Brandi Chastain: Reality TV Superstar

Current Women's Professional Soccer athlete (and former WNT superstar) Brandi Chastain is now adding reality TV star to her resume.

ABC announced today that Chastain is one of the athletes starring in its new reality show, The Superstars. ABC will premeire the show, an all-around sports competition series, on Tuesday, June 23 at 8PM ET/PT. Other athletes participating include Lisa Leslie, Bode Miller and Terrell Owens.

Click here for more info on the show.
Good luck Brandi!!

US WNT Adds Match Against Canada

Talk about a quick turnaround!

The U.S. Women’s National Team has added a May 25 friendly against Canada in Toronto to replace the two previously canceled matches against Japan. The match will kick off at 7 p.m. ET at BMO Field, Canada’s national stadium and home to Toronto FC of Major League Soccer.

The game will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel, and fans can follow the match online via ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker.

For more info, click here.

Japan Cancels WNT Matches Due to Swine Flu

Fox Soccer has reported that the Japanese Women's Soccer Team has cancelled its games against the US WNT on May 20 and May 23, due to the swine flu outbreak. (Mind you, Japan now has 4 whole cases.)

Toughen up people! We want to see some soccer! Now US fans will have to wait 'til July to see its team back in action. What a bummer!

Highlights & Lowlights

This weekend's scores:

St. Louis Athletica 1, FC Gold Pride 0 -Recap

LA Sol 0, Boston Breakers 0 - Recap

Chicago Red Stars 0, Sky Blue FC 2 - Recap

Highlights:
-St. Louis and Sky Blue FC won their first games of the season!

-St. Louis captain Lori Chalupny scored off her own corner kick! How many times do you see that happen?!

- FSC had new commentators this week! (Hopefully they stick around!)

- My old EPYSA teammate, Christie Shaner, played her first professional game as she subbed in for Sky Blue FC's Christie Rampone.

- Solid attendance figures: 3,664 @ Chicago; 3860 @STL; 6,210 @ LA

Lowlights:

- The Chicago Red Stars are no longer undefeated. Tonight's performance was disappointing, but according to Karen Carney (one of my fave Stars) they will bounce back!

- FC Gold Pride goalie Nicole Barnhart broke her nose in the 16' of the STL match (however she continued to play the entire game injured! Tough chica!)

- Bummed the Smith vs. Marta matchup was not available via TV or internet.

- Watched the preview for next week's FSC game: Breakers vs. Freedom. Is anyone else tired of seeing Washington besides me?

Athletica Acquires Welsh and Fletcher

Yesterday, WPS announced that the LA Sol had traded Christie Welsh and Kendall Fletcher to St. Louis Athletica in exchange for a conditional 2010 first-round draft pick* and a 2011 first-round draft pick.

Obviously with the injury to Daniela, Athletica had little choice in the matter. They needed a forward...and they needed it now. With the addition of Welsh, I really believe Athletica can make a solid run for the playoffs despite its current standing in the league. Welsh is a player that I've been following since her freshman year at Penn State. The first time I saw her play (while visiting my former teammate and PSU goalie Emily Oleksiuk) I realized what a workhorse Welsh was. She may seem somewhat low-key on the field -- at times you don't even see the work she is doing off the ball--but when an opportunity presents itself in front of the net, you better believe Welsh will convert.

Now, Kendall Fletcher, on the other hand, will be a great contribution to Athletica's back line. Fine by me if she takes over for McNeill. Yes, if you can't tell I'm still bitter about McNeill's shenanigans from her last performance! In all seriousness, Fletcher is a talent that will gel well with this team and a player Coach Barcellos should be thrilled to have on his roster.

Overall, I'm happy with the trade because it gives me hope for the future of St. Louis. Welsh and Fletcher weren't getting any minutes with LA Sol. Now, they have an opportunity to shine.

Saint Louis Athletica faces FC Gold Pride tonight at Ralph Korte Stadium on the Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville campus. Follow the game on MatchTracker.

*(The conditional 2010 first-round draft pick becomes a 2010 second-round draft pick if Athletica fail to finish the season as one of the top five teams in the WPS.)

Wambach & McNeill Suspended

Today WPS announced the 1-game suspensions of the Washington Freedom's Abby Wambach for a tackle that "was reckless and resulted in a potentially season-ending injury of an opposing player" as well as Saint Louis Athletica's Kia McNeill for "persistent egregious conduct toward an opposing player."

I've said before that I AM NOT a Wambach fan. I repeat...NOT a fan. I never have been and probably never will be. However, I do not, under any circumstance, think that Wambach deserved a suspension. Don't get me wrong, I agree that the tackle was reckless, careless, and straight up sloppy. In my eyes it was yellow card worthy (which she got) and had Daniela not have been injured on the play, it would've never been talked about again. And then you say, "but Daniela did get hurt, that's the point" Yes, unfortunately that was the 'result' of the play, but people shouldn't use the result to make the cause out to be more than what it really was.

Here's my other issue -- After reviewing the game footage, coaches notes, and other supporting documents, the WPS Disciplinary Committee ruled that no suspensions were warranted. Commissioner Antonucci disagreed, and overturned the Committee's decision! Don't get me wrong, Tonya Antonucci is a great leader who I really admire and her decision was made with the best of intentions. But, it begs the question, "Why even have a Disciplinary Committee?" I mean, if Commissioner Antonucci is going to make the final decision anyway, why not save time and have her just tell the Committee how she wants them to vote.

