It's perfectly acceptable to take a moment to thank MarPar and that other guy, for orchestrating Soph coming into the transfer portal from Stanford on the promise of making her the top draft pick and launching a successful pro career at a relatively tender age.
Knowing nothing about the machinations behind that, will still assert it took a LOT of work and acts of faith on the part of many.
Did anyone happen to catch this announcement? Pretty cool. "Building out and leading her staff one can see that draw, as the Thorns now boast one of the largest medical staffs, nearly doubling in size from last year to now."
(trying to ignore the fact that she came from the Timbers because their injury issues....woof.)
But yes! Doubling the medical staff from last year is exactly the investment I want to see from the Bhathals. Very much what women's soccer absolutely needs and deserves.
Given her ability to use free agency as a club - and the rocky start to this season - it’s quite a vote of confidence that Smith is willing to commit to another year sight unseen.
Now the club needs to show that confidence isn’t misplaced.
Now, for Soph's continued leadership development, not just here but with the Nats, maybe she can take Korbin Albert aside and tell her to shut the hell up and pay her elders the respect they deserve. You know, the very people who helped build the game to the point where Albert can leave college early, turn pro, and compete for a spot with the Nats. Take a page from Soph's book, Korbin.
Ya know, I do think our current culture is too fast to cancel people sometimes. But come on Korbin, read the room! It’s good she apologized, but her behavior is a pattern, not an isolated accident.
Well yes, and also just don’t be a tremendous bigot lol.
Albert-specific nonsense aside, the drama surrounding her made me appreciate Sam a lot more: I’m not at all religious myself, but it’s perfectly possible to be a devout Christian and a good human at the same time and it’s good to know we have one of the good ones.
Yep, plenty of athletes are devoutly religious -- or at least religious -- and not idiots. Our old pal Tobin Heath is openly Christian, btw. And I'm reminded of all the Black Muslims from back in the day who adopted Islam as a religion of peace.
Right! And religious stuff aside, that endorsement of Rapinoe’s injury in the final game of her career was vile. She can hide behind the “but my beliefs” crap, but wishing harm on a fellow member of the USWNT, and actually, someone who has ensured you are getting paid more just makes you an asshole…and yeah, grounds for removal. Goodbye. 👋
I am not religious at all either, but I sure don’t hate on folks who are…so long as they just aren’t shitty people. Sam is one of my favorites, not just for her play but because she seems like a wonderful human being, Christian or not.
KA’s entire family is exactly the insane evangelical right-wing maga nuts you’d think they’d be, though, so I’m not surprised with her…Sam’s fam, quite the opposite.
If it weren’t for the Rapinoe thing I’d be more inclined to give her some grace/time to learn- It’s hard to grow up in a family like that and *not* be a lunatic, and she’s only 21. But celebrating an injury of any kind is just nasty work regardless of what you think about their personal beliefs.
With Lisa Bhathal, posted yesterday. Talks a lot about how she got started in her career, so there IS a lot of talk about how she started in the fashion industry, and ends with her purchase of the Thorns. (Side note: the creepy woman's intro voice strikes me as somewhat dystopian and I'm not sure why, but it was short lol.) The interviewer is a bit much, but some really good insight into who she is a bit more, and some of her values. I am always leery of the mega-rich, but she does seem to have a personal connection for wanting to see women's sports succeed (and thus, the Thorns), and makes me feel pretty good with her making decisions. Talks about how she tried to initially get into the sports scene, but felt very uncomfortable in a very male-dominated field. Also says owning the Thorns feels full circle for her, considering her values and her own experiences in her youth. A long listen, but a good one if you've got a long dog walk or somethin'!
You sure picked the best possible photo for the banner. :-)
As swoopage insurance I support this move. As keeping her options open, I get it. Who knows what the #9 wizard will do at the Olympics. Guarantee we'll be watching a lot of her in ads, in addition to on the field.
While I'd have loved to see her signed to a seven-year deal like the best young players in the Premier League, a) I don't think that's allowed in the NWSL, and b) I don't blame SS for taking a more cautious approach to see what happens in the next 12 months. This is good news and we can relax through the season and enjoy a remarkable player. As one great player moves closer to a name in the ring of honor after a remarkable career we are blessed to see another building a legendary story of her own.
With the projected growth of the NWSL and TV attractiveness, it’s in her best interest to do short term contracts like these and see where the money goes. As long as the Thorns are winning, she’s developing, and the team is willing to pay global rates … there are lots of reasons to stay. She’s loved by the fan base and I can think of worse places to be
The "highest paid player" bit comes from The Athletic. Linnehan confirmed it with the league FO. So she has the biggest annual salary in the league. They probably can't claim biggest contract in the league because it's only 2 years versus others like Rodman with four. But it's good that the best player in the league is also the best paid.
