Category: Opinion

Bigger than a Ballgame: Why We Will Not Stick To Sports

Posted on by RJ Allen

Adriana Hooper

The phrase “stick to sports” has always been one that frustrates me. We forget that professional athletes are in fact human and go through many of the same things we do. Athletes should not stick to sports and if I had to pick just one reason why, it is because they have the platform for positive change, to change the perception of many different people. People listen (for good or bad) to professional athletes. They have the ability to bring to light situations that we may never know about otherwise. Many of them go through things that I and many other people go through and it helps to hear that.

I will admit that I have become a lot more openly political in this election cycle. And that is because I cannot sit silent and let the injustices of this country continue to hurt many of the people that I care about. On the media side, I do not believe there is any “pure” definition of just sticking to sports. The political side will always be there.

I cannot just stick to sports and I expect the athletes I follow to be human too and express themselves. Sports is an escape for many but the real world still exists. And these athletes go through just as much, if not more, than I do.

Alanna Fairbairn

One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was from an English professor in college. She told me that as a writer, the only thing I was responsible for was putting my work out to the world at the highest level I could achieve at the time. How people reacted to it – whether they hated it, or loved every word – was not up to me. Trying to control the reactions of my readers would only drive me insane. I found that to be true, so I’ve since applied that to all areas of my life, including my involvement with sports. Athletes, being people, have the same responsibility. They put not just their on-field play, but pieces of their personality and beliefs out to the world. They have no ability to control your reactions.

The flipside of this truth is similar; you can never control what other people say and believe. If you try, you’re setting yourself up for failure. You can only control your reactions to what people say. If an athlete isn’t “sticking to sports” and that frustrates you, that is not the athlete’s problem. You get to deal with that, and how you do is one of the true tests of character. Are you going to get mad that someone doesn’t agree with you? That’s a dangerous, exhausting road to walk down. Or are you going to recognize that they are people with the same right to an opinion, and your disagreement doesn’t change that?

Allison Cary

The first time that I realized the power of sports was when I saw a video of Syrian refugees traveling to the tournament opener for the Jordanian team in the U-17 Women’s World Cup in Jordan. Many of these little girls hard lost everything—their homes, their belongings, their friends, even their family. But football brought a smile to their faces. These girls said that playing football was their favorite thing in the world, and that getting to see their new home country play was the best day of their lives.That’s when I realized—we can’t just stick to sports. Sports have the power to change the world. They bring communities together. They lift people out of darkness. And sports can be used as a tool for awareness and action in some of the deepest social and political issues of our time. To simply “stick to sports”—to talk about the game without talking about the people who play it, the communities they represent, the world they and all of us live in—would be irresponsible. So, we won’t just “stick to sports.” Before we are athletes or journalists, we are humans. And that is the most important title we carry.

Jacqui Porter

Im not sure when the phrase “stick to sports” was coined but its one that I completely disagree with. Athletes are human too, so why should they limit themselves to just being that? Those who are in a position to do good for the human race and bring awareness to social and political issues should absolutely take the opportunity. If we as a society stuck to sports, things would not change, perception would not change and in order to truly understand each other we need to have positive influences from people of all different backgrounds, races, genders, orientations, religions and so on. Humanity NEEDS diversity. So when I see or hear the phrase stick to sports it’s frustrating to know that so many people don’t want to see any other side of a story or a different way of life. Athletes and those in media have a unique platform to use and I sincerely hope people understand why Colin Kaepernick and Michael Bennett continue to fight for justice. They are just two breve examples of why we cannot stick to sports. They are doing their part to make this world a better place even when they are treated unfairly; they still fight, they still use their voice, they still are working for this country. It’s a lot of work but if people stop hating and discriminating that would be a good start yeah? Because in today’s political climate where we have an unthinkable amount of uncertainty, we need to hear people’s stories so we can find ways to make it right. Dethrone evil and bring all the good into this world. So NO, I will not just stick to sports.

Lindsay Schwarz

Why shouldn’t I just write about sports? Because it’s impossible. Plain and simple. If I am going to write about sports then I am going to have to write about everything else. Because sports aren’t just about kicking around a ball, or running up a field, or swinging a bat. Sports can be about taking a knee during the national anthem, wearing an equality t-shirt during pride month, or even filing a lawsuit for equal pay based on gender discrimination. And if I were to just write about the stats, and the box scores, and the rosters…well then I would be missing a lot of what sports are all about. They have this ability to touch every issue around them, and it provides athletes a voice to stand up for what they believe in. If I were to only write about the athletic technique that gets put on display, then I have missed the bigger picture.

And I admit that many times I do. I don’t write about the opinions or the social issues or the taboo enough. And for that I apologize. For that, I will own that I haven’t always shown the bigger picture. Because the cross into the box may be note worthy, but so is the personal strife that is happening off the field in our communities. So I promise to do better. I promise to write about more than just sports. It shouldn’t be too difficult though…it’s impossible not to.

Alyssa Zajac

If you look at any of my social medias, you see mainly two types of posts. Sports, and politics. Those political posts sometimes get me into…. passionate discussions with people who disagree with my views.

The easy thing to do, would be to stop posting political things. In other words “stick to sports” – post my hot takes, talk about sports news, and complain about the reffing. The easy thing to do would be to stay silent, but the thing is? Staying silent helps no one. Staying silent draws complacency to behaviors, thoughts, and beliefs that discriminate against human beings because of their religion, race, sexual orientation, or gender identity and expression – anything that is “not normal” or “different.”

So, no, I will not just “stick to sports”. I will not stay silent. I will not be complacent.

I will use my platform and my privilege to speak up. To give those who can’t speak up and have been silenced a voice.

As said by Jennifer Donnelly: “We who have means and a voice must use them to help those who have neither.”

Charles Olney

For many people, sports is an escape. In a media landscape where everything is contentious and politics seems to infuse every conversation, they savor the freedom provided by sports. As pure entertainment, the only relevant questions are athletic prowess, tactical maneuvers, and whether their favorite team wins. When faced with troubling questions about the intersections between sport, politics, culture, and society, they are resentful. Why can’t coverage just stick to the sports and leave all the rest out?

But when you dig into the question, you quickly discover turtles going all the way down. There is no ‘pure’ version of sport that resides underneath all these layers of complexity. Sports exists within our society, and is therefore a part of that society. If it doesn’t seem political, that’s only because its politics align so closely with your own as to render themselves invisible.

