Interesting couple of weeks for the pair of US National Teams eh?

Been a tough week for both the Men's and Women's National Teams in the US this week.

First we spoke about the EEOC complaint the WNT filed about the discrepancy in salaries between the WNT and the MNT, which most certainly exists. Only problem is, the WNT makes far less in revenue than the MNT does and while the WNT are certainly do for a raise, their desire to get paid the same as the MNT is just not realistic.

We have former MNT star Landon Donovan coming out in favor of "fair treatment" of the WNT players. Only problem is, some news reports are citing this as being "in favor" of the WNT ... well ... depends how you look at it. He states that the WNT should be paid the same based on their ability to derive revenue for US Soccer which is far, far less than what the MNT generates.

I happen to agree with LD and each National Team pay structure should be the same, or substantially similar based on that. Like I stated earlier, it is about the market, not the person. All people are fundamentally equal. Their business worth is not.

A bunch of stupid articles like this one from SI about how Nike is sexist for only selling WNT jerseys to women, or this one from Forbes, that get the facts so wrong it is staggering have come up in between. Oh, and a comment from Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders on the topic. Pretty sure Hill will get the same pay as Obama when she takes office so not really sure what she is on about ...

But wait ... there is so much more.

Enter (or exit) Abby Wambach, who was arrested on a DUI charge the other night in Portland. I do have to say though, I give her great props and while being colossally stupid for doing this in the first place, she owned it right away and vowed to do whatever she needed to make it up.

This hurts on a number of levels. Not only in the loss of her credibility to be a real voice for women's soccer ... they may need one with this whole wage thing ... but also for the kids. There may be a silver lining in here though as she could become a very powerful voice for drunk driving. Might not be for the reasons she wanted, but there it is.

It hurts also as apparently one of her sponsors, Mini, is pissed. From their statement I'm not 100% sure why. It may indeed be because she was arrested for DUI, but from their comments it may also be because she was arrested for DUI when driving a Range Rover. How screwed up is that? Sure get all liquored up ... but when you drive home, do it in a Mini??? Wow.

Finally and not to be outdone a couple of MNT players showing just how graceful they are, mocked Wambach about her situation on Twitter. While one was clearly taking aim at a past controversial comment from Wambach about players points of origin, the other was a swat at Hope (don't you know who I am) Solo when she was reportedly a passenger in a team van driven by her drunk husband.

While I chuckled at the second one from Altidore honestly, and can appreciate the first from Bedoya, now is not the time boys. Think it but keep it to yourself. You all wear the same crest on your jersey and represent the US when you play. What do we think would happen if a referee did something like this?

So yeah, a banner week for the National teams here in the US ... I can't wait until things really get going.

Here is another 2015 MLS controversy for you ...

Orlando City chief soccer officer Armando Carneiro leaves position

Orlando City's chief soccer officer Armando Carneiro has resigned for personal reasons, the MLS club announced on Monday.

Carneiro joined Orlando City from Porto less than two months ago to oversee operations and staff.

"We fully understand Armando's personal reasons for stepping down from his role and respect his wishes. We thank him for his help and wish him luck with his future career," Orlando City president Phil Rawlins said in a statement. ...

Seethe whole story here, courtesy of ESPN.

Kicking Back Comments: This is not great news for OCSC and comes as a bit of a shock to me. Some have stopped to wonder if the personal reasons were the uncertainly of OCSC and MLS in general. Others have wondered if a move from a football power like Benfica, to well, an MLS team had something to do with it.

Either way, it is a loss for MLS and a stunning reversal after MLS was crowing about the arrival a little over a month ago. This is bigger than OCSC if I had to guess ... and that to me is a real controversy.

(My) Best of MLS Controversies 2015

Best of MLS Controversies 2015

No exciting season comes without a few flaps and dust-ups along the way. Along with the stunning highs of the season and tournaments this year came some equally dramatic controversies, too.

Here are some of the ones that got people talking (and typing) the most, as voted by the MLSsoccer.com editorial staff. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of MLS.com.

