LaxTV Forums | A Forum About The MCLA

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/s ... roster.ap/

From Sports Illustrated:

CARSON, Calif. (AP) -- Goalkeeper Hope Solo is back on the U.S. women's roster and headed back to China.

Solo was dropped from the team after last year's World Cup semifinal, when she was benched for the Americans' 4-0 loss to Brazil in favor of veteran Briana Scurry. Her strong criticism of then-coach Greg Ryan led to her being suspended from the squad for the third-place game and sent home separate from the team.

And found "elsewhere":

Hope Solo Criticizes Decision

Shortly after new U.S. Women’s Soccer Coach Pia Sundhage announced that Hope Solo would be included on the roster for the Four Nations Tournament in Foshan, China, Solo publicly criticized the decision.

In an interview shortly after the announcement, Solo stated, “It was the wrong decision, and I think anybody that knows anything about the game knows that. There's no doubt in my mind I will continue to be a distraction and disrupt the team. And the fact of the matter is it's not 2006 anymore. It's not 2006. And it's 2008, and I think you have to live in the present. And you can't live by forgiving people who’ve stabbed previous coaches in the back and will stab the next coach in the back at the earliest opportunity. Like right now.”

Backup goalkeeper Brianna Scurry was asked to comment but dropped the microphone seven times.

If I remember correctly the reason she got benched wasn't for this lose. The coach benched her in favor of Scurry even when they were winning for an upcoming game. He thought that Scurry's past record against the upcoming opponent was the right move even though Hope was now the starter and playing really well. This PO'd her and she backlashed to the media. This started the carousel between the two. I guess there was a bunch of infighting between the two and the team fractured a little as a result.

Hope could have handled the situation better, for sure, and just kept her mouth shut -- although her benching in favor of Brianna was still a bone-headed coaching move in my book. How many lacrosse coaches would replace their goalie in the middle of a big elimination tourney, when the incumbent was playing great and the team's defense was dominating in front of that Keeper? Solo had earned her starting job, and the now-departed coach was a fool to mess with success on "a hunch" that Scurry's history of playing well in years' past against the Brazilians was a wiser choice than riding the momentum. Solo had done nothing at all to warrant a benching (Sorry Anthony, I strongly disagree with you on this), and messing with a team's chemistry like that could also be seen coming when you make such a move, which the 4-0 loss proves testament to.

Solo is a Husky, and we here at U-Dub are and were all in her corner. You go, girl!

(Sorry Anthony, I strongly disagree with you on this), and messing with a team's chemistry like that could also be seen coming when you make such a move, which the 4-0 loss proves testament to.

I'm not sure what part you don't agree with? I was saying the same exact thing that you are!! You're 100% correct and I think Solo's methods of complaining were questionable. Even her best friends on the team weren't aware that she was going to the media to complain. The coach couldn't have more of a bone head decision. She earned the starting spot.

I was just poking fun at Solo for the blowup. Benching her was clearly idiotic. But complaining about it to the media was even more idiotic. Had she just offered a flat, "I'm a member of the team and I'll do whatever the coach thinks is best for the team" in response to the benching, the story would have been the idiotic coach and not the disgruntled player.

I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with any of you, but Hope wasnt playing flawless soccer in the nets at the WWC. She was the reason for the draw in the opening match against North Korea when she completely let the ball go between her hands and into the net for a goal. She had her hands spread apart like she was catching a basketball instead of a soccer ball. it was wet that day also and she could have punched it away.

she also was very poor on clearing and distributing the ball in the pool rounds, but it improved during the knockout rounds. she even kicked the ball into one of her defenders backs at one point and the ball went for a corner kick.....luckily cuz it almost went for a goal.

I'm just saying she wasnt perfect. i watched every game too, FTR. i even woke up at 5am to watch from beginning to end and sat thought Heather Mitts sad @$$ trying to commentate in the studio. She sucks and is a true example of how far a pretty face can get you. Anyway, Greg Ryan made the wrong decision, but i can see how he questioned Hope Solo's performance. history will always say she only allowed 2 goals during the tourney, but she was shaky at points.