Tim Benz: Alex Morgan sipping tea is fine; pandering double standards aren't

The U.S. women’s national soccer team has gotten its fair share of attention for celebrating too much and showing up its opponents during the Women’s World Cup.

Even their own social media account was getting cocky after the 2-1 semifinal win against England on Tuesday afternoon.

PARTY LIKE IT’S 1776 because we’re going to the #FIFAWWC FINAL!!!!#OneNationOneTeam pic.twitter.com/kZh6qH3YKi

— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) July 2, 2019

I’m pretty sure the colonial army wasn’t the same kind of heavy favorite in 1776 that the women’s soccer team was Tuesday. But OK.

In the Twitter world, though, since we are talking about a women’s team, the players are called “incorrigible” (instead of “arrogant”), and people want to “inject them into their veins.” Because you post cheeky stuff like that to show how progressive you are, and that way you get likes and retweets.

But if they were a men’s team, we’d be whipping ourselves with a wet noodle, bemoaning that our players were acting like “ugly Americans” and saying they should be handling themselves with more class.

Again, because on Twitter, that’s what you do to get likes and retweets.

Case in point, Alex Morgan scored a goal during that win over the British.

The soccer one. Not the one in 1776.

Morgan punctuated the goal with a tea-sipping celebration.

Happy Birthday, Alex Morgan! Have some tea to wash down that goal! @USWNT takes a 2-1 lead.#OneNationOneTeam ??pic.twitter.com/sermB3vbvT

— Stadium (@Stadium) July 2, 2019

It was as if she was saying, “I’ve got your tea time right here, England!”

It was either that, or it was her version of the Kermit Lipton tea meme in response to some of the criticism her club has received.

RIP to the Kermit drinking tea gif, we’re using this from now on https://t.co/WkSCNfra2H

— Alex Campbell (@alex_s_campbell) July 2, 2019

Either way, I don’t care. I thought it was funny. I liked the celebration. I laughed.

Then again, I wasn’t that put off by USA Basketball running roughshod over the rest of the field in the 1994 World Championships with a very similar attitude. But “Dream Team II” was widely criticized for its demeanor.

I mean, if Twitter had been around in ‘94, Shaquille O’Neal may never have been allowed back across the border from Canada.

Heck, some people are still mad at Charles Barkley for elbowing that poor guy from Angola in the 1992 Olympics.

By the way, that “poor guy from Angola”— as he is forever called — had a name, you know. Put some respect on it.

Say it! It was Herlander Coimbra. Say it!

Eh, don’t worry. I had to look it up, too.

And, for the record, that game was ONLY 38-7 after that basket. Clearly, the contest was still in doubt. Chuck had to send a message.

Do you remember Barkley’s quote after the game? “Somebody hits me, I’m going to hit him back – even if it does look like he hasn’t eaten in a while.”

My Lord! The shame police of our day would’ve demanded his immediate deportation from Barcelona.

What Morgan did was fine. But let’s remember her “afternoon tea” the next time we feel like getting judgy on social media when an American men’s team struts its stuff and shows off.

Or, frankly, a male in any sport.

Let’s not pick and choose based on a gender.

Or is it “agenda?”

Or both?