Rapinoe delivers another goal for equality

New York — When the U.S. women's national soccer team rolled up Broadway to celebrate its second straight World Cup championship, that stretch of black asphalt was once again transformed into the 10-deep, tiptoes to catch a glimpse, confetti-littered Canyon of Heroes.

You saw them play. Whether it was a 13-0 win over Thailand, Alex Morgan's tea-sipper of a goal in a semifinal win over England, or Megan Rapinoe's monster penalty kick to break a stalemate in a 2-0 victory over The Netherlands in the final. Argue over those celebrations if you must, but they were brash and loud and excellent and fun and — face it — that is exactly what we as a nation are known for on the world stage.

England's coach Phil Neville even called them ruthless and pretty sure that was a compliment.

“We really do appreciate all that it takes to shut down the biggest best city in the world for the biggest best team in the world,” Rapinoe said with just the right modesty. Which is none. They are updates on a heroic prototype, not for their decorum, but for what they do on the field and the way they use their deliberately-earned platform. These players dance and curse and talk back to authority figures. They demand your respect first and then earn it all over again on the field. They are the icons we didn't even know we needed.

Arianna Mosca, 11, begged her mother to let them come to the parade. She plays in their Yorktown Heights hometown, and Paola was keeping the surprise until the night before, when she announced she was bringing the whole family.

“We are here because of what this team represents for this country,” Paola said.

Paola attributes her soccer knowledge to her native Colombia, but like Canadians Michele Krech and Pam Hrick, the Americans on that stage stand for something that crosses national borders.

“Yes, we're female athletes, but we're so much more than that,” Rapinoe said in an impassioned speech to end the party. “You're so much more than that.”

She was even magnanimous when U.S. Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro mispronounced her name as RAPin-o when he attempted to win over heckling fans during a speech about giving the women's game the focus and resources it deserves.

If you want to convince the throngs at City Hall you respect the game, it would help to pronounce the MVP's name right. The error plays right into the idea that U.S. Soccer is run by clueless suits who aren't even familiar enough with their own stars to get their names right. In fairness, it's only been said 1,000 times a broadcast.

For the record, it's Ra-PEE-no, as MC Robin Roberts exaggerated when she got back to the microphone.

Rapinoe let Cordeiro off the hook by explaining she thought he was on the right side of the equal pay issue. And she meant it. She said it with deft humor, with generosity, and with a solid upper hand. There was no killing the feel-good mood that descended over City Hall for this celebration.

“This is my charge to everyone, we have to be better,” Rapinoe said. “We have to love more, hate less. We got to listen more and talk less.”

Equal pay was a topic, and a chant, that kept coming up.

At times it was organic, like when Krech and Hrick shouted it before the player floats came by City Hall. At other times, it was a bit forced, as when Mayor Bill de Blasio and First Lady Chirlane McCray both used “U-S-A, equal pay” in their opening remarks once the ceremony began. The message is really better when the players take the lead, and they've been more than capable at managing critique even from the president himself.

Donald Trump, you may recall, invited the players to visit once. Rapinoe said she wouldn't go.

Although there were those political moments, the day wasn't about politics. Those fans didn't line the streets for a stump speech and candidacy announcement, they were there to cheer for the take-no-prisoners team who have won 14 straight World Cup games and broke scoring records to repeat as victors.

Maybe one day, the USWNT can just focus on playing soccer. In the meantime, they can coast down the Canyon of Heroes knowing they're well worthy of the layered meaning behind the title.