Spotrac is finally correct! Very much appreciate the work Taylor et al did on this so we can have accurate contract info. Now that Soph is done, I wonder if Weaver gets an extension this year or if they just trigger her club option and wait until next year instead. I imagine they want a long term deal for Sam too, but she's still got two more years.
Now that she’s gone, I’m comfortable saying that I am personal friends with Rocky Rodriguez. And my general feeling was that players *like* Norris much more than they liked RW. And it’s entirely possible that matters more than whether the coach is actually good at winning games.
The Thorns have continued to win at a high level under Norris (second in the league last year). I do know this losing streak kind of sucks, but if they struggle … liking a coach is probably less relevant as long as they don’t hate the coach to the point where they struggle. I’m sure Norris is a good guy. My biggest qualm with him is his use of Sugita and Sinclair.
Even if she thought Norris was terrible, the chances of a 23 year old Soph holding the franchise's hands to the fire are pretty small. I doubt "will you fire Norris if we keep losing" was a even a topic of conversation. Player rarely do (and really shouldn't ever) have that level of influence over management decisions.
Fan perspective is often incongruent to player perspective about things like this. I'm not saying the team thinks Norris is the best coach in the world, but --rightly or wrongly-- I imagine they blame themselves for not executing more than Norris for poor coaching.
Sure, but I'm more saying that it's unlikely she was told anything about his future. She may not think he's the best manager in the world, but I don't really think that would sway her decision unless she *hated* him. So, to answer your question, probably a combination of "she sees more in Norris than we do," and "she trusts management to make the right decision if it comes time to make a change."
It's also just a one year deal......so it's not like she's committed to the club/Norris long term if it comes to that lol
Again, I’m not a soccer player. But Soph seems extremely focused on her own progression and development. And isn’t the coach kinda the primary factor in that, as far as choosing a team? I could be totally wrong. If so, I’m curious what is!
I mean yes, but it's more than possible she doesn't think he is holding back her development. I've mentioned a few times that I think Norris' system is actively really good for Soph, so I wouldn't be surprised if she's like "wow, this is great for me!" She wouldn't get to play the same way she does here in very many other places.....certainly not in Europe! Coaching also isn't the only thing progression-wise. Teammates, technical training, natural growth, and environment all play major roles in how a player progresses.
Anyhow, I know just as little (or less!) about this as you or anyone else tbh, but I do feel confident that she wouldn't have signed if she thought coaching was actively holding her back.
I guess you’re saying it’s complex, and there are a number of factors involved. That makes sense, but I prefer oversimplified one-dimensional narratives if you don’t mind. 😅
I was watching the second half of that one hoping for a draw. As the clock approached and then went into stoppage time, it looked more and more like Reign was clinging to the 0-0 draw by their fingernails. SD just kept pounding them. Morgan scored what looked to me like a valid goal but the refs decided otherwise, and I thought, "That was it! That was the Wave's big chance! It's going to be a draw!"
Then in the 98th minute, the dagger. Reign just couldn't clear their box and that was it. Dayum.
It's perfectly acceptable to take a moment to thank MarPar and that other guy, for orchestrating Soph coming into the transfer portal from Stanford on the promise of making her the top draft pick and launching a successful pro career at a relatively tender age.
Knowing nothing about the machinations behind that, will still assert it took a LOT of work and acts of faith on the part of many.
And now, here we are.
Did anyone happen to catch this announcement? Pretty cool. "Building out and leading her staff one can see that draw, as the Thorns now boast one of the largest medical staffs, nearly doubling in size from last year to now."
https://www.timbers.com/thornsfc/news/medical-director-stephanie-ludwig-starting-a-new-chapter-with-portland-thorns-fc
Protect those knees!
You love to see it.
(trying to ignore the fact that she came from the Timbers because their injury issues....woof.)
But yes! Doubling the medical staff from last year is exactly the investment I want to see from the Bhathals. Very much what women's soccer absolutely needs and deserves.
Given her ability to use free agency as a club - and the rocky start to this season - it’s quite a vote of confidence that Smith is willing to commit to another year sight unseen.
Now the club needs to show that confidence isn’t misplaced.
OT: better late than never? Match report from Gotham: https://rivetingpdx.com/2024/03/28/thorns-fc-deja-vu-all-over-again/
Don’t always agree with your opinions, but i can tell you I appreciate this labor of love that you do.
That goes for both FDChief and KillJoy (Better known as keilbj)
Now, for Soph's continued leadership development, not just here but with the Nats, maybe she can take Korbin Albert aside and tell her to shut the hell up and pay her elders the respect they deserve. You know, the very people who helped build the game to the point where Albert can leave college early, turn pro, and compete for a spot with the Nats. Take a page from Soph's book, Korbin.
