

Hope is Golden and Redeemed

ussoccer
A good coach can make all the difference. A bad coach can ruin your World Cup and stomp on your dreams.

I am truth and I approve this message:

Nick Gholson, Times-Record News (TX): Made in China

They are calling the United States men’s basketball “The Redeem Team.”

Well, Hope Solo is “The Redeem Queen.”

Less than a year ago, this kid was blackballed by her U.S. teammates. They wouldn’t eat with her. They wouldn’t fly on the same airplane with her.

Her sin was telling the truth. – that her coach was an idiot.

Solo had been the U.S. team’s starting goalkeeper for the first four games of the 2007 World Cup. She was unbeaten with three straight shutouts.

So what does coach Greg Ryan do? He benches her in the semifinal game against Brazil. With 36-year-old veteran Briana Scurry minding the net, the U.S. lost 4-0.

After the game, Solo was on her way out the door when a reporter asked her what she thought of the coach’s decision. When a PR guy told the guy to only ask questions to the girls who played in the game, Solo got ticked off and gave this answer:

“It was the wrong decision and I think anybody who knows anything about the game knows that. There’s no doubt in my mind I would have made those saves,” she said “You can’t live in the past. It doesn’t matter what somebody did in a gold medal Olympic game three years ago. Now is what matters.”

Ryan benched Solo again for the third place game. Not long after that, he announced she was no longer on the team. Captain Kristine Lilly explained that it was a team decision made by the group.

And we all know the rest of the sorry story. Congratulations to Hope Solo for triumphing over the coach who made the worst decision in the history of sport.

The Golden Girls

Some videos on the USWNT's gold medal performance, with interviews with Pia, Christie, Kate, Hope, and Carli:





All stolen gleefully from Sideline Views.

For more videos and interviews, check out the team's blog: USWNT Blog

Golden Tasha

As a 10-year-old, Natasha Kai already had star potential. Tuesday, the University of Hawai'i sophomore leaves to play in an international tournament in China.
Kai family photo

Nice 2004 article on Natasha Kai, our first Hawaiian to win a gold medal. Pre-tats.

HonoluluAdvertiser: The Natural

As a young child, Kai, who is of English, Irish, Scottish, German, American Indian, Filipino, Chinese, Hawaiian and Spanish descent, was always active, participating in soccer, summer track, and even P.O.N.Y. baseball for one year.

"She would always be running around on the street, going to the beach in the summer, or jumping on the trampoline (in the Kai's yard)," Sharon [her mother] said.

She's a one-woman UN!

Natasha Kai of the U.S. (R) celebrates with teammates after winning their women's final soccer match against Brazil at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 21, 2008.
(Shaun Best/Reuters)

Golden!

Goal!

The USWNT won a hard-fought gold medal this morning, defeating hated Brazil 1-0 in overtime. Carli Lloyd scored the winner in the 96th minute. Christie Rampone was my MOTM; on USSoccer they selected Hope Solo, and I can live with that. She made a point blank reaction save on Marta in the 72nd minute that was amazing. Even watching the game as a spectator was exhausting. So I'm too tired to recap fully. Read these excellent recaps/liveblogs:

Boltgirl on the Loose, here, and here.

(from which I learned that after the 4-0 loss at the 2007 World Cup, the Brazilian players videotaped the US players crying in the hotel lobby. Stay classy, pretty losers. I'm going to start calling Brazil the Anna Kournikova of soccer.)


Andrea Canales at Sideline Views.

Jere Longman, NYTimes

Beau Dure, USAToady


Natasha Kai became the first Hawaiian athlete to win a gold medal. She ripped off her shirt to celebrate, showing the world her sports bra (yawn) and her tattoos (awesome).

How sweet it is!

Bonus video of the USWNTs of basketball and soccer meeting. Watch Tobin Heath make Kara Lawson look tall! See their ball skills. Watch Diana Taurasi tear it up in soccer tennis.

USSoccer Photo Gallery

Yahoo Photo Gallery

Cute soccer mom pics:

Rylie Cate, daughter of United States' Christie Rampone, jumps from the podium in joy after her mom's team won the gold over Brazil in the women's soccer final at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008.
(AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
United States' Christie Rampone, left, carries her daughter Rylie Cate and United States' Kate Markgraf carries her son Keegan on their shoulders as they are all smiles with teammate Carli Lloyd, center, during the medal ceremony for the women's soccer gold medal match at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008. The US won the gold medal by beating Brazil.
(AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)

Poor, poor Brazil, the greatest team that's never won anything.

