Apprehension Central

An outlet of my angst

[maresthird]

With everything going on with the Orlando Pride, I found myself feeling bad for Michelle Akers that this would be her first pro coaching experience and dealing with whatever the hell is going on with the team.

Then I saw she posted this and am so deeply disappointed. Now I wonder how much she is part of the problem along with Cromwell. Hate to be a player who stumbles across this and wonders what their coach really thinks of them as a person. Yikes.

[maresthird]

She’s Groom, y’all.

[maresthird]

USWNT's young players thrash Uzbekistan but it leaves more questions than answers

With World Cup qualifiers around the corner, are the USWNT's newbies ready for the world's top teams? It's impossible to tell after Uzbekist

[maresthird]

They literally played 3 Top 25 teams less than 2 months ago and beat all three of them handily. Just admit you’re mad your faves stopped getting called in and stop shitting on the younger kids who are playing BRILLIANTLY right now (for both country AND their clubs.) 😂

Thanks for such a kind response. Allow me to clear a few things up for you.

1. I'm not at all "shitting" on the rookies. and you're ridiculous to think so. I agree with you that they're all playing well for their clubs and country.

2. My post has nothing to do with any veteran players and you are wrong to assume anything about my preferences of players and if that's what you got from my post-you totally missed the point.

3. My post is about putting the team in challenging positions against top ranked teams to really see how the rookies handle adversity.

4. Let's take a look at those three top 20 teams they played in She Believes in February.

They played the Czech Republic(ranked 24) with Smith, Macario and Pugh starting up front. Given that it was preseason for the players, they all looked a little rusty which was expected. Pugh came out at 60' and Rodman came on. Smith went out a minute later and Purce came on. Game ended 0-0. They had 18 shots with 8 on target. Murphy was in goal and the Czechs had 8 shots with 1 on target. Good test, nothing came from it.

Then they played New Zealand(ranked 22nd). NZ had their nightmare of Own Goals in the 5',6' and 36' minute. Yes, the US generated the shots for it to happen but they didn't score on account of the NZ misplays. At halftime, Smith came out, Williams came on. Macario went off and Hatch came on. Davidson went off and Broon came on. 51' Hatch scores. 55' Sullivan is off and Howel is in. 56' Purce comes out and Rodman comes in.67' Sanchez is off and Pugh is on. 93' Pugh scores with a Hatch assist. They had 19 shots and only 4 on target that match. NZ had 6 sots with Naeher only having to face 1 on target. Still rusty.

Last match is against Iceland(ranked 18) and that was the best one of their tournament. Smith, Macario and Pugh started up front. Macario scored in the 37' with a Sanchez assist, then at 45' she scored again with a Pugh assist. The ball is starting to roll. Pugh scores in the 60' with another Sanchez assist. Then Pugh scores in the 75' with a Macario assist. 80' Smith comes out and Purce is on. Pugh is out and Williams gets in. Macario is out and Hatch is in. in the 86' defensive subs are made. then 88' K. Mewis scores with a Purce assist. They had 24 shots and 12 on frame- the biggest improvement out of the previous matches. Iceland had 8 shots with Murphy seeing 1 on target.

In those three matches it was apparent the players were building as they kept playing and that's great. They were challenged and you could see the improvement. What the team and these rookies need now is to face quality opponents- lets' see how they respond under pressure and must win matches. Playing when they are down 1-0. All of the scoring in the world against inferior teams means nothing when they haven't faced better defensive teams. They need to be challenged.

When looking ahead to the WWC, it would be best to know soon how the team responds against a team like Norway or Canada or Sweden or the Netherlands.

[maresthird]

U.S. Soccer better do their damnedest to get a top 20 team to play against in June. Yes, the rookies scored some goals but that doesn’t mean jack shit against a 48th ranked team. The true test is for the US being down 1-0 or 2-0 and those rookies HAVE to score. The mid has to get the ball to them. When they have break through a defense that isn’t Swiss fucking cheese. When the defense has to shut down a strong offense.

U.S. soccer must find challenging competition because these ticky tack matches don’t do shit besides let the players gel a little in match play- which is important but they need to face some true adversity to honestly evaluate these younger players.

[maresthird]

It’s here and I hope you enjoy.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/38087599

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

[maresthird]

I’ve been working on a multi-chapter but needed a break. An idea popped into my head and evolved into this:

Christen: I’m swamped right now, sweetheart, would you mind booking our trip?

Tobin: Do you want to be surprised or not?

Christen grinned: Surprise me.

Tobin: I’ll take care of everything. It’ll be our best trip yet.

The kids had been arguing about Mario Kart when Tobin had hurriedly read the description of the get away resort, so maybe her attention hadn’t been entirely focused on her task. Still, she felt it would be the perfect place for her and Christen to spend ten days away from the kids to celebrate their fifteen year wedding anniversary. Little did she know, LARP did not stand for Leisure, Arts, Relaxing and Peaceful.

Christen just may murder her.

Coming soon in a day or two.

[maresthird]

Chicago Red Stars had more Twitter activity today about their weird ass mascot going to a hockey game than during their entire off season.

[maresthird]

Lol everyone knows steph was a little attention seeking, and it was no secret she would act out to get her friends attention and they’d go party a bit harder than usual. She was a fiend for it. Anyone who was a breaker fan back then knew. These little kids who think kristie is hot have a load coming for them when they read her history 💀 it’s not the prettiest.

