When Has Taking Second Become A Bad Thing?

I spent the weekend watching the U.S. women's soccer team play Japan for the FIFA World Cup. I was disappointed they lost. So much work and to lose on penalty kicks at the end. The First thing I thought was, soccer is a cruel game, you spend an hour and a half running......running....running...and it's so hard to score a goal. All it takes is being in the right place at the right time.  The US team was getting the shots, just not the breaks. The other thing I thought was how proud I was of this team. The Americans are never looked at as the soccer power of the world, and for this team to make it to the finals was an accomplishment.That was yesterday, now there's today. I still feel nothing but pride for these women, but anger for the media and how they are treating these women. Since when is taking second a bad thing? The US is the second best team in the WORLD!! The thing is, it could have gone either way, and almost did. Back to the media..

I'm hearing words like, Hope Solo (the goalkeeper) let 3 goals pass her in the net.

SHE DIDN'T LET ANY GOALS IN THE NET!!! Some of the blame is being put on her. Then  I watched an interview of Abby Wambach. The hero for the last three games and almost for the final. The question was blunt, you had so many chances, how come the US team couldn't convert. Abby, caught off gaurd said, I don't know how to explain that. Really, how do you explain that. Lucky I was not Abby, I would have said something smart, not Abby, she said, “It just seemed like all of Japan suffered so much, It seemed like their country needed them to win more than ours.”

US women's soccer team, you make our country proud, and we did want you to win, Japan needed them to win. You showed poise, maturity, and most of all you showed young people what it is like to lose with dignity. Thank You!