MMs - 7.8.2019 - Alexa! She shoots, she scores!

The 2019 Women's World Cup is in the books. USA! USA!

No secret that we're fans. Barb enjoys it; but I can best be described as rabid.  I did, in fact, watch all 34 games, for example.

It came to our attention a few weeks ago that we have been following Women's Soccer for 20 years. There was an exhibition game a month or so ago and the 99ers - the team that won the World Cup in 1999 was feted. That was the win that resulted in the iconic Sports illustrated cover of Brandi Chaistain celebrating her goal in her sports bra!

BTW, a reporter asked Brandi if she had that sports bra in a place of honor somewhere. Her response was, "No. It was just laundry to me."

Players change over the years, of course. Mia Hamm and Christie Rampone gave way to Hope Solo and Abby Wambach, who gave way to Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe. Megan apparently will give way to no one - especially the President.

I worried about this team. They have shown a tendency to react slowly in the back line, allowing easy, surprise goals. And until Cup play, the current goal keeper appeared very vulnerable. But as of yesterday, the US Women are 4-time winners and pulled off the very difficult back-to-back championship. USA! USA!

It has been interesting to see the growth of interest in the Women's game at a national level. This is a recurring phenomenon, and after the parades, and the Victory Tour games, it will wane somewhat, but overall, the needle has been moved upward significantly.

That's good, because members of the same team that won the Cup are suing their parent organization for equality with the Men's team. It's a righteous fight; the Women draw bigger crowds, generate more revenue, score more goals (the Women scored more goals in a single Cup game than the Men have scored in Cup play in total since 2006), and oh, yeah. The Men didn't even qualify for their World Cup.

Plus, one of my all-time favorite blog posts was about watching the Women's World Cup (Deep thoughts while watching a soccer game.)
 
Alexa! She shoots! She scores! Try it.