Some Undeniably Cool Women Athletes

Last week, I was checking out Dave Zirin's blog, The Edge of Sports and it prompted me to write a post for Open Salon about several cool women athletes.

As part of my book on the Pittsburgh Passion women's full-contact football team, I've been up to my eyeballs in researching the history of women and sports. The attitudes -- even those of medical professionals -- might shock you. From disparaging to downright hysterical, women and athletics is a combustible mix. But now is not a time for a didactic discussion of history and the sociological and psychological effects of some truly asinine ideas on women athletes. Now is the time to celebrate some really cool women. Go to:  Can Women Athletes Be Cool?

How Much Pressure Is on Team USA to Win the Cup?

How much pressure?

All the pressure in the world.

More pressure than can be measured by existing technology.

More pressure than Freddy Mercury and David Bowie memorialized in song, which they described, if memory serves as, 'under pressure - that burns a building down.'

This group of athletes, to their credit, created this intense pressure by winning through a set of unbelievable circumstances in the quarterfinals. Let me be clear - a women's athletics team got the attention of an entire nation, a nation which remains a male-centric sports culture even in the 21st century. But Abby Wambach, Megan Rapinoe and Hope Solo got our attention.

USA! USA! U.S. Women Win Wild Game Over Brazil

It seemed impossible. Everything was against them.

They were down a goal, on an officiating gift, no less.

They were down a player, on another officiating gift from Referee Jacqui Melksham. (Does this look like a red card to you? Seriously?)