Hope Solo: It was the Wrong Decision

Hope Solo, US Women's National Soccer Team goalie, spoke out after being benched for their semi-final match with Brazil. When exiting the field after the losing effort by the US team, Solo had these words about Coach Greg Ryan replacing her in the starting lineup with backup goalie Brianna Scurry.

"It was the wrong decision, and I think anybody that knows anything about the game knows that," Solo said. "There's no doubt in my mind I would have made those saves. You have to live in the present. And you can't live by big names. You can't live in the past."

Why did Ryan bench Solo? We do not know the answer to that yet. Why did Solo make the comments that she did. Was it out of frustration with the team loss? Or, was it really directed more in anger at the coach because of his decision not to play her in the match? Should she have spoken out against the coaching decision? Let's look at this from a different perspective. Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith has benched starting quarterback Rex Grossman for this Sunday's game with the Detroit Lions. He is being replaced by veteran Brian Griese. If the Bears were to lose their game on Sunday and Rex Grossman went into the post game press conference and basically said the same thing about Lovie Smith and Brian Griese, the sports media would be all over Grossman. Why? The mantra would be he's not a team player. He should support his team and the coach. With Solo we are hearing that she was right to say what she did. The coach's decision was wrong. Why is it ok for Solo to say this? Because she's a woman? Because it's soccer? Or maybe it's as one radio commentator said it's because Hope Solo is hot!

The bottom line is you are on team. You should be a team player for better or worse. Work your problems out with the coach in the locker room or in the coach's office. Not if front of the media. Brianna Scurry helped lead the women's soccer team to a gold medal in the 2004 Olympics. She is certainly a capable goalie. Is she is quick as she once was? I don't know. But the coach had a reason for replacing Solo; let's see what his thoughts were on replacing Solo before we start hanging too much on what she said.