En Garde in the bunker…

Treading into somewhat of a toxic area today but I must remain fearless in truth-telling. There’s a different ethos at work in womens sports vis-a-vis men’s sports. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but the two genders don’t seem to belong in any of the various competitions for the same reasons, nor for the same results. Besides the fact that (dare I even say it) there are certain sports that are simply too de rigueur for ladies.

It might ease my way into the topic at hand if I begin with the fact that in Canada, the Womens National Hockey team has been criticized profusely after beating lesser teams by huge margins. It is very unseemly to celebrate the humiliation of an opponent. To be more magnanimous in both victory and defeat is a virtue. Or should be.

But what happens when ‘womens this, and womens that’ delve into certain activities that they have absolutely no business in messing around in? Who then becomes the arbiter of reason and commonsense? Womens boxing? Fergit it. Wrestling? Help! Rugby? No way! Football NFL? Nope.

Womens ice hockey, soccer-footy? Well…….

A fifth goal on the way to 13-0 that really, really, needn’t have been scored…

It’s when certain sports become stem-winders for the political-correctness of the moment (body-structures be damned) that the real problems occur. Many moons ago as a longtime soccer player with some success (still pronounced ‘football’ to me), I was always pumped up for the physical challenges every game provides to every player on the field, and supporters in the stands.

I learned early on in the game that it’s never a good idea to rub it in to your opponents’ faces. Sure you may beat them on one play, or game, but you’ll turn humiliation into determination by gloating, and almost guaranteeing they’ll come back at you with ferocity and vengeance.  Don’t poke the bear….

Here’s where I was headed, John Glynn in American Spectator and ‘U.S. Womens Soccer Team Shameful and Hypocritical’…

From an early age, we are taught the importance of respect. Most children, one hopes, are taught to respect their parents, teachers, and elders. They’re also taught to respect traditions, be they familial or cultural. They are taught to respect people’s feelings and rights, even the country’s flag and leaders. Have respect for truth and people’s opinions, regardless of race or sex. As life progresses, we develop great respect for people we consider representatives of moral decency; on the other hand, we lose respect for those we discover to be dishonest or obnoxious.

Speaking of obnoxious….

On Tuesday, the U.S. women’s soccer team tried (and failed) to defend itself against some richly deserved criticism. As you probably know by now, the Americans trashed Thailand 13-0. This is not the reason they were criticized, obviously. After all, soccer is all about outscoring your opponent. The Americans were slammed on social media for the manner in which they celebrated each goal. This was Thailand’s only second time in a major competition, having lost 4-0 to Norway and 4-0 to Germany in 2015, neither of whom piled on. In many ways, the Thai ladies were David; the Americans, Goliath.

The U.S., favorites to win this year’s World Cup absolutely thrashed the Thai team in Reims, France. They were seen reacting to every goal scored in the most overly dramatic ways imaginable, celebrating each one as if it was a cup final winner. While their Thai counterparts were left in tears, the Americans rejoiced in the most vulgar way possible. Against a lowly opponent, it was the heaviest defeat in World Cup history.

Read to completion in link down below…

When 13-0 could’ve been more sportingly capped off at a reasonable 3 or 4 goals …

In all the hundreds of games I played in my native England and then Canada, never once would we professionals ever dream of running up the score on any opponent. Ever. Those games whenever we played an obviously under-talented team would generally go to the point of say, a three / four goal lead, and then send the young-‘uns in for some needed experience. No more goals unless we conceded.

What exactly, is the point of defeating an obviously under-talented team on the world’s stage, like Thailand, by banging 13 goals against them, when at 3-0 up, the game simply becomes a training match. Helps the poorer team as well, since they learn the objectives and skills of their better opponent.

Simple.

Humble in victory / magnanimous in defeat – playing your best while exhibiting good sportsmanship used to be the ultimate goal, but in our ‘look at me’ culture, it’s all about showing off. Everyone hates a show-boater (or used to) but everyone loves it when they get their just desserts, huh?

I don’t like to say I’m looking forward to Germany, France, or Italy, say giving those U.S. ‘ladies’ a shellacking of similar proportions. But ‘Karma’ sure is a funny thing in sports though, isn’t it?

Now on to a real winner and time for today’s MAGA Pill – President Donald J. Trump – MAGA!

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See also Silvio Canto: U.S v Thailand: Was that a game?

Plus Jonathan F. Keiler: The Toxic Route of Women’s Soccer

Skivvy on the Current Coach Jill Ellis and her (ahem) ‘wife’