The Stage is Theirs

It's the Wednesday after the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, officially the deadest day on the sports calendar. NFL, NBA, NHL and college sports are all in the offseason, and MLB teams don't resume play until Thursday.

That's why today is the perfect day for the United States Women's World Cup team to keep the momentum going. The stage is theirs and theirs alone. They will lead Sportscenter and almost every sportscast across this great nation. They'll be on the cover of every sports page and at the top of every sports website. So, they better put on a great show because it's all anyone will want to talk about Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

Wambach's goal was a big moment, but the important
thing is what she and her teammates do next.

Abby Wambach's clutch goal against Brazil was the latest big victory for soccer in the United States. It was one of those moments that everyone, even people who don't follow soccer, couldn't stop talking about. It was a dramatic moment that helped those who don't follow soccer "get it."

I liken soccer in America to a political candidate running for office. A Republican doesn't have to worry about winning the votes of conservatives because he or she already has them. A Democrat isn't concerned about winning the votes of the liberals who will vote for him or her anyway. Political candidates have to focus on convincing the undecided voters and maybe stealing some from the other party. That's how an office is won.

Donovan's goal was a great moment just like Wambach's,
except the US men followed it up with a loss to Ghana.

Similarly, American soccer has its loyal fans that will always be there. What soccer needs is more moments like Sunday's big win to get the casual fans and even those who are sworn soccer haters to get on board and not forget those big moments.

Wambach's goal was almost identical to Landon Donovan's goal for the men's team in the 2010 World Cup. In both instances, the team was in the brink of elimination, a minute or two from the final whistle being blown. Then, out of nowhere, the ball found the back of the net, faith was restored, and the nation went crazy.


The problem with Donovan's big moment? It was followed up with a crushing loss to Ghana. While soccer had won a few more fans after Donovan's goal, most of America jumped right off the bandwagon they had jumped on a few weeks earlier. Let's face it. We're frontrunners. We love a winner.

Hope Solo's sex appeal isn't the only
reason to love this team, but it helps.

That is why the pressure is on the US women. There can't be a letdown today, when all American eyes will be on them. You can't help but think they have it in them, too. The United States was one of the top teams entering the tournament anyway. This team obviously showed its fire and heart battling back to beat Brazil. It has the star power of Wambach and Hope Solo, and the other top world powers (Germany and Brazil) are out of the tournament. The toughest part may be over, but they do have to finish.

Would the 1980 Miracle on Ice have been half as memorable if the United States had gone out and lost to Finland in the gold medal game? Of course not. We loved the upset over the Soviets in the semifinal, but we loved that team forever because it won the gold.

While I'm not saying a World Cup win would do for women's soccer what the Miracle on Ice did for hockey, the parallels are there. Wambach's moment will be lost if the United States trips up against France or in the final. People will jump off the bandwagon if they don't win. They have to win the World Cup. Then the momentum will keep rolling, and it'll be another big win for soccer in this country. Soccer will almost certainly never be number one in this country, but it can always keep gaining respect.

If the United States wins tomorrow, when everyone will be watching, the momentum and excitement will build. If they win it all? Then the celebration continues well after the World Cup ends.

That's why today is the perfect day for our women's team to make a statement. They are the only show in town.

Curtain up.