Kicking Back Comments: I duuno ... I think there are a few others in 2015 that caused and will cause a bigger stir.

First is NRP's column on America v. MLS and the stir it caused. While certainly accomplished, Deford is dead wrong and lacks vision in this case. In short, the games he has reported on and worshiped in his lifetime in the next 20 years, will begin to be in decline as others, like soccer and lacrosse continue to gain prominence.

Second, is the MLS relationship with Audi, whose parent company is Volkswagen. Just as Volkswagen is tainted courtesy of Dieselgate, so too may be Audi. While MLS Cup 2015 did not seem to be affected, what the future holds is less than certain.

Finally, the recent DOJ investigation ripping through FIFA has not excluded the Americans. Chuck Blazer and Aaron Davidson know this better than most right now as the later is still seeking a plea deal. While Sunil Gulati did not choose to appear before Congress (and gave a great answer why) there was speculation he too may know about the scandal rocking FIFA. If he or other Americans are implicated, that could be a significant set back for the MLS.

Somehow in the face of such a prospect, a player or two throwing a temper tantrum does not rate very highly for me.

Alright FIFA ... WTF are you doing about this one?

Turkish soccer fans chant "Allahu Akbar" during Paris attacks remembrance

Turkey and Greece, neighbors that have been often vicious geopolitical rivals for centuries, have attempted in recent years to reconcile their differences, a move that's been given heightened importance during the growing migrant crisis.

Their soccer teams hadn't played each other in eight years, so Tuesday's friendly match in Istanbul presented an opportunity for a power symbolic display of peace and reconciliation. ...

See the whole article here, courtesy of CBS News.

Kicking Back Comments: Here is another opportunity for FIFA to show some leadership. Can we go beyond signs of support (which have their place) and move to actions in the face of such behavior?

FIFA is rightly willing to shutter stadiums for activities they determine racist. How oh how can this be condoned?

FIFA ... grow a set and take some action. 

No more headers in soccer ... and guess who will have to judge

Court settlement proposes heading ban in bid to curtail youth concussions

In a settlement announced on Monday by Hagens Berman, a law firm that represented youth players in a class action lawsuit against six the largest youth soccer groups, U.S. players who are aged 10 and under will no longer be able to head the ball, while players aged 11 through 13 will be restricted by a length of practice with headers and number of total headers allowed per player per week.

The settlement also, for the first time, mandates a standard protocol to follow when a player is found to have sustained a concussion. ...

See the whole article here from ESPN.

Kicking Back Comments: You can see the genesis of the suit from an article here. There are elements of the settlement that I think have great merit, such as allowing a temporary substitution to allow for concussion evaluation and having a standard procedure for evaluating same. All good stuff.

Limiting headers, frankly is crap, and untenable to patrol. While this settlement occurred just Monday the 9th, the practical effects are really yet to be felt by referees across the US ... I am sure that was not even a thought in US Soccer's head however. Enforcement ... we'll figure that out later.

As an organization we are having issues getting young referees to determine and stop play when a player uses their hands in U10 matches ... never mind finding a referee to even do those games these days. But sure, throw that log on the fire of no head balls ... I can hear it now ... "SHE HEADED IT ... THAT'S A FOUL" ...

OMG I am going to lose my mind watching these matches next year.

What I found somewhat laughable and ironic about all of this at the high level I have examined it so far is the lead attorney in the suit, Steve W. Berman, was paid his handsome fees by US Soccer to the tune of $590,000 when none of this was supposed to be about money, but about safety. (What ever happened to pro bono work?) Something Steve I would think should care about as per his bio he himself is a "certified soccer referee."

I'll wait to see what the full settlement holds and how US Soccer plans to ask its youngest and least experienced group of referees to implement these very nuanced changes to the LOTG and effect the very fabric of how The Game is played today.

Until then, stay tuned as the comments surrounding this change are generally not positive ones.

