U mad, bro? Readers blast Tim Benz over USWNT opinions

People are so mad at me over my recent columns about the United States Women’s National Team, I thought we should have a special edition today of “U mad, bro?”

And because the vast majority of the responses I got were negative ones from women or on behalf of women, perhaps this would be best labeled — and equitable — to call this: “U mad, sis?”

I may lose friends over these opinions. But I shan’t be shamed into silence by the social justice warriors.

I’m talkin’ friends, family members, posts on my personal Facebook page. Personal texts. I’m taking it on all fronts.

John really hated the column I wrote about Megan Rapinoe’s comments regarding the scheduling of men’s games after the World Cup.

Some writers have to find nits to pick, instead of writing about the actual game and USWNT's accomplishments. I suppose that's the easy way to get hot takes. Maybe there will come a time when more media members will take time to learn, understand and appreciate the sport. ? https://t.co/Q2jnXFOZFN

— John Krysinsky (@PghSoccerScribe) July 9, 2019

Ha! You’re kidding, right?

Rapinoe, the soccer community and the Twitter-sphere couldn’t go five straight minutes without talking about everything but soccer while simultaneously using soccer as a backdrop.

And you’re blaming the media for talking about the topics they opined about in the first place?

That’s rich. Tell me another one.

By the way, John, if you bothered to read the column, it was basically a love note to how great of a day it was to watch soccer in the U.S.

And here you are “picking nits” yourself.

Here’s a post I got from a high school friend I haven’t seen for 10 years and now, I assume, won’t be seeking me out at the next reunion.

The name is redacted here since it’s my personal account. It was in response to my post about Alex Morgan’s tea-sipping celebration.

“Seriously? There are just as many people demonizing her for her celebration as those in support of it. I’m disappointed in you, Tim.”

“I’m disappointed in you” is supposed to be reserved for your mother, not your friends.

Anyway, she’s probably right. And that’s why I stuck up for Morgan and said I have no problem with her celebration. It didn’t bother me.

What I’m being critical of is the reaction to it. The idea that what she did is any different than what the Team USA basketball teams did in the ‘90s is nuts. It’s the same thing.

But they were “ugly Americans” who taunted too much in 1994 and were “picking on the poor guys from Angola” in ‘92.

When Terrell Owens stood on the Dallas Cowboys star, he was a bad guy. When Baker Mayfield put a flag in the Ohio State Buckeye “Block O,” he was a punk. When the Miami Hurricanes pulled out their “six shooters” at the Cotton Bowl, they were “thugs.”

At least to those who rooted for the other teams.

But anyone who has said something remotely critical of Morgan was excoriated on social media for being a woman-hating caveman. Meanwhile, I heard her described as being “precocious.”

Isn’t that a cute word choice?

Morgan’s act was exactly the same as what all those guys did. But the narrative is different because there is a different expectation of what is acceptable when it comes to covering the genders in these sports.

You’re allowed to be critical of the men any time, any way. But if you are critical of female athletes (even though in this case, I wasn’t), you are accused of having a chauvinist agenda.

I’m angry at the lack of consistency. Not angry at the athlete.

Dan seems to have mistaken brevity for creativity.

#PayThem

— danbowman?????????????????? (@danbowman) July 9, 2019

#Wasn’tPartOfTheColumn

#You’reConflatingIssues

#ThanksForProvingMyPoint

Another person I assume I will soon be describing as a former friend — Sarah — sent me this text decrying the lack of postgame coverage of the Women’s World Cup.

“It was barely an hour and had interviews of players but no breakdown of the game. How ‘bad ass’ was Becky Sauerbrunn getting hurt and bleeding and coming back into the game and kicking butt?

Some awesome musical montage? Someone going to Disney World? I got none of it.”

An hour? That’s not long enough for you?

The game ended while I was at the Mt. Nebo Road exit in a car. I was driven to Greentree. Picked up my own car. Drove all the way up to McKnight Road to get a haircut. I waited, for 18 minutes. By the time I sat down in the chair, it was still going on.

That’s plenty.

As far as Disney World goes, I don’t think Alex Morgan is allowed in there anymore after she got thrown out of Epcot.

And, believe me, if she can afford to get belligerently drunk at Epcot, the pay gap is not a real issue for her.

This guy appears to be harder on Rapinoe than I was, after I tweeted that I was happy that the team beat England.

Nope.....the commie on the team ruined any chance for me to root for them

I hope they lose..... and hopefully she tears her hammy playing and can never play again

Then she can kneel all she wants in Venezuela

— James Spencer (@Redsteel67) July 3, 2019

Well, at least I angered both sides of the political aisle on this one. My work here is done.