The two positive things that came out of this: McNeill got a taste of karma and Antonucci approached US Soccer regarding referee assignments! Hmm...I know one ref who won't be back!

Daniela Out Indefinitely

Earlier today, St. Louis Athletica released the following statement regarding star player Daniela's condition:

"Daniela will be out indefinitely," said team physician, Dr. Brophy. "She does have a significant knee injury. She faces a lengthy recovery and extensive treatment before she returns to play."

According to the report, Daniela's MRI confirms she injured two knee ligaments and also sustained a crack in her tibia. I may not have gone to medical school, but I've gone through my fair share of injuries (including a cracked tibia) and I'm tellin' you, she is out for the entire season. If she goes back too soon, she risks causing significant long-term damage to the leg.

Obviously this is a huge blow to St. Louis, who was already struggling offensively, but what's also interesting is the recent chatter on message boards and blogs --

People actually believe that the knee injury, caused by a dangerous tackle on Saturday from Washington's Abby Wambach, was actually an act of retaliation by Wambach for the rough play she fell victim to in the first half. I have never been a big fan of Wambach, but I don't believe she'd intentionally hurt a player. Luckily, we have it on tape so you can judge for yourself.

(The injury occurs at the 2min mark in the video)

Hope Solo Quote:
"I know Abby means well, I know she has a good heart and she would never want to see a player go down, but in the emotions of a game, it was right after the kickoff after they scored, there are too many emotions and she went in two-footed." - Washington Post

Abby Wambach Quote:
"She took a long touch so I charged and slid into it, slipped a little bit. She came in late, I came in late, I definitely think I deserved a yellow card, but I don't think it was malicious. I wasn't intending to try to take her out. I was going for the ball. That's not my game." -Washington Post

According to SoccerAmerica, the WPS disciplinary committee will consider whether action will be taken against Wambach.

What do you think?

Rambo Rampone

OUCH!
(Christie Rampone & Tiffany Weimer -Photos courtsey of Sky Blue FC)

St. Louis - Close, But No Cigar

ST. LOUIS 3, WASHINGTON 3

I have to admit, I'm pretty upset over the outcome of tonight's Athletica/Freedom game. Don't get me wrong, it was an exciting match and I'm stoked that WPS has been lucky enough to have two great games air on back-to-back weeks. All around, league play has just been phenomenal. I'm really pleased.

However, here's why I'm bummed:

#1 - I predicted that Athletica was going to win and they didn't. I don't like to be wrong. Had they been playing someone other than Washington (aka the comeback kids), they would've had it in the bag!

#2 -Kia McNeill should have been ejected. I remember a game I played in high school. I was playing sweeper. An opponent caught me on my heels and flat out beat me. Embarrassed and frustrated I turned around, ran the player down, and knowing that I had no shot at the ball, I took her out from behind. It's been 10+ years and I still remember it like it was yesterday. I remember it because I knew it was dirty. It was a cheap shot on a girl who beat me fair and square. Kia McNeill is worse than that. She didn't even wait to get beat. Instead, she just took out players before they even got a chance to beat her. Not once, not twice, but three times. It was disappointing to watch. I love playing physical, but McNeill was displaying the traits of a NFL linebacker and though I may sound like a soccer mom with a 6-year old on the field, I was legitimately worried someone was going to get hurt.

# 3 - Hope Solo is NOT shaky. I may be biased because I do think she's the best keeper in women's soccer, but the recent criticism of her game has been a little harsh. And let's be fair, this is the first game most of us soccer fans actually got to see her play (since the Freedom has been hogging all the airtime...just kidding..kinda). Do I think it was Solo's best game? Not at all. But I've replayed tonight's goals a few thousand times and in the last 2 goals against, Athletica's defense (or lack there of) played a huge part in its downfall. The coverage on the 2nd goal was lax, at best. Sadly, I think it was Chalupa's mark that netted the goal. On the 3rd goal, Athletica's defense can be credited with the Freedom's assist. 'Nuff said.

#4 - If Daniela is seriously hurt (which I think she is), St. Louis can say goodbye to any chance at the title. Hey, I may be an Athletica fan, but I'm also a realist. (According to a post on the Washington Examiner, "Daniela lost consciousness at one point in the locker room due to the pain, leading to the appearance of a defibrillator, even though it apparently was not used. Daniela eventually was taken away from the facility in an ambulance for precautionary reasons.")

#5 - Kerri Hanks. Coming into this season I was expecting a superstar to step out on the field. I'm still waiting. I know you've got it in you!

Now for some positive notes on Athletica: YOU FINALLY SCORED!!! It would've been slighlty embarrassing to head into Week 7 scoreless. To top it off, those three goals pull Athletica ahead of Sky Blue in the standings! Hellllllo, 6th place! Also, I really saw something special out of defender Tina Ellertson - Straight up, she saved a goal solely with pure heart and hustle. Hope Solo let out the biggest sigh of relief after Ellertson saved her from a 1v1 situation in the first half -- So much so, that minutes later, Solo stated in her halftime interview, "Tina Ellertson inspires me. I am inspired by Tina Ellertson." (Haha it was so sincere, but it cracked me up because I think Solo was still in shock from Ellertson saving her butt.)