Update 18:00 EST ... oh look, here is one from SI:

Michael A. Shealy · 

Referee with TISOA Chapter at Nisoa College Referee

So as a referee do we red card the youth that head the ball now. Here come another LOTG #18.

Like · Reply · 2 · 10 hrs

Jj Garcia

Thats my concern about this and I'm not even a ref. How is this going to managed in games when sometimes heading the ball is an instinctual move to get the ball clear or control it. Who to say that coaches of rec level or higher are going to be actually counting with a counter or something of that sorts. I cant see how this can be monitored in practices with all the teams that are out there.

Like · Reply · 6 hrs

Mike Naka

Jj Garcia Gotta love the USA and the sue everything culture...

Good Guy Award: @DeAngeloRB

Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports

So many of us have been touched by the ravages of cancer either ourselves, or through family or friends. In this modern age, there is no concept of "six degrees of separation" regarding this awful disease.

DeAngelo Williams, who is currently playing as a running back for the Steelers, was recently told by the NFL he was not allowed to wear pink all year (courtesy USA today) to both honor his mother who he lost to the disease, but also as a reminder to women that it is critical to get tested as early detection is key to many such cancers.

Where I really start to appreciate Mr. Williams is his persistence in keeping his real goals of wearing pink, not the marketing campaign the NFL performs annually to bolster its image. Mr. Williams is steadfast in his belief and has gone so far as to dye his hair and paint his nails pink as well as provide funding for women to get screened out of his own pocket.

No so much for the NFL in the moth of October where their behavior is nothing short of a pink clad scam. I offer the following:

Take a look here from an article from Jezebel:

"Since the program's inception four years ago, the NFL has raised $3 million for breast cancer. In 2009, the League made $8.5 billion. Last year, they made $9.5 billion. Commissioner Roger Goodell has set a revenue goal of $25 billion per year by the year 2027. A million per year out of between $8.5 and $9.5 billion in revenues? Pardon me while I don't slobber all over the NFL's pink-drenched marketing campaign."

Okay, that is one opinion ... here are a few others:

Vice Sports:

"In fact, the NFL's claim of 100 percent proceeds from auction and 100 percent proceeds from retail has translated to an average of just $1.1 million every year since they partnered with ACS six years ago. That's less than .01 percent of the approximately $10 billion the league made in revenue last year. And almost five times less than what ACS' other partners, such as Walgreens, manage to donate to the same program—a program that, again, gives zero dollars to cancer research."

Sports Illustrated:

"Approximately 8 percent of sales from pink NFL merchandise go toward cancer research, according to a report this week from Business Insider."

... and my personal favorite from Business Insider, "Is The NFL Profiting Off Of Breast Cancer?"

So from all of these it seems fairly clear that the NFL is actually profiting from the disease and while I thought my view of them could not get any dimmer, it just did.

Listen, I get why the NFL can't support having players wearing what they want all the time, it would descend an already morally challenged league into visual chaos. There are uniform standards to uphold and sponsors pay big money for their stuff to be seen. I understand.

All credit to Mr. Williams however in appropriately thumbing his nose at the NFL with changing his hair color to honor his mom and also staying within the "uniform standards." Where the NFL just pays lip service to a devastating disease and is indeed making a few bucks in the process, Mr. Williams to me gets a good guy award for letting his actions speak louder than any words the NFL propaganda machine is spouting.

Does the result matter?

Over this past weekend the beginnings of MLB playoffs are unfolding. One such series going on now is the NLDS between the Dodgers and the NY Mets.

As most of us saw over the weekend we had a play at second base where a player made, at best, a reckless challenge into a second baseman in an attempt to break up the subsequent play to first base. In reality however the sliding player caused the second baseman to break his leg, ending the remainder of his season.

As a result, the player was allowed to continue to play in this game, the play was challenged, put under review, and upheld that the player who slid into second base was safe and in fact did nothing wrong. Subsequent to the game, the sliding player was suspended for (2) games, and that decision is being appealed currently.

