NWSL pauses weekend games UPD report of abuse and misconduct released
- Thread starter LadyStanley
- Start date
PCSPounder
Stadium Groupie
"Pause to reflect." I would like the email the Thorns sent me to indicate that they're doing more than reflecting, but that's not what's in the email. "Gravity of the events of the last week..." f this s.
I'm infuriated. The owner admits Paul Riley was found to have issues that "helped" bring about his dismissal from Portland, but doesn't tell anyone.
Gavin Wilkinson has been the GM (Timbers and Thorns) the entire time. Aaran Lines was a teammate of his a decade prior or so in Portland, was positioned at Western New York, and takes on Riley. Stuff continues. I do not have any confidence that Merritt Paulson will fire Wilkinson. They're trying to PR their way out of this. Saturday night's game in Portland would have been, if I can put it mildly, loud. Part of me thinks the players (who apparently made the decision last night to postpone this weekend) are letting management off the hook by doing this, but understandably, this is THEIR decision and that needs to be respected. Not that Portland fans will forget, just that I wanted a quicker catharsis.
I'm infuriated. The owner admits Paul Riley was found to have issues that "helped" bring about his dismissal from Portland, but doesn't tell anyone.
Gavin Wilkinson has been the GM (Timbers and Thorns) the entire time. Aaran Lines was a teammate of his a decade prior or so in Portland, was positioned at Western New York, and takes on Riley. Stuff continues. I do not have any confidence that Merritt Paulson will fire Wilkinson. They're trying to PR their way out of this. Saturday night's game in Portland would have been, if I can put it mildly, loud. Part of me thinks the players (who apparently made the decision last night to postpone this weekend) are letting management off the hook by doing this, but understandably, this is THEIR decision and that needs to be respected. Not that Portland fans will forget, just that I wanted a quicker catharsis.
LadyStanley
Registered User
U.S. Soccer suspends Paul Riley’s coaching license
Riley had previously earned the Pro Level license.
Making it hard for him to return to work.
Riley had previously earned the Pro Level license.
Making it hard for him to return to work.
LadyStanley
Registered User
U.S. Soccer hires Sally Yates for NWSL probe; league names executive committee
US Soccer/NWSL hires former US Deputy Attorney General Yates to head investigation
US Soccer/NWSL hires former US Deputy Attorney General Yates to head investigation
tarheelhockey
Offside Review Specialist
This looks ugly for the league and the sport as a whole. Abuse of this nature goes against the entire ethic of what women's athletics is trying to accomplish.
Notably, Katie Strang contributed to the article which broke the scandal. It's amazing how many of these stories she has uncovered in a very short period of time, simply by having the inclination and freedom to dig into them.
Notably, Katie Strang contributed to the article which broke the scandal. It's amazing how many of these stories she has uncovered in a very short period of time, simply by having the inclination and freedom to dig into them.
PCSPounder
Stadium Groupie
The Timbers/Thorns and USSF and the NWSL all getting lawyers instead of people who can find the cultural issues (including a lawyer who let Jeffery Epstein off the hook) isn’t as encouraging as it looks. I would like to think USSF going with Sally Yates might be different… and am curious to know how much input USSF President Cindy Parlow Cone has into their process, because she was the Thorns’ first coach, but wait and see.
One piece of news today is that the players association was NOT demanding the dismissal of Lisa Baird. They prefer Portland’s Gavin Wilkinson be sacked. That became a major chant at the Timbers’ game Sunday (and that’s not nearly the first time). Merritt Paulson’s ego is apparently too strong for that to happen willingly.
I should mention a discussion between soccer journalist Caitlin Murray and former Timbers/Thorns beat reporter Jamie Goldberg today. The Oregonian (Goldberg) ran a story in 2014 about Mana Shim and her girlfriend, and the Thorns communication department apparently complained that they weren’t consulted on the story. Then in 2018, after Shim had been overseas and returned to the NWSL in Houston, The O ran a small piece about Shim’s father dying, and the Thorns complained about THAT.
