Perhaps the following conversation was overheard in a surgical waiting room.
“Since we think that the cancer is gone, the probability of a cure is high. As you are obviously aware the last few weeks have been horrible … pain, suffering, lassitude, apathy, listlessness – all of which can be traced back to the cancer. Of course, there is always the possibility that even though the primary cancer is now gone, there could be some residual metastasis. If that were to be the case, then down the road the cancer will slowly but gradually reappear. If this were to happen then the situation could be just as bad as it recently was.”
Whereas, I initially thought that this was coming from a cancer surgeon, I soon realized that it was not. The referred to “cancer” was Megan Rapinoe who started disrespecting the U.S. flag years ago. The cancer spread and soon most of the U.S. Women’s National team were imitating Rapinoe. One would have thought that the recent uninspiring performance of the Women’s National team would have been a tip that something was seriously wrong. But the increasing symptoms of discord were ignored until it was observed that many on the team were not singing the National Anthem before their first 2023 World Cup match. Was this because the cancer was infiltrating the body of the team? This disrespect was recognized by some of the commentators who predicted that the once vaunted U.S. Women’s team was in for a rude awakening. A rude awakening, indeed, as the once esteemed Women’s National team did not make it to the final sixteen in the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Many of us recognized what was happening … the cancer was slowly spreading amongst the team. I felt sorry for some of the younger players on the U.S. team, but this is what cancer does!
Hopefully, now that the cancer is retiring, the U.S Women’s National team will regain its patriotic health. Hopefully, in the near future they will enthusiastically sing the National Anthem in unison, and restore the pride that the fans once had in them.
8/12/23