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USWNT players largely silent during national anthem in 2023 World Cup opener against Vietnam, who proudly sang theirs
New York Post ^ | July 21, 2023 | Katherine Donlevy

Posted on 07/22/2023 11:58:55 AM PDT by george76

Most members of the US women’s soccer team stayed silent during the national anthem before its World Cup opener Friday against newcomers Vietnam — who passionately belted their nation’s tune.

The majority of the reigning women’s World Cup champion team stared stoically ahead as the “Star Spangled Banner” blasted across New Zealand’s Eden Park arena.

Only five of the 11 players who stood on the field for the anthem — with young, aspiring players standing before them — placed their hands over their hearts, while their six teammates kept their digits clasped behind their backs

...

Only three USWNT players — Julie Ertz, Alyssa Naeher and Lindsey Horan — sang along with the hundreds of American supporters watching in the stands.

Comparatively, members of World Cup debutant Vietnam emphatically crooned their national song

...

The women’s USWNT team has a complicated history with the national anthem.

...

Forward Megan Rapinoe has continuously knelt during “The “Star-Spangled Banner” following NFL player Colin Kaepernick’s protest in 2016.

Rapinoe, who is playing in her last World Cup before retiring and was the first woman to kneel in the practice, claimed in the weeks before her team’s 2019 World Cup win that she would “never put my hand over my heart.”

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Australia/New Zealand; China; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: anthem; ccp; china; india; nationalanthem; nationalsong; soccer; sports; uswnt; uswntteam; vietnam; womenssoccer; worldcup
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To: george76

21 posted on 07/22/2023 12:46:46 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: All
Video: U.S. National Anthem At World Cup Is Going Viral
22 posted on 07/22/2023 12:48:03 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: EEGator

That’s a good point, before we jump to condemn these girls, maybe they’re just acting as usual, no malice intended.


23 posted on 07/22/2023 12:48:57 PM PDT by lee martell
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To: george76

99% of all athletes in America keep their mouth shut during the anthem. This is just looking for a reason to get upset.


24 posted on 07/22/2023 12:50:22 PM PDT by discostu (like a dog being shown a card trick)
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To: george76

They’d prefer saluting the rainbow flag and singing something by k.d. lang.


25 posted on 07/22/2023 12:50:37 PM PDT by Allegra (Stop the Zeepers from Censoring FReepers)
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To: lee martell
That’s a good point, before we jump to condemn these girls, maybe they’re just acting as usual, no malice intended.

Their coach needs to teach then to stand for the flag and to raise their right hand over their heart for the national anthem. If they fail to do that, suspend them until they understand. If the coach cannot do that, fire the coach.

26 posted on 07/22/2023 12:50:45 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: motor_racer

Cause they get paid to. And they want to win the biggest trophy in the sport. Same thing that motivates most athletes in international competition.


27 posted on 07/22/2023 12:52:00 PM PDT by discostu (like a dog being shown a card trick)
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To: discostu
99% of all athletes in America keep their mouth shut during the anthem. This is just looking for a reason to get upset.

Colin Kaepernick can do what he wants to do. Now he's out of NFL. But the players who are on the national team represents the U.S. We are not holding them accountable.

28 posted on 07/22/2023 12:52:06 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: george76
I saw it and I was hoping for better enthusiasm for representing our/their wonderful Country.

Disappointed.

I never root against the USA, even if the athletes feel entitled, privileged, and feel no visible sense of gratitude.

That said, have any of the team members or coaches or sponsors quibbled with Miss Rapinoe's hatred of America or Miss Rapinoe's statement endorsing men competing in womens' sports?

29 posted on 07/22/2023 12:56:44 PM PDT by Seaplaner (Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never...in nothing, great or small...Winston ChurchIill)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Accountable for what exactly? You can look up any anthem playing for any sporting event in the US for DECADES and the vast majority of athletes will NOT be singing. That’s just not how it is here. So why is it suddenly a problem for the USWNT? They’re doing exactly what YOUR favorite sports team has been doing your ENTIRE LIFE (assuming the math works out). That’s the American sports way.