Does it seem ‘political’ when the national anthem is played? It should. That anthem represents a principle of national unity, a collective spirit. It stitches together those who hear it, whether they want to be tied together or not. Someone who challenges that process (as we have seen in the past year from players like Colin Kaepernick and Megan Rapinoe) is engaging in politics, certainly. But it is ‘political’ to kneel during the anthem precisely because the anthem is an incredibly powerful political signal.

It’s political when teams offer salutes to the troops. It’s political when players and teams dispute over contracts. The Kiss Cam is political (just look at what happens when it focuses on two people of the same sex). Who plays? What does the crowd look like? How much does the team invest in outreach to minorities, to women? Why are certain sports taken more seriously than others? Who gains and who loses from this sort of coverage? These are all political questions, and they would remain political questions even if the underlying conditions changed drastically. Sports will always be political, because life is political. That isn’t intrinsically a good or bad thing. It’s just a reality.

So if you enjoy treating sports as an escape, you are certainly free to do so. That freedom exists for many people, as a function of choices that have been made over the centuries, and it is a freedom that is well-relished. But let’s not pretend that this is a matter of avoiding politics. To inhabit a position of privilege and freedom, and to attack those who lack those same advantages simply for mentioning this condition, is the essence of a political position.

Bigger than a Ballgame: The Political is Everything

Posted on by RJ Allen

Every time I hear or see some version of “You’re just a(n) [actor, athlete, journalist, kid, etc], stick to what you know,” I laugh and then roll my eyes.

I’m sorry, do you not understand how we each are global citizens a) who are affected by the consequences of macro-level policies, decisions, and actions and b) whose actions have consequences on macro- and micro-levels?

Everything I do is political, from choosing to wear my NIKE sneakers (were they made by a corporation that uses child labor, what is the global environmental impact of the company, how do the companies policies affect global and international trade, relations, etc) to choosing what television shows to watch (which companies advertise during the show, what is their reputation for diversity at all levels of production, etc) to which sports and teams I am a fan of (is the sport impacted by environmental concerns, does a league or team reproduce traditional and oppressive forms of existence or advocate for more progressive social footprints, etc) WHETHER I AM AWARE OF IT OR NOT. Every action you take has a political implication, WHETHER YOU ARE ACTIVELY AWARE OF THIS OR NOT.

So don’t come at people who are more awake to their impact on the world than you are.

You want to know why an athlete should speak up about something like, let’s say, climate change?

Let’s go.

First, all sports have roots in our childhoods. We started in a youth league. We watched football with our dads. We saw the Olympics on television and we spent our Christmas breaks making wobbly figure-8s at the pond in our grandmother’s back yard. As global warming increases, the future of childhood is threatened. Higher temperatures make outside play in locations particularly affected (see Australian summers of late) undesirable if not, at some points, dangerous. Drier and hotter climates mean grass is both harder to grow and harder to upkeep, so the lawns and fields of our childhood aren’t as lush for our children and their children. This means that their bodies are subject to different kinds of injuries and stresses. Talk to any soccer player about the difference between a grass field and a turf one, for god’s sake. Not to mention that climate change and pollution affect things like air quality, pollen counts (i.e., allergens in the air), which increases the incidence of seasonal allergies and asthma, as well as the degree to which it affects day-to-day life.

Second, climate change affects play on the professional level. Let’s talk heat, for one, since it’s been such a big issue this NWSL season. Temperatures continue to rise, globally. NASA reports that this past March was the second hottest on record–since 1880.

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Oh, boy, look at the US in that graphic of global temperature trends since 1880–the US is trending anywhere from .5 degrees to almost two degrees warmer. As most people can attest, two degrees can make a big difference when you’re arguing with your dad about how hot the house is and he’s refusing to turn the AC lower because “when I was a kid all we had was one fan for seven people in the main room of the house and we survived” and you’re left there drowning in your pool of adolescent sweat.

Look at Brazil, where some of our most famous global soccer players come from, where the temperature is trending even higher, over five degrees in some places. Look at the Arctic, also trending up to and over five degrees warmer, which is why there is genuine concern about the future inhabitability of coastal areas across the globe.

And now let’s remember that soccer is a game played outside. In all varieties of weather–and in the US, especially in the summertime months. Let’s remember Rachel Daly, who literally collapsed with heat exhaustion under 90+ degree temperatures and 90%+ humidity, earlier this season. As the climate continues to get warmer, these conditions will only become more and more common, and this will affect the play of soccer–of all sports. Already, some soccer pundits are struggling with the idea of hydration breaks, whether they’re truly necessary, how to implement them, how they interfere with the ebb and flow (you see what I did there, right?) of the game. Already due to the ability to and cost of maintaining grass fields, some stadiums are opting for turf instead. Turf holds up longer, doesn’t require as much intervention or water to maintain, sure, but it also takes a bigger toll on the bodies of athletes, on the speed of the game, on the direction and drive of the ball. It changes the game to such an effect that the Men’s World Cup has never been played on it because it wouldn’t be the same game.

I could talk about so much more. About how gun policies affect safety at large public events. About how international policies affect the ability of players to move efficiently between leagues and teams (a big concern after Brexit was the ability of international players to obtain the necessary status to live and play in England; a big concern after the election of Trump has been how the anti-immigration policies will affect the ability of players from foreign countries to come into the US to play, train, and more). Or how military actions fuel anti-Western sentiments across the globe and become radicalized, leading to large-scale public tragedies like the Borussia Dortmund bus bomb on the way to a Champions League quarter-final match against Monaco earlier this year, or the 2015 terror attack in Paris, where three explosions occurred outside the Stade de France during a friendly between France and Germany, or how the nationalist rhetoric of the Right in the US has radicalized a number of white men to commit acts of terror. Or I could talk about US culture, rape culture, domestic violence, and the legal system that in combination with access to guns, spells bad news for everyone, everywhere.

You might think I’m the Woman Who Called Wolf but my point is that these are the kind of things that always happen somewhere else, until they don’t. Until they happen here. [Ask me about the 2012 Sikh temple shooting that took place less than three miles from where I grew up and I’ll tell you all about just how near somewhere else can be.]

