Once again The World’s Greatest Soccer Team stands for the
Colors against the world and they did it with a ton of criticism, complaints
and nay-saying. They did it; they never let the whiners, the doubters, the
casual fans, those who don’t know a single name besides Alex Morgan, all
bitching, moaning and nit-picking.
They face a serious opponent, Japan
and they take the game, the opponent and the expectations seriously.
How much more pressure could they be under? Abby’s last
World Cup, the Talking Heads demanding that they win, the public celebrating
before the game starts.
Now listen to the ole Trawler, win or lose they are the best
and brightest and they deserve the admiration and the adulation of every
watching person.
Ask Germany,
the best can and frequently does lose.
But this group of women have brought a game which nobody in
the stateside press really understands and made it the dream of every child and
arm-chair athlete. They did it with three percent of the prize money of the
men’s game and yet the men’s game doesn’t get or deserve a tenth of the press
the women get. They did it with grit, (If you still believe soccer is a
non-contact sport you’ve never seen these women play. Alexandra Popp could tell
you a thing or two about how non-contact it is), guts and grime and they are
still expected to put on the war paint and smile like a beauty contestant when
the press conference comes around.
And thank God they don’t give a shit! Abby had the answer,
“All I want when the final whistle sounds is to have one more goal than they
do.”
Abby may not play, but don’t think for a moment that her
broad back didn’t bring this team to the top of the world. One of the strikers will
win the Golden Ball, best player in the World Cup, and Megan Rapinoe won’t
care, she did all she needed to do on the pitch. Klingenberg and Krieger won’t
be on the cover of Cosmo, they’ll be too busy working in the trenches.
That’s the way this team works, they do the job, for their
country, their sport and for each other and we have the privilege of watching.
. .
Team USA
Prior
to painting, contestants are required to have their canvas(es) stamped
with the official Create! Eugene stamp. This will occur at Oregon Art
Supply in downtown Eugene at these times:
Contestants
are required to paint within Lane County. Maps highlighting places to
paint in the downtown Eugene area will be available, although
contestants are welcome to venture farther. Remember paintings must be
submitted to Create! Eugene staff at the Hult Center plaza by 
Contestants
are encouraged to submit their competition pieces to the Plein Air
Paint Out Exhibit that will be on display in the Hult Center Lobby from 
