I’ve compiled the quotes, comments, news and videos of the Hope Solo controversy. From the post game semifinal interview to Hope Solo MySpace Apology. Enjoy~!!!
On September 26, 2007. US women’s coach Greg Ryan has made the surprise decision of changing his goalkeeper for World Cup semifinal clash with Brazil. Hope Solo has been the regular goalkeeper for the two time World Champions in the tournament and hasn’t conceded a goal since the United States’ 2-2 draw with North Korea in their first game of the tournament.
But 36-year-old veteran Briana Scurry is set to start between the sticks against the Brazilians and Ryan has insisted it is purely a tactical decision due to her impressive shot-stopping abilities.
Scurry is 12-0 in her career against Brazil (Solo has never faced them), and for a tactical reason. “The way the Brazilians play, in terms of creating off the dribble in the penalty box and making a goalkeeper make reaction-type saves,” Ryan said, “I think Bri is the best goalkeeper in the world in those situations.”
”The way the Brazilians play in terms of creating off the dribble in the penalty box and making a goalkeeper make reaction-type saves, I think Bri is the best goalkeeper in the world in those situations,” Ryan said.
Former U.S. captain Julie Foudy, a soccer analyst on ESPN, was skeptical after hearing Ryan explain the change.
”I think Bri will be fine, and the move will be fine,” Foudy said. ”But I just think it becomes a distraction when you’re too focused on that rather than the game. To me it’s a sign of worrying too much about the opponent. I think you just play. You know they’re good. You know their strengths and weaknesses but you don’t have to make such a drastic change.”
Team USA vs Brazil match video.
Video includes the horrible red card call by referee.
Team Brazil superstar Marta highlights
Brazil shocked the top-ranked United States 4-0 Thursday in a dazzling display that set up a World Cup final with defending champions Germany.
Hope Solo (Post Semi-Final Interview)
“It was the wrong decision, and anyone who knows anything about the game knows that,” Solo said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that I would have made those saves.”
“The fact of the matter is that it is not 2004 anymore,” Solo said. “It’s 2007 and you have to live in the present and you can’t live in the past.
“It does not matter what someone did in an Olympic gold medal game three years ago. Now is what matters and that’s what I think.”
ESPN compares Hope Solo vs T.O.
Did Solo need to apologize? by ESPN
Hope Solo’s MySpace apology
2007 worldcup
To all my old fans, to all my new fans, and to those who find me disgraceful,
I have felt compelled to clear the air regarding many of my postgame comments on Thursday night. I am not proud or happy the way things have come out. Although I stand strong in everything I said, the true disheartening moment for me was realizing it could look as though I was taking a direct shot at my own teammate. I would never throw such a low blow. Never. Many of this goes way beyond anyone’s understanding, and is simply hard to justify. In my eyes there is no justification to put down a teammate. That is not what i was doing. I am confidant in knowing that i would have made a major difference on the field. I have to believe that. I have to believe that I should have been on the field or why am I a professional trying to be the very best? I also have agreed to disagree with our head coach and I stand firm in my beliefs that it was the wrong decision. However, to put down a teammate was never, ever my intent. I only wanted to speak of my own abilities yet also recognize that the past is the past. Things were taken out of context, or analyzed differently from my true meaning of my own words. for that I am sorry. I hope everybody will come to know I have a deep respect for this team and for Bri. For all of whom I disappointed I am truly sorry. There is a fine line of being a professional and being yourself. I can only do what I feel is right, and then hope that my true meaning is understood. I have an uphill battle now, and I have already suffered many consequences. For those who have been in my corner, your support means more than you’ll ever know. I cannot thank you all enough. Truly there are too many to respond back to. I feel very fortunate to have the many different people from all different ages, countries, and personalities, standing behind me. It is extremely humbling. I only wish I could tell you all individually. For those who despise me, well, I can only hope that in due time you can find the understanding needed to forgive me.
all the best,
Hope
Comments by Columnists
If Solo wants to go after Ryan, fine. He deserves it. Starting Scurry — who hadn’t logged a single minute of playing time in China — over Solo — who hadn’t given up a goal in 300 minutes — was a mind-numbingly bad decision that should cost him at least his credibility, if not his job.
But that still doesn’t give Solo the right to take the low road. She ran over Scurry like a two-ton semi. And Scurry has done a lot more for the U.S. team than Solo has.
Scurry has two gold medals and a World Cup championship. And she did not appoint herself the starting goalie against Brazil — Ryan did. It’s his job to know the strengths and weaknesses of his players. It’s his job to make tactical moves that put the U.S. in the best position to win. And he failed on both of those accounts, even though it could be argued Brazil would have been the stronger team no matter who was in goal.