I’m not saying the wolf is coming. I’m saying that sports are in every way connected to the political. And every athlete is a citizen of a community, a nation, the world as a whole.

And they have not only the right but the responsibility as citizens to speak up for what they believe in.

Bigger than a Ballgame: The Complexity of Sports Coverage in 2017

Posted on by RJ Allen

If you’re reading this, you probably have an interest in women’s soccer.

So do I.

In fact, I really like a lot of sports, and I’ve been a sports fan my whole life. I love the competition, and to be honest, since I mentioned it, I’ve also been told by countless people that I’m a competitive person. In this moment, as I try to delineate the direction of causality, I’m not sure if sports helped me to develop a competitive personality or if it’s part of my competitive nature that drove me to like sports. The cool thing about humans being complex characters is that it’s probably a little bit of both, right?

Factors influencing the person I have become have likely come from countless directions. People are complex, just as society is complex, interactions are complex, emotions are complex, interpretation of emotion is complex, perceptions are complex, and on and on and on. All of these complexities are woven into life experiences contributing to personal development.

At the risk of severely oversimplifying child development, I will reference my own life experiences and generalize the process of growing up into three stages. We begin as inquisitive children, and without warning emerge as headstrong and confusing adolescents. Then, with what feels like a lightning strike of unwelcomed instancy, we are adult people with opinions, well-developed personalities, and responsibilities.

Some of my earliest memories include watching Detroit Tigers baseball and Michigan Football with my dad. If I wasn’t watching sports, I was at the softball field playing bat-girl while my dad coached my mom’s slow-pitch softball team (she was the best second-basewoman St. Joe’s ever had, and she could bat left- and right-handed). Beginning in elementary school and continuing through high school, I played basketball and softball. In my adult years, I have coached them as well. Now, I’m a graduate student with a passion for women’s soccer.

Between playing, coaching, and spectating, the sequence of events throughout a sporting event have remained relatively constant. Teams warm up, the national anthem is played, there’s some healthy competition, there’s victory, there’s defeat, and then there’s a handshake. Depending on the sport, the age, and the level of competition, this order might change, but typically, this is what those of us who follow and participate in sports come to expect.

For every game I have played, for every game I have coached, and for every game I have attended, I have stood for the national anthem, because that’s what you’re supposed to do. This was not an action I had ever questioned. And then last year, when Colin Kaepernick was excoriated by countless media outlets, memes, radio hosts, you name it, for using the national anthem to make a statement about what exactly it is that the anthem represents, and what exactly it is that we are supposed to be standing for, I thought about it a lot.

I’m from a Michigan town of minimal racial diversity, and privilege is not something I was ever confronted with until well into my adult years. I can see how there are people who have never been confronted with these issues and who believe they’re bogus, but they’re not. They’re real. Many of the freedoms that exist for me because of the color of my skin don’t exist for everyone.

Discourse in my social media circles often cites that silence in times of injustice is equivalent to being complicit with said injustice. Thus, speaking out is imperative. As a white woman who happens to be married to a white woman, I am constantly conscious of my identity and how my participation in anything social justice related might be perceived as me trying to absolve myself of guilt without actually doing anything to make a difference. Then, Megan Rapinoe took a knee during the national anthem following Colin Kaepernick’s action, and I felt like because I was able to more closely identify with her, I could be more confident with using my voice.

It’s no surprise that Rapinoe taking a knee was met with a polarized public response. Taking a knee in a Seattle Reign uniform is one thing, but taking a knee with the USA crest on the chest is another. Last September, following her initial anthem protest with Seattle, Rapinoe tweeted in reply to Shaun King, an outspoken journalist who covers issues of policing, Black Lives Matter, and who helps to lead the #NFLBoycott charge.

King’s tweet has since been deleted, but in response to Rapinoe’s tweet, thousands of people used the opportunity to reply. This space, where anyone with a Twitter account has the platform to direct their political and patriotic ideals at a professional athlete, is where I argue it’s impossible, and even irresponsible for athletes and those who cover them to simply “stick to sports.”

Together, we are learning to navigate through a time where we have access to professional athletes like never before. For some, that access is associated with a sense of entitlement, and when social media platforms allow for seamless back and forth between average Joes and public figures, it’s almost as if we need to be armed with knowledge, facts, and rebuttals to potential arguments like never before. To be a public figure in 2017 means to be inherently political. Even if an athlete or a coach tries to avoid being political, they are being asked to voice their opinions about current events as they unfold.

It used to be possible for people to be athletes, and athletes only without consequence. It used to be possible for sports broadcasters to only cover sports without consequence. Further, it used to be possible for sports writers to only cover sports without consequence, but that’s no longer true. We have untethered access to all of the knowledge that exists in the world, and in turn, we are open to critique from everyone who encounters what we produce. Where we are now, it is nearly impossible to report on a sports team or a sporting event without considering the context within which they exist. That context? It’s complex. It’s political.

So now, when I reflect on those years of playing and watching sports as a kid, I think about the context within which they were played. I might not have understood how sports were shaping my worldview, but I realize now that they did. I think about the athletes I loved to watch back then and how I feel now as an adult when I learn how, for example, they fought for equality. The fight for equality is a gauge for where we are as a society, in many cases, politically. As sports and athletes continue to interact with political issues, it is imperative that those who cover sports provide the context for those actions. Personally, I will continue to arm myself with the knowledge to best interpret complex situations, and it is my great hope that we can begin to accept that covering sports and dealing with issues that are considered to be political is inherently inseparable.

The Expendables: 5 Reasons No One’s Job is Safe in the NWSL

Posted on by RJ Allen

If this last month has taught us anything about the NWSL it’s that your job is never secure (unless you are a referee and then you can mess up some calls on red cards but still come back next week). If you are a coach, you could be ‘mutually parting ways’ with your team. If you are a player, like Kristie Mewis, you could have lived in three different states within a week’s time. And if you are the current Commissioner … oh wait, there is no current NWSL Commissioner. Truth be told, it may not be too easy to sleep at night not knowing what tomorrow may hold for your career. But the men and women associated with the NWSL do just that. They are expendable. Here are the five reasons why:

Salaries

Unless you are Alex Morgan, most likely you aren’t exactly making ends meat. The minimum NWSL player salary, according to the 2017 Roster Rules, is a whopping $15,000. Barely enough to file taxes. And because this number is so low (along with the $315,000 team salary cap), this makes these low-budget players very expendable. You could be traded, or loaned, or paid out your single-year contract only to be replaced by some younger, fresher legs. It’s easy to shift around little bits of money here and there, and that is primarily what this league is made up of – small contracts for short lengths of time. The players that do get to stay with a club their whole career and actually make a living playing the sport they love are the unicorns of the women’s soccer world – mythical creatures no one really believes exists.