Waaaaaahhhhhhhh! (Hey, Cristiane, there's NO CRYING IN BASEBALL)

Final note, a shoutout to Greg Ryan: She would have made those saves, you moron.

159 Days and Counting

Gawker Photo Gallery:
Bush Looking Drunk At The Olympics

How Not To Represent Your Country at the Olympics, by George W. Bush

President Boor loose at the Olympics in Beijing:

Yes Mr President: George Bush playfully pats the backside of Misty May-Treanor as team mate Kerri Walsh watches

Bored during opening ceremonies:


George Bush v. the American flag:

Take That!

Telegraph (uk): A Chinese boy poses in front of a billboard featuring Fuwa Huanhuan, one of the Beijing Olympic Mascots, in Beijing, China (AP)

The Olympics starts next week!

I just love this photograph.

Disaster

bigsoccer
The US beat Brazil last night in a meaningless pre-Olympics friendly, 1-0. Brazil was again without Marta, Christiane and Daniela so it wasn't their A team. Natasha Kai scored late to win for the US.

The disaster? US striker Abby Wambach broke her leg. She went barreling into a Brazil defender -- probably steamed as Brazil had been fouling her all game -- and broke both the tibia and the fibula in her left leg. Amazingly, she maintained her composure and even gave the thumbs-up to the crowd as she was taken off the field on a gurney with her leg in an aircast. That is one tough woman. She is having surgery today to have a titanium rod placed in her leg. Ouch.

I didn't see the game as I had a class. Coach Mom reports that Brazil played dirty (as they always do) and the referee let way too much go. The team did not play well. Boxxy looked slow and couldn't connect her passes. The announcer Lori Walker is annoying and never stops talking. In general FoxSoccer's coverage was rather amateurish. All in all, a bad day at Black Rock for the USWNT.

The xinhua news says it best:

The heart, soul and leading scorer of a young U.S. Women's National Soccer Team will not play in the 2008 Olympic Games.

Your heart has to go out to Abby, who lives and dies for soccer and will miss one of the big tournaments where she was expected to lead the team. Get well soon, Wombat.

Boltgirl on the Loose: Oh, Sad. Sad!

NYTimes: Wambach Breaks Leg in Exhibition

WaPo: Wambach to Miss Olympics

xinhuanet.com: Double-leg fracture means no Olympics for Wambach




Rochester Democrat & Chronicle

Wambach will be on crutches for about two weeks and then is expected to face 12 weeks of rehabilitation for what Dr. John Gorczyca, an orthopedic surgeon at Strong Memorial Hospital who is familiar with such injuries, said could be a “career-altering injury.”

“Will she ever be as good as she has been? Perhaps. … It may be that this changes her career,” he said this morning. “Most people with a fracture like hers make a complete recovery. The fact that it’s (the fracture is) midshaft is good. If it’s closer to the knee or ankle we need to be a little more cautious. That’s a favorable prognosis for her to be able to get back to playing soccer more quickly.”

He said about 80 percent of these types of fractures heal in three months, but “the problem is they continue to hurt for more than a year and oftentimes for more than two years, especially with running and jumping and kicking activities, which is what she does.

“How bad will it hurt her? We don’t know. What’s her tolerance for pain? Probably great.”

But Gorczyca added, “I’m a fan of hers. She’s a great thing for Rochester soccer and U.S. soccer.”

Damn

US midfielder Leslie Osborne will miss the Olympics after tearing her ACL this week.

We saw her score in the 6-0 victory over Canada on Mother's Day weekend.

Get well soon Leslie! Here's a little video clip of her that USSoccer put out before the Women's World Cup last year; note the Wisconsin accent.

Women's Soccer Olympic Draw

NBC: Abby Wambach
The USWNT, the defending gold medalists, will face Norway, Japan and New Zealand in group stage of the 2008 Olympics. This is a fairly easy draw for Team USA. Japan is always technically good, but their team is small and they have problems finishing. New Zealand qualified for the 2007 World Cup, but didn't score a goal in their three group games. Norway isn't the team of "Viking bitches" (Kristine Lilly) that won the 1995 World Cup anymore. Coach Mom & I saw them in Hartford summer 2007 and weren't very impressed. (The U.S. defeated Norway handily, 4-1, in the third place game of the World Cup.)

