Sports Fan?  Not really.   Team Fan?  You bet!

Sunday, the sun was out (for a little while) and I fully intended to spend a couple of hours at the pool.   Afterall, my “summer break” is getting shorter and shorter!   In fact, this past weekend is my last weekend with nothing to do!    However, the sun started to “hide” and the weather looked to be building towards some afternoon showers, so I decided to be more productive inside.  *I did end up at the pool later and no rain came!

Welp…that productive plan went down the tubes when the Women’s Soccer World Cup Final game, with our beloved USA women, began.   Let me be clear…I KNOW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT SOCCER!   In fact, my only experience with soccer is from the early days when Katie played instructional soccer…where the kids had to stay in their “rectangles” on the field.   Katie could be found most of the time telling the other players that she liked their uniforms.   Girls had cute colors…orange, teal, yellow, hot pink…she admired them all…from the edge of her “rectangle” on the field.

However, I have been watching with all of Cincinnati (and the USA), the Women’s Soccer Team.   One player, Rose LaVelle, is a graduate of Mt. Notre Dame (where I work!).   Students have made good luck videos, they have gathered at the school for watch parties, and they have visited the downtown mural of Rose and taken pictures there!   The whole MND community has been excited for one of our own to be on the national stage and we could not be prouder.

That being said, I truly only know that getting the ball in the soccer goal net is the way points are scored.   I also know that they have to run their asses off to go back and forth, not using their hands, to try and get it into that net/goal.   Lordy, I’m out of breath just watching them.   It’s hot, it’s demanding, it’s fast and it’s hard work.   These things I know, but I don’t understand the clock (it keeps running all of the time!), I don’t understand what causes a foul (since it seems fouls have been overlooked!), I’m not sure why they use their heads, and a list of other things.

I watched with my blood pressure rising…the head to head hits, the tough knocks, and these girls are tough!   YIKES!   They are only wearing shin guards!   They were taking a beating for sure!  I do know that I did not like the refs…one in particular.   But, who am I?   

And when the USA kicked the penalty kick, giving them the lead of 1 to 0, well, I had chills!   OH MY GOSH…Then ROSE scored!   I may have gotten choked up!!   Who am I???  

I believe that any team that is a world champion team deserves top pay (sports team pay!).   I hope they get it!   I don't want to get political but it seems totally unfair.  

Today, the team was greeted by a huge crowd of people in New York as they were showered with confetti and ticker tapes!   Congratulations Ladies!   You deserve all of this publicity!   It's nice to have happy news!!

As my blog title indicates, I wouldn’t consider myself a sports fan in the true sense, but I love cheering on the hometown teams…or teams that have a connection to me.   The USA Women have a connection to me…Rose LaVelle was in my office last fall…bringing me an autographed soccer ball for the Gala!   YES!  I’m a TEAM fan…even if I don’t know much about sports!!!    Hey Rose...how about another ball for the Gala???