30 posted on 07/22/2023 12:57:39 PM PDT by discostu (like a dog being shown a card trick)
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To: Seaplaner
That said, have any of the team members or coaches or sponsors quibbled with Miss Rapinoe's hatred of America or Miss Rapinoe's statement endorsing men competing in womens' sports?

I'll still root for the men's national team. The male players are still patriotic.

For the Women's World Cup, I'll root for a team outside the West. How about Mexico or Brazil?

31 posted on 07/22/2023 12:59:24 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: george76

hope they all break a leg........


32 posted on 07/22/2023 1:00:32 PM PDT by Sacajaweau ( )
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To: discostu
So why is it suddenly a problem for the USWNT? They’re doing exactly what YOUR favorite sports team has been doing your ENTIRE LIFE

If you play on the national team, all the eyes are on you. And you represent your country.

Colin Kaepernick played for San Francisco so that was different.

And Megan Rapinoe is on the national team so we are seeing the women's national team as the anti-American team.

33 posted on 07/22/2023 1:02:05 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: george76

I’ll bet the eighth graders that beat them would sing along.


34 posted on 07/22/2023 1:04:15 PM PDT by DarrellZero
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To: discostu
I see a difference between a professional sports team and a national sports team that's representing the country at an international event. But still, not singing the anthem wouldn't usually be a big deal.

However, soccer is a little different. It is customary that players sing their national anthem in international tournaments. Is it a huge deal the American women mostly didn't sing? No, but it is notable in the larger context of international soccer.

35 posted on 07/22/2023 1:05:21 PM PDT by thefactor
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To: MinorityRepublican

But AGAIN American athletic tradition is that pregame anthem is met with game face. That’s how it’s always been. Our athletes “represent” our country by looking tough and ready. So what is the problem with them doing WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING YOUR WHOLE LIFE?


36 posted on 07/22/2023 1:05:40 PM PDT by discostu (like a dog being shown a card trick)
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To: thefactor

National teams ARE professional sports teams outside the Olympics. They are paid to play. And in most sports there are often members of the team who “transferred” to the country either because their home country didn’t pick them, or because their home country isn’t any good at the sport and they want to win. International sports is rife with people “representing” country X who weren’t born there, don’t live there, and mostly never go there.

Every country has their thing. America’s is into the game face for pre-game anthems. Singing is for winners at trophy ceremonies. So no it’s not notable. It’s not a deal at all. It’s just people looking for reasons to get mad.


37 posted on 07/22/2023 1:09:13 PM PDT by discostu (like a dog being shown a card trick)
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To: MinorityRepublican
...we are seeing the women's national team as the anti-American team.

From my earlier comment...

...have any of the team members or coaches or sponsors quibbled with Miss Rapinoe's hatred of America or Miss Rapinoe's statement endorsing men competing in womens' sports?

Maybe they have, I don't follow it that closely. It would be interesting to learn.

38 posted on 07/22/2023 1:09:33 PM PDT by Seaplaner (Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never...in nothing, great or small...Winston ChurchIill)
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To: Seaplaner
Maybe they have, I don't follow it that closely. It would be interesting to learn.

Imagine if Megan Rapinoe pulled that stunt with the Russian national team. Or the Saudi national team. Her @$$ would be kicked. And sent to the gulag.

39 posted on 07/22/2023 1:26:41 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: george76

It’s just not cool to be patriotic because, patriarchy or something. People used to be proud of their religion. If they are still religious, you’d almost never know it. Same thing, the Left has removed all coolness from the things that made America great. Apparently, the present generation of kids think it’s a crime to misgender someone. Lord help us.


40 posted on 07/22/2023 1:45:35 PM PDT by Gen.Blather (Wait! I said that out loud? )
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