I’m going to say something that won’t be real popular with the politically correct crowd.
I like Hope Solo.
Always have, always will.
By now, you probably know that Solo and the United States Women’s Olympic Soccer Team made a shocking early exit from the 2016 Summer Games in Rio. Solo took a lot of heat for her play, which was less than stellar.
After the United States fell to Sweden in shootout — which is a ridiculous way to end an Olympic soccer game, by the way — Solo lashed out at her opponents. She called the Swedes a “bunch of cowards” for their play.
But she didn’t stop there.
“The best team did not win today,” Solo added. “I strongly and firmly believe that. I think you saw American heart.”
In a tweet that added context to Solo’s fiery quotes, the goalkeeper wrote: “Losing sucks. I’m really bad at it.”
Call me crazy, but I like Solo’s passion. Was she upset? Yes. Did she let her emotions get the best of her? Absolutely. Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily.
Oftentimes, post-game press conferences are dry and quite frankly, boring. I’ve seen teams — high school, college and pro — get robbed of a win by a bad call or dirty play. Coaches and players take the “high road.” They refuse to call out an official or an opponent for fear of being a “sore loser.” Coaches and players have been fined for their words. Yes, their words.
But back to Solo.
She is without a doubt the best goalkeeper in the history of U.S. women’s soccer. She’s had some problems in her personal life, which have been well-documented.
On the field, she’s one of the best. She took the loss hard. It was unexpected. She wears her emotions on her goalie sleeve, and believe it or not — that’s OK.
Charles Barkley once said, “I am not a role model.” The same can probably be said of Solo. Athletes are human — they have bad days just like you and me. They just happen to have millions watching them. With social media, it’s ridiculously easy for “fans” to criticize athletes who are making more money than most of us will see in our lifetime.
If you don’t understand Solo’s frustration, chances are you’ve never played competitive sports. I’ve had more than my share of frustration on the diamond and the gridiron during my playing days, which are well behind me. Luckily, no reporter talked to me after a loss. Who knows? I may have gone off like Solo.
But there’s more to the criticism of Solo than meets the eye.
Perhaps, just perhaps, Solo is being criticized not because of her comments, but because she’s a woman. Face it, powerful women are vilified in our society. Need an example? Look no further than the presidential race. Hilary Clinton is on the verge of being elected the first female president in the history of the United States. The hate is everywhere.
Solo’s age — she’s 35 — means she might not be back for another Olympics. Personally, I hope she does make it back. She’s passionate. She’s fiery. And she wants to win.
That’s enough for me.
