This Guy is Cooler Than Me and Probably You

by Posted on

While waiting for a bagel the other day, I just happened to see a guy way cooler than me and probably you. Why? He was wearing a Rapinoe USWNT (US Women Team) soccer jersey.

I know some of you may have issues with Rapinoe, but this has nothing to do with the player and everything to do with the jersey.  The fact that he’s wearing a men’s USWNT jersey probably makes him the coolest guy in Philly. Heck, maybe the country.

Why?

For starters, I wouldn’t even think to look for a women’s soccer team jersey and that’s a total VIOLATION on my part and most guys I know. The idea would never enter our minds. And, I know I am not alone. How do I know? I know because I watched almost every game of the USWNT’s World Cup run at pubs around town—both the east and west sides of Broad Street.

No men were out and about in WSWNT jerseys. I saw plenty of US flag shirts and men wearing their US Men’s Team (USMNT) jerseys. Yeah, dudes in men’s team jerseys to watch and cheer on the women. That’s pretty disrespectful in light of the excellence that the women regularly display on soccer’s world stage and the futility of the men’s team on that same stage.

Is this guy rocking his Rapinoe shirt more secure in his manhood? I would bet on that. At first, the thought of wearing a women’s team jersey in a corresponding men’s size and cut took me aback. I wish I knew why. It just did and that made no sense.

We see women in Eagles, Flyers, Sixers, and Phillies jerseys all the time, especially at the arena and around town during important games and think nothing of it. A bit of the old double-standard, right?

What’s up with that? Are we afraid we’ll be seen as effeminate, girly? Personally, I wouldn’t think so, but maybe and that’s just pathetic. Man, if I wasn’t so damn insecure, I could’ve rocked some sweet Dawn Staley and Cheryl Miller USA basketball jerseys in addition to my Magic Johnson Dream Team jersey.

Did they even make Staley and Miller men’s jerseys back in the day? I don’t think so. But, I also didn’t think they made USWNT men’s jerseys either—they do! That might also be part of the problem. The ladies jerseys in men’s sizes and cuts aren’t widely promoted and marketed. I spend far too much time online and never saw an ad or mention of it.

For the purposes of writing this piece, I searched for a 2019 USWNT jersey in men’s sizes. They are not easy to find. One would think that wouldn’t be the case considering they are made by Nike. I didn’t see them on Nike.com. I did end up finding them on ussoccer.com.

Here’s a LINK to them if you’d like to order one.

Maybe the guy at The Bagel Place was no different from us lower-evolved guys and he’s Rapinoe’s friend or relative. I’m gonna move on with the assumption that is not the case because then it presents a real growth moment for me and most male sports fans that I know.

With any luck, you’ll see me in a Men’s XL Rose Lavelle jersey when the World Cup Champions play Portugal at Philly’s Lincoln Financial Field on August 29th.

Men, we can do better. We should do better. Nike and US Soccer need to do better.