Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Pia Sundhage should not be a United States National Team coach
The UNITED STATES Women’s National Team coach Pia Sundhage has declined an invitation to meet President Bush at the White house, according to an interview she gave with the Aftonbladet newspaper. In the interview, she states she does not share his political views.
I know it's hard to find many who do, but SO WHAT! If you are the Head Coach of a United State Team, a team that just represented our country in the Olympics, and you win a gold medal, and you have interest in supporting the sport in our country, you ACCEPT an invitation to meet our President. No questions asked, other than "what time should I be there?"
I am a fan of Sundhage’s coaching beliefs and style, but it’s time to move on. I'm thoroughly embarrassed and dismayed at such a snub. If she can't put her politics aside and honor the colors she wears, then it's time to go.
I'm sure many of the players on the team feel the way she does politically, but they are still going to the White House. What kind of message does that send to your players when you won't share an honor they've earned together. Let me repeat - it's time to go.
Sundhage is currently negotiating a contract renewal with the US Soccer Federation, and I hope they tell her no thanks. It has nothing to do with politics, it has to do with respect and honor for the country you represent as its NATIONAL TEAM coach. Let her pursue a WPS head coaching job - one without red white and blue in on their uniform - and do her good for the game from there.
Here's the link to the story: http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/International/nyhetssidor/artikel.asp?ProgramID=2054&format=1&artikel=2278495
Here's the link to contact US Soccer and tell them what you think: http://www.ussoccer.com/contact/index.jsp.htmlLabels: Pia Sundhage, U.S. Women
Comments:
I applaud Pia's forthrightness. Good grief - it's not like she lied us into a war, or fattened the pockets of her oilmen cronies while the economy went down the tubes, or mismanaged an entire national government for 8 years. No, she simply said she disagreed and declined the invitation. Can't we get over ourselves and our "if you're not with us you're against us" narrow-mindedness? Pia deserves kudos and a nice fat raise in my book. Oh yeah - and I think she's probably well qualified to be VP, too! ;)
I would agree with everything you said IF - and it's a BIG IF - it wasn't the UNITED STATES NATIONAL TEAM that she worked for.
To me, anyone who can't make the connection that it was wrong to snub the honor (and attend to support her team) is the one that's confusing politics with sport.
Everyone is welcome to their opinion, but if they feel so strongly about something, they shouldn't accept a pay check from those people. That's just as greedy as the US oil companies. She took the job for the prestige of being the coach of the best team in the world, but she won't honor our country.
I see your argument. But Pia is not being paid by the US taxpayers. The US national soccer team has nothing to do with the US government, at least as far as I know.
On the other hand, I found it pretty reprehensible that Bush (who IS paid by the US taxpayers) took time out to go to the Olympics this summer. His presence there reflects a far greater confusion of politics with sport than anything Pia did or could do.
I'm a citizen of the US and I don't feel dishonored by Pia. (I do feel deeply dishonored by Bush, however.) It is an empty, political gesture, being invited to the White House by a man such as that. Pia does greater honor to the US by not participating in the charade than she would by taking the easier road and going through the motions.
Also, the members of the USWNT are adults and can make their own decisions about the invitation. I imagine that her decision has generated all kinds of interesting discussions - but I very much doubt that they feel unsupported by her or feel that they need her with them on this junket.
If the "meet the President" was an opportunity for the President to offer congratulations on the behalf of a proud country, then it's definitely appropriate for the coach to attend. If, however, it was going to be a media event where the politician made a speech about "international fellowship through sports", then I would absolutely not attend either. Or maybe attend and then get up and walk out when he started spewing the same garbage we've heard for most of the last decade.
Either way, Thanks Pia! Job well done!
permalink posted by 
: September 17, 2008 12:41 PM
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I know it's hard to find many who do, but SO WHAT! If you are the Head Coach of a United State Team, a team that just represented our country in the Olympics, and you win a gold medal, and you have interest in supporting the sport in our country, you ACCEPT an invitation to meet our President. No questions asked, other than "what time should I be there?"
I am a fan of Sundhage’s coaching beliefs and style, but it’s time to move on. I'm thoroughly embarrassed and dismayed at such a snub. If she can't put her politics aside and honor the colors she wears, then it's time to go.
