Ryan's goalkeeper switch backfires in a big way

great article, really felt like it was happening in front of me. Keep up the good work.

I keep remembering the old expression about playing the players who got you there. The coach make a dreadful decision in starting Brianna Scurry. Hope Solo had played every minute in China before the Brazil match. The US did not need to change to play Brazil. I hope Ryan realizes he cost the US any chance of winning this game. Brianna Scurry is a great goalie but was put in a terrible situation by the coach.

A fine article by Erin Paul. It was interesting to hear the comments from Solo, but I particularly enjoyed the "behind the scenes" comments about the process. Ironically, it may have been Heifetz's comment that Paul did not want to talk to Solo, because she had not played, that precipitated Solo's decision to talk. Great story.

Thanks for the insight. Every new detail I hear about this switch makes me angrier with Greg Ryan and with the fed in general for pulling this crap, and sorrier for Solo and Scurry, who were only doing what they were told to do.

I also think that Solo's strong comments are very gutsy-- it's one thing to question the coach after being dropped to the bench and watching a loss, but to question her own teammate? Wow. I have to admit I agree, Scurry was a whisker slow and IMO Solo would've saved at least two of those goals.

At any rate, I hope the US look strong and take that third place medal, and that Ryan is graceful enough to resign after it's over. Has Kristine Lilly gotten her coaching certifications in order yet?

I think you make too much of the goalie change. Older goalies have a history of success in this game, so this was not a bad bet. It was intended to psych out the opposition. But I doubt either goalie could have done much about an own goal. Other than that, the score was already 2-nil when Boxx was sent off. Let's face it, this American team was clearly outplayed at the individual skill level, and was left with few chances -- although it did have two very good ones that I saw. They didn't score, but Brazil had more than half a dozen that didn't go in either. So the percentages were not favourable to the US in this match.

Great job Erin,
So seldom do we hear the real story and the raw versus refined emotion behind the game. Your approach got the unsanitized version out into the mainstream. Well done!

Don't blame the goalie for the failure of the US to win. The fact is, the score was 4-0 for Brazil. The US failed to score a goal (apart from their own goal for Brazil). You can't win a game if your team doesn't score. Maybe blame the goalie if it was 4-3. The Brazilians outplayed the Americans from the start to finish. If you want to blame someone, blame the defense. They scored on their own net, and Marta and Cristiane danced circles around crowds of them to take shots and score. And blame the US offense for not scoring.

The move of starting an older goal keeper who had more experience (and a perfect record) against Brazil (who had been more impressive than the US during this competition) was not stupid at all, and could have worked. The fact that American - big nation of football, as everybody knows! :) - journalists disagreed before the game started does not change that fact.

The reality is that Brazil outplayed and dominated the Americans. The US have beaten Brazil many times, but on this game, Brazil was clearly superior and would have won with either goal tender.

While I didn't see the piece and only have these comments to judge the situation by perhaps the PR person was simply trying to protect two players who were in a vulnerable state. It was a team loss but all the focus was on the goalie change and you managed to catch Hope Sole saying something from the heart at an emotional peak that was definitely stupid. In a team sport she's both alienated the coach and pinned the team loss on a sole individual teammate. Team play means sucking it up when it hurts the most and it's the PR departments job to keep people from saying something stupid when they are "clearly devastated" While it's good journalism (or at least your editor would say it is) don't hide behind sanctimonious humanity, you caught someone when they were hurting and I expect she would regret it by now.

Nice article. Great scoop!

Greg Ryan made a number of bad decisions and seems in over his head. Not only was the goalkeeper decision a mistake, not fielding the fastest possible US team was another one. Brazil did their fancy dancing, but their speed is what killed us. The US had some fast players, but they were sitting on the bench when the game started. Ironically, Greg Ryan subbed Scurry in because she was faster, when he should have changed the starting lineup of the other players.

Greg Ryan also did a poor job with subs in the other games, and focused too much on set pieces and not enough on fundamentals like ball control. They US didn't look that good for much of the world cup.

The US WNT deserves a better coach. What Hope said was probably wrong, but it is understandable after preparing for 2 years, this was an emotional day.

That's some excellent behind the scenes perspective! Hope wasn't even going to talk to the press until the di_kh__d publicist for the team said she wasn't permitted to. What an unbelievable decision to start Briana, it was obvious that the first two goals wouldn't have happened with Hope in there. Definitely unfair to Briana too. It's all about the keeper relaying instructions to the defense, and there was no chemistry or organization there at all. The US team was disjointed and confused because of this switch of the keepers. And what about all that substituting in the second half to get more defensive-minded players on the field! Looks like the coach was trying to limit the damage of his decision, instead of trying to win. Inexcusable!

