Retired NFL great and future Hall-of-Fame quarterback Tom Brady has offered his take in response to the perception by millions of Americans that members of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team disrespected the National Anthem ahead of their match against Vietnam over the weekend in New Zealand.
Brady sent a message to the team on social media and essentially ignored what critics were saying after most of the 11 starters either refused to place their hands over their hearts, sing the anthem, or both — even though all members of the Vietnamese national team did so enthusiastically.
“Team USA is gearing up to do something I was never able to pull off,” he said in a video. “A three-peat. So, I just wanted to give a shout-out to our squad as they go for their third consecutive World Cup. We are all back here watching and cheering for you guys so bring it home.”
The majority of the team just stared straight as the National Anthem played in New Zealand’s Eden Park arena and only 5 of the 11 who stood for the anthem placed their hands over their hearts,” the video showed.
And only three of the players, Julie Ertz, Alyssa Naeher, and Lindsey Horan, actually sang the words.
Team USA defeated Vietnam by a score of 3-0.
Critics voiced their opposition online.
“Americans are being trained to hate their country. These angry women are representing a country they despise at the World Cup. Our schools are failing…,” one Twitter user said.
“These spoiled a$$ athletes need to be reminded they don’t play for the name on the back of the jersey. They play for the name on the front of it. And if they hate our country so much, go play somewhere else. You won’t be missed,” another said.
“If these players don’t love the country they are representing, they should not be on the team. As an ex-athlete, I always loved who I represented. It is an insult to every American to behave in such a disrespectful manner,” another said.
“Just another reason not to watch women’s soccer. Besides the fact that it’s boring, they can’t beat a high school team ..they expect the same amount of money as the men yet don’t bring in the same revenue, have equal talent, or deliver the same quality football,” another Twitter user said.
USWNT star Megan Rapinoe, known for her far-left, anti-American views, made waves last week during an interview with Time, claiming that women’s sports were being “weaponized” by people who stand against transgender women competing against biological women.
She told the outlet it was “total bulls**t” and asked someone to “show me all the trans people who are nefariously taking advantage of being trans in sports. It’s just not happening.”
Meanwhile, former champion gymnast Jennifer Sey clapped back at Rapinoe’s remarks during an interview with Fox News.
“I guess I would ask her why in [2017] when the best women’s soccer team in the world lost to 15-year-old high school boys, how – why was that? How did that happen?” she said. “An average high school boys’ team. They lost – the best women’s soccer team in the world… There is an advantage. This is not trans bigotry. This is about girls and women.”
“We have to acknowledge that biology, testosterone in and of itself, but also having going through male puberty confers advantages. That’s why we have separate categories of men’s and women’s sports. Denying that is denying reality,” Sey told Fox.
“So, I am very much in favor of protecting women’s sports and giving women a fair and even playing field to compete against each other, access the educational opportunities that come from that,” she went on.
“And I think if we don’t stand up now and defend women’s spaces, essentially what we’re agreeing to is there is no difference. Men do not have physical advantages, and there will be no gender categories in sports if we don’t say no to it now. There will be no categories,” Sey added.