The group of death is definitely Group B, which besides defending World Cup champions Germany contains Brazil, with Marta the most feared offense in the world; Nigeria, who tied Sweden in the group stage of the World Cup and came within a goal of tying the U.S., always a tough, physical team; and North Korea, who tied the U.S. in the opening game of the World Cup, also a very tough, physical team.

The top seeds for the tournament are China, Germany and the U.S., which is why Brazil and Germany are in the same group. Also, according to the U.S. Soccer website, the U.S. could not have been in the same group with Brazil to open the tournament, as we are considered to be from the same region, the Americas I guess. Lucky for us, not so lucky for Germany.

2008 Women's Soccer Olympic Draw

Group A: China, Canada, Argentina, Sweden.

Group B: North Korea, Brazil, Nigeria, Germany.

Group C: Norway, Japan, U.S., New Zealand.

ussoccer: U.S. Women Drawn Into Group G at 2008 Olympics; Will Face Norway, Japan and New Zealand
- U.S. Will Play First Two Games in Qinhuangdao and Final Group Match in Shenyang
- USA's First Match of Group G Pits Last Two Olympic Champions

ussoccer: Quote Sheet: Players and Coaches Reaction To Olympic Draw

USWNT News

USA celebrates penalty shot victory over Canada, 4/12/08
SanDiego.com: Change blowin' in the wind for women's team

Besides the news that Kate Markgraf is the team co-captain (yea Kate!) this article contains this interesting outline of Pia Sundhage's challenges:

Plenty of wrenching decisions, though, lie ahead.

There is goalkeeper Hope Solo and the scars from her much-publicized banishment at the 2007 World Cup last September. Solo and her teammates have worked to mend their tattered relationship, but Solo also has admitted “there are still some people who I realize I may never be close to again.”

There is the fitness level of hefty defender Cat Whitehill, a starter in the 2003 and '07 World Cups and 2004 Olympics. Sundhage has already made a subtle statement by benching Whitehall through most of the Algarve Cup and Olympic qualification.

There is the disposition of 5-foot-11 forward Abby Wambach, who is the team's most gifted player and whose abrasive personality can (and does) rub teammates and coaches the wrong way. She was the focal point in former coach Greg Ryan's bang-it-forward system, but Sundhage's offensive diversification ultimately means fewer touches for the No. 5 scorer in U.S. history.

There is the leadership void created when Kristine Lilly, the lone remaining link to the 1991 World Cup title, took the year off to start a family.

I am not surprised that Whitehill's fitness is an issue. One of the nightmares of Greg Ryan's foolish tactics was having Whitehill come forward to take all throw-ins, when she struggled to get back into position. Hopefully Sundhage will put her on the Juande Ramos diet.

I don't know about Wambach rubbing anyone else the wrong way, but I wager that she's had a few run-ins with this reporter. Is he trying to say that Abby is crabby because she's not getting the ball as much? I bet she's happy to be winning in a system that lets the team play soccer, not bootball.

ussoccer: U.S. Women's National Team Downs Canada in Penalty Kick Shootout to Win 2008 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying

Captain Christie Rampone with CONCACAF Trophy after win over Canada, 4/12/08

USWNT Announces Olympic Qualifying Roster & Schedule

ussoccer: U.S. WNT vs. Denmark - 03-12-08 - Algarve Cup
USSoccer announced the 20-player roster for 2008 Concacaf Olympic women's qualifying tournament yesterday. The squad includes five players who didn't play at the 2007 World Cup: Rachel Buehler (Stanford), Tobin Heath (North Carolina), Kacey White(North Carolina), Lauren Cheney(UCLA) and Amy Rodriguez (USC).

The six players from Greg Ryan's 21-player roster for the World Cup who aren't on the team are: Kristine Lilly, Tina Ellerton, Brianna Scurry, Marian Dalmy, Aly Wagner, and Marci Jobson. Lilly and Ellerton are pregnant and have not retired. Jobson has taken the job as the head women's soccer coach at Baylor. I don't think any of the others have retired, but Wagner has struggled with pace and Dalmy was very young, inexperienced and a surprise addition to the World Cup roster.

As to Brianna Scurry, I think Pia Sundhage handled the Scurry/Solo situation exactly right. She complimented both players when she got the job, invited them both to her early camps, then quietly dropped Scurry, first from the Algarve Cup roster, and now from the Olympic qualifying squad. Scurry was the greatest keeper in the world in the past, but her skills have eroded and her storied mental toughness is no longer enough to keep the ball out of the net. (See Brazil 4, USA 0)

Another omission from the squad I wonder about is Heather Mitts. I thought she would have been sufficiently rehabbed from her knee injury to compete for a spot, but it's her second major knee injury and that can take a long time to heal. This is not the final Olympic roster, either; it's the roster for qualifying, and there could be changes for the actual Olympic team.

