The US women’s national team won the World Cup on Sunday with talent, swagger, poise and personality.
Today’s ticker-tape parade down New York City’s Canyon of Heroes Heroines drew a great, enthusiastic crowd.
A large contingent of Westporters — young soccer players, siblings, moms, and others enthralled by this fantastic team — joined the festivities.
Among the most excited: these 4 Staples soccer players.
From left: Mia Didio, Elizabeth Kuehndorf, McKenzie Didio, Emma Nordberg. (Photos/Karen Nordberg)
Mayor Bill de Blasio praised “America’s team.”
Captain Megan Rapinoe explained it more colorfully: “This group is so resilient, is so tough, has such a sense of humor — is just so bad-ass.
“We have pink hair and purple hair. We have tattoos, dreadlocks. We’ve got white girls and black girls, and everything in between. Straight girls and gay girls. Hey!”
Congratulations — and thanks for being role models for us all!
Way to go USA! So exciting and uplifting!!
Despite being a long time fan of the USWNT, I was hugely disappointed by some of their antics during this World Cup. Firstly, I found their humiliation of a hapless Thailand team, by running up an unnecessary 13-0 score and then celebrating the 13th almost as wildly as their 1st, to be disrespectful and arrogant. I don’t think that was a good look, nor was it a good example.
Additionally, Megan Rapinoe’s continued and persistent disrespect of America, its National Anthem, and its flag, whilst on foreign soil and on a worldwide stage, showed a selfishness that was unbecoming for an athlete wearing an American shirt.
Steve, check out this interview of Megan Rapinoe with Anderson Cooper. You may not like it, but she sure is not disrespecting America. She’s giving her strong viewpoint, and challenging all of us to be better: https://twitter.com/AC360/status/1148761137955164161/video/1
Dan, why do you say I may not like it? I have zero issue with anyone imploring this great country to be even greater than it already is. Why would I? However, this has nothing to do with Donald Trump. Megan Rapinoe started taking a knee during the National Anthem in September, 2016…a full two months before the General Election took place. It was in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick who incidentally, a few weeks earlier, was wearing training socks depicting American police as pigs. Personally I find Megan’s moving of the goalposts (excuse the pun) to be rather disingenuous.
It’s not like I don’t agree with her positions on some other issues, but in my opinion this continued disrespect for America, especially on foreign soil in front of a worldwide audience, shouldn’t really sit right with anyone. To paraphrase a recent article I read, “Rapinoe is protesting the Stars and Stripes while wearing the Stars and Stripes.”
I find her own recent quote, “I’ll probably never put my hand over my heart. I’ll probably never sing the National Anthem again” to be pretty indicative as to where she’s coming from.
For the record, I am neither Democrat nor Republican, and my criticism of her is not politically driven. I try to treat each issue on its own merits, as all free thinkers should, and on this issue I have a problem with her statements and actions.
Keeping it classy . . . (Sorry, offensive language may not be fit to print.)
https://twitter.com/i/status/1148986485737250816
https://twitter.com/i/status/1149144636675391488
maybe the president with foreign dictators should piss you off> Did Trump and his,loving dictators murders and attacks on our democracy piss you off?
Richard, my comment had absolutely nothing to do with Trump. If you’d like to read my response to Dan, you’ll see that Megan started this behavior in September 2016…two months before the General Election. It’s a been a very civil and polite discourse to this point, I’m not sure why you unnecessarily turned it angry.
I whole heartedly agree! Well said. She has a lot of growing up to do.
Steve, you made comments on the star American soccer player. Trump made derogatory comments about her. Trump went to Helsinki and bowed to putin and said Putin denied hacking. You want bring up about behavior on foreign soil? I cannot think of a bigger disgrace. The woman is a hero.
Richard, I don’t think I want to keep repeating myself….my comment had absolutely nothing to do with Donald Trump, or Barack Obama for that matter under whose Presidency she started this protest against America. I feel I’ve clearly stated my case for my opinions in my prior comments. If you insist on bringing up irrelevant points, in an attempt to turn it into something it isn’t, I’m afraid I can’t help you.
Hey Steve…I agree with you totally!
I can’t remember who said it, and I’m paraphrasing, but a fairly high-ranking military guy said something like, “I served and fought in the armed forces so that Colin Kaepernick could have the right to take a knee. I don’t agree at all with him, but he has every right to do it.”
Dan…and I agree with that fairly high-ranking military guy. I would never try to deny Kaepernick or Rapinoe the right to say what they want. It’s what makes this country wonderfully different from many others on this planet. However, I’m also afforded the right to disagree with the way they choose to express their dissatisfaction with their country of choice. Just because we all have the right, doesn’t automatically make us right.
Unfortunately, in this fractured world, it’s getting increasingly difficult for anyone to express an independent opinion, reached free of partisan politics, without getting branded one thing or another, by one side or the other.
That’s precisely the reason I made sure to convey that my opinions were not partisan in nature.
Thanks, Steve. I think we’re arguing both sides of the same coin.
Well said Steve. She is s disgrace.
No. She’s a great American. You are extremely confused.
Serious she is teaching us to be better. After disrespecting the flag of the United States of America and spreading her hate for trump is teaching. Stop the excuses and thinking she is a role model. Keep her political views of the field. You liberals care more about these disgusting athletes than true American war hero’s. Those men and women are role models that fought and died so this arrogant athlete can stomp on the flag. Disgusting
Todd Jones
Richard,
Don’t you have anything better to do with your time than to submit irrelevant, knitpicking comments? It is so tiresome.