by Anthony Strait, OTSL Panelist
Perhaps
there has been no one who has been as successful and as equally polarizing to
the game of soccer than Hope Solo. The 5’9” goalkeeper from Richland,
Washington has the kind of career resume many can only dream of. She is a world
cup winner, two-time gold medalist and has 200 caps as a national team member.
She also holds several U.S. goalkeeper records -- male and female -- including
wins and clean sheets. She’s the first goalkeeper male or female to record 100
shutouts in a career. There is no question Solo is one of the most decorated
soccer players to represent America.
Solo’s
on-field career also comes with plenty of controversy off the field. In 2007
she publicly criticized her coach after being benched just before a World Cup
game. That led to a suspension and many of her teammates shunning her for much
of the post-World Cup matches. In 2014 she was arrested (though not convicted)
for assaulting two family members. Solo was later suspended 30 days when her husband -- former
NFL player Jerramy Stevens -- was pulled over for driving drunk in a team van.
Then after a 2015 that saw the women’s first World Cup win since 1991; Solo’s
U.S. soccer career came crashing down in 2016. Following an upset loss to
Sweden in the Olympic Games in Rio, Solo was essentially fired from the
national team following comments where she called the Swedish players
“cowards”.
So
when the outspoken Solo announced her intentions of running for U.S. Soccer president
you couldn’t help but give a raised eyebrow. Many others rolled their eyes at
the idea and dismissed it right away. She’s one of eight candidates running for
the position and clearly has a slim chance of winning, but if we have learned
anything when it comes to elections is that no one candidate should be
overlooked. Perhaps what U.S. Soccer as an organization needs is a dark horse
to provide a change in perspective.
U.S.
Soccer itself has gone backwards. While the women’s team has all the wins and
acclaim, the pay gap between the men and women has been an issue for the last
few years. The women were paid half of what the men get for merely showing up
when they won the 2015 World Cup. The Women’s team has been subjected to
playing in far less idea conditions than their male counterparts. It got to the
point that in 2015 they refused to play a friendly in Hawaii due to the field
being in poor and dangerous shape. The men’s team failed to even qualify for
the 2018 World Cup in Russia. It will be the first time since 1986 that the men’s
team will be home watching after qualifying for the previous seven World Cup
tournaments. Bruce Arenas resigned as head coach and now there is a vacancy in
the position. The development for the women’s side has been far more advanced
than the men’s side. Compared to other countries, the talent gap as well as the
level playing field has never been greater.
Hope
Solo is not the only candidate who was a US National team player; former men’s
team player Eric Wynalda is also among the candidates. Yet she may be the best
to understand both sides of the aisle. She has been vocal and active in the
fight for equal pay for women. While her comments have led to backlash and even
punishment; far too often her comments, like her activism fall into the double
standard column since male athletes have said and done worse and have hardly
been punished. Hope also may be aware of developing the next generation of
stars for both men and women teams. While the women’s side has been able to get
stars like Alex Morgan and Carli Lloyd they’ve also been fortunate with the additions
of young budding talent like Mallory Pugh.
The Men’s team hasn’t been as lucky. Most boys in the U.S.
play other sports like basketball and football and not all of the ones who do
play come from a soccer background like a Michael Bradley or Christian
Pulisic. Solo herself was raised in a broken home and may know a thing or two
about needing to find diamonds in the rough like a Clint Dempsey.
U.S. Soccer could also benefit from a culture change. Solo
charged former FIFA president Sepp Blatter with groping her at an event in 2013.
Seeing the fallout from USA Gymnastics and USA Swimming’s failures to act upon
allegations of sexual misconduct, perhaps Solo’s history can be useful to
prevent something similar happening. Solo has certainly been held responsible
in the court of public opinion so there is no question she would not have a
problem holding others responsible for their actions.
On Sunday the Women’s National team honored her with a
commemorative jersey for her 200 appearances. The man presenting the jersey,
current U.S. Soccer Vice President Carlos Cordeiro, was called out by Solo in a
candidate forum just 24 hours prior to the ceremony. If anything, it was
symbolic of Hope Solo, never afraid to rattle the cage even as her achievements
as a player take a back seat.
Hope Solo may be far from a perfect candidate and yet she may
be exactly what U.S. Soccer needs in the current political culture we now live
in. She’s stressed the importance of transparency as far as development and
growing talent. She has been one of the major voices for equality as far as the
more successful women’s team being treated on the same playing field as the
men. It’s pretty easy to dismiss her however because of her past and her
trademark outspoken nature makes many uncomfortable. After the men’s team
embarrassed themselves and the women still feel like mere afterthoughts in
spite of its success, her bluntness may be needed. The only question that remains
is will anyone care to listen.
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