-Hope Solo is right, and wrong- by Jemele Hill, ESPN
Don’t get distracted by the blame game. Brazil was every bit as good as the 4-0 beating it administered to the United States in the Women’s World Cup semifinal indicated — and maybe even better than that.
-All the right moves wouldn’t have saved U.S. women against Brazil- by Jim Litke, Sports Columnist
Comment from Hope Solo’s MySpace site
Dear Hope,
I am somewhat confused about the reversal of your attitude… You said these comments and you probably meant them… Nobody twisted your words and took them out of the context. You are now in a different king of zone .. It is called the Spin Zone… As I agree with you in a poor decision made by coach Ryan your comments should have been reserved for him and you should not have put down the tremendous player that is Briana Scurry.. A career is not just in 3 matches against the likes of England, North Korea or Nigeria.. Briana has proven over a long period ot time that she WAS and she IS a world class player..
Let try to go back on the game… The game by one player but by the whole team. You are not playing golf but soccer (the essence of sports team)
Exhibit A. 2 players at the near post on the corner kick and none of these players manage to clear the ball… and the result is an own goal… Not the coach’s fault
Exhibit B. 2nd yellow card for Shannon .. Terrible decision made by the referee . You played 10 against 11 not the best situation to be back in a game. Nor the coach’s fault
Exhibit C. All Brazilian players have great technique and do amazing things with the ball making defenders looking very foolish.. Marta is the best player in the world and has the skills and talent that no US defender could match.. Not the coach’s fault as he puts your best defender and fastest player.. She is still trying to find out what happened to her.
Exhibit D. You were outclassed and outplayed. I could have been 6-0. It happens.. Even the best teams have a day off.
I don’t know you and I will probably bet that you are a good person and you should have probably deserved to be in the net but the outcome of the game doesn’t depend on 1 person and has to be played as a team. No one is above that not even you.
I hope that you find the heart to apologize not to Briana but to all your teammates for your comment..
Sincerely and wishing you the best.
Posted by Joseph on September 28, 2007 - Friday at 9:32 AM
U.S. team dumps Solo
World Cup teammates decided they did not want the goalie with them for either Sunday’s third-place game with Norway or Saturday’s practice.
The team banished Solo, who had started the first four games of the World Cup, because she reacted to being benched for Thursday’s 4-0 semifinal loss to Brazil by criticizing not only the decision but the play of her replacement, veteran goalie Briana Scurry.
“Her going public has affected the whole group. Having her with us is still a distraction,” U.S. captain Kristine Lilly said of the reason for the decision.
Solo, 25, was the team’s goalie of the future, but her career with the national team could be over unless she somehow finds a way to regain her teammates’ confidence. She apologized at a Saturday team meeting after using her MySpace site for a public apology that still implied criticism of Scurry.
“The forgiveness in our hearts is just going to have to come with time,” said Abby Wambach, the team’s leading scorer.
-U.S. team dumps Solo- by Philip Hersh, Chicago Tribune
CONCLUSION:
Please read the Saving the legacy of Briana Scurry by my favorite sports writer Dan Wetzel from Yahoo! Sports.
Hope Solo can only dream of being Briana Scurry, on the field or off of it.
This is the ultimate team-first, team-everything keeper who year after year delivered the most masterful performances in the most desperate of times. Then she smiled as she watched everyone else lap up the attention and endorsement money.
It’s assuredly no coincidence that the one star that didn’t look like the others, never got what they did.
If anything, she deserves this one. This should be a day to hail the greatest and most important American goalkeeper of all time.
The entire situation is a shame. Briana Scurry deserved so much more than that. Her swan song should have been about appreciation, about honoring a career like no other, and acknowledgment that she should have gotten those commercials and magazine covers, too.
Forgive me for rooting for one final shutout, one day in the sun at last, for Briana Scurry.
-
Hope Solo Controversy Links:
- Hope Solo MySpace Site
- All the right moves wouldn’t have saved U.S. women against Brazil
- U.S. team dumps Solo
- -Hope Solo is right, and wrong-
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Hi Hope,
I just wanted to tell you I know nothing about soccer, but my husband told me about your story and I was totally shocked. So much that I really wanted you to know how bad I feel that this has happened to you. Not only should you have played in that game because you carried their asses the whole way, you earned the right to play in that game! I am so sorry you were benched. And what team are you playing for? USA? Aren’t we The people who give the right for free speech. You should not be criticized for saying how you feel. You were pissed and anyone in this world could see why and agree. So I know things are probably tough and I am sorry they have to be, but I just wanted you to know you have a new fan and to say YOU GO GIRL.
Your new fan,
Michele
What happened to Hope Solo’s MySpace site? There were excellent comments on that page. There were more than 1200 comments when I posted this Hope Solo compilation. I guess Hope Solo deleted everything.