Controversy On and Off the Field for US Women’s National Team
Abby Wambach lays on the ground after being “sucker punched.”
There were fireworks both on and off the field for the US Women’s National Team, who defeated Colombia 3-0 on Saturday in Glasgow, Scotland. Abby Wambach has called for the Olympic Committee to review and discipline the Colombian player who “sucker-punched” her during the game. And after the match Hope Solo went public on Twitter with her intense criticism of NBC Sports color commentator and former US National Team player, Brandi Chastain.
Abby Wambach calls for Olympic Committee to review punch she received from Lady Andrade
In the 39th minute of the match, Abby Wambach went down in a heap after making an off-the-ball run. She was pursued by Colombia’s Lady Andrade and when she closed on Wambach she gave her a right hook to her eye with an open palm which dropped the normally tough US forward. When play was finally stopped and referee Efthalia Mitsi from Germany checked on Wambach her eye was already swollen.
Video after the jump of Abby Wambach talking about the physicality of Colombia team and the sucker punch she received to her eye.
Evidently referee Mitsi didn’t see the play as Andrade was not punished for the punch which was clearly a red card offense.
Speaking through an interpreter after the game, Andrade admitted hitting Wambach but claimed it was an accident. ”That’s the way things happen in football,” she said. ”We were both running, and she ran across me and we collided. I had my hands in the air.”
Wambach had other thoughts about the play. “The way the Colombian team came out today they wanted to get into our heads and play physical. That was their game plan and they did a really good job of that, slowing the game down, going down and conceding injuries and sucker punching when they can. They did well but we did better.”
Wambach spoke directly about Andrade and the punch she received. “Quite frankly it was dangerous. In all honesty it was unsportsman-like behavior, a really terrible play. I hope FIFA and the Olympic Committee take a look at the film and see that this is not the type of player we want in the Olympics.”
FIFA would have no jurisdiction in the matter and a decision of this matter would have to come from the Olympic committee.
Wambach’s comments that were recorded on video, were interestingly filmed while the Colombian team and Andrade passed just feet in back of her.
Hope Solo attacks Brandi Chastain on Twitter.
The game itself, broadcast on NBC Sports, was called by Arlo White and color commentary was done by Brandi Chastain who did a decent enough job in her comments about the team. In last Wednesday’s match Chastain rightly criticized the team for not managing the end of the game well, being up 4-2, with just minutes left and continuing to take risks.
Today Chastain made some comments about defender Rachel Buehler and her need to get better in her passing. Within hours after the game Hope Solo, who has been known for controversy, took great exception with Chastain and gave her an earful on Twitter. Those comments seem to show Solo with a very thin skin as Chastain seemed to be doing what color commentators are paid to do: give opinion. Solo’s comments are still up on Twitter and can be seen here. Below is a visual of her comments.
The incident may remind some of the controversial episode in 2007 when US Women’s coach Greg Ryan benched Solo for Briana Scurry in the World Cup Final. Solo blasted Ryan publicly after the match. While some felt she may have been correct they questioned her method of dealing with the issue.
Video of Abby Wambach talking about the sucker-punch she received to her right eye.
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” And after the match Hope Solo went pubLic on Twitter…”
O_O
**Fixed!
**Teresa
Chastain is hired to say her opinions but her approach in providing criticism comes off as self-righteousness. She shouldn’t be making comparison of what happens on the field to that of her own playing career. As a color commentator it shouldn’t be about you. This is the same type of arrogance displayed by her generation of players like Julie Foudy who a decade earlier were coming off a successful World Cup, thinking they could do things better than their male counterparts. At the same time, I think Solo handled the situation in a poor manner. Both of them handled themselves wrong, really.
Lego7. Good points. I have a hard time with sports broadcasting forcing an old quality players as is the worship goes up. it’s rare in mens sports that’s great players make great or even good commentators. I remember julie foudy coming out to endorse a presidential candidate in 2004. Really? just how good of a player were you? I think those who are watching the games how much rather have, prudent, competent and skilled announcers, even if we never heard of them.
This is women’s soccer, and what do you get across the board? A bunch of whining, in spite of the fact that they have a perfect score at this point.
A few comments on poor defense, given that 2 goals were given up in the first few minutes of the opening game is certainly no show of disrespect to US Womens Soccer.
Please review my sucker punch? It is over, the US won, remember what happened the next time you play Colombia.
Women’s US Soccer…. look at it as the blood sport it truly is……..
As I watched the soccer game, I was irritated with Brandi’s commentary. As others have pointed out, she is hired to give her opinion, but I felt she was being unduly harsh with some of her comments. For me her comments detracted from the game because I felt they were too derogatory. I prefer to hear someone telling what the team is doing right. She seemed to spend too much time telling what the team was doing wrong.
In response to Linda, I too have my preferences for journalists: I want them to be journalists, not cheerleaders. If a team is playing poor defense ( as the US was in both games so far), then the color commentator needs to point it out. If the coach seems to be adhering to an ill conceived game plan ( which has been the case in the Olympics as well as in the recent Canada games ( as well as in virtually every USWNT game coached by Pia Sundhage)) then the color commentator needs to point it out. Julie Foudy was a terrific player and seems to be a terrific person. But she adds zero to the broadcast. Brandi Chastain is much better.
