Extended one-on-one interview with Megan Rapinoe

Megan. Thank you so much for joining me here. I really appreciate it. Uh This is obviously a weekend all about you and the legacy that you've built here. What does it mean when you think about the fact that your jersey will be retired with this team? Um, it's, it's honestly a bit surreal. Um, it's hard to really, like, totally grasp, I think all of what it means. Um, I mean, I think everybody knows how much I loved playing here and how much I care about the club and the relationships that I have here. Um, so it really just like means the world. I'm like, you know, a little, uh, at a loss for words, I think at times, um, because it is such a, a special honor, especially in sports. Um, you know, being able to be there for sue last year, having her jersey, um, you know, lifted up into the rafters and, um, knowing how special that was for her. Um, yeah, it's funny to like, be in this position, having it, um, happen to me, but it's something that is, is really special and, um, you know, all my family is gonna be here and to be able to kind of share that moment and really kind of finally put a, a bow on, uh, a career that I'm, you know, just so proud of. And, um, so thankful for is, is really special. You got to play the role of support system last year. She'll get to play that role. Now, does she have any advice for you after she went through that last year? Yeah, I was actually, um, talking to her about it this morning because it is kind of overwhelming. I'm like, not, I, I'm obviously not uncomfortable being in the spotlight and being the center of attention, but when I'm like, sort of like, you know, planning it in a part of the planning, um, or it's, you know, it's not really contrived in the negative sense but, um, it does feel uncomfortable and she was like, just, just soak it all in, you know, like, really enjoy it, enjoy every moment, um, be as present as possible and just try to, um, take all those little snapshots, snapshots. Like this is never gonna happen again and it's something that doesn't happen to everyone and everybody doesn't have this privilege. So, just really try to, like, be in the moment, enjoy it and, um, you know, kind of like, feel all the love. It certainly doesn't happen to everyone. In fact, you are the first person to ever have her Jersey retired for this organization. Only the fourth in the NWSL. What does that mean to you? Probably that I'm old. Uh, 1st, 1st of all, first in the, in the club probably just means I'm, uh, I'm one of the older ones. Uh, I know that, uh, three and 10 will be following me very quickly. Um, but it, it is very special, obviously the league, um, you know, only being around for a short amount of time, um, going into its 12th or 13th year now. Um to be one of, um, you know, kind of the, the og members of the whole league and certainly this club and to be able to have made that kind of impact, um, in my time here is, um, really special to be recognized in this way. I know there'll be a lot of other greats that, you know, follow and, and have their jerseys in the rafters as well. Um But I'll be one of the first, so that's kind of nice. Most will think about your accomplishments on the international stage when they think about your Mega Rapino legacy. But what are you most proud of on the pitch here in Seattle? I mean, we did a lot of winning. Um, you know, I, I know there's one thing that, you know, still, uh eludes the club and, and we'll keep fighting for that, but we did a lot of winning here. Um We did a lot of playing really nice. We did a lot of um growing and battling and playing, I feel like a really entertaining style. I know for me personally, um I think people will think of the international stuff first, but like this is, this is why you got the international stage, Megan um is because I had this place to grow and to learn and to make mistakes and to hone my game and um you know, be coached by one of the best coaches in the world, in my opinion. And Laura Harvey, obviously, I had Vla Roosky for two years as well. Um I feel really lucky to have been able to have this place, be my home in a safe place and a place where, um I really got to grow up both on the field and off. So to me, this is like the, the, the most important part of it all because this was more of my day to day in a place where I feel like I really like matured into the player and the person that I was, what are you most proud of off the pitch? Oh, I think just knowing that the game is in such a better place and that I was, you know, one of, uh many people to have a really big part in that. Um I think my generation of players both on the international level and in the NWSL, um, like change things forever, whether that's equal pay or general standards in the league, obviously, we just saw um a, a new, you know, pretty groundbreaking CB A by the NWCL players, um you know, a, a reckoning of, of abuse um in the league that the players really took on themselves and, and changed it forever and now the league is in such a better place. Um and just international football in general. Um I feel like in the women's game and women's sports in general is just at like an amazing place. And I do feel like I had a, a huge part in that along with, you know, a lot of other people during my time. So I think for me that's what's most important and most special to me is, you know, going and getting to watch these players, like, make more money and play in great stadiums and have practice facilities and be able to, you know, play at a level that we weren't really ever able to. Um I think that's really special and just knowing that, you know, no matter what, nobody can ever take that away from us, we left this, this game in a much better place than we found it on that same vein. Do you also feel like you left the game in a safer place for the LGBT Q community? Oh, undoubtedly. Yeah, I mean, when I came out in 2012, um, well, the Nwl hadn't even started yet so there wasn't a league but I was the only, you know, the only out player on the national team, I was obviously, I wasn't the only gay player, but the only out player on the national team. And, uh, that's very different now where, you know, whether it's pride games or, you know, trans flags always flying in the stands, trans players playing, um, just the level of openness and, um, you know, candor and safe space that I think, you know, especially here in Seattle, we were always very proud of that and made that a point in our locker room that was a very like front facing sort of um ethos of ours. Um And I think just the, the visibility um and, and being able to present, you know, a sort of different view than maybe people had seen before and I look out in the stands and there's always pink and purple hair and, um, you know, I just feel like people being able to see an example of someone who's just unapologetically living who they are. Um, you know, and there, and there's certainly others in, in my time that did the same. But, um that's something that I'm, I'm very, very proud of. I think when you get to your level of fame and your level of um of who you are, I think people like to try to write your story and write your legacy. Um How would you like to write your story of your time here and write your legacy? Oh, I don't know. I mean, I think Legacy writing is for other people. Um I know for me that I, I left it quite literally all out there. Um I loved every minute that I got to play here. Um I love that I stayed with this club the whole time and um was able to finish my career here. Um I feel like I played a really fun and entertaining style. Um I tried to enjoy every moment I tried to, you know, use whatever levers and platform that I had to, you know, again, leave the, leave the game in a better place and to show up and be really proud about being gay and being who I was. Um I think that's what I'm most proud of and what I think, you know, I see kind of like reflected back to me. Um Of course, other people have, you know, their thoughts on things and um that's, that's great. But I know for me, um I'm happy and I'm proud of the time that I had here and um what I was able to do on and off the field and relationships that I made and I feel like such a, a sense of gratitude of being able to go out the way that I wanted and go out on my own terms and be able to um you know, yeah, just give it literally everything and um left it all out there and hobbled off. Can you do me a quick favor and look behind you and just look at that, that stuff that's on there when you see that. Obviously, that's a representation of what the fans will be, you know, wearing sporting and stuff like that. That just means that you have that many fans that care about you, that you've created something really special here. We got a message you have to the fans of Seattle. Well, first of all, it's pretty stylish. So I'm, I'm proud of that because, and they know they had to make something stylish because that's important to me. Uh You know, the I