Now, without regard to this particular players' history of similar events (which we will deal with later), there are a few burning questions I have:

1. Could the sliding player have been ejected during the game for the conduct?

2. If the second baseman was not injured, could this decision still have been reached?

3. Was it appropriate for the league to step in and issue the suspension?

4. Was the suspension appropriate given the result of the injury?

Now before I get into this, let it be known I am not a baseball guy, so please go easy. This is from a casual reading of the Official Baseball Rules, and frankly my interpretation may be way off ... then again, that is my point.

You can take a good look at the video here from CBS Sports. Do yourselves a favor and turn off the sound so as to not listen to the bozos commenting ... my favorite part was went one of these enlightened ones said by the shortstop turning his back, it made it his fault.

#1: I think the answer is yes that the Baseball Rules support an ejection. That is to say that can do it.
This lies in 8.01(d) and reads:

(d) Each umpire has authority to disqualify any player, coach, manager or substitute for objecting to decisions or for unsportsmanlike conduct or language, and to eject such disqualified person from the playing field. If an umpire disqualifies a player while a play is in progress, the disqualification shall not take effect until no further action is possible in that play.

Now the $64,000 question is if this type of behavior is considered unsporting. Look and the video and decide.

Now take a look at this video in which every single player was sent off either straight away or by a 2nd caution:

Not a lot of difference in some cases in my head. At the above are from a sport that expects tackling at some level.

#2: Is a resounding YES!!!!! Why wait for a serious injury to dismiss a player for such reckless play. Umpires in the baseball game could have, as could any soccer referee if such a tackle does not result in an injury.

#3: Joe Torre has to do something before it gets bat crap ugly ... which it still may by the way. Also while Torre cites 5.09 (a) (13) for the cause, I was thinking 6.01 (a) (6) and run the baserunners ass out under 8.01 (d).

#4: Here is the part that really gets my goat. If the player was not injured, or only mildly so the suspension would never have happened. It literally took a broken leg for MLB to do something about this.

I'll say honestly, in a Rule Book that ejects players for corked bats and arguing with an umpire, players seem immune for this kind of bush league crap that had the effect of removing a star player for the remainder of the NLDS. Now did he mean to hurt the player, I doubt it, but that does not factor into the equation. His clearly reckless act of sliding into the back of the plant leg of the fielder should. It was reckless to the nth degree and to me, the player should have been run right there on the spot. Instead, he was actually called safe and allowed to play.

While I am no fan of a lex talonis form of justice in some cases, two games is not nearly enough for this type of intentional play. Intentional to hurt, no. Intentional to break up the play, even in reckless fashion, yes. Let the player sit the rest of the season.

Here is where our bothers in MLB (no sisters yet?) need our help. These guys are simply not capable of determining what a foul like that is, and honestly should get trained as if baserunners are going to do this type of cheap $h!t, umpires should be trained to recognize it and run a player who does something like what we saw the other night.

Oh yeah ... he's done this before too, to the same player. Just look here.

Botched or Brilliant?

By now for anyone who is even casually connected to American pop culture, you have heard of the "blown call" from Monday Night Football. Some may even now know who Greg Wilson is.

Much has been made about the rule that was apparently violated Rule 12, Section 4, Article 1(b), where a player may not "bat" a ball out of the end zone (I am simplifying here).

Take a look at the video here from SB Nation and a spectacular shot of what the Back Judge Greg Wilson saw.

Public outrage aside about how "bad" a call this is, I think there are a few obtuse points worth mentioning that most have not stated so far.

• Mega kudos to Kam Chancellor, who delivered the hit to cause the fumble and do so before the ball crossed the plain of the goal line. This was a great football play and a rules controversy is sadly overshadowing a phenomenal play in crunch time. #respect

• It is more clear than ever to me that the players, coaches, and staff at that level do not understand the rules of football, with a few notable exceptions. Stories are out now that the guilty player himself did not know the rule, there was no uproar on the sideline about it, or talk of it in the locker rooms until well after the fact, and the TV analysis, when they finally caught on was ... embarrassing. Note to all younger referees, the words "I used to be a pro" mean absolutely nothing in so far as knowledge or application of the LOTG go. This was proven painfully true again last night.