As for that terrible second yellow that made it a red card, who knows how the flow of play would have been up to that point if the match was 0-0 at the time, which it would have been with our regular keeper in goal.

I watched the game as a football fun in general. Not American and not Brazilian. I also read about the controversial keeper change.
But, some body to go out and confirm that they would have stopped the second goal???? That goal from Marta? Please, be frank, even men-goal keepers would have suffered with it. Marta was perfect that day and nothing would have stopped her.....I think Solo should thank God to have missed that game. And the over way around for Briana...Sorry for both of them.

The goalie change was disasterous. Anyone who has played the game, knows the edge you have when your playing on a team that has a confident goalie and whose team members are confident in that goalie. The play of the defence and goalie interaction are critical. It appeared, especially on the first goal, that the defence and goalie were not co-operating. The second goal showed rust on the part of the goalie. I still think Brazil would have won, but it would have been a far more dramatic victory.

Until this tournament, I had never watched an entire soccor game. Great, now I'm hooked. But to attack a coach for a "gut" decision is childish. The Americans lost this game by being outplayed by the Brazilians, period. The coach went with the odds and a hope of getting a "Great, we've never beaten that goalie" out of the Brazilians. Actually, I kind of liked the idea. Then a header into their own net. Gee, I wonder if that affected the US concentration? At that point, you could have put a hockey net behind the US and they still would have lost. The team did not rally and set things even again, and my novice view of the game does not have the goalie getting many goals themselves.

I am too new to this game to know much about the individual coaches, but on the face of it, I would be rather proud to have a team that can still achieve a third place finish in a field of superb teams from around the world.

To blame the Coach and goalie for an entire teams failure to respond to an accidental goal is just plain old anger that you didn't win. Is this his first time at being second guessed by the millions that couldn't run the length of a soccor field without medical aid? Or is it the 10th time? That might affect my decision to call for his firing or resignation.

I disagree with the writer's contention. She was grandstanding and attempting to have benched player Solo, lash out at the coach of her team. This would have only benefitted Erin Paul and as a professional she knew or ought to have known that this could the result of her defying team rules and enticing an angry player to vent her feelings when emotions were at their highest.
Is this the type of integrity they teach in journalism schools nowadays. Has this writer no professional ethics or courtesy. Papparazzi with a note pad and tape recorder.

Great job of reporting and sharing info with us by Erin, terrible job of PR by Aaron Heifetz, stupid job of coaching by Greg Ryan.

As a soccer goalie myself, I let in the odd soft goal, or even a bad bounce off of a defenceman. However, I DON'T feel bad about a loss if my other 10 team mates could not even score a single goal. Both of those goalies are no doubt being way too hard on themselves. The rest of the team owes them and the coach an apology if anything. The American side is capable of so much more, but they played like 10 individuals and not 1 team...

This is not surprising. Not the decision by the coach to play Briana over Hope, but that US Press "Officer" Aaron Heifetz was rude, unhelpful and censoring.

He is at best arrogant, let alone far from helpful. During the WWC, he has refused a sit down interview for some of his players with "Good Morning America", one of the US largest morning national news programs.

He has stifled and damaged players for years, and he is always one for the rules, unless they apply to him. A review of the video of the last minutes of the 1999 World Cup between the USA and China, Mr. Heifetz can be seen as the fifth person to get to Brandi Chastain post her amazing penalty conversion. Yes, before roughly 15 players, before the coaches, before anyone else. Mr. Heifetz, who did not have a field credential, was actually running around out on the pitch, jumping up and down celebrating with the players as if he was part of the team. Has anyone ever seen any media relations person in any sport do such a thing? The answer is no, as it doesn't happen. All historical footage of this event has Aaron Heifetz, in a golden vest, jumping up and down with the players, many of whom seem to turn and look at him like "What are you doing out here?"

He wasn't preparing press releases, lining up interviews, getting the cameras access. He was celebrating unprofessionally. How he kept his job, no sports writer understands.

In 2004 at the Athens Olympics Gold Medal game, against all logic, I watched from the media tribune as Mr. Heifetz ran around on the field again. Not as an animated, but still on the pitch, in the cameras view at the moment of PLAYER celebration.