Was there was a third player in their little party group? I feel like there was someone else who hung with them but I can’t remember who it would be. I might be mixing it up with some of the Sky Blue players from back then.

[maresthird]

So I’m not disagreeing with what you’ve outlined (I used to go to breakers games back then and I remember those rumors although it really felt just like it wasn’t that big of a deal given her performance on the field, general team conditions, etc). But it’s not like Steph has been out of her orbit? They see eachother all the time, Steph going down to Houston, going to FL for her NT games where she scores, seeing her in her breaks from the league. Feels a lot like they’ve both matured greatly and it’s a little shitty to say her career is going to tank bc of Mccaffrey.

Yes, that’s what I’m hoping for. I hope both of them have grown out of that phase. Many times people have that one person who can persuade you to have one more drink, stay out a little later, go somewhere you’re exactly sure about. Seems like back in the day, when those two got together, those types of things happened and it appeared that they were like that when together. I don’t know who was doing the persuading between the two of them. I hope now that they’re older, things will change and they both flourish.

[maresthird]

How about you stop talking out of your ass spreading false rumours. Stop pretending like you know if Kristie and Steph used to party a lot 8 years ago. Kristie is obviously happy about the move so either be supportive or maybe say nothing.

Hahaha. How about no.

[maresthird]

how did steph mccaffery derail kristie’s career before? im out of the loop

Okay, buckle up 😁

Back when they played together on the Boston Breakers, they were all over SM partying it up and stuff. Rumors around the team were they weren’t taking it super seriously and some people I know who were at games (in the Armada, their SG) had heard some stuff about them partying hard and not taking practice seriously.

Mewis started out with Caberra FC in Australia in 2012- 2013. Then got drafted to KCFC in 2013 as the 3rd overall pick. She got traded to the Boston Breakers in 2014 which coincided with her not receiving any more call ups to the USWNT under Ellis. She played in Japan for 3 months in 2014 as well. In 2015 she was on loan for year playing for Bayern Munich. In November of 2016 she was again traded (after 51 apps and 10 goals for the Breakers 2014-2016) to the Washington Spirit. In 2017, after like 15 apps and 1 goal, she was traded midsession to the Chicago Red Stars. She had a cup of coffee and 1 appearance with Chicago and stayed there for about a week before being traded to the Houston Dash.

After she tore her ACL in 2018, she decided to get serious and we see the results of it. From an interview-

“I was just kind of sick of just being mediocre,” said Mewis. “I felt like I had so much more to give, but for some reason I couldn’t get in the mental and physical space to get there, and I was just like, what am I doing?”

She got much more serious and focused and professional and it earned a shot back on the USWNT. A lot of people say it’s because she doesn’t party as hard as she used- especially with McCaffery.

McCaffery’s own career had its ups and down. As promising prospect, she was selected 5th overall in the 2015 draft to the Red Stars who traded her during the draft to Boston. During her time there, (2015-2016) she made 31 appearances with 3 goals as a forward.

She was traded back to Chicago in 2016 where she made only 20 apps with 2 goals. She was an exciting player to watch when she was on the pitch but an injury kept her out for much of 2018. In 2019 she announced her retirement due to a neurological illness or injury (heard it called both) and that was the end to a promising career.

McCaffery is going to school for her MBA (she might have by now I don’t know)and has stated her goal of owning an NWSL team.

Generally, most die hard Breakers fans don’t have many good things to say about her and Mewis during their time there. Could have just youth and immaturity, could have been a response to shitty team conditions and behind the scenes stuff we don’t know about. Who knows for sure.

Glad McCaffery is doing well in her life. Glad Mewis has had success. Just hope they’ve matured now and don’t go back to their old ways.

[maresthird]

Happy Holigays, y’all! 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/35844541

[maresthird]

Here’s what I fear:

Kristie Mewis in McCaffrey’s orbit again= career over for Mewis.

Hope she doesn’t let her “friend” derail her career again.

[maresthird]

Chicago’s Supporters Group Local 134 making a strong statement regarding Arnim Whisler.

[maresthird]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/35463721

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

[c-23-p]

the nwsl gonna nwsl no matter what time it is

[maresthird]

So many questions about this.

Y’all know I follow Chicago and I’ve had it in for Rory for a few years now. Yes, Chicago the post season often. That’s very respectable and impressive. But what team wants to be so complacent when they repeatedly get to the post season and don’t win?

I had hoped when this new ownership group came in, they would want some changes made. Maybe there was an agreement- win the final and you’re gone type of thing.

If Rory was a beloved coach, this announcement is an embarrassment. No direct quote from anyone. Released at midnight local time on a Sunday. Really shows a lack of respect to Dames.

Pursue time with his family. Yeah, okay. I do hope nobody in his family is seriously ill or anything like that, but that’s a lame ass comment to make. Whatever. He does lead Eclipse Soccer Club so maybe he wants to be more available for that.

Chicago has always been ass backward with their communication and their lack of transparency has been infuriatingly frustrating for a very long time. It’s stupid if they don’t have the guts to say they fired him or it was a “mural parting”. Just ducking own it. Your fans will respect you more.

And if he’s leaving due the results of an internal investigation with player interviews, then it’s inexcusable for the team not to acknowledge it.

I hate NCC(as a team in the league)but applaud and gained new respect for them with their decision to announce the dismissal of Scott Vallow and state the reason why.

I really hope the NWSL media grills the team about this because everything about the circumstances and wording of this announcement smells rotten. They need to hold Chicago to the fire and let the chips fall where they may.