• I happen to think Greg Wilson is a great referee for making the right call. SB Nation allowed for only two possibilities on the matter. (1) Wilson didn't know the rule. or (2) Wilson incorrectly felt that Wright's strike of the ball wasn't obvious. This article also notes that the Director of Officiating was ducking under #2 ... and for him that was really the only choice. I believe there is a 3rd option that existed ... and it was Wilson in essence played an "advantage." Now, understanding that no such construct exists officially in the NFL rules, we see it exercised all the time with fouls like pass interference, some are flagged, most are not and this largely goes to if an advantage was gained or not. Here we have the case that the ball was on the way out from the fumble. There was little doubt that was the case. Even with the players batting the ball (and he did bat the ball) it would have made no difference to what would have occurred next. Why then, if the foul would serve to give a significant and inappropriate advantage to the team who legitimately fumbled the ball, would we do that?

For me Wilson actually did the game (royally speaking) a great service by not punishing the trivial or obscure to many and as such altering the outcome. Most are seeing it the other way, including my friends at FootballZebras ... some even saying that the odds shifted ~%75 with this call ... for me it was courageous and on the grander scale completely correct.

Most clearly do not feel that way, but to me, they are dead wrong.

Upon Further Review ...

Hope Solo's domestic violence case reinstated

Hope Solo, star goalkeeper of the U.S. Women’s national team, will face domestic violence charges after an appeals court on Friday reversed a decision to throw out the case.

Controversy about the charges flared during the World Cup, when Solo helped lead the team to the title and responded by saying she was the victim in the incident and the case had been dismissed. But now she will be facing charges yet again. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of USA Today.

Kicking Back Comments: This was a completely predictable outcome and while I called it such at the time, it crystallizes Solo's lawyers mumblings after the initial dismissal as the drivel I knew it to be. Dismissal on procedural grounds ... and clearly poor ones given the restatement above ... is not innocence of any type.

Solo like any other is due her day in court but I can only hope this spells the end of Hope representing the US National Team if she is found guilty. I also hope US Soccer does not contort itself into a pretzel again to make sure she plays in the Olympics if she is found guilty.

Her lawyer did a good job of laying down enough smoke for Sunil to get her on a 30 day suspension. If she is found guilty however, I hope he dismisses her ... best goalkeeper in the world or not.

There's Rule #95 Again

Not all that long ago I spoke about referees not violating Rule #95 to Never Lift Your Bike Over Your Head. This was in reference to a call that two NFL officials openly celebrated during play and were incorrectly chastised for it.

This time however, the NFL official who foolishly chose to lift his bike over his head has earned the ridicule he is getting for it. Enter Mark Baltz.

Photo Courtesy LarryBrownSports.com

Mr. Baltz recently went onto a sports program and stated how he was always suspicious of Jim McNally, one of the locker room attendants related to #deflategate. He continued by saying that he visited New England 10 - 15 times and the conduct was so strange he reported same to the NFL.

Now the reality is very different than the story shared by Mr. Baltz where he was apparently in New England (3) times for a Brady game and there was no report filed to the NFL, per the NFL themselves.

So what the heck is going on here?

Constructed in a way most favorable to Mr. Baltz, maybe he just forgot how many times he was in New England ... heck I have lost count with the number of times I have been in particular stadiums.

The report to the NFL? Maybe he legitimately told someone and expected it to be filed. I could almost see that in some cases.

That said, while these may be a stretch, one thing is not, that Mr. Baltz intentionally put himself in the "line of fire" by agreeing to answer any questions of the type in the first place and detail his experiences for no other reason than to fan the flames of a recent controversy.

In short, he wanted his 15 minutes of fame and he lifted his bike over his head.

Only problem is, he has either been caught lying through his teeth or was so out of touch with the facts as to be not believable. I am not sure which, and I am not asking either.