FIFA has a rule that the field is sacred, in other words, the field is for players and referees only. Serious sanctions apparently are to occur for such a transgression as Mr. Heifetz is famous for, or so our photographers tell me. Nobody knows what action FIFA has taken against Mr. Heifetz, if at all, but the "age of Aaron" needs to come to an end.

His job is to help the media, not to hinder them. His job should be as a media relations representative, not a press "officer". Though in the end, you do get the feeling when meeting or dealing with him that a mall security position would fit his ego perfectly.

Good Job Hope in standing up for yourself! Too bad you aren't at UW this year, as they sure need you.

Mark

It appears the Americans are learning superstition in sports... Fairness apart, Ms. Solo's statement that she would have stopped the shots is futile, one of those stupid things we all say when upset. The own goal would have gone in any way; the third goal was, what we call, a done deal, so was the fourth. Maybe, just maybe, she could have caught the second. The article goes on by criticizing the ref's decision to expel a player, who clearly had only stopped the adversaries with violent plays. Were the journalist there in body and soul, or the only purpose was the after game interview, to play the players against each other? To criticize one’s work one has to know that work, and knowing CFL’s rules does not qualify, for tackles are not supposed to be part of soccer.

I am glad to see that some people actually watched the game, and did not base their reaction soley on the final score. We must have been playing some new type of Swiss defense, b/c it was riddled with holes. I think the coach should start Scurry again, and let these ladies get back on the field and finish strong.

More complaining, poor us, poor us. Further, Hope Solo should be ashamed of her post-game comments; part of being a good teammate is not allowing your perception of your own abilities to undermine the team spirit. If Wayne Gretzky can bite his tongue after Marc Crawford didn't pick him for the Olympic shootout, a much dimmer light like Hope Solo should be able to keep her ego in check after a perceived slight like this. Embarrassing sportswomanship by Solo. I don't care how good she thinks she is, she needs to mature and keep that crap to herself until someone decides she's good enough to be a coach... then she can do it her way.

I am not very impressed about coach Ryan.. I have been a coach for many years and I honor players that have shown consistency, specially goalies. Very important job to make changes in the last minute, without a good solid reason. Not to take anything away from Brazil, they played very well. I don't know if the goalie could have made a big difference b/c Brazil dominated the game but the fact is that, this desicion of changing keepers was WRONG. I feel bad for the two goalies to be put in this situation. All I can say to both of them is: Do not feel discouraged... keep up the great work you both are doing.

Honest and fair? She was selfish and threw her teammate under the bus. "I would have made those stops." She certainly earned her last name with those comments - not a team player at all.

Hi Erin,

I read the article and thought, "What a great article." I didn't realize it was written by you until I went back to the top and saw your byline.

All the best and good luck with your CBC gig.

Mike

Kudos to you for asking Hope and kudos to Hope for stopping to talk.

Most of the time I think reporters can be way too pushy, but not here. Besides the fact that it was a disastrous move (win or lose) to switch keepers, I think the story behind the scenes is that the US tam is in transition and the new guard must be given their opportunity. That is the frustration that Hope Solo (25 years old) tried to convey. If Scurry had won the position outright, then so be it. But Solo is clearly the superior keeper in 2007 and proved it during the tournament. Remember that Solo made 1 error in 4 pressure matches and her great Scurry-like save in stoppage time aginst North Korea averted a likely Quarterfinal exit for the US against Germany. Since Scurry had not played for 3 months, I would assume that her role was "insurance" in case Solo faltered (she did not) or was injured. When you compare that to the keepers other countries brought, that is a great position to be in - if you use it right. Clearly Greg Ryan did not use this advantage wisely and put Solo's bright future in jeopardy as well as Scurry's legacy. Yet he "can live with that". What about your team? Did he bother to ask some advise from the Captains?

The real key to US success in the past is one of talent and team chemistry. Greg Ryan took away the advantage the US had over Brazil and turned it into a negative. That is why the US did not compete well. Ryan still doesn't think it had anything to do with the loss, so I have to conclude he must not be in touch with his team. Personally, I'm glad somone had the guts to to say what needs to be said.

The US must spend 100 times that of Brazil on Women's soccer, yet the future belongs to Brazil - why is that? It probably has something to do with the bloated US soccer administration and the fact that you must be relatively well off to play soccer at the youth level (typical costs for a single player at the premier levels range from $5K to $8K per year starting at 10 years old). I suspect that many of the Brazilians grew up poor and learned the game from their brothers. We have a full generation of near world class players behind us, so we should expect to get better if the youth soccer scene will put more of its $ into development instead of advertisement.