That said, Chastain – and all the 1999 team – need to sit back and enjoy their part of history. They were a phenomenal team – everyone knows it. But there is no time machine that could be deployed to have the 2012 and 1999 teams play each other. And if there was, I am fairly sure that the 2012 team would win. They would owe the entirety of the win to the trailblazing done by the 1999 team. But the fact of the matter is that Brandi is barking up thew wrong tree if she feels that the performance of the 1999 team is better.
If you watched the game , the Americans were much most chippy and physical with the Colombians, you did not see Wambugh pushing and shoving prior to the punch. Soccer is a contact sport at times. As an american I was glad when they lost to a more graceful and classy and fiesty Japanese team in the world cup, who deserved to win. I am sorry but Brandi Chastian is paid to make comments and good for her for having the ability to ” GASP’ criticize the US team. Hope Solo STFU, you too wambaugh just who the hell do yout hink you are?
As far as Colombia goes its their first olympics and I thought they hung tough until the very end. They are the equivalent of a middle of the road Pac- 12 soccer team. Stanford would have beaten Colombia if they played. Cut them some slack
From a goalkeeping persepctive, Chastain’s comments about the position are indeed 10 years outdated. The position has changed and Solo is a large part of that. She has set the standard for women’s goalkeepers. So…Solo has valid points with regard to that. (Surprised Chastain didn’t suggest the US defenders not to pass back to Solo as GKs used to have awful feet. That is really how outdated some of her comments have been)
From a commentary perspective, Chastain IS hired give her opinion but why does she always have to compared it to when she played? That gets so old. Comment about the modern game as an observer, no need to put herself in the middle of it all the time.
With all that being said, Solo does need to find a different way to address this issue. She is tightly wound and would save herself a lot of trouble if she put herself on a 24 hr rule before commenting on things that irk her. Her greatest strength is her greatest weakess. However, she did stick up for a centerback publically who was getting publically criticized….much different than calling out a coach.
Not to worry, she has a book coming out on Aug 14. And from what I have heard from reasonable sources it is going to controversial and opinionated. I expect her to retire from the Int’l scene after the Olympics.
Always interesting to hear your tuned in comments, Julie. Glad you are back in MN.
Typical f’ing Yank arrogant attitude all around – why is anybody surprized, really?
This is why the world hates Americans – ruining sportsmanship in every sport.
I find the hysterical sensitivity to Chastain’s very banal comments hilarious, esp. the US women’s national team whose fans seem to view them as sacred symbols of worship who no American should criticize. Opponents of the USWNT very often comment on the sneaky kicks and shoving and elbowing and rough physicality committed by the USWNT but heaven forbid they get the same treatment.
Ironic because the image of the tough, warrior American character–and the tough warrior women of the women’s national team–which in incidents like this, is proven to be a laughable myth.
Americans get petulant and childish over any criticism. They can dish it out but can’t take it in.
Chastain’s comments were incredibly mild–she is in fact rightly criticized for being far too biased toward the US national team when she’s commenting.
Amazing to see how many actually demand her to be a patriotic flagwaver in her commentary.
And as for sometimes referring to her experiences with the national team in her commentary–that is incredibly common among all former players, men and women, in any sport, who do any commentary. She’s not alone in that at all.
Seriously–Hope Solo needs to grow the f–k up and USWNT fans need to chill out.
^Wow BR: I don’t know if I should be saying “thanks Bro!” or “Thanks, Sis!”
Either way, thanks for throwing something so confusing into the mix that I am actually speechless. I’m so glad to know that the world hates me. That really gave my Monday an unexpected turn.
I gotta admit, it does get frustrating at times being to blame for eveything in the world, including ruining sportsmanship.
On a serious note–I gotta ask: “Are we REALLY that horrible?!?”. My answer would be know. Unless you were being sarcastic or just trying to stir the pot, it looks like we might have two perspectives on the situation that are polar opposites.
Just curious what country your from if you have any suggestions on how we can improve our global image, and specifically, what you would have recommended that the situations that we are discussing here have been handled.
No sarcsam, there. I’m really curious.
Thanks!
@JulieE and Harper: I disgree with some of your points, agreed with several but really thoroughly enjoyed reading them! Well played!
Up until the incident with Waumbach, I had really been impressed with Andrade. She showed some nice flares of technical skill. It was unfortunate that those moments evaporated in many people’s memories after such a shameful and dangerous meltdown.
She’s got some sweet skillz. I’d love to see how her game grows over time.
I think part of the problem is that the US are perhaps as athletic as any team in the world if not more so. They use their bodies but they do so just like the men do and when they do it is mostly fair play. But as I have seen happen several times in the tournament already, the US will get called on a foul on a fair shoulder to shoulder where they just muscle off the other player for reasons of size or strength. It’s not a foul to be bigger or stronger and the women referees need to figure this out. With that said I think overall, the officiating in this tournament has even been a step up from the last World Cup.
Lastly, I was told that FIFA didn’t have anything to do with Colombia’s Lady Andrade strike and that it would have to come from the Olympic Committee. However, word is now coming down that FIFA has indeed reviewed the play and have suspended her for 2 matches. I will provide a link when it is available.
Oh, BTW, Andrade was the one who purposely tripped Wambach when she was running without the ball just before her goal. Watch the replays. She sticks her foot out and trips her but Wambach jumps back up and makes the run, gets the ball and muscles her way though for the finish.
BR and Yankiboy are still upset about the Boston Tea Party eh