The Replacements

It’s like that movie with Keanu Reeves. If the whole team decided to strike, there would be another whole team waiting to replace them. And the best part about these replacements is that they are eager to play the game they love and will take the minimum salary just to be on the pitch. So if an NWSL player is getting slow, or can’t perform her job up to par, there is someone that can easily be picked up through waivers or discovery in the blink of an eye. This essentially forces the current players to take what they are given or leave. Only the truly strong and dominant can negotiate … and most likely they are getting paid by their country, not their club. So what does that say to the club player who isn’t quite up to international par? Don’t argue too much, or I can find someone else that is adequate enough to do your job at your pay level. Because playing in the NWSL is a coveted prize among women’s soccer players. But one that doesn’t hold too many positions or too much money.

Check Your Record

Just like players, coaches are expendable too. And this season we saw just how much. Randy Waldrum and The Houston Dash parted ways in May after a rather rough start, Christy Holly stepped down as Sky Blue Manager in August, and there are probably a few coaches in the league who might be nervous for their job standing coming next season (looking at you down there at the bottom of the table). Because if you lose too many games with your expendable players then you become expendable yourself. Sure, your job may be more secure than most in the league, but it’s definitely not a guarantee. No one is untouchable in this league. No one holds enough clout or has a salary big enough that it can’t be eaten by the team, or paid out through a severance clause.

Contract Length

The NWSL definitely isn’t about those baseball-sized contracts. There isn’t an Alex Rodriguez of this league, where a player can pretty much guarantee where they are going to be presiding for the next seven years of their life, or their last destination before they retire. Contracts are short. A lot of them are just for a single season. Heck, Marta’s contract is for two with an option for a third. Marta. Arguably one of the best players to ever touch a football and she only gets two years guaranteed. She is the kind of player that you can make the face of your organization – your club’s future legacy. But that is not how this league works. No, this league works on short contracts in order to shuffle players around if need be. It ensures that the team salary cap isn’t too difficult to work around and that a team will never be stuck paying for someone who is no longer producing. These players are expendable, and these teams aren’t betting on them for the long term.

Injuries

This may seem like a cop-out of a reason, but it is one of the reasons that players get shorter contracts and are treated only as well as their ACLs are holding up. It is part of the reason that there are hundreds of other women still content to wait on the sidelines for a contract that will pay them next to nothing. Because injuries in this league are frequent. And injuries clear up roster space. And injuries make you less marketable as a player. And because of this, injuries make you expendable. No one knows how well a player will bounce back from an injury. Or if they will ever be the same player they were if it was bad enough. So it makes sense to not bet on someone returning from a torn ligament or an accumulation of minor injuries. Especially if that player isn’t your team’s superstar. The Portland Thorns will wait all day for Tobin Heath’s back to get better, but someone making the minimum salary? Heck, you can have your pick of them from off the bench.

The NWSL is kind of cut-throat. It isn’t a league that will make its players or personnel feel secure. But that isn’t necessarily because it doesn’t want to. It’s because it can’t. It’s a new league, and it is trying to grow. So it needs to make smart moves. It needs to bet on the right horse. And those bets have to be made in regards to the short term if it ever wants to succeed long term. So no. Almost no one’s job is secure in the NWSL. But it isn’t the league’s fault. That is just the nature of the underdeveloped beast. We want it to soar and be this amazing platform for women in sports, but in reality, the NWSL is still a business. And like all businesses trying to grow, some of its assets have to be expendable.

Bigger than a Ballgame: I Would Have Shot Her Right There

Posted on by RJ Allen

Anson Dorrance was brought on as the color commentator for this weekend’s game between the North Carolina Courage and the visiting Houston Dash. He was called upon to make an appearance because Hurricane Irma made it impossible for the broadcast to happen from the Fort Lauderdale studio it would have normally taken place in. This … may have been a mistake.

Dorrance made several questionable comments within just the first 20 minutes of the broadcast. Including recalling his own attempts to recruit current Houston Dash player Cari Roccaro to UNC. About the attempt, Dorrance remarked that “We think it was the Catholicism thing that got in the way” of her choosing the Tar Heels program, as Roccaro chose to attend Notre Dame instead, where she made 75 appearances and scored 13 goals for the Fighting Irish.

But the worst came in the first half of the match when in the 21st minute, the legendary soccer coach made a comment that was as unacceptable as it was appalling. Complaining about Poliana’s missteps on the defense during the game, Dorrance said:

“She’s turned over all defensive responsibilities to the center back. Maybe that’s why she’s the leading scorer. She pretends to be the right back but she’s actually the right wing. And she absolutely stopped. If I had a gun as a coach on the sidelines, I would have shot her right there.”

Anson Dorrance’s comment about Poliana during the North Carolia Courage game on September 9, 2017.

“If I had a gun as a coach on the sidelines, I would have shot her right there.”

Before you comment on this saying it’s a non-issue, let me stop you.

This is not the case of outrage for the sake of outrage. Dorrance is a household name in women’s soccer; not just in this country, but also around the world.  He has won a Women’s World Cup as a coach, won 21 NCAA titles as a coach and 8 National Coach of the Year awards. 

What I’m saying is that in the world of women’s soccer, you do not get much more powerful than Anson Dorrance.

And for some reason, when given the mic and the chance to not just guide viewers through the game but represent the NCAA, UNC, the WWC, and all the other WoSo institutions he has helped to build, instead, Dorrance made an insane comment about shooting a 26-year-old Brazilian woman who made the grave sin of stopping on defense. 

Yes. There are times when we, as the media, have objected to bringing gender into a discussion of sports. Like when someone qualifies a player’s talent or record or successes with “for a girl,” or making a point of focusing on the “female athlete” or “women’s soccer player” for no discernible reason. Or, in the greater world of sports, when John McEnroe makes an asinine comment about Serena Williams being ranked 700th if she’d played on the men’s circuit. But there are times when, contextually, we need to take into account the fact that WoSo is a sport of women athletes and a largely (though not solely) women fans. 