What a shame that the most skilled women's football side in the world chooses to behave in a totally classless manner. The Brazilian women are a fine example of all that is wrong in football. Though they aren't unique in their employment of theatrics and cheating, at which they excel, the spoiled and so obviously pampered Brazilian women are more sickening to watch because of the attitude that they convey, e.g. (one of countless) the boisterous celebration at the sending off of an opponent, et. al. I'm sorry, but the wonderful skill of these athletes is completely offset by their repulsive attitude.

We have two teenaged daughters who play and would be completely disappointed in them as people were they to behave on the pitch the way the Brazillian women have done for years. Though American athletes aren't renowned for their sportsman-like qualities, the USA ladies far more deserved a result here simply for the dignified way in which they conducted themselves, in stark contrast to the Brazilians. Such is football I suppose. GO GERMANY!

"Anyone who knows anything about the sport" (or any professional sport for that matter) should not have made those comments. Soccer is a team sport. You support your teammates and you support your coach, even if you don't agree with every decision. The fact is, you have to suck it up and be professional about it. Hope Solo was understandably upset, but you can't let your ego get in the way of what's best for the team. The team needed to show solidarity, not division, after a game like that. It was a loss as a team. To dwell on your own misery is fine, but don't make it public. It's petty and selfish. I'm sure she regrets her statements now, but it's too late and she should suffer the consequences of her actions.

I saw the game, but I don't think that Ms Solo would have made a difference. The US women had no offense, defence, or midfiled. The Brasil women ran all over them.

You find it brave that Solo threw Scurry under a bus? Brave in your eyes because you get a great story. However, soccer is all about team play. You win and lose as a team. The U.S. women's team wouldn't be recognized as a top soccer program without the services of Scurry. Regardless, the PR person was just trying to do his job. While sound clips are great for your career, Hope's comments might have derailed hers. Don't take too much pride in that.

The decision to switch goalies is NOT the reason the US lost. That's a slap in Brazil's face. They were just better. Solo couldn't have scored a goal from between the pipes. She couldn't have solidified the slow midfield from that location either. Brazil would have trounced the US with her in goal as well. Brazil was better all tournament long. Bad calls and bad finishing by England made the 3-0 defeat at the hands of the US look bigger than it actually was. The US also struggled against Nigeria.

They could have had Solo AND Scurry in net and still would have lost...

I'd have to agree with CJ. You knew Hope was upset and I agree, the PR person, didn't do so well in protecting her but it was poor form. Yes, she is responsible for what she says and she should have been a better professional about it but this is part of the reason why people hate journalist. Yes its truth...Yes she said it...Yes you did your job....but the end result is the spewing of an emotional person at an emotional time causing discord and unnecessary drama when the team could least use it.

I would agree with the post by CJ... On the one hand, I respect that you as a journallist were doing your job trying to dig for a story. At the same time, I think it is fair that the PR person for the federation was trying to shield players from what could be (and has become), an awkward situation to say the least.

In point of fact, I think Solo showed her immaturity by going on tape with her comments. This is only confirmed for me by the back-peddling she is now doing, trying to spin what she "really" meant. (Based on what she has written on her own site, she could use a PR person to at least write complete, logical sentences.)

So.... digging for the "truth"? Or trying to uncover some dirt?

Aside from what I feel was a dubious decision by Ryan to switch goalies, the US team was outpaced by the Brazilian team. The US women looked slow on the pitch and lacked any individuality on the ball. I've always felt that an important asset to be a successful player is the ability to dribble the ball. It enhances the passing which, in turn, opens up the game overall. And the Brazilians were brilliant at it, where the US was plodding along, hoping that long balls and set pieces to Abby Wambach would be enough. And in getting back to coaching decisions, it's always easy to do hindsight or to criticise. That being said, the overall strategy was questionable for the US team. The weather conditions in China, the group they were placed in, and the outcome of each game should have dictated some better decisions, like using the bench more.

Terrific insight. Rarely do we get to hear a competitor's frustrations in situations like this. Nor are we always able to understand what sometimes ignites these controversies (in this case being told to muzzle them). Surely Solo is not unique in her sentiments and while she may be criticized for expressing them it is incorrect to assume she is critical of her teammate Scurry. She feels betrayed by her coach and it is disingenuous for any of us to assume we would feel differently given the circumstances (replaced in the most important game of her life because of a hunch - not because of merit or substandard performance - and then when it becomes apparent that this was a mistake (look at Brazil's 2nd goal) her coach, in what can only be attributed to ego, stubbornly refuses to redress the situation and make a substitution that would cast further scrutiny on his own controversial strategy). She's not criticizing Scurry. She believes she could/would have been better. Considering her performance prior to the semi-final how can one argue that? Nice work Erin!

