The golden header

1.

I first found out on my way to watch the last minutes of a depressing game.

My bro called me "Did you see it? Did you see it? Did you?"

I could only think...no. We scored? The US women scored? But...isn't the game more or less over?

It was so awesome getting all that from one sentence repeated in a frenzy.

Telephones are pretty awesome for getting good news fast.

2.

The Women's World Cup of Soccer is front and center on my Summer Sports agenda. I watched France-England and a bunch of Sweden-US (we lost 2-1 on a freak carom off of our wall) and US - North Korea.

When we scored in the 76th...SECOND!!!!! I was both delighted and...well, and had that slightly doomed feeling you get when things come quickly and easily. When we missed a close off the bar header I felt proud of our attack.

Then came the penalty on Rachel Buehler. The amazing, insane stop by our goalie Hope Solo. Then the heartbreaking calling back of the play, giving Brazil a second chance. (At the time there was no apparent explanation; later we learned that one of the US players crossed the line and encroached, but...this is NEVER called this tightly, as far as I can tell). Then Marta scoring the penalty kick to tie it.

AND the red card sending Buehler off for the rest of the entire frickin' game (awful call upon awful call). Then...

well this is one of those moments when it seemed the US really woke up as a team. They played on fire. Even with Marta putting in a marvelous goal to go ahead. Even with a player (why do they keep saying "man?) down? But effort after effort was repelled by the back on its heels Brazilian defence.

And then the Play.

3.

I've seen The Catch: Montana throw to Dwight Clark for the winning score in the 1982 NFC title game against Dallas. I've seen Viniateri kick that insane field goal in 2002 after the Tuck Rule saved the Patriots' season in the snow against Oakland.

But I think The Play is...well, I can't get it out of my head. I've seen it maybe thirty times on YouTube and ESPN. Rapinoe cruising up the left side, hauling, then putting her head down and hitting an absolutely perfect, probably religion-founding, cross, just out of the reach of the Brazilian goalkeeper, curving just enough toward the US striker.

And then Abby went up (afterwards it almost looked like a dolphin just about to break the surface of the ocean after a dive). And never ever blinked.

I am in love, seriously. I went to bed and closed my eyes and saw Abby hit it again, some kind of halo around her head, like a soccer saint. Ball. Goal. Tie. Hope.

Honestly. The best.