Shim, Sinead Farrelly, and Alex Morgan will all be on the Today Show Tuesday morning. That ought to be interesting.
One piece of news today is that the players association was NOT demanding the dismissal of Lisa Baird. They prefer Portland’s Gavin Wilkinson be sacked. That became a major chant at the Timbers’ game Sunday (and that’s not nearly the first time). Merritt Paulson’s ego is apparently too strong for that to happen willingly.
I should mention a discussion between soccer journalist Caitlin Murray and former Timbers/Thorns beat reporter Jamie Goldberg today. The Oregonian (Goldberg) ran a story in 2014 about Mana Shim and her girlfriend, and the Thorns communication department apparently complained that they weren’t consulted on the story. Then in 2018, after Shim had been overseas and returned to the NWSL in Houston, The O ran a small piece about Shim’s father dying, and the Thorns complained about THAT.
Shim, Sinead Farrelly, and Alex Morgan will all be on the Today Show Tuesday morning. That ought to be interesting.
PCSPounder
Stadium Groupie
NWSL final moved to Louisville at player request
NWSL players clearly had a large say in moving the championship game from Portland (which would have been a 9 am local kickoff time) to Louisville. Same TV time slot in the end, just different location.
The announcement first came from the players association, and they took considerable caution to term this as a collaboration with the league and the cities involved (including Portland). Still, it’s hard to think that recent events didn’t influence this decision.
NWSL players clearly had a large say in moving the championship game from Portland (which would have been a 9 am local kickoff time) to Louisville. Same TV time slot in the end, just different location.
The announcement first came from the players association, and they took considerable caution to term this as a collaboration with the league and the cities involved (including Portland). Still, it’s hard to think that recent events didn’t influence this decision.
PCSPounder
Stadium Groupie
Article with detailed timeline (focused on this year, but easy to see how much of this reaches back) of the league’s untoward events. I’d just add that I recall Lindsey Horan’s issues with Farid Benstiti being well known long before this March.
https://onherturf.nbcsports.com/2021/10/14/2021-nwsl-timeline-allegations-of-abuse/
https://onherturf.nbcsports.com/2021/10/14/2021-nwsl-timeline-allegations-of-abuse/
PCSPounder
Stadium Groupie
That last item I posted is now updated through Monday… including Rory Dames’ departure from Chicago Red Stars and comments from Christen Press. So that compendium remains fairly timely.
The new California teams have seemed promising, and Angel City is apparently over 11,000 season tickets sold. Meanwhile, the San Diego owner has issues now. San Diego NWSL owner Ron Burkle named in sexual assault lawsuit. What’s even more disturbing is that “Ron Burkle Epstein” is apparently a popular Google search topic.
There are times when I start to wonder if the attraction to being in this league is an “I get to own women” attitude.
The new California teams have seemed promising, and Angel City is apparently over 11,000 season tickets sold. Meanwhile, the San Diego owner has issues now. San Diego NWSL owner Ron Burkle named in sexual assault lawsuit. What’s even more disturbing is that “Ron Burkle Epstein” is apparently a popular Google search topic.
There are times when I start to wonder if the attraction to being in this league is an “I get to own women” attitude.
GindyDraws
I will not disable my Adblock, HF
Given the fact that female sports, in general, are decades behind in terms of prominence and equality, it's an area where people can come in with money and push women around to assuage their ego, so you're not wrong in your feeling.
Should be note that Burkle was the guy who supposedly was gonna bankroll the Sacramento MLS team, so he's spreading sunshine everywhere he's going.
PCSPounder
Stadium Groupie
The Yates report is out.
The full report is posted, need to find it first. Some of the new news is about transgressions of the Louisville coach, at least on par with the worst of what we learned to date. But please allow me to bring you to a point of drama.
In the report, Timbers/Thorns executive Mike Golub made this remark in 2013 to then-just-installed coach Cindy Parlow Cone (besides being married by then, please recall she’s one of the 99’er players who won the World Cup)…
”What’s on your bucket list besides sleeping with me?”
She’s now president of US Soccer.