Please, lets leave the playing to the players. If Mr. Baltz did indeed have questions or concerns, leave it between the referee and the league. Why is there a need to "tell all" in a hyped story?

Ultimately it has disgraced him and the craft we all share.

Your 15 minutes are up sir, please exit the stage now.

You think #deflategate is a "stain" on the NFL ... wait for this ...

Integrity Indeed

How 14 Indicted FIFA Officials Currently Stand

Updating the legal status of the 14 soccer and sports marketing officials charged in the FIFA corruption case.

Charged in the United States

Jeffrey Webb, President of Concacaf, one of the six regional confederations that compose FIFA, and a vice president of FIFA.

Webb, 50, pleaded not guilty on July 18 at an arraignment in United States District Court in Brooklyn to charges that he had solicited bribes to parcel out lucrative soccer media and marketing deals. Webb, who was arrested in Switzerland in May, was released on a $10 million bond secured by a mix of real estate holdings owned by him, his wife and other relatives; bank accounts; cars; and expensive watches and jewelry. He has been provisionally banned from all soccer-related activities by FIFA’s ethics committee. ...

See where the other 13 indicted folks are here, courtesy of The NY Times.

Kicking Back Comments: I'll save full comment about the topic regarding the "Integrity of The Game" later in the week as I expect the "Deflategate" scandal to come to a crescendo, but it is safe to say I am happy to see the wheels of justice starting to roll over these folks even understanding that it will take years to sort this all out ... and le grand fromage is still walking around Switzerland looking for his long lost Nobel Peace Prize.    

"I Don't Give A F*** About FIFA"

Well then, that seems to be clear.

Just like me with "deflategate," Ronaldo may be tired of hearing about FIFA's issues as they have been going on for sooooooo long.

In his case however, I would think if he had an opinion he would want to share, as one of the potential future presidents of FIFA would see an (8) team increase of participants at the World Cup.

There are a few other proposals Mr. Platini would likely make too that will alter the fabric of the business of football. Check out this article from Forbes too see them all. Some of which I would think Ronaldo would certainly have some thoughts about ... beyond the singular thought he shared.

Drone-Gate?

Some NFL Teams Are Being Probed for Using Drones to Film Practice

National Football League teams have taken to the skies in their search for a competitive edge, launching drones to film their practices.

“You can coach better. You see hand placement, you see where they have their feet and where they have their eyes,” said Jason Garrett, coach of the Dallas Cowboys.

The problem is, it’s illegal to fly the unmanned aircraft for any commercial purpose without first getting a Federal Aviation Administration waiver. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Bloomberg.

Kicking Back Comments:

Alright guys ... start the deflate-esque comments now =)

I think I am going to fly one of these for "educational" purposes for the next assessment I do.

Like it, or else?

The Women Are A Cleansing Sorbet...

There's too much football. It's fine to admit it. It's utterly relentless, a bombardment of games and tournaments and friendlies, just when we thought the season was over. The FA Cup final was followed by the Champions League final after which came a couple of England games then the Copa America and oh sweet fancy Moses the European Under-21 Championships is about to start. You start to feel like Roberto Duran being smacked around, but with perpetual football rather than Sugar Ray Leonard's fists. No más, no más, no más. ...

See the whole article here from Football365.com.

Kicking Back Comments:

What a load of crap frankly. Just because people are not jumping up and down about the WWC does not mean they are bad people or don't like The Game, it just means they are not interested or may not be entertained. There was a great reply to this article here on Football365 itself and an even better comment to that article:

"...While I agree with Nick Miller on the England Women's team being refreshing to watch (it's so weird watching football without the diving and swearing at the ref) I'm going to make an appeal to the good writers at F365. Can the next article on women's football not be a hand wringing 'why are people so negative' one like Jonny Nic's was the other week. Can we please have a 16 conclusions, or a preview of the Norway game, or even a profile of a couple of the players. If you want people to take the women's game seriously - then lead the way by giving it some proper coverage. Like you do with the Spanish League for example. A regular weekly column by one of your fine writers would be a much bigger boost to the game then trying to tackle misogyny single handed. Plus I really want to know who's at no. 50 on a WWC ladder! Mike, League 2, BRFC"

Honestly too, if this was true, most of the world would be considered a misogynist as attendance has been heavily inflated (source it look like only 313,411-ish in actual attendance for all matches to date) and while the US and Canada matches are very well attended, it looks like few others are. A real question is why this is the case? Remember from earlier that Canada was the ONLY country to bid on the WWC. Let's face it WWC is just not a money maker in most places. 

