It’s not as simple as one player yanking her club around.
The United States got knocked out of the Olympics in quarterfinals. It was a shock for players and fans alike as everyone struggled to adjust their expectations. The U.S. is out? Now? But there’s still so much Olympics left.
It didn’t just discombobulate the fans; suddenly an entire team of players was [theoretically] available and less physically beat up than expected for the National Women’s Soccer League. NWSL clubs weren’t expecting any U.S. players back until the end of August, and it was touch-and-go whether they’d be available for games the weekend of the 26th through the 28th.