Women, as a gender, face a far greater risk of violence in society than men do. And women, more often than not, face violence at the hands of men. More than half of homicides with a female victim came at the end of a gun barrel according to a report released earlier this year. And in the United States? Women are 11 times more likely to die of gun violence than in other, similar, countries. 

So, it matters when a man in a position of power or authority over women (like … the coach of a college-aged women’s soccer team, for example) makes a comment about shooting a woman for doing something he didn’t approve of. For making a comment about gun violence against women so flippantly, and so casually. So without a thought for the fact that simply by being a woman, the player he singled out is far likelier to actually die of gun violence than he is.  It matters that a man with as much respect and as much power in soccer thinks it’s acceptable to use such violent language against a woman.

According to the World Health Origination, “1 in 3 (35%) women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime.”

And a lot of women who have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence got to hear one of the most powerful voices in women’s soccer make light of what they faced or what they might face when the TV goes off that night.

As a sexual assault survivor (and, honestly, just as a woman), hearing men make such flippant comments about using violence against women makes my blood boil. And knowing that he is regularly in a position of authority over young women? It nearly caused me to turn off the game altogether. 

Because using violence as a joke or as sarcasm or as a shocking yet safe comment line on a national broadcast only makes it harder for the violence that does happen to be taken seriously. It suggests that our culture in this country thinks that kind of statement is just the status quo, that it’s the norm. 

That it’s okay to talk about shooting women on a sports broadcast because you don’t like the way they play.

One has to wonder if this is what he says during practice. Is this how he speaks to the young woman who put their trust in him to guide them as they navigate the college experience and work toward a dream as a professional athlete?

If you do not run hard enough I will take a gun out and murder you. 

Is this what players hear as they warm up for him? Is this what they fear, whether he says it or not? Because knowing that he has said it makes it easier to imagine that he might again? That he might mean it? 

In the December 7, 1998, issue, S.L. Price wrote an article for Sports Illustrated about a sexual harassment suit against Dorrance. In it, the coach spoke of the difference between male and female players.

“Women are more sensitive and more demanding of each other, and that combination is horrible. Men are not sensitive and not demanding of each other, and that’s a wonderful combination for building team chemistry. We can play with guys who are absolute jackasses. We have no standards for their behavior as long as they can play: Just get me the ball. But if a girl’s a jerk, even though she gets me the ball, there’s going to be a huge chemistry issue: I don’t want to play with her. But she serves you the best ball on the team! I would much rather play with So-and-so. But you’re terrible together! I would rather play with her. Why? The other girl’s a bitch.” 

Reading the piece and reading this quote I can’t help but have an uneasy feeling about what he might say when the mic is turned off. What he might feel he can get away with because of his power.

As my colleague Scott Burbidge put it after reading the piece, summarizing his impression about Dorrance’s opinion of women: “I used to hate women, well I still don’t really like them, but I learned how to manipulate some of them so I can deal with them now.”

If Anson Dorrance was just a color commentator, he might have something to fear in the morning. He might have a call from the NWSL or other leagues he has called games for saying his services were no longer needed, though even that is a stretch in today’s culture, but he isn’t just a color commentator. He is the head coach of a program that has won more NCAA women’s soccer titles than any other.

Dorrance will likely face no punishment. He will likely face no reprimand, not even a slap on the wrist for saying something so threatening about a player on the field.

Sure, he gave a half-hearted and bumbling apology on air just after half time. And the North Carolina Courage had no comment on the matter at the time when I asked them for a statement after hearing Dorrance’s words. And, of course, UNC will likely do nothing more than give a stern talking to him, if they even do that. 

They say that winning fixes everything, and Dorrance has won more than most, but even winning should have its limits on shielding those who do it from consequences, shouldn’t it?

In a country plagued by gun violence, by individuals who commit mass shootings in public places, are we willing to accept a lauded coach telling viewers he would shoot a player if she were his?

And if we are, what does that say about us?

Bigger than a Ballgame: Backline Soccer Can Not Just Stick To Sports

Posted on by RJ Allen

How many times have we heard someone tell an athlete or celebrity to “just stick to [profession]” over the past few years? How many times have we heard it directed at us? 

The thing is, that “just stick to X” is a tactic of oppression. It’s used to shut down dialogue and discourse. To dehumanize someone else by claiming that they have no right to engage with public interests and concerns. 

It means “sit down and shut up.” 

And we have never been the kind of people to do that. 

Sticking to sports as a site engaged in covering women’s sports in 2017 is impractical at best and journalistic malpractice at worst. 

When a site is born there are some things that must be decided on. Some of these decisions are low-impact: the name of the site, the style, and aesthetics of the content. Some decisions more complex, the kind of things that have a lasting influence on the soul of the site: the content, the tone, the staff. 

When we created Backline Soccer over a year ago now, we didn’t actually think about whether or not we would “just stick to sports” and pretend like the world of women’s soccer was some kind of Narnia, where what happens on the pitch has no effect on the outsider world and vice versa. But it’s become more and more apparent as we grow and learn that covering sports is an inherently political act. Playing pro sports is an inherently political act.

And for female athletes and the coverage of women’s sports, even more so.

This week we are featuring a series of staff op-eds on why we–as individuals, as a site, as a league–can not and will not sit down and shut up. Why we will not be silent about larger issues, about politics and culture and their impact on the sports and athletes. Or the impact of sports and athletes on them. 

The first in our series will be an editorial in response to Anson Dorrance’s troubling commentary on the Houston Dash’s Poliana just this past weekend. Later, Becca Kimble will share her piece on the complexities of being an athlete and being a fan in our social-media dominated culture. Elizabeth Wawrzyniak will take us on a tour of how the political is everything. And last, we’ll feature a selection of short pieces by staff members explaining why they can’t and won’t just stick to sports. 

So stay tuned, and feel free to share your own reasons with us in the comments or over social media.

Soccer Takes From Jake: Stay Strong Orlando

Posted on by RJ Allen

First & foremost, stay strong everyone in Orlando. I know this includes some people that are a part of Backline Soccer, so yeah, hopefully everyone is safe and secure as best as they can be.