It is interesting though. People are about to go to jail and alter their lives forever in trying to get a World Cup into a particular country ... yet only a single country bids on the WWC.

Lets face it folks, it's not about misogyny, it's about money, and there is sadly not much in the women's game today.

FIFA's New Card Game!!

FIFA scandal collector cards: Get the whole set!

(CNN) So many arrests and so many men wanted and then there's the resignation of the top boss -- FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

If you're struggling to keep up with who has done what in the FIFA scandal, you're not alone, but CNN is here to help.

In a nod to those games you loved playing with your friends at school, we've designed a set of FIFA scandal collector cards, containing the key data of just who has been charged, banned suspended, resigned or pled guilty.

Feel free to print them out and swap them with your friends. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of CNN.

Kicking Back Comments: 

OMG this is great!! Soon we may see a deck of playing cards with their likenesses on them. Yes, Sepp would be the ace of spades.

I'm betting he is sleeping with one eye open right now just waiting for the FBI or Swiss police to come crashing through the door.

Tick tock Sepp ... tick tock.

A piece of what?

Pia Sundhage calls Hope Solo a 'piece of work'

WINNIPEG — Ahead of the World Cup clash between the United States and Sweden Friday, the New York Times published an interview with Pia Sundhage, who had sharp words for her former U.S. players.

The Swedish coach said when Carli Lloyd felt coaches had faith in her, she “could be one of the best players, but if she began to question that faith, she could be one of the worst.” Sundhage also said if she were still the U.S. coach, Abby Wambach would come off the bench, and added that Hope Solo was one of the most challenging players she’s ever coached, “especially when it comes to trouble.” ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of USA Today.

Kicking Back Comments:

Very tactical stuff from Pia frankly and while they may see each other again later in the tournament, this was an interesting little zinger prior to what is likely to be the top two teams from Group D.

Here too is something I am learning about life ... everyone loves a winner no matter how much of a bad actor they are. If they are successful, during that time, they are forgiven. Not saying it's fair ... but that's the way it is.

Please stop helping ...

... should be Hope Solo's words to her husband, Jerramy Stevens, after his recent comments.

In the article from USA Today, Stevens (who was popped for DUI driving a US Soccer team van, and in 2012 arrested, but not charged, for assault) defended his wife, who he was arrested for assaulting, by calling the whole thing a "witch hunt."

Photo Credit: The Simpsons

I may have found a better way to say that if I was referring to my wife, but I take his point.

He continued by going so far as to call those who would report or believe the matter regarding Solo, sexist, unpatriotic, and low class.

I'm serious, look at the article.

There is a point in time that one should put the shovel down and stop digging the hole they are in. I think Stevens is past that point.

It gets better however ... with an open letter from the Senate to US Soccer regarding their investigation, its lack or adequacy, and the "tone deaf" nature of it.

Yipes.

Well US Soccer was of course forced to respond, and Mr. Gulati was of course far more artful than Mr. Solo. You can see much of his response here.

Lets face it, while I am sure a cadre of lawyers were consulted on this, I suspect the intent was finding an escape clause to let Solo play as she is probably the best keeper on the planet earth right now.

This is concerning for a couple of reasons. First is that if it is true, US Soccer is putting winning above doing the right thing. Not unique for many such organizations, but in the face of what is going on right now with FIFA, the position is somewhat hypocritical on a smaller, but no less moralistic scale.