Ya know, I do think our current culture is too fast to cancel people sometimes. But come on Korbin, read the room! It’s good she apologized, but her behavior is a pattern, not an isolated accident.
I think she’s gotta go. 🤷🏽
She’s got to acknowledge mistakes and own it, show remorse, and try to learn from it. Not doing so will lead to real, long term ramifications
Well yes, and also just don’t be a tremendous bigot lol.
Albert-specific nonsense aside, the drama surrounding her made me appreciate Sam a lot more: I’m not at all religious myself, but it’s perfectly possible to be a devout Christian and a good human at the same time and it’s good to know we have one of the good ones.
Yep, plenty of athletes are devoutly religious -- or at least religious -- and not idiots. Our old pal Tobin Heath is openly Christian, btw. And I'm reminded of all the Black Muslims from back in the day who adopted Islam as a religion of peace.
Most of that roster is pretty religious, but doesn’t make them intolerant assholes, or yeah, they’re just smarter than Korbin lol.
My solution is simple.
Religion, done correctly, is not about intolerance or ignorance; it's about growth, service, right relationship, and spiritual peace.
It wouldn't hurt anyone for Korbin to actually do some atonement here. Right now, the apology is just mealy-mouth Nasello-speak after getting caught.
No player is entitled to represent their country, and the list of qualified players who will never get a shot (or another shot) is long.
Emma needs to do the right thing and remove Albert from USWNT camps and rosters for a while, and let her mature and earn her way back.
Right! And religious stuff aside, that endorsement of Rapinoe’s injury in the final game of her career was vile. She can hide behind the “but my beliefs” crap, but wishing harm on a fellow member of the USWNT, and actually, someone who has ensured you are getting paid more just makes you an asshole…and yeah, grounds for removal. Goodbye. 👋
I am not religious at all either, but I sure don’t hate on folks who are…so long as they just aren’t shitty people. Sam is one of my favorites, not just for her play but because she seems like a wonderful human being, Christian or not.
KA’s entire family is exactly the insane evangelical right-wing maga nuts you’d think they’d be, though, so I’m not surprised with her…Sam’s fam, quite the opposite.
If it weren’t for the Rapinoe thing I’d be more inclined to give her some grace/time to learn- It’s hard to grow up in a family like that and *not* be a lunatic, and she’s only 21. But celebrating an injury of any kind is just nasty work regardless of what you think about their personal beliefs.
And then to add insult to injury by picking Rapinoe’s number as hers? Coincidence? Not likely.
My contribution to your weekly reading list, the NWSL Week 2 Recap! Including:
- Why the Thorns' 4-2-4 works for Smith, but not for Fleming.
- NCC's striker problem rears its ugly head in Utah
- Marta's fountain of youth and Orlando's impressive adaptability
- Harvey's switch to a diamond in Seattle and Donaldson’s ability to do more with less in Chicago
https://www.theeaststandnwsl.com/post/nwsl-week-2-recap-thorns-improve-but-midfield-struggles-continue
New podcast rec of the day: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/123-lisa-merage-leading-with-purpose-transforming/id1554338077?i=1000650482097
With Lisa Bhathal, posted yesterday. Talks a lot about how she got started in her career, so there IS a lot of talk about how she started in the fashion industry, and ends with her purchase of the Thorns. (Side note: the creepy woman's intro voice strikes me as somewhat dystopian and I'm not sure why, but it was short lol.) The interviewer is a bit much, but some really good insight into who she is a bit more, and some of her values. I am always leery of the mega-rich, but she does seem to have a personal connection for wanting to see women's sports succeed (and thus, the Thorns), and makes me feel pretty good with her making decisions. Talks about how she tried to initially get into the sports scene, but felt very uncomfortable in a very male-dominated field. Also says owning the Thorns feels full circle for her, considering her values and her own experiences in her youth. A long listen, but a good one if you've got a long dog walk or somethin'!
You sure picked the best possible photo for the banner. :-)
As swoopage insurance I support this move. As keeping her options open, I get it. Who knows what the #9 wizard will do at the Olympics. Guarantee we'll be watching a lot of her in ads, in addition to on the field.
While I'd have loved to see her signed to a seven-year deal like the best young players in the Premier League, a) I don't think that's allowed in the NWSL, and b) I don't blame SS for taking a more cautious approach to see what happens in the next 12 months. This is good news and we can relax through the season and enjoy a remarkable player. As one great player moves closer to a name in the ring of honor after a remarkable career we are blessed to see another building a legendary story of her own.
