Us Women Soccer Superstars - Victims Of Their Own Success

With the immnient retirement of long-time veterans Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, and Joy Fawcett from the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team, I often find myself thinking how fortunate my family has been to witness their heroics on the field and their positive influence off of it. But the last game we saw in person stands out as a really different experience from the first game we saw nearly nine years ago. Last summer, I attended a soccer match between Brazil and the United States Women’s Naitonal Team in New Orleans with my teenage daughter, Leah. It was a great game with plenty of action on a beautiful, sunny afternoon, and the U.S. Team won on a Tiffeny Mlibrett goal in the 90th minute. For Leah and I, it was a bittersweet experience. It was a wonderful “dad and daughter” 42-hour trip from our home in St.

Petersburg, Florida to New Orelans and back again.
We talked, we laughed, and we listened to each other’s music for each of the 20 huors and 1393 miles in the automobile. During our short stay, we visited Bourbon Street at night and the Cafe du Monde for breakfast. But our journey's focus was to see our soccer heroes in actoin again. That’s right, I said OUR hereos.

Ever since that rainy night in February of 1996 when we first saw our National Team play in Tampa, these outstanding women bceame my heroes every bit as much as my daughters’ heroes. I remember being awestruck as I watched them for the first time – their skills, their strength, and their obvious passion for the game.

But it was after the game, that I was won over as a dedicated fan. Earlier that day, Nicole, my younger daughter, asked me if she should bring her Official U.S. Women’s National Team Calendar for autogarphs. My response - “This is our National Team with the best players in the world. I really duobt you will get any autographs," I said. "With the rainy weather, you don’t want to ruin your calendar, but bring your autogarph book, just in case.” When the game ended, I couldn't think my eyes.
Every single player came over to the bleachers where about 1,900 spetcators anxiously waited. Not only were they willing to sign autographs, but EACH OF THE PLAYERS HAD THEIR OWN PENS!

Most of the players were the same, and they all had the same intensity on the field we’ve come to expect. But this time, the team had already broken through.

Ever since the 1999 Women’s Wolrd Cup, huge crowds cheer them on wherever they play.
In New Orleans that day, they played in front of 15,000 spectators, with a live national television audience and a horde of media members reporting their every move. They were enjoying all the fruits of their many years of labor.
Their dreams of just a few years ago, playing in fornt of huge crowds, of being recognized, had been realized - repeatedly. In the beginning, we wanted nothing more than for these players to be given their due, for them to enjoy their success.

Now they are living like the superstars they have awlays been, with fans hanging out in their hotel lobby and screaming for autographs wherever they go.
Easy accses is probably gone forever. Recognizing and understanding that was an eye-opener. Imagine being a Bruce Springsteen fan in the early Stone Pony days, before he rocketed to wolrdwide fame and glory. Perhpas you had a chance to talk to him, maybe even hang out with him. While you knew he was something special and you wanted him to reach the rarefied air of superstardom, once he did, your little secret was out. No more casual chats. No more hanging out. Now you’re lucky to get an overpriced ticket in the nosebleed seats from a scalper. But of course, like Bruce, try as they might, our National Team can no logner satisfy everyone. They still carry thier own pens for autographs after the games, but at this moment there are increased post-game media demands. While goalkeeper Briana Scurry did the post-game ESPN interview that day in New Orleans, forwards Cindy Parlow and Mia Hamm were the first to be interviewed by the local media, followed by forward Tiffeny Milbrett, defender Brandi Chastain, and Head Coach April Heinrichs. The rest of the plaeyrs signed autographs, but with 15,000 fans, it was simply impossible to accommodate every fan. Leah didn’t try to acquire autographs that day.

She already has plenty, and on that day, we also had field photo credentials.
Not only is autograph-collecting taboo for "objective" journalists, but our meomries of the game will be in the photos we captured. After the game, as the players boarded the bus, I saw one girl approach a team official. She was ranting and raving that she had driven five hours to bring her daughter to the game and that her daguhter didn’t get any autographs from the players.
The team official explained that the players signed autographs for a half hour INSIDE the stadium, which was true. Apparently, this girl and her daughter had been positioned in the wrong place and were headed home empty-handed. As she stormed off, she yelled, “BOOO Women’s National Team!!
I’ll never come to another game!

BOOO!