Two weeks ago, the planet watched as the United States Women’s National Team won the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The team had all eyes across the globe focusing on their success prior to the tournament and didn’t disappoint.

From a majestic 13-0 opening win in pool play over Thailand to Rose Lavelle’s strike against the Netherlands to seal the Cup, no sports team in the world was more talked about — or scrutinized. 

I’ll leave the political commentary of the back and forth between this team and the president (and his supporters) out of this piece. But I will say that from start to finish, this run was probably the most convincing of any team in any sport over the last 25 years. 

We saw a team go unbeaten in the biggest tournament in the world. We saw the veteran leaders come up big in big moments, just as they have throughout their careers — Megan Rapinoe and Carli Lloyd especially. 

We saw Alex Morgan score five goals in the first game alone, but an injury hampered her the rest of the way. The good news for Morgan and USA was that with her on the field, regardless of injury, defenses had to honor her skill set, which left open the door for new heroes like Lavelle, a Cincinnati native that played for the Badgers, and Christen Press. And lest we forget about the work of Alyssa Naeher between the pipes. Taking over for Hope Solo, a legend on the pitch and a controversial figure off of it, is no easy task. And yet she anchored the best team in the world to allowing just three goals in seven games (while her teammates scored 26).

With the women’s cup over and the various premier leagues around the globe getting in exhibition matches before the upcoming grueling 9-month slate, there is a lull on the pitch — unless you are into reading about every transfer rumor like I am.

For much of the rest of America, however, all eyes are either on the MLB season (and its own trade deadline less than two weeks away), and the beginning of NFL training camps.

Green Bay players begin reporting for camp July 22, and preseason games begin just 17 days later.

How will Aaron Rodgers and new coach Matt LaFleur get along? Will any of the free agents the Packers signed make a splash? Which rookies will step into starting roles? Who will carry the ball at running back?

These and 1,000 other questions are dogging the league’s most storied program. Just a year ago the discussion was about whether Rodgers would be able to snag that second Lombardi Trophy to solidify his place in history. Instead, an inept head coach who was going through the motions and Rodgers, who has his own issues (though not really on the field, where he is closer to a demigod than a mortal), found themselves out of the playoff chase for the second season in a row.

Fans of the rest of the league will remember the 2018-19 season as the one where the refs blew major calls late in the playoffs and that Tom Brady won his sixth ring. Neither of those things made anyone outside of Boston happy.

But in the end, next week a new season begins in the NFL. At the same time college football will be back. Who will be the Badgers’ starting QB? (Give me heralded freshman Graham Mertz). Will Jonathan Taylor run for 2,000 yards? Maybe break Barry Sanders’ record of 2,628? Will he win the Heismann?

Will the Badgers be able to break out of the Big Ten West again, and could there be a chance at another Rose Bowl or a national playoff run?

And will someone other than Alabama or Clemson please win the National Title?

— Adam Krebs is a reporter for the Times and would like to remind you that when you say “Wisconsin,” you’ve said it all. He can be reached at akrebs@themonroetimes.net.