soccer

U.S. catches heat for Women's World Cup goal celebrations

25 Comments
By ANNE M. PETERSON

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25 Comments
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Uhh, you do realize that football (soccer) players are some of the most criticized athletes for their bad behavior in the world.

Uhh, yes.

Simulation gets criticised. Trying to get players sent off is criticised. Racially abusing players gets criticised. Celebrating the later goals like the US women did deserves to be criticised.

Could you tell me what your point is?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

when they are losing, they are renowned dummy-spitters & cry babies.

Exactly. And they try to rationalize this behavior too.

Just pointing out what I see as the obvious which is you don’t seem to be familiar with the conventions of football

Uhh, you do realize that football (soccer) players are some of the most criticized athletes for their bad behavior in the world. Far worse than any other sport. These may be the conventions of the sport, but they still deserve to be criticized.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Sure sure. Care to diagram that logical fallacy for us? Only someone who believes only Brits who happened to be born near a football club should have any opinions about the sport would say something that snooty

I’m just saying that your idea of what ‘athletes’ should do didn’t address what the conventions of football ( soccer ) in particular are. Maybe the ‘athletes’ in sports you are more familiar with don’t have the same conventions.

Nothing snooty. Just pointing out what I see as the obvious which is you don’t seem to be familiar with the conventions of football ( soccer ). There is no reason you should be. I’m not familiar with the sports you were brought up with.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

when the USA women’s team are winning, they’re over the top with their celebrations, regardless of the opposition.

when they are losing, they are renowned dummy-spitters & cry babies.

Hopefully Somebody will beat them & send them packing.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Jimizo

Only someone who doesn’t understand the conventions of football would post that.

You clearly don’t understand the game.

Sure sure. Care to diagram that logical fallacy for us? Only someone who believes only Brits who happened to be born near a football club should have any opinions about the sport would say something that snooty.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

> You expect an athlete who just scored their first ever World Cup goal to dial back their celebration?

I would not expect a dialed back celebration from a first time scorer, but for players like Rapinoe, who has scored World Cup goals before, to behave with some sense of decorum. That whole slide with her leg in the air . . . . WTF?

A common defense of the USWNT is that "a man would not be told to score fewer goals, celebrate less, etc." For one thing no one has a problem with the scoring of goals. That is what you do, especially in group. Of course no one expects the US to not make it out of group. I do not have a problem with a first time scorer celebrating their achievment. The problem that so many have is with the veteran players celebrating to such a degree over a team that is composed of part time insurance workers. Were the Thai ladies full time players like the US then this whole thing might not be as much of an issue. However, carrying on like they did against a team that is clearly not at their level is just uncouth.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

You expect an athlete who just scored their first ever World Cup goal to dial back their celebration? Get real! The expectation for athletes to refrain from expressing their joy as naturally as it comes when they win, score, etc. is idiotic.

Only someone who doesn’t understand the conventions of football would post that.

You clearly don’t understand the game.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

You expect an athlete who just scored their first ever World Cup goal to dial back their celebration? Get real! The expectation for athletes to refrain from expressing their joy as naturally as it comes when they win, score, etc. is idiotic.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

But I see no problem with them being happy about getting goals.

Nobody is complaining about that. The problem is the cluelessness of celebrating (which is not the same as being happy) on your 10th goal against Thailand. If you get to 9-0 with 15 minutes to go and you're not expecting another another 2 or 3 on your part, you haven't been paying attention. High fives are fine. Smiles too. But seriously, hugs and screams?

Wonder if the same type of criticism would be made if it was a different team?

Who knows? It's just common sense and sportsmanship. Do you celebrate a 1-0 goal the same as a 13-0 one? If so, there's something wrong.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Wonder if the same type of criticism would be made if it was a different team?

0 ( +3 / -3 )

If they walked up to the Thai team after the game and started bragging, I'd have a bit of a problem with that. But I see no problem with them being happy about getting goals.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

No class

2 ( +5 / -3 )

On the other hand who in their right mind did not expect a US blowout of Thailand. The US has appeared in the last 3 finals, and is a perennial favorite. Thailand? Not even close. This is what makes the American celebrations more questionable.

Exactly the way i see it too. N1 vs minnows games are different, wc or not. No need to rub it in; celebrate the first 4-5 goals the way you want then tone it down (no silly dance, over-enthusiastic high five etc)

Derbies & rivalries are a different story though.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

@RiskyMosaic

I think sourpuss dealt with the ‘patronising’ angle. This is a minority view in football at least. I think you should go with the convention of not celebrating in that way at that time rather than going with your personal opinion on the convention.

It’s like disagreeing with shaking hands with the opposing team before the match. Some players disagree with this and think the niceties should be left for after the contest, but you still do it out of respect.

It’s the done thing.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Would you tell a men's team to not score or celebrate?"

This seems to be the fall-back defense when you have no real answer.

@shipwrecker

That “patronizing” argument never got any traction. It was just put out there for the same reason as the above. Patronizing would be to stop scoring, and in neither case has any reasonable person recommended doing that.

Still, that was Germany vs Brazil, two powerhouses. Nobody could have predicted such a lopsided result. One could argue that the expectation for Germany to blowout Brazil to such an extent would cause such surprise in the Germans that they could be forgiven for celebrating. On the other hand who in their right mind did not expect a US blowout of Thailand. The US has appeared in the last 3 finals, and is a perennial favorite. Thailand? Not even close. This is what makes the American celebrations more questionable.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

I’d never tell a side not to score

I should have added ‘in a group stage’. In the knockout stage, I would tell my team to take their foot off the pedal out of respect for the team getting humiliated and to avoid injuries.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Even after the 2014 semi-final I remember reading an article about how by muting their celebrations, the Germans were "patronizing" the Brazilians, adding further humiliation. I think you're damned if you do, damned if you don't.

A minority opinion. The vast majority of players and supporters would regard the celebrations like we saw when you are slaughtering a side as unprofessional.

Woukd you tell a men’s team not to score or celebrate?

I’d never tell a side not to score. I would tell a side, male or female, to show respect and professionalism to another side. Gender has nothing to do with it.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

@RiskyMosaic

Even after the 2014 semi-final I remember reading an article about how by muting their celebrations, the Germans were "patronizing" the Brazilians, adding further humiliation. I think you're damned if you do, damned if you don't.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

If you can say the US women shouldn't have celebrated after having the game "well in-hand", then you could easily claim why didn't officials just call the game to put an end to the defeatist feeling hovering over the Thai ladies. Let the girls play (and celebrate).

0 ( +7 / -7 )

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