Hope Solo: Megan Rapinoe Would 'Bully’ US Soccer Teammates into Kneeling

​​At the very least, Megan Rapinoe is a propagandist. According to former USWNT goalkeeper Hope Solo, she is also a bully.

Solo told the All of Us: The U.S. Women's Soccer Show that Megan Rapinoe bullies teammates into kneeling during the national anthem.

"It's tough," Solo told Goal on the topic of kneeling during the national anthem. "I've seen Megan Rapinoe almost bully players into kneeling because she really wants to stand up for something in her particular way.

"But it's our right as Americans to do it whatever way we're comfortable with, and I think that's really hard being on the main stage right now with so many political issues for athletes. There's a lot of pressure, and ultimately, at the end of the day, our number one focus should and has always been to win first."

That is such an obvious yet impactful statement.

Solo's comments echo back to conversations athletes had last year after George Floyd's death. Then, amid pressure from far-left athletes like Rapinoe and LeBron James, the media, and Twitter, it became controversial to stand and not kneel during the anthem.

Athletes saw how the left crucified Drew Brees for merely respecting the flag. For most athletes, that was it. From that point on, they knew they'd better fall in line, especially on Rapinoe's team.

The media at times portrayed standing for the flag as a signal that a person does not stand against discrimination, but Solo put that divisive, dishonest narrative to rest, as well:

"Right now what I've seen is there's been so much debate about kneeling, about not kneeling. I know most people stand against discrimination."

People do not need to kneel to prove they are against discrimination. The presumption that some groups are, by default, racist until proven innocent has contributed to our country's divide. No one should have to disprove anything. Standing for the flag is a statement for patriotism, not for discrimination. The flag represents freedom, not a certain race, sexual orientation, gender, or policing. 

"And I live in the south, I live in a very conservative area here in North Carolina in the south," Solo adds. "Obviously I have friends on both sides of the aisle, but I think the kneeling thing can be very divisive."

Solo has her own baggage. Police arrested her in 2014 on charges of assaulting two family members. A year later, Solo borrowed a U.S. soccer team van with her husband, who was then arrested for driving under the influence.

She also called the Swedes "cowards" in 2016, and the USWNT terminated her contract as a result. For this reason, many media outlets will dismiss Solo's comments on kneeling. But we should ignore her past when we consider her comments. Solo isn't telling anyone what to believe or how to act. Instead, she's noting that the politicization of sports is complicated and that it isolates athletes whose worldviews conflict with the accepted far-left viewpoints.

Can you imagine the reaction if an athlete bullied players into standing for the national anthem? What would Megan Rapinoe say about that?