With the projected growth of the NWSL and TV attractiveness, it’s in her best interest to do short term contracts like these and see where the money goes. As long as the Thorns are winning, she’s developing, and the team is willing to pay global rates … there are lots of reasons to stay. She’s loved by the fan base and I can think of worse places to be
The "highest paid player" bit comes from The Athletic. Linnehan confirmed it with the league FO. So she has the biggest annual salary in the league. They probably can't claim biggest contract in the league because it's only 2 years versus others like Rodman with four. But it's good that the best player in the league is also the best paid.
An interview with Krieger and Soph that's like a warm hug if you're a Thorns fan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZw0OaMX8bY
Soph really does love Portland.
https://x.com/tayvincent6/status/1773364427569631402?s=20
https://www.spotrac.com/nwsl/
Spotrac is finally correct! Very much appreciate the work Taylor et al did on this so we can have accurate contract info. Now that Soph is done, I wonder if Weaver gets an extension this year or if they just trigger her club option and wait until next year instead. I imagine they want a long term deal for Sam too, but she's still got two more years.
Yes, love that this is all updated and in one place!
I alluded to this in the other thread, but I think Soph being willing to re-sign for 2+ years means one of three things:
1. She sees more in Norris than we do.
2. The Bhathals and KK have a plan to change coaches if Norris can't turn things around, and Soph believes in the plan.
3. A new coach is already on the way.
Which is it?
Now that she’s gone, I’m comfortable saying that I am personal friends with Rocky Rodriguez. And my general feeling was that players *like* Norris much more than they liked RW. And it’s entirely possible that matters more than whether the coach is actually good at winning games.
I miss Rocky the person.
The Thorns have continued to win at a high level under Norris (second in the league last year). I do know this losing streak kind of sucks, but if they struggle … liking a coach is probably less relevant as long as they don’t hate the coach to the point where they struggle. I’m sure Norris is a good guy. My biggest qualm with him is his use of Sugita and Sinclair.
I also think it matters for *that* locker room, given the last two and a half years.
Even if she thought Norris was terrible, the chances of a 23 year old Soph holding the franchise's hands to the fire are pretty small. I doubt "will you fire Norris if we keep losing" was a even a topic of conversation. Player rarely do (and really shouldn't ever) have that level of influence over management decisions.
Fan perspective is often incongruent to player perspective about things like this. I'm not saying the team thinks Norris is the best coach in the world, but --rightly or wrongly-- I imagine they blame themselves for not executing more than Norris for poor coaching.
I'm not so much saying that Soph had influence, but if she didn't like Norris, she'd have left.
Sure, but I'm more saying that it's unlikely she was told anything about his future. She may not think he's the best manager in the world, but I don't really think that would sway her decision unless she *hated* him. So, to answer your question, probably a combination of "she sees more in Norris than we do," and "she trusts management to make the right decision if it comes time to make a change."
It's also just a one year deal......so it's not like she's committed to the club/Norris long term if it comes to that lol
Again, I’m not a soccer player. But Soph seems extremely focused on her own progression and development. And isn’t the coach kinda the primary factor in that, as far as choosing a team? I could be totally wrong. If so, I’m curious what is!
I mean yes, but it's more than possible she doesn't think he is holding back her development. I've mentioned a few times that I think Norris' system is actively really good for Soph, so I wouldn't be surprised if she's like "wow, this is great for me!" She wouldn't get to play the same way she does here in very many other places.....certainly not in Europe! Coaching also isn't the only thing progression-wise. Teammates, technical training, natural growth, and environment all play major roles in how a player progresses.
Anyhow, I know just as little (or less!) about this as you or anyone else tbh, but I do feel confident that she wouldn't have signed if she thought coaching was actively holding her back.
I guess you’re saying it’s complex, and there are a number of factors involved. That makes sense, but I prefer oversimplified one-dimensional narratives if you don’t mind. 😅
(Or if she didn't like him, and a replacement wasn't on the horizon)
The week 1 terror that was the KC Current persisted today. Guessing the league beginning to take notice.
When does "west" cease referring to physical location on our planet? We may have arrived.
"Memphis 901 FC – newcomers to the Western Conference in 2024 – visits Heart Health Park for Week 4 of the USL Championship "
Next.
FC Anchorage, Southern Conference's latest entrant, travel to El Paso as the Locomotive welcome the Manatees.
Must respect Reign media game: they advertised yesterday's match as "Clash of the Coolers."
Surrendering that later than late goal was cruel, but TBF they seemed mostly outplayed.
I was watching the second half of that one hoping for a draw. As the clock approached and then went into stoppage time, it looked more and more like Reign was clinging to the 0-0 draw by their fingernails. SD just kept pounding them. Morgan scored what looked to me like a valid goal but the refs decided otherwise, and I thought, "That was it! That was the Wave's big chance! It's going to be a draw!"
Then in the 98th minute, the dagger. Reign just couldn't clear their box and that was it. Dayum.