Carli Lloyd's pitch was high and wide, but that is a trifling complaint. At least she did better than poor Gio dos Santos. Lloyd threw out the first pitch for the Seattle Mariners while she and her Houston Dash teammates were in town for a game against the Seattle Reign (which the Reign won, 2-1).
It is hard to call any team a headliner in a victory tour when the team going on that tour in the United States Women’s National team. The Americans are always going to be the stars, but with the additions of two games against Brazil on the docket for October 21st and 25th, their victory tour has secured one of the best teams in the world.
Following the USWNT's World Cup win last month, coach Jill Ellis has been handed a new contract, which is expected to last through the 2019 World Cup and possibly beyond.
Ellis's former contract could have kept her at the helm of the USWNT for up to five more years, but instead she and US Soccer voided that one and hammered out a new contract.
Mandatory musical accompaniment to this article.
Megan Rapinoe is obviously not afraid to try something new.
The USWNT midfielder and World Cup winner was invited to fly with the Navy's Blue Angels. Judging from her expression, she was a little nervous.
The congratulations keep coming in for the USWNT as they continue to celebrate their World Cup victory.
One particular video caught the eye of the ladies when New England Patriots Rob Gronkowski decided to drop this:
Long after the stadium lights have dimmed, the interviews have ended and the traveling has stopped, the battle for equal pay continues for female soccer players.
Even though the USWNT just won the Women's World Cup, the team will only receive $2 million, compared to $35 million for the German men’s team last year. Individually, the USWNT players will each get about $300,000, which is roughly comparable to what the Germans got.
On average, more than 25.4 million viewers tuned in to see the USWNT defeat Japan on Fox, per the New York Times. But with the addition of Spanish channels, the average viewership reached 26.7 million. The total viewership for all or part of the match exceeded 40 million people.
MLS caused a stir when it was announced both New York Red Bulls and New York City FC would have floats in the U.S. Women's National Team's ticker tape parade through the Canyon of Heroes in New York City.
MLS is one of the sponsors of the event, which could explain the presence of MLS teams in an event that ostensibly has nothing to do with them. Major League Soccer itself will also have a float.
Finally out of the 16-year shadow cast by the 1999 Women’s World Cup Champions, the 2015 winners are searching for the next team to beat. With literally no other team standing, it only makes sense to compare the champs head to head.
Goalkeeper: Scurry vs. Solo
For all the flack she has received, USWNT coach Jill Ellis has led her team to their first World Cup since 1999, avenging their lost to Japan in the 2011 WC Final.
Ellis took a lot of heat during this tournament because of her team’s lack of scoring and relying too much on her team’s defense to win games, but in the end it paid off.
The U.S. is now World Cup Champions and Jill Ellis and her team earned it.