INBOX

FOR JULY 15, 2019

UNFLAPPABLE. UNAPOLOGETIC. UNEQUALED

I found it ironic that your story on the World Cup champion USWNT suggests how underappreciated the women's game is but then fails to mention the defense. Crystal Dunn should have been the tournament MVP, Becky Sauerbrunn is so soccer savvy, Abby Dahlkemper has great power out of the back, and Kelley O'Hara's runs forced opponents to shift their marks. This U.S. defense was a huge part of its win.

Matt Berg

Rising Sun, Md.

I would have preferred a picture of the entire team on the cover rather than the one featuring Megan Rapinoe. Sure, she had an outstanding tournament and is a tremendous player. However, calling it "the f------ White House" was a shame. Great team, fun to watch, but there was a cloud over the whole thing for me.

Sandy Riggs

Spokane Valley, Wash.

I was disappointed to see the cover tout the U.S. women's soccer team as WORLD CLASS. Many of the team members did show class throughout the tournament, but more than a few did not. Teams and players with class do not celebrate when they are winning 8--0. Most athletes understand that mocking your opponents is disrespectful and shows poor sportsmanship. Does anybody think that Alex Morgan's pretending to sip tea was not mocking the England team?

Chris Stanton

Saint John, New Brunswick

BREAKING BAD

So Jerome Allen says that he was paid more than $300,000 by Philip Esformes, and the judge orders Allen to pay a $202,000 fine and an $18,000 forfeiture. That's still $80,000 less than Allen admits to taking—and he loses no time from his $350,000-a-year job with the Celtics? Sure, that will teach him to respect the law.

Ron Skellenger

San Anselmo, Calif.

GATORADE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

To read that Bobby Witt Sr., with three daughters, was "on track to be the father of cheerleaders" before his son was born seemed surprisingly tone-deaf, given that Witt Jr. shared the back cover with a girls' player of the year, Kelley Lynch, while the front cover featured two female world champions.

David Meager

Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

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ON DECK

The next edition of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED will be the August 12, 2019, issue. Look for it on newsstands and in your mailbox beginning on August 7.