Sunday brings the USWNT going for their second straight, and fourth overall World Cup title. The run to the championship game has seen a lot of ostentatious on the pitch celebrations, many of which have been heavily criticized by some.
When possible, the USA has overtly run up the score. When opportunity has presented itself, U.S. Women’s Soccer has engaged in over-the-top, flamboyant showboating gestures that celebrate their scoring strikes. And as an American, it’s been fun. At the same time, as a journalist, I also see the great story and delicious irony of potential emerging narrative if the USWNT should fall short of the ultimate prize.
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Yes, it is actually possible to hold both of these diametrically opposed ideas in one head at the same time and yet still retain the ability to function.
It’s big tech and shallow, cartoonish people who want to reduce human beings to mere “stay in your lane” stereotypes. In real life, (IRL) humans are complex beings.
The USWNT dominated the group stages like the United States dominates global defense spending, and perhaps when you’re that far ahead of the competition, a backlash is inevitable. It’s been said by many that this side lacks sportsmanship, due to the way they behave on the pitch.
As always, some of the people weighing simply need to be outraged about something at all times.
The British are stereotyped for having superior class and high manners, so maybe that’s why the reaction has been exacerbated? In terms of sportsmanship, well the sports man ship sailed way out of the harbor a long time ago. Personally, I think it’s funny what the USWNT are doing right now, but I also recognize that it’s about 1/10 as funny as the MERICA!!! crowd thinks it is.
Also, I do get why some find this behavior to be less than classy- it definitely is.
The next narrative to emerge from this phenomena is the idea that this USWNT bashing is sexist. And it’s true that male ostentatious sports celebration is certainly not met with the same level of vitriol that we’re seeing for team USA. The people making this case have a point. There is plenty of evidence to support their case.
At the same time though, do they really know their sports history?
Are they aware that male excessive celebration has been around for 30-40 years?
Men happily dancing on the proverbial athletic graves of their opponents has been around for at least a third, if not a half century.
It doesn’t get much backlash these days because it’s so well established, and we’re essentially numb to it.
It’s hard to say who really started all this, but 1980s Miami Hurricanes college football truly put it on the map.
Go see “The U.” and “The U. Part 2” 30 for 30s for edification on this topic.
Then later you had Neon Deion “Prime Time” $anders, and the 1991 Atlanta Falcons, who arguably turned it up a notch at the professional level. Deion was the guy who really first personified this level of excessive showboating in sports, on an individual level.
Now think back to what some detractors said about Deion, the Falcons and, most importantly, those Canes teams at the time.
A lot of that criticism was straight up racist.
Knowing that, are the slams being leveled against the USWNT sexist? Sort of. Kind of.
Unfortunately, this is what typically happens to all trail blazers, in all fields. A lot of people are afraid of what they don’t know, and when dealing with the unknown, they often revert to their base primitive prejudices and often that comes in the form of ugliness and discrimination.
Today, during World Cup Final media day, Morgan described her semifinal teacup gesture as part homage to English actress Sophie Turner, who is known for posting Instagram stories where she signs off with the phrase: “And that’s the tea,” before sipping from a cup. (h/t ESPN FC)
Morgan also said she feels there is currently a double standard when it comes to how male athlete celebration is viewed vs. how female jock celebration is perceived. In other words, she did come out and say there is some sexism at play here.
“I feel that there is some sort of double standard for females in sports,” Morgan said, “to feel like we have to be humble in our successes and have to celebrate, but not too much or in a limited fashion.”
“You see men celebrating all over the world in big tournaments, grabbing their sacks or whatever it is. And when I look at sipping a cup of tea, I am a little taken aback by the criticism.”
When you put it that way, about guys grabbing their junk, she certainly makes a great, very true to life point.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.Â
You can follow Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com on Twitter here and his cat on Instagram at this link.