The passion that's often prevalent in Americans' desire to dominate might again be making most people miss extremely important points in this goalie-swap saga. So much press was given to the preference for a certain lineup that players themselves probably believed the pitch about the disruption of "team chemistry".

How about each and EVERY one handle their role well? If players from the very top held on to balls and didn't get rounded too cheaply by the dazzling plays of the Brazilians, any goalie worth a spot on the bench would have a great day.

The conduct of Solo and its utter lack of respect for what constitutes membership on a team flies in the face of Coach Ryan not pulling her after her jelly fingers let North Korea's shot through in the early rounds. She dare say she would've saved all goals. You want to analyze similarities between the 2nd North Korea goal and the save Bri made after Marta's fleet-footed glide past Ellertson to set up Cristiane? Give me a break!

The world is getting better, folks. Other nations are catching up. It's back to China again next year for the Olympics, and if this type of upsetting routing is not to happen again at the hands of, say, Nigeria. Attitude cultivation should be considered a critical part of sports development especially in women's soccer. Much less emphasis on this high-school cultish sorority. Get the best - in skills, athleticism, and importantly, discipline. With those in common, they'll have the world at their feet.

In the meantime, I see Norway circling like vultures over the beaten body of the US team and they're going to be coming to strike hard and fast on Sunday. I doubt Solo will wear national colors again, quite unlikely for Ryan.

Interesting article. What journalist wouldn't go for the big scoop even if by doing so, that journalist would let out comments which would likely wreck a team's morale and possibly set players at one another's throats? You called Solo "honest, fair, to the point" and "quite brave." I agree with all of those except for "fair," and I would add "selfish, unprofessional and foolish" to the list. She was unfair to Scurry and her team.

As near as I can tell, Heifetz was trying to keep Solo from saying anything she might later regret. By not letting you interview Scurry he was presumably trying to keep Scurry from reacting to Solo's comments, which you likely would have brought up, while she was in a potentially volatile emotional state. Scurry is a pro however, and she probably wouldn't have taken the bait.

Furthermore, you contradict yourself in the article. You stated "Aaron Heifetz, said out loud to me, 'She didn't play, you only want to talk to people who played the game.'" Later you wrote "When she (Solo) was told by her PR person that she wouldn't talk..." Heifetz told you that you only wanted to talk to those who played. You didn't note any single thing that he said to Solo in your article. So which is it? Did he tell you not to interview Solo or did he tell Solo not to talk? Heifetz has a very justifiable angle here. What positive or constructive quote could possibly come from someone who didn't play, after a big loss? You sound like you are trying to justify opening Pandora's Box when you write "I feel I only acted as I was supposed to do as a journalist." Baloney. You absolutely were trying to get something provocative out of Solo and you did. Solo to her discredit was absolutely looking for a place to vent and she found it. I suspect that you'd have had free access to Scurry if you hadn't gotten the potentially explosive comments from Solo first. So you got your scoop. Your interview is what everyone is talking about. And because you and Solo got together before she had a chance to cool down and think about the ramifications of her tirade, a previously strong team's psychological foundation has been shaken. Congratualtions.

I fully agree with Leo.

You know what this woman worked her ass off to make this team. She made it and dominated. A coach made a decision and f'ed up, big time. The past is the past, The women lost when they were by far the best team. Where does the coach and this team go from heref????? If I'm a blue chip female soccer player I'm scared. This clown coaches with his heart and not his brain, PERIOD......and yes thats a bad thing!!!!!!

All these bloggers who want to shoot the messenger and condemn a frustrated non-participant.......
How can anyone know whether the decision to start Scurry had a negative impact on the US team's psyche? Three things I'm fairly sure of: 1) Joe Torre won't be sitting Roger Clemens if he's healthy and rested in Game 7 of the World Series 2) Claude Julien won't be sitting Martin Brodeur in game 7 of any play-off series if he's healthy and 3) Mike Candrea won't be sitting Taryne Mowatt in any game of the College World Series (softball) if she's healthy and if any of them did, rest assured that the principals and their teams would feel frustrated/upset/betrayed. And it would affect their play....I'd be surprised, based upon the many criticisms, if there was one person on that blog who has walked in Hope Solo's shoes and responded differently. I'd like to think I would have handled it better (but I doubt it) and I completely understand her frustration. To all those who are going to write in that there's no 'I' in team, well there's no "We" either and believing that you were denied the opportunity to help your team when you are the best at your position wouldn't bring out the best in too many athletes.