Former Seattle Reign FC midfielder Lindsay Elston announced her retirement yesterday. She posted her retirement statement on Twitter, which I recapped over at Ride of the Valkyries. It’s a wonderful statement and showed that she did not take for granted one bit of her professional career. Especially being fortunate to have played most of it for the hometown team where friends and family could watch her play. There are many reasons why an athlete could call it a day on their playing career and whether they choose to elaborate on it or just say, “Peace, see you later,” if you have an interest in the field they applied their athletic skills to, it must be respected when the athlete calls it a day and thank them for the time they gave on the field and what impact (hopefully positive) they made.

We also had Washington Spirit goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe announce her 2017 season is over for medical reasons. Again, no one should demand a further elaboration from her about something personal. We must repsect her decision and wish her all the best going forward.
The professional athlete may do some incredible, even superhuman things on the field of play, but you must remember, they are still human beings that wake up and go to bed like you and me.

WEEK 20 NWSL PREDICTIONS
Hope you stayed buckled up after last weekend because the road to the end of the regular season will get bumpier.

SEATTLE REIGN FC OVER ORLANDO PRIDE
Oh please do I want the Reign FC to win because they need it to stay alive in the playoffs. Sorry people, I’m going with my gut, my fandom on this one even if it likely will be wrong. That said, we can all agree we just want this game to happen, the weather cooperating as best as it theoretically can, no one gets hurt and when it’s over, everyone is able to leave and get to wherever they need to feel as safe as they can with Hurricane Irma coming.

FC KANSAS CITY OVER CHICAGO RED STARS
FC Kansas City continues to jack up other playoff-hopeful teams just to keep things interesting going into the final weeks of the regular season.

NORTH CAROLINA COURAGE OVER HOUSTON DASH
Courage are feeling the pressure from the Portland Thorns on the table, moreso after losing to Chicago on the road. Even though Paul Riley’s squad say they likely aren’t thinking about it, they still have the NWSL Shield to play for. They right themselves this weekend.

PORTLAND THORNS OVER BOSTON BREAKERS
It’d be really something if Boston holds them to a draw or pulls off something even more shocking and beats them. Nah it ain’t happening though. Portland punched their ticket to the NWSL Playoffs, but they have a chance at capturing the NWSL Shield. They’ll keep the heat on North Carolina with what should be a problem-free match for the Thorns.

SKY BLUE FC AND WASHINGTON SPIRIT PLAY TO A DRAW
Jersey isn’t technically out of it and should be able to get the full three on Washington but something about this matchup just looks like a draw. And not even an entertaining one at that. When the weekend ends and this scoreline is a scorless draw, I would not be surprised.

And here is your music video break.

Song: “Body Double” | Artist: Lushlife & CSLSX

6 Takeaways from NWSL: Week 19

Posted on by RJ Allen

Week 19 saw two playoff spots clinched, a team ending an at-home losing streak, and 19 goals scored throughout the weekend games. As the number of teams who can make the playoffs continues to drop, the fight to the finish continues for the teams within reach of the final two playoff positions.

We’re here with our takeaways as the season grinds down to the nitty gritty. 

A Numbers Game – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

Some people might know that I’m a bit of a data nerd. I like seeing numbers, exploring them, and trying to derive meaning from them. I’ve been keeping an eye on the NWSL on Lifetime audience numbers as best as I can this season, and there’ve been some interesting things I want to talk about.

First, I think the deal was definitely a boon for the league. Granted, they have never released data on Youtube audiences in seasons 1-4, but a quick skim of the NWSL Youtube channel suggests that the audience numbers (even two or three years later with the ability to go back and stream for free) for the first four seasons on Lifetime far exceed them. So far, the biggest audience for Lifetime has been the Portland Thorns v NC Courage game on July 13th, while the smallest audience was 49,000 just two weeks earlier when the Courage played Sky Blue FC on July 1st. But all in all, with 19 weeks gone of the season, the NWSL is averaging almost a hundred thousand viewers per week. Which is impressive for the league. Everyone should be pretty excited about the growth of the fan base.

What would be interesting to see, of course, are the numbers for the go90 games. Because I’d imagine that those are out-performing Youtube as well. Or the international numbers from the NSWL site itself. But all in all, it’s pretty clear that the Lifetime deal was a good move for the league.

The Fall – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

I remember a few weeks after the 2015 Women’s World Cup victory, watching some of the players on the field, off of it. And they didn’t look happy. The World Champions looked a little … lost. The thing nobody tells you about achieving your dream or reaching the peak of one of your highest goals is the fall after. All that adrenaline, all that focus, all that drive. And then the celebrations–the constant moving from one event to the next, the parties, the accolades. It all sounds like a dream, right? Except–the drop-off after, it can be devastating. The low after such a high, it can take a long time and a lot of help to climb back up from.

This weekend Lifetime did a special segment on Stephanie Labbe, the Canadian goalkeeper and two-season veteran of the Washington Spirit squad. And Labbe, very clearly, talks about the same issue. The low after the high, the depression she fell into in the wake of her team’s fabulous Bronze Medal Olympic performance, the struggle of coming back to her NWSL squad and sitting on the bench. And how she couldn’t find “Steph Labbe” for a time amid all the “Canadian Bronze Medalist Stephanie Labbe” talk and celebrations.

First, props to Labbe for being open about her mental health struggles. She joins the small but important (and growing) group of athletes who are helping to destigmatize mental illness. And second, maybe let’s try to remember that athletes, first and foremost, are people. What they do and what they achieved is not their identity, it doesn’t define them.

Alex Morgan, Full-Time Pride Player – Luis Hernandez

One of the growing concerns for Orlando Pride fans for the 2018 season was whether the team would start next season without Alex Morgan. With the recent success and current unbeaten run the team finds themselves on the verge of a playoff spot in its second year of existence, the U.S. women’s national team striker first announced during the Orlando City on WRDQ TV27 that she would return to Orlando at the start of next season because she and Olympique Lyonnais had mutually agreed to terminate her contract.

The Pride star striker calls Orlando her home, and as much as Tom Sermanni and his squad would like nothing more than to lift the championship trophy this year, the outlook for Orlando looks even brighter next season. The Pride struggled to find any offense for the first quarter of the schedule; had Orlando had Marta and Morgan starting like the team will next year instead of fighting for the last playoff spot, the club could be looking to claim the NWSL shield in 2018.

