Hope Solo heaved a heavy sigh then flashed a smile that looked as insincere as it did uncomfortable.
These were supposed to be the best of times for Solo, who will enter the third and perhaps final World Cup of her stellar career. The tournament opens Saturday, and the U.S. plays its opener June 8 against Australia.
If her team advances to the final in Vancouver — 140 miles from her Seattle-area home — Solo will arrive there owning every significant goalkeeping record in U.S. national team history.
In recent appearances with the U.S. team, though, no one wants to ask her about that.