PARIS -- In the aftermath of the U.S. men's Olympic team being bounced in the quarterfinals from the Paris Games on Friday, defender Walker Zimmerman was asked what he hopes his teammates take away from this Olympic experience.
Zimmerman, one of the three permitted veteran players on this otherwise under-23 roster, hesitated for just a beat. Then he offered a soliloquy that was part criticism of U.S. Soccer's men's program and also part hope -- a combination most fans have probably grappled with recently, too.
Ultimately, Zimmerman said, he has sensed a lessening of appreciation from some American players about the preciousness of being able to represent the United States -- a reticence, he added, that can be incredibly damaging.