 

A Rose By Any Other Name … – Luis Hernandez

In a young league like the NWSL, there are very few constants. However, one almost sure thing happened this past weekend when the Portland Thorns once again punched their ticket to the playoffs. In fact, the only time Portland failed to make the postseason was in the 2015 season which saw Paul Riley exit from the team; and that’s worked out for him as well. The first league champions have the support of city they play in, as well as the full backing of the Major League Soccer organization which owns the team. That level of support has been key because most teams couldn’t claim to have the level of success Portland has while having three changes to the head coach. In a league where organizational backing is the vital mark of on-field success, Portland hasn’t had an equal. In the odd 2015 season, the Thorns bounced back and reloaded for 2016. Something the organization isn’t shy on is bringing big name talent nationally and from across the world. As this year winds down, and supporters of the league start to countdown to next year’s draft and start of preseason, don’t be surprised when all the NWSL pundits come out and have Portland as a favorite to make playoffs once again which should please its supporter group, the Rose City Riveters, and the rest of Portland’s fans. #BAONPDX

Franch Makes Her Case for Return to the USWNT – Alyssa Zajac

There’s no denying that AD Franch had a shaky start to the 2017 season. Poor decision making and overall shakiness led to close calls in games and frustration from fans (myself included). There were several instances where everyone knew that Franch had barely escaped disaster after a bad giveaway or poor clearance.

However, as the season has progressed, Franch has grown into a capable and skilled starter for the Thorns. With nine shutouts on the season, Franch has shown herself to one of the most in-form goalkeepers in the league.

That being said, I think AD Franch should get another call up to the USWNT.

Right now, if I had to choose a depth chart for 2019 and beyond, this would be my top five for goalkeepers. This is based on two factors: current form and future potential/use of a player.

  1. Alyssa Naeher
  2. AD Franch
  3. Katelyn Rowland
  4. Jane Campbell
  5. Abby Smith

Franch has the potential to be a great asset to the USWNT. If she were to get called in, I would not be opposed to her alternating some starts with Alyssa Naeher–especially in friendlies (mostly because we don’t need a situation where Naeher is injured and we’re throwing a new INT GK to the wolves, please and thank you).

Anything could happen and change my opinion in the coming weeks, but right now Franch is one to watch. Based on her performance, she has earned another shot at the USWNT.

Chicago Gonna Chicago – Alyssa Zajac

Remember what I said last week about Chicago needing to stop letting in late goals? I should have added the statement “they also need to avoid conceding early goals”. Sunday’s game started with the Red Stars’ patented “what is soccer?” method for the first 20 to 25 minutes of the match.  Once again, the slow start cost them, with Lynn Williams scoring for the Courage in the 15th minute.

I figured that, in fairness, I do the same assessment as last week, except noted goals will be goals the Red Stars have conceded in the first 25 minutes of a game (to coincide with their slow starts for the first 20 to 25 minutes on average), and the impacts they had:

  • Houston (Ohai 15’) – goal differential. Result: 2-0 Loss
  • Sky Blue FC (Tiernan 3’) – goal differential. Result: 2-1 Win
  • Orlando (Morgan 24’) – goal differential. Result: 1-1 Draw
  • Portland (Raso 3’, Sinclair 9’) – goal differential. Result: 2-3 Loss
  • FC Kansas City (Leroux 23’) – goal differential. Result: 1-3 Loss
  • North Carolina (Williams 15’) – goal differential. Result: 2-1 Win

This is where I find the silver lining – the Red Stars have been able to come back and at least get a point out of  50% of the games in which they conceded early goals. While they did eventually equalize against Portland, they were unable to secure the draw. The two games they didn’t equalize coincidentally were games that saw Chicago conceding goals in the final ten minutes. I found that interesting.

So, what does all of this tell us? Honestly, not a whole lot. Chicago continues to be a team that generally struggles initially, then usually pulls themselves together, then either holds out for points or collapses in the final minutes. I know, I don’t understand it either.

The Red Stars’ final three games are going to be interesting to watch. While the win against North Carolina gave Chicago a tiny bit of breathing room, how the next three games start and finish could be what makes or breaks Chicago’s playoff dreams.

 

Child’s Play: 5 Reasons The NWSL Will Shape The Future Of Women’s Sports

Posted on by RJ Allen

I saw the future of women’s sports last week at the Washington Spirit/Chicago Red Stars match. It didn’t look like I thought it would.

Generally, we think about Title IX, Serena Williams winning more Grand Slams than any other tennis player in the open era, or a fair wages lawsuit for the US Women’s Hockey Team. It’s these big changes on the national level that draw our attention.

But those big changes take years, and they start in small moments: when athletes refuse to settle for less than their worth. When a girl gets her shin guards signed by her favorite player. With a youth team that gets the chance to play on a real pitch at halftime of a professional match. And sometimes it looks like a swarm of little girls jumping after a ball that is hit out of play as if they were mid-thirties single women at a bouquet toss. It’s moments like these that get girls excited about playing sports, and which help them find their confidence.

And the NWSL is full of these moments. Meaning this league will help form the future of women’s sports one little fan at a time. Here are the five reasons why:

Something To Aspire To

Every adult female sports fan can see the differences between men’s leagues and women’s. It’s right there in the coverage and availability. Our games are heavy on social media, and come streaming on your computer or phone through an app. Every once in awhile we get lucky and Sam Kerr does Sam Kerr-like things and makes it on ESPN’s Top Ten. We get super pumped for that. But when kids watch, all they see is sports giants doing amazing things. They see these women fight hard for 90 minutes and do things that no one thought were possible. They see a life that they want to work hard to achieve for themselves one day. To them, the stage is plenty big. It may look small to our eyes, but it’s ginormous in theirs. 

They Are Connected

Every kid wants to meet their hero, or to have a special moment at a professional game. These are opportunities that are easily achievable for the NWSL. That’s in part because the league focuses on producing a family atmosphere for the matches. They promote female youth soccer and they give these girls opportunities to be a part of all the excitement. They get to walk out onto the pitch before the match. They have the opportunity to play on the field at halftime. And they get to meet some of their idols after the game. And let me tell you, nothing is more heartwarming than seeing a kid struggle between having their favorite midfielder sign her shin guard or jersey. Not many other leagues allow the fans this experience on such a regular basis. No other league is this tangible to its fans. It can be life changing to a kid trying to find their passion in the world.