I know it is a reporter's job to get these quotes. But it still feels dirty. It is like sticking a mic to a guy who just crashed his car into a phone pole. "How are you feeling now?" "My head is $&#&@(#*# bleeding. Go to hell!" There you go, you got a juicy quote.

It is completely understandable that Hope would be very upset. World Cup doesn't happen every year. You don't always get a shot to play at this level. To have played all 4 games in the cup and done well in 3 of them only to be benched in the most important game of your life? Anyone with passion and heart would be uncontrollably mad.

And Scurry admitted that she should have called off. She didn't. Brazil "scored" first and it was all downhill from there.

Great article. I work in PR and have worked in the sports media realm. I was appalled when I read what Heifetz said to the player and then to Erin Paul after the comments. Obviously emotions got involved. Obviously there was a better way to handle it, like a statement or promise for an exclusive later. There are times when people should wait to talk to the media, and this seemed like one of those times. Granted, media want the emotion to bleed through as it's more fun for the viewers.

But if I was Heifetz I probably would have recommended that she don't talk to the media either until she had a chance to cool down. However, the way he did it, or attempted to do it, was unprofessional to her and Paul. It was a tough loss for her and the team, and her emotions were high coming out of the locker room.

Heifetz should have asked her, in the locker room/in private, to get on the bus and sleep on it. After that, she could do the talk show circuit for all anyone would care. However, given her strong comments against her team and coach she'll probably have to issue an apology to US soccer or her coach before she can move forward with the team. Either way, this was a great read!

Solo didn't do herself any favors by talking. In lashing out, she came across as irrational. It now makes me think of her as uncoachable. The PR Rep's job is to protect the player and to keep them from situations when they are hot and likely to not think about what they are saying. Well, look what happened? She came across as a hot-headed nut. Who does she listen to? Who does she respect? Everyone is beneath her. She listens to no one. I hope they dump her from the team. She's an embarrassment to the uniform.

Great article Erin. You did a great job as journalist to capture Solo's comments and the muzzled comments by Heifetz. I think the U.S. has good enough players to beat anybody, they just need a good coach who can select the right players for the right game and have some planned counter measures if Brazil played differently from what he expected.

To Mark Dahlgren | September 28, 2007 10:40 AM,

Disclosure: I was a volunteer with the WWC '99 Organizers, including being an Assistant Manager for Information Services at one of the venues. These comments, however, are completely my own.

I knew Aaron Heifetz when I worked with the 1999 WWC Organizers and never found any issue with how he did his job.

I will also tell you that, while I don't know anything about what happened in Athens in 2004, I can say that, from watching the '99 Final on TV, it always looked as if he ran out onto the field after Brandi Chastain's famous PK goal, not so much to celebrate but, rather, to position himself in such a way so as to try to cover her up as much as he could (remember the hullaballoo after she threw off her uniform top upon scoring that goal?)

Please take another look at the videotape of that Final, and tell me/us if you don't think that's even possible for a Communications Director charged, apparently, with trying to protect the reputations of the players on "his" team.

Thanks,
Bram

Leo Kurylo's post is totally off base. The "Mixed Zone", where this interview took place, is in between the playing field and the locker room/bus, and FIFA requires the players to pass through this zone to talk to the media, as unlike in other sports, reporters are not allowed in the locker room of FIFA events. Players don't have to talk, but can choose to. The "Mixed Zone" simply gives the media some limited access to the players. WWC media has virtually no other access to the players during the WWC, except for occasional 15 minute press conferences held randomly with 1-2 players and sometimes the coach. This was Erin's only chance to ask Hope or Briana a question, and Heiftiz tried to eliminate both opportunities. Since this interview, neither Hope nor Briana have chosen to speak to the media or attend press conferences, which proves the point.

Leo asserts that the author interviewed Hope while she was still upset and emotional. Of course she did! That's why writers are allowed in locker rooms in all sports in America within minutes of the game ending. These times are actually set in the NBA, NFL, etc and a light goes on about the locker room door or a clock ticks down to zero, letting writers know when they can head in. Violating these time constraints results in BIG fines from the league offices.