It leaves me to wonder if there were any front office discussions about the USSF presidency once Carlos Cordeiro resigned and Cone was eventually elected President. Not to mention why Cordeiro actually ran again this year and who supported him.
The full report is posted, need to find it first. Some of the new news is about transgressions of the Louisville coach, at least on par with the worst of what we learned to date. But please allow me to bring you to a point of drama.
In the report, Timbers/Thorns executive Mike Golub made this remark in 2013 to then-just-installed coach Cindy Parlow Cone (besides being married by then, please recall she’s one of the 99’er players who won the World Cup)…
”What’s on your bucket list besides sleeping with me?”
She’s now president of US Soccer.
It leaves me to wonder if there were any front office discussions about the USSF presidency once Carlos Cordeiro resigned and Cone was eventually elected President. Not to mention why Cordeiro actually ran again this year and who supported him.
Last edited:
PCSPounder
Stadium Groupie
The full 319-page report. https://www.kslaw.com/attachments/0...Spalding_-_Full_Report_to_USSF.pdf?1664809048
DoyleG
Reality sucks, Princesses!
LadyStanley
Registered User
Abuse in women's pro soccer league was systemic, report says
An independent investigation into the scandals that erupted in the National Women's Soccer League last season found emotional abuse and sexual misconduct were systemic in the sport, impacting multiple teams, coaches and players, according to a report released Monday. “Abuse in the NWSL is...
Paradigm shift. #metoo brought lots of stuff to light.
FissionFire
Registered User
I feel like emotional abuse and sports are inseparable. It seems like there are far more coaches who will degrade and ridicule their players to “motivate” them than there are coaches who don’t.
It can't be a surprise when behavior like this is actually glorified. "Gets the most out of his players", "motivates his players"......
What other line of work would allow things to approach even half this level of insanity? But yet it's considered "part of the process" in sports.
LadyStanley
Registered User
Portland fires 2 executives named in Yates report on abuse in women's soccer
The Portland Timbers and Thorns have fired general manager Gavin Wilkinson and president of business Mike Golub, the club announced Wednesday.
sports.yahoo.com
Organization fires two named in report.
PCSPounder
Stadium Groupie
Two out of three gone!
Portland fires 2 executives named in Yates report on abuse in women's soccer
The Portland Timbers and Thorns have fired general manager Gavin Wilkinson and president of business Mike Golub, the club announced Wednesday.
Organization fires two named in report.
It should be noted that Gavin Wilkinson apparently signed a contract renewal at some point after the beginning of the investigations.
One thing we in Timbers Army are sleuthing out… Merritt Paulson apparently has been reorganizing the organization under his name. Previously his father (former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson) was really the money behind the organization. MP never crowed about “paying back the loan” that he publicly stated he made with his dad, and we can’t glean what transactions have happened … and so it’s possible that Dad washed his hands of the thing. There is a new 15% investor in the organization. It would seem to be easier to sell now, hint hint.
Those of us going to the Thorns playoff game October 23 are considering bringing FOR SALE signs.
LadyStanley
Registered User
Portland Thorns, Timbers owner Merritt Paulson steps down as CEO amid Yates report backlash
Portland Thorns and Timbers owner Merritt Paulson's departure as CEO of both clubs is the latest development in NWSL investigation response.
sports.yahoo.com
Portland owner resigns as CEO
PCSPounder
Stadium Groupie
But he’s still the owner. Plus there’s completely zero communication about who will fill the vacated positions. It’s becomes easy to see the non-functionality of this guy.
Portland Thorns, Timbers owner Merritt Paulson steps down as CEO amid Yates report backlash
Portland Thorns and Timbers owner Merritt Paulson's departure as CEO of both clubs is the latest development in NWSL investigation response.
Portland owner resigns as CEO
Meanwhile, Sell the Teams to Us! - Onward Rose City
LadyStanley
Registered User
NWSL investigation discovers 'widespread misconduct' in 'vast majority' of teams
NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman apologized to players for the league's "failures and missteps."
sports.yahoo.com
Widespread issues