Role Models

In a world where most of the female representation in the media comes from pop stars and super models, it can be difficult for a girl to find a good model of what it looks like to be a strong woman. But for every Kylie, or Miley, or Taylor, there is a Tobin Heath, or a Marta, or a Casey Short. You can be a girl from anywhere, with any background, of any color, or race, or sexual orientation and still feel like you belong in this league. For virtually anyone growing up in America today, there is someone in this league that that you can identify with. And these players are setting good examples, too. They are active in the community, stand up for they care about, and fight for what they deserve. This league embraces its players for their talents, and in turn, the players embrace their individuality. And isn’t that what we want for the next generation – to feel completely comfortable to say and be exactly who they are? The NWSL, and its players, champion that notion.

Women Helping Women For The Common Goal

In order for women’s sports to keep growing, it’s going to have to be a team effort. A league and a sport is not built on the back on an individual – no one person can carry that weight. But when women band together big things happen. Like when the US Women’s National Team demanded their fair pay after winning their third World Cup. Or when 81 players from 13 different countries sued FIFA on the grounds of gender discrimination to play on grass. Even though they lost, it still sent a powerful message to every young female fan out there – women banding together are a force to be reckoned with. But that force doesn’t always have to look like lawsuits, especially when it comes to the NWSL. Sometimes the force is female players rooting on other female players. Sometimes it’s an underdog team coming together. Sometimes it is a rivalry between two sides that is intense, but also based on respect on respect for each other’s talents and the game. But no matter what form it takes, this kind of force is a great thing for the youth to see. It sets the example for the next generation of athletes. And the NWSL promotes it.

The League Is Attainable For Everyone

Along with the league being diverse demographically, the league is also attainable for just about anyone. Most of the games are streamed live for free on go90, and others are available on a channel accessible to anyone with even the most basic cable package. Ticket prices to go see the matches live are relatively cheap – generally costing about $20-25 for general admission. And the league is growing, which means that new teams will show up, lessening the geographic distance for a lot of new fans. Sure, the more the league grows, some of the advantages discussed here will grow a little more distant. But right now, the NWSL is in the sweet spot–widely available and easily accessible to anyone who wants to join the party. Its young fans have an opportunity to watch, and learn, and feel as though they are part of a sport regardless of where they grew up or how much money they have in their pockets. Young female athletes don’t get that luxury with the WNBA or Tennis or Hockey. But the NWSL helps to ensure that the beautiful game can be enjoyed by all. And for that, they will put a bigger stamp on the future of women’s sports than most – both in popularity and in acclaim.

 

The growth of women’s sports doesn’t just lie in the current players’ hands. It lies in the excitement of its young fans. It resides in the girl who is in awe of the Australian that seems to beat the odds and can always find the back of the net when her team is down. It lives in the hearts and the nerves of the young goalkeeper watching her idol stand on her line during PKs in a tournament final. It’s in the girl who wears her Lloyd jersey to a pickup game after school. The NWSL knows this. It can see the excitement on their faces and it knows that giving these young girls the opportunities to connect with this league on such an intimate level will not only help produce a stronger fan base, but also the future of the sport. So to the other leagues, I would encourage them to take note. The NWSL is doing it right. They are really caring about their youth fan base. And in turn, they are caring about their future.

Soccer Takes From Jake: The Final Four (Weeks)

Posted on by RJ Allen

First and foremost, nothing but love for everyone in Houston and surrounding towns/communities around them. I don’t have any stories from time spent in Houston, say for last year’s NWSL Championship, because I wasn’t able to make the trip down there. But the NWSL media colleagues I’ve talked to who were able to make it all said they enjoyed their time and met wonderful people. I am optimistic everyone there will recover as best as they can. The outpouring of support has been inspirational because it’s the right thing to do. Stay strong, Houston.

For the rest of the season and beyond, this series will be called Soccer Takes From Jake. Why the change? Well we’re simply honoring a request from a soccer podcast called The Unused Sub to avoid confusion. Easy enough right?

WEEK 19 PREDICTIONS
Four games left and the playoff picture still isn’t completely set in stone. Oy.

PORTLAND THORNS OVER WASHINGTON SPIRIT
Having witnessed how important it was – from player to supporter – to finally win at Memorial Stadium last weekend against their rivals, Seattle Reign FC, the Thorns keep it rolling and stay right on North Carolina’s heels for the NWSL Shield.

ORLANDO PRIDE OVER BOSTON BREAKERS
Speaking of another solidifying their position, Pride are looking safe-ish for that third playoff spot.

FC KANSAS CITY AND SKY BLUE FC PLAY TO A DRAW
A game that Sam Kerr & The Pips should handle just fine is going to frustrate them. FC Kansas City has virtually nothing left to play for (apart from making judgments about 2018), but if they can be a nuisance to a playoff hopeful, why not?

NORTH CAROLINA COURAGE OVER CHICAGO RED STARS
After the Courage went into Memorial Stadium and beat the Seattle Reign FC, head coach Paul Riley said in his post-match conference that they don’t pay attention to their position on the table. Just go about their business in the match in front of them; don’t give any thought to what happens everywhere else in the league. And it certainly is easy to see it from their point of view when they’ve been sitting at the top of the table for most of the season. That will continue against the Red Stars. Chicago may have stopped their skid, but North Carolina will kindly start up another one for them, making the race for the fourth and final spot between them, Sky Blue FC, and Seattle Reign FC incredibly dramatic. And frustrating.

SEATTLE REIGN FC OVER HOUSTON DASH
The Reign FC need to win out and get a little bit of help to make it to the playoffs, and will need to do some scoreboard watching to measure their chances. The Dash will certainly be inspired to play for their city and its people, even if the match itself has been relocated to Frisco, Texas. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if this is a draw, but after losing back to back home matches for the first time since they moved to Memorial Stadium, this is gut-check for Seattle. Time to step up and show they still have it in them and haven’t raised the white flag.

And here is your music video break to get you started for Labor Day Weekend.

Song: “Houston Is Hot Tonite” | Artist: Iggy Pop