USA vs. Korea Women's Olympic Soccer: Was Hope Solo's Rant Genius or Stupid?

Hope Solo put herself back in the headlines following Team USA's win over Colombia by tweeting criticism of former player-turned-commentator Brandi Chastain.

USWNT coach Pia Sundhage had a meeting with Solo about the tweeting controversy and spoke with CBS Sports about it.

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"We had a conversation: If you look at the women's national team, what do you want [people] to see? What do you want them to hear?" Sundhage told reporters at the team hotel. "And that's where we do have a choice -- as players, coaches, staff, the way we respond to certain things."

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Brandi Chastain spoke to media in response as well:

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"I'm here to do my job, which is to be an honest and objective analyst at the Olympics,"

However, as the match against Korea draws near one has to wonder if the media explosion over the tweets will hurt the team.

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But was it a smart move by the veteran keeper?

Criticism has befallen the US defense since the World Cup in 2011. And that trend has carried over to the Olympic Games.

Solo is a lightning rod, and always has been. She has shouldered the burden well time and time again.

Could it be she diverted the attention away from the defense and put it all on her? If so, that may be a genius move.

Outspoken athletes, leaders, have done this in the past: take the attention and pressure off of their teammates and carry it on their shoulders. Solo has never let off-the-field issues distract from her performance between the posts. Her focus is extraordinary. The pitch is her sanctuary.

When she wears the crest the outside world is shut off and a clear focus is seen in her eyes. Determination may be too light of a word. Solo is the ultra-competitive, confident keeper a coach dreams about.

Even if that was not her intent of the tweets, the resulting outcome may actually be a positive for the team. Solo is the type of personality that can handle what is being said and written about her. She may have helped the defense out by putting the attention on her.

Now the backline will not be the emphasis of criticism. They can play without rabbit ears and just play, period.

It may even fire up the defense and Solo. Add more fuel to the fire and give them something to prove. The world already believes the US are the best in the world. They are the favorites. Not an easy burden to bear.

Giving a group of athletes like the USWNT something to prove may be the push they need to assert themselves as the dominant force in international women's soccer again. If they come out and shut down North Korea it could speak volumes to where their mindset is.

They have the talent. Christine Rampone, Amy LePeilbet, Kelley O'Hara, Rachel Buehler, Heather Mitts and Becky Sauerbrunn are some of the best defenders in the world. World class.

Solo never backs down. She didn't here. Maybe she is just smarter than everyone else.