Sure, Erin was looking for a scoop, and hope wanted to talk. This Mr. Heifitz was simply trying to censor a player from uttering words she wanted to utter, but tried to do so surreptiously by stating "you don't want to talk to players who didn't play in the game." Huh? Why wouldn't Erin? The entire story of the game was the goalkeeper switch. It is the largest story of this WWC. Of course she, and every other reporter or interviewer wanted to talk to Hope.

The idea of being a reporter is to get the story. The story was Hope's being pulled, and it became what part Hope's being pulled had in the huge US defeat. Heifitz knew this, and was trying to stifle and suppress the news. He wasn't able to censor Hope, he apparently was able to do so to Briana.

These are grown women, educated women. They reserve and deserve the right to speak, and no team PR person should ever have the right to censor a player. Heifitz was actually trying to do the above, and in a sense, change the news.

Lastly, Leo seems to assert that Erin had some obligation to withhold this story and the TV interview, as it would obviously prove disrupting to the US Team. Huh? A reporters job is to report the news in full, not selectively, and not to censor parts of the story that might cause a loss in harmony. Their job is to report truthfully and fully. There job is to tell the people the real story. Additionally, as far as I know, Erin is not American, so there likely wasn't any pro US favoritism in her reporting (not that their ever should be for Canada).

In the end, Erin got the scoop everyone in the media wished they "got". She did a good job, and her story is news because it was such a scoop. Mr. Heifitz simply tried to quash the the biggest story and edit what became news.

Matt

Matt

As a goalie in soccer who has played at a pretty high level (collegeite) I know what it's like to be in hope's position. When you are the back-up, whether it be for one game, or a whole season, you always wonder if you could have done better than the starter. But, that does not excuse her comments at the end of the game. Whether you think you could have done better or not, or you thought the coach made a terrible decision, you don't say anything about it to the press. If you want to bring those topics up, the only place to do it is in the privacy of a one-on-one with the coach in his office. At all other times, you have to be supportive of your teammates and the coach. When asked to comment, she should have said that it was tough to lose, and that she feels for the other goalie, who must have been heartbroken. When asked about the coach's decision, she could have said "It's the coaches decsion. I thought I earned the right to play this game, but the coach made his decision and I will support that. Obviously it's hard to sit on the bench, as you want to do everything you can to help your team win."

She is an outstanding goalie, and I hope she has the smarts to apologize for her comments, as she was rightfully upset at the time, and I don't want her to burn that bridge as she has a wonderful international career ahead of her

I have thought Ryan was the best avaibale

I believe you should dance with the person who brought you to the dance.This being said I think Ryan tried to outsmart logic or that he already had a problem with Hope. After you make a mistake you should man up about it instead of diverting the issue and turning it into a problem with her comments.
I also think that as a team player or any time you do not play if you just sit and take it without any emotion you may want to think about doing something else with your life. I hope Hope gets the last laugh on Ryan as he was wrong.

Hi,
I find the above discussion fascinating, and I'm glad it's sparked such interesting debate, both about the decision to switch goalies and my own role in the story. That's what blogs and forums are meant to do, so thanks to everyone who has taken the time to send in their comments.

For those of you who think I was just a bloodthirsty journalist digging for a story, I know there's no way I can change that. Journalists have some of the worst reputations going - and for some very good reasons. I suspect most of you who feel that way are based in the U.S., where you have some very different guidelines on "reporting".

Hope was angry and probably looking to vent. I happened to be the only one who asked her if she wanted to talk. Yes, that's my job. But I certainly wasn't lying in wait for her to trap or bait her. Just in the mix zone, where we stand to see which athletes want to talk and which ones don't.

Was I looking for a scoop? That's funny. I was the only Canadian reporter in the mix zone at that point. In my world, there was no one TO scoop. At no point did I expect the broadcast to make it to the States, and I certainly don't consider the US press my competition since our broadcast doesn't get shown there.

I was there on behalf of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and doing what I was sent there to do - ask questions.

A fascinating response from her, and from you. Feel free to keep it coming - this type of debate is what is so great about our world. After a month in China, I value the freedom of speech even more than when I left.

Erin Paul.

You said:

"And my heart goes out to both American goalies, who were both put in unfair positions, in my humble opinion.
If you really felt that way, you wouldn't have been asking the two principals for comments. There was nothing productive to be said from either player. Just be honest and admit that you were looking for scoop.