Second is that Senator Blumenthal has it part right that US Soccer is "tone deaf" on the issue. Yes, Solo has a right to due process, and yes, the criminal case is currently under appeal, and yes there is a vocal minority that is growing which want no part of Solo's antics any more.

I have to believe the "win-win" here is Solo helps the US win the WWC and retires right on the spot to resume her defense at home. Her criminal appeal is pending and prosecutor arguments due in mid-July with oral argument scheduled for September. Plenty of time to retire.

While I don't like that personally as it continues to reward bad behavior, it may be the best angle for the majority of the parties.

Stevens is right about one thing I think ... this whole thing is sexist. As from my own opinion and a plurality of commentators, if this was a member of the MNT who was suggested in a domestic violence case, I think they would be suspended in a heartbeat.

Yes, I think that because there is no stand out star on the MNT like Solo ... but also because of the sex of the actors in this case. I am all for equality, so long as everyone is treated equally.

Coincidence huh ...

Former USWNT GK coach: Departure had 'nothing to do with Hope Solo'

With just four months to go before the Women’s World Cup, the U.S. goalkeeper situation was already up in the air with starter Hope Solo’s 30-day suspension by U.S. Soccer after her recent incident in which her husband was charged with a DUI while driving her in a U.S. Soccer team van in Los Angeles.

So the timing of this news on Wednesday night raised some eyebrows: Paul Rogers, the U.S. goalkeepers coach since 2009, abruptly left his position with the team to take a job as the goalkeepers coach with the Houston Dynamo. ...

See the whole article from Grant Wahl here, courtesy of SI.com.

Kicking Back Comments:

The lady doth protest too much, methinks. At least Hamlet did ...

Yeah this is a bit too close in time for me to blow it off as coincidence. If (Paul) Rogers really saw another World Cup win in his very near future and hope (snicker) beyond the recent string of incidents with Solo, I find it hard to believe he would have left so abruptly, even for a MLS team.

This to me is another nail in the USWNT coffin and what we may come to expect in June in Canada.

Either way with US Soccer and Rogers saying that this was planned and there is nothing to see here leads me to be all that more suspicious there is not more here.

NO GRASS FOR YOU!!!

Back in November I shared with you all the case being brought against FIFA for the use of a synthetic surface for the 2015 WWC in Canada. For any interested it can be found here.

As I opined then, and was recently confirmed, the case was dismissed for lack of merit. In a contorted statement from council representing the players, Hampton Dellinger stated, "So after a lot of effort to reach a compromise - the players need to start their training and need to know what surface they'll be be playing on - they have decided to put soccer first and put the lawsuit behind them."

In other words ... they got nuthin' ... legally speaking.

There is an important point in that last statement too as I believe that FIFA and the CSA got it wrong and the WWC should be played on grass. That last statement however is a far cry from what the case itself and how is was processed should determine as a victor.

Take a look at "Of Privilege and Preference ..." by Elizabeth Cotignola which in part calls Wambach et. al. v. Canadian Soccer Association, nothing more than a temper tantrum to which these players feel they are entitled.

I agree with her, as well as how the case was brought both in form and in venue, but at the same time, I think the women are entitled to the same surface as the men. Not because they are women, but because they are playing at the highest level of The Game, and the game itself deserves that respect.

Believe me, that surface changes the game, I have the experience to know this personally. What should scare the crap out of FIFA however was not this lawsuit, nor should it be the fear of a boycott from these players or fans, it should be the fact that Canada was the only country to complete the bidding process for the 2015 Cup.

Let me write that again ... Canada was the only country to ask to host the World Cup.

Gee, ya think FIFA has bigger issues to deal with regarding the womens' game?

Richard Farley put it best in his article at Soccer Gods:

"Rather than spending so much time pursuing an inane court case, the players and their representatives should’ve been pressing the fact that this isn’t about the law. It’s about something deeper, something more fundamental. Once you break through the mire of FIFA standards, single-country bids, and the state of modern turf, this is basic, common sense stuff: Why us and not them?"

He is 100% correct.