GOALKEEPERS: Nicole Barnhart (Gilbertsville, Pa.), Hope Solo (Richland, Wash.);

DEFENDERS: Rachel Buehler (Del Mar, Calif.), Lori Chalupny (St. Louis, Mo.), Stephanie Cox (Elk Grove, Calif.), Kate Markgraf (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), Christie Rampone (Point Pleasant, N.J.), Cat Whitehill (Birmingham, Ala.);

MIDFIELDERS: Shannon Boxx (Redondo Beach, Calif.), Tobin Heath (Basking Ridge, N.J.), Angela Hucles (Virginia Beach, Va.), Carli Lloyd (Delran, N.J.), Leslie Osborne (Brookfield, Wis.), Lindsay Tarpley (Kalamazoo, Mich.), Kacey White (Arlington, Texas);

FORWARDS: Lauren Cheney (Indianapolis, Ind.), Natasha Kai (Kahuku, Hawaii), Heather O'Reilly (East Brunswick, N.J.), Amy Rodriguez (Lake Forest, Calif.), Abby Wambach (Rochester, N.Y.).

Here's the qualifying schedule:

USA Olympic Qualification Schedule – Group A
Date Match-Up Kickoff Local / Pacific Time
April 4 USA vs. Jamaica 7:30 p.m. PT / 7:30 p.m. PT
April 6 USA vs. Mexico 1:30 p.m. MT / 12:30 p.m. PT

2008 CONCACAF WOMEN’S OLYMPIC QUALIFICATION SCHEDULE
Group A
Date Match-up Kickoff (Local)
April 2 Mexico vs. Jamaica 7:30 p.m. PT / 7:30 p.m. PT
April 4 USA vs. Jamaica 7:30 p.m. PT / 7:30 p.m. PT
April 6 Mexico vs. USA 1:30 p.m. MT / 12:30 p.m. PT

Group B
Date Match-up Kickoff (Local)
April 2 Trinidad & Tobago vs. Canada 5 p.m. PT / 5 p.m. PT
April 4 Costa Rica vs. Trinidad & Tobago 5 p.m. PT / 5 p.m. PT
April 6 Canada vs. Costa Rica 11 a.m. MT / 10 a.m. PT

Semifinals Kickoff (Local)
April 9 Winner Group A vs. Runner-up Group B 5 p.m. MT / 4 p.m. PT
April 9 Winner Group B vs. Runner-up Group A 7:30 p.m. MT / 6:30 p.m. PT

Final/Third-place Game Kickoff (Local)
April 12 Third-Place Game 5 p.m. MT / 4:00 p.m. PT
April 12 Championship 7:30 p.m. MT / 6:30 p.m. PT

USSoccer Hires Pia Sundhage

USSoccer's search committee made short work of the search for a new coach for the USWNT, hiring Pia Sundhage yesterday. (BTW, her name is pronounced Soond-hahg-Eh.)

This is a good hire for so many reasons:

1. A woman should be coach of the national team. (I meant to link to this Christine Brennan column earlier. Yes, Christine, a woman should be the coach. You are late to the party, but correct.)

2. She has international experience as a player (Sweden's all-time-leading goal scorer, 6th in the 2000 voting for FIFA player of the century).

3. She has international experience as a coach (WUSA, Swedish league, China)

4. She wants the USWNT to play a possession style of football.

5. She has coached Kristine Lilly in the past (Boston Breakers) so will have that advantage in dealing with the change in strategy, Lilly's place on the team, and the reconciliation of Hope Solo.

6. I am cautiously optimistic that she will reunite Hope Solo with the team. She said in the press call announcing her appointment that Solo would remain with the team and that she is a good goalkeeper. Not exactly ringing endorsements, but given the strong positions taken on all sides it will be difficult to repair.

The woman was so popular in Sweden that they put her face on a postage stamp. Let's hope she leads the US to another gold medal at the Olympics next year.

NYTimes: New Coach for Women’s U.S. Soccer Team

USAToady: U.S. Soccer hires new women's team coach

ESPN: Sundhage to reshape U.S. team's offensive style

SoccerAmerica: Swede takes charge of U.S. women's coach [sic]