I'm sure many of the players on the team feel the way she does politically, but they are still going to the White House. What kind of message does that send to your players when you won't share an honor they've earned together. Let me repeat - it's time to go.
Sundhage is currently negotiating a contract renewal with the US Soccer Federation, and I hope they tell her no thanks. It has nothing to do with politics, it has to do with respect and honor for the country you represent as its NATIONAL TEAM coach. Let her pursue a WPS head coaching job - one without red white and blue in on their uniform - and do her good for the game from there.
Here's the link to the story: http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/International/nyhetssidor/artikel.asp?ProgramID=2054&format=1&artikel=2278495
Here's the link to contact US Soccer and tell them what you think: http://www.ussoccer.com/contact/index.jsp.html
Labels: Pia Sundhage, U.S. Women
I applaud Pia's forthrightness. Good grief - it's not like she lied us into a war, or fattened the pockets of her oilmen cronies while the economy went down the tubes, or mismanaged an entire national government for 8 years. No, she simply said she disagreed and declined the invitation. Can't we get over ourselves and our "if you're not with us you're against us" narrow-mindedness? Pia deserves kudos and a nice fat raise in my book. Oh yeah - and I think she's probably well qualified to be VP, too! ;)
I would agree with everything you said IF - and it's a BIG IF - it wasn't the UNITED STATES NATIONAL TEAM that she worked for.
To me, anyone who can't make the connection that it was wrong to snub the honor (and attend to support her team) is the one that's confusing politics with sport.
Everyone is welcome to their opinion, but if they feel so strongly about something, they shouldn't accept a pay check from those people. That's just as greedy as the US oil companies. She took the job for the prestige of being the coach of the best team in the world, but she won't honor our country.
To me, anyone who can't make the connection that it was wrong to snub the honor (and attend to support her team) is the one that's confusing politics with sport.
Everyone is welcome to their opinion, but if they feel so strongly about something, they shouldn't accept a pay check from those people. That's just as greedy as the US oil companies. She took the job for the prestige of being the coach of the best team in the world, but she won't honor our country.
I see your argument. But Pia is not being paid by the US taxpayers. The US national soccer team has nothing to do with the US government, at least as far as I know.
On the other hand, I found it pretty reprehensible that Bush (who IS paid by the US taxpayers) took time out to go to the Olympics this summer. His presence there reflects a far greater confusion of politics with sport than anything Pia did or could do.
I'm a citizen of the US and I don't feel dishonored by Pia. (I do feel deeply dishonored by Bush, however.) It is an empty, political gesture, being invited to the White House by a man such as that. Pia does greater honor to the US by not participating in the charade than she would by taking the easier road and going through the motions.
Also, the members of the USWNT are adults and can make their own decisions about the invitation. I imagine that her decision has generated all kinds of interesting discussions - but I very much doubt that they feel unsupported by her or feel that they need her with them on this junket.
On the other hand, I found it pretty reprehensible that Bush (who IS paid by the US taxpayers) took time out to go to the Olympics this summer. His presence there reflects a far greater confusion of politics with sport than anything Pia did or could do.
I'm a citizen of the US and I don't feel dishonored by Pia. (I do feel deeply dishonored by Bush, however.) It is an empty, political gesture, being invited to the White House by a man such as that. Pia does greater honor to the US by not participating in the charade than she would by taking the easier road and going through the motions.
Also, the members of the USWNT are adults and can make their own decisions about the invitation. I imagine that her decision has generated all kinds of interesting discussions - but I very much doubt that they feel unsupported by her or feel that they need her with them on this junket.
If the "meet the President" was an opportunity for the President to offer congratulations on the behalf of a proud country, then it's definitely appropriate for the coach to attend. If, however, it was going to be a media event where the politician made a speech about "international fellowship through sports", then I would absolutely not attend either. Or maybe attend and then get up and walk out when he started spewing the same garbage we've heard for most of the last decade.
Either way, Thanks Pia! Job well done!
Post a Comment
Either way, Thanks Pia! Job well done!
permalink posted by : September 17, 2008 12:41 PM
: September 17, 2008 12:41 PM Links to this post:
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