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     WILL EQUAL PAY LAWSUIT DISTRACT #1 USWMT FROM 4TH TITLE?
Equal opportunity exists, with the women taking center stage; 2nd HWCI Women's WC Pool deadline is Friday 6/7 Noon PDT

FREMONT, CA (smt) -- On International Women's Day (March 8), the 28 U.S. women's national team (USWMT) players sued the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) for gender-based discrimination in an attempt to level the playing field with their USMNT brethren.  Considering their success as 3-time and defending World Cup champions vs the USMNT who failed to qualify for the last World Cup, it's odd the USSF continues to downplay the USWMT and pick this fight rather than at least offering significant merit-based bonuses.  But at least some sponsors are correcting their ways, with LUNA Bar and Adidas now giving equal bonuses to both teams.  At least the U.S. women will play in the WWC as Ballon d'Or winner Ada Hegerberg will sit out the WWC in protest (since '17) over lack of respect for female players in Norway. 

Will this be a distraction to the #1 ranked team in the world?  Will host France (ranked #4) do what their men's team did when they last hosted the WC ('98), win the Cup?  Will USA coach Jill Ellis coach correctly from the start instead of experimenting (remember those 0-0 draws at halftime?) and waiting for the fans to cause the course-correction like in '15 (maybe not, as 273-cap Carli Lloyd is not happy being on the bench)?  Will #7-Japan bounce back from their shellacking in the final in '15?  Will English-speaking countries of #3-England, #5-Canada, and #6-Australia make a splash finally?  Will current Olympic champion #2-Germany win their 3rd WC to equal the U.S.?

Our HWCI pools are equal opportunity as well but in order to achieve equal pay, we need entries!  The men's pool got 79 entries last year so it would be nice to match.  Our inaugural women's pool in '15 got 22 entries despite the pool not getting up until four days before and the online entry not up until the day before.  With the claim the women's players are paid just 38% of the men, that would mean we would get 30 entries but I have faith we can surpass that.  Remember, you can enter up to 3 times and if you refer 5 new people, I'll give you an entry for free (with one paid)!

Here are the basic rules and a downloadable entry form:

WHAT:             2nd HWCI Women’s World Cup Soccer Pool (10^th overall soccer pool, 35^tH overall pool)

FEE:                 $10.00 per entry (max 3 entries per person)

DEADLINE:      Noon PDT on Friday, June 7, 2019 (if by mail, then postmarked by Thursday night)

WHO:               Anyone with ten bucks!  Invite friends!  No more than three entries per person.

REFERRAL:     If you participated in any of our pools, refer five new people to enter and get a free entry with one paid

SOC STAT:      USA is the defending WOMEN’S WORLD CUP champion.

INFO:               HWCI World Cup Pool:  www.HWCI.com/worldcup

PRIZES:           All money from fees will go into pot for 1^st through 3^rd (maybe 4^th) place prizes and maybe a Bonus Prize.  Winners will be determined by points, not correct number of games (see Points section).

POINTS:          36 Round Robin matches=         1 point each (you can pick ties!)

                        16 Round of 16 teams=             3 points each

                        8 Quarterfinal picks=                 4 points each

                        4 Semifinal picks=                     6 points each

                        2 Final picks=                            8 points each

                        1 Champ pick=                          12 points

                        -----------------------------------------------------

                        Total possible points=                168

PAYMENT:       If by eCheck or PayPal funds (must choose personal reason, such as “gift”), PayPal (send $10.00 to “[email protected]”)

                                    If by credit card, PayPal (send $10.61 ($10 plus 61¢ PayPal fees) to “[email protected]”) [preferred]

                             Mail a $10 check to (email for snail mail address)

                             Pay the person who referred you

                             Payment due June 9^th unless prearranged earlier

ENTER:            Via Web (www.HWCI.com/worldcup/2019/w_entry.html)

                        Via Email (send pic or pdf of completed form or picks) to [email protected]

                        Via Mail (email for snail mail address)

CONTACT:       Scott ([email protected])

                        http://www.HWCI.com/worldcup

   Bits 'n Bobs -  Like the 2018 Men's World Cup, VAR (video assistant referee) will be used for the first time here... every time I hear "VAR" I can't help but think of the vár syndrome from the awesome anime Macross Delta... the all-turf WWC in Canada in '15 was tough to watch so welcome back "grass" (also, FIFA said for future WWCs, only natural grass will be permitted -- but the caveat is that hybrid-grass will be considered "natural grass" not artificial turf)... the WWC will be played in nine cities across France, who beat South Korea for the right to host the event (coincidentally, these two nations will also kick off the WWC on June 7)... all six confederations got at least one team in the tourney: UEFA (9), AFC (5), CAF (3), CONCACAF (3), CONMEBOL (3), and OFC (1)... four teams are making their WWC debut (CHI, JAM, SCO, RSA)... seven teams have made all 8 WWCs (BRA, GER, JPN, NGA, NOR, SWE, USA)... if you don't care for the WWC final on July 7th, there are two other continental championships held on the same day - the CONMEBOL Copa America and CONCACAF Gold Cup finals (sigh)... Le Moment de Briller translates to "Dare to Shine"... one thing the USSF has favored the women's side is their new U.S. Soccer app will debut just in time for the WWC, something last year's WC didn't have (oh yea, they didn't qualify)... FIFA continues to briller, er, shine, botching ticket sales by splitting groups, even with children, in widely different sections... FIFA squashed the idea of expanding to 48 teams four years early and we will stick with 32 teams for '22 Qatar WC... the UEFA Nations League is going strong, presenting an opportunity for at least one non-soccer power nation to reach EURO 2020 and HWCI will be there for our 3rd EURO pool... USA outscored opponents 26-0 en route to a CONCACAF Women's Championship and berth to this WWC... this year's mascot, Ettie, a chicken with "a passion for life and football", is the daughter of Footix, the mascot of the '98 WC held in France... SportsLine has USA as the favorite at 2:1 with France 7:2, Germany 11:2, and England 7:1 next (Jamaica and Thailand are 1000:1)...

Is this the year the rest of the world starts to pass the USA in competitiveness?...
Scott