A New Hope for US Women's Soccer?
I have been a fan of women's soccer since I was a kid. When I was a pre teen my parents ordered my bro and I Sports Illustrated for Kids. In each magazine sent out they would have a set of sports cards in the middle. I am pretty sure I still have Mia Hamm, Michelle Akers, Brianna Scurry and a few others cards back at my parents' house. I have followed the National Team since the beginning and love to watch every game they allow on tv.
Mia Hamm rose up and became the best female US soccer player and her reign lasted for the whole of her career. This got her major endorsement deals, she basically became the face of US women's soccer. Not only did she have talent but she had the looks that would appeal to the masses, especially the men that seem to control everything in the sports world, corporate America, the advertising industry, etc. So Mia retired and left a huge void. Who would now become the new face of women's soccer in the US and help promote it?
The legendary Mia Hamm in one of her many ads. Miss watching her play:(
Enter Abby Wambach. I would argue that Abby is actually better than Hamm, though not as legendary (no one ever will be). Abby is already number 3 on the top scorers chart and is on her way to bypassing Hamm. Why has she not become the face of US soccer? Where are all her endorsement deals? Well for one, she doesn't have the 'all american girl' looks, in fact she is rather boyish. Two, I am pretty sure she is a lesbian (so I have heard from lesbian websites). God forbid all those little girls look up to a gay soccer player, a 'butch' one at that (for lack of a better term).
Abby Wambach, I think she is hot but then again I am a lesbian..lol
Number two scorer all time is Kristine Lilly, who joined around the time Hamm did and didn't retire until a few years after Hamm. Mia has said numerous times the Lilly was a better player than her. Guess what. Lilly isn't as pretty and her sexuality was also ambiguous (though I now see she is married so I guess that is cleared up) See a pattern here?
Since Mia Hamm retired, women's soccer has pretty much lost popularity among the public because I feel US Soccer, the Corporation, has failed to promote it. No pretty, skillful, straight girl to be 'the face' after all.
Enter Hope Solo. The last Olympics and this World Cup introduced another star on the team. That is goalie Hope Solo (such a great name). She has the skill needed to be the new face of US Women's Soccer. Also has the 'white male approved' good looks, as I have read in many articles over the last few days. Has a boyfriend. It kind angered me cause Wambach has been the star (to those of us who follow the game), since Hamm retired and yet many in the public didn't recognize it until this World Cup. And even so I feel she is denied the stardom/recognition she deserves. Yet the Corporate world will skip right over her to Hope Solo. I am sure Solo will be given all the endorsement deals cause she fits into the little box men want their female athletes to fit into. Definitely is a man's world, even in female professional sports.
Hope Solo. Have to admit, she is hot:)
Also would like to add that Brandi Chastain was a pretty average player and only got, and still gets, major attention for ripping off her shirt and showing her bra after winning the 1999 World Cup. Don't know how many times I heard about that moment during this last week as well, forget about all the great soccer played during that WC.