I am sure there is more to the Hope Solo/Greg Ryan controversie. Out of the blue the coach decided
to change goalkeepers and by doing so destroyed the team's mindset before an important game. I can understand (right or wrong) Solo's outburst but I can't understand the coach's (wrong) decision to make the change.
Even though the US was outplayed by Brazil, the game could have been a lot more interesting without the distraction of a controversial last minute goalie change. Greg Ryan, in my opinion,
started the problem, it was the news reporter who put fuel on the fire by interviewing Hope Solo.
Neither Briana Scurry nor the team can be blamed for their lopsided loss. I put all the blame on the
coach Greg Ryan.

Hope is being made a scapegoat for a very questionable coaching decision -- just because you can doesn't mean you should -- and then when this same bad decision causes havoc on the field take no blame for it. Greg Ryan owns the decision to change the goalkeeper. Period. He then didn't react when the game went south. He unsettled the players by changing the GK at the last minute. He didn't make proper substitutions to help the team get back into the game. He should be fired.

I watched the game where US played Brazil. I saw several things. A US team where the midfield seem non existent. A back line with no strong defending and a situation on the bench where a player did not like a decision made by the coach. I believe the decision to play Scurry over Solo did have a profound affect on the team dynamics however we are speaking about some professional players....we are talking about players that are at the highest level of their game. Composure and class comes to mine. Solo behaviour off the field was surely felt by her teammates. Instead of thinking about her own feeling during the game she may have consider to support her team mate. She should have been has vocal in supporting them climbing that mountain in front them as she was making sure the world knew her displeasure with her coach's decision. Her thoughts came across as arrogant and childish. It made me question why a coach would choose one goalie over another maybe it had to do with maturity and composure in a high level situations. As for her dismissal of past contributions by other players. She does not get it, who knew of Hope Solo when she was 14, 18, 21. We knew of the likes of Scurry and the rest. She has been on the team for only 2 years. There is a thing called right of passage. It is not taken it is given. The fact she believes should could have stopped all of those goals including the own goal.Well!
As for the Canadian Commentators are you Kidding me . Excusing her behavior and then commenting that passing the armband from the captain to Scurry was a media ploy and that was it was "disapponting" They did like that. Could it have been a way of one old player saying to another. I recognized want we did in 2004 olmpics. I was there and so were many other player for the US team or otherwise that are around the 36. Were supportive of all team members pass and present. They the commentators are there to express truth and not their opinions of who behavior should be excused and whose should not. What Hope Solo did was not acceptable in any team sport. That was a straight call and it should be addressed as such. The coach's discipline was the right move.
Sprinkling your father's ashes at the goal postS - kiNd of morbid to me and I hope that her father would not be looking down at her and thinking her behaviour this time was WORLD CLASS.

My daughter played college basketball. The coach played other players even though my daugher was better and then after the season was over he complained to me that he should have played my daughter instead, but it was to late then. I only think that if she had spoke up to other about this she might have got to play more.

I can't blame Hope for complaining because she was the best goalie and proved that she should be playing because she played every minute of every game and Scurry was not game ready because she had not played. Then to bring her into a playoff game with the pressure on her is not right. I to think the Brazil was the better team, but who knows if Hope would have been in there Boxx might not have got toss and the US might have played better,ie. England. I still blame it on the coach, and I think Hope had the right to speak her mind about a stupid coaching move.

Ms. Solo dug her own grave .. there may have been light on the path but it was Ms. Solo who freely offered her reprehensible remarks. I agree that the coach made a questionable decision but players have to stick together and play for the team with no questions asked. It isn't Ms. Solo's responsibility to make those decisions .. she is supposed to be available and ready to play.

Congratulations Erin Paul... not only on doing your job in a professional and respectful manner, but in not only surviving, but thriving, in a sports milieu where women journalists are far and few between. I hope your presence at CBC helps increase the profile of women's sports in Canada, as it is still quite frustrating to see it relegated to the back pages of the website. One good example is your article on March 1st, 2008, about the Canadian national women's team going to Mexico for the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying event. It should have been a FRONT PAGE story on the website, given how the team is on the cusp of making history (by being the first Canadian team to qualify for the Olympics), not to mention the drama in Juarez (druglords and deplorable femicide) and decision by the Canadian Soccer Association to NOT safely hold the event in Canada (when Pellerud and others had raised enough financing to do so!).

I'm a big fan of your sports journalism, Erin, and after I watched Canada win the first game last night, I couldn't help but wish that CBC had actual INTERVIEWS with the team. Yes, the game was streamed on your website, but we SHOULD be seeing you on camera with the team, doing what you do best. It's not too late CBC!