I love soccer. If you look at all my soccer articles, they are all tagged in Beacon of Speech Loves Soccer.
What happened to Luis Rubiales last week had nothing to do with soccer.
N-O-T-H-I-N-G.
For those not familiar with Luis Rubiales, he was the President of the Spanish Soccer Association. During a fit of patriotic exuberance when Spain won the Women's World Cup, Rubiales kissed star player Jenni Hermoso on the lips. That kiss turned into a fury of legal activity in Spain that eventually cost Rubiales his job.
Now we are going to get into some very dicey territory.
If I scored the game-winning goal for the USMNT that won my country a World Cup I would be ecstatic. The euphoria of the moment would pulsate in my veins for a lifetime. If the President of US Soccer, Cindy Parlow Cone leaned in and kissed me on the stage after the victory, I would assume that she was caught up in the moment. Two people who love soccer sharing a celebration.
But here's the caveat. I am straight. If Cindy Parlow Cone kissed me, I would simply chalk that moment up to kismet of soccer.
What if a man, the General Manager of the USMNT, Brian McBride, leaned over and kissed me? I know this sounds weird, but I love Brian McBride. If Brian McBride kissed me, I would again assume that he was caught up in the moment. Two people who love soccer sharing a celebration. I highly respect Brian McBride's soccer career and his contributions to American Soccer. He is probably one of my Top 5 favorite players in USMNT history and it would be quite an interesting story to be kissed by one of my soccer heroes.
Now, Luis Rubiales is no Brian McBride. Luis Rubiales played most of his career in Spain's Second Division and his time as an executive for that country's soccer program has been littered with controversies. It also appears that Luis Rubiales is straight, British Tabloids are hounding his ex-wife for quotes about the current legal battles in Spain.
Which circles us back to Jenni Hermoso.
Jenni Hermoso has won the women's version of the Pichichi Trophy 5 times, but is extremely guarded about her private life....
She has been photographed hugging and kissing a man...her brother.
She ----
You know why Luis Rubiales doesn't have a job today, but the subtext can't be reported in Europe? Because all of a sudden, a soccer celebration turned into a 'not about soccer' sliver of time.
I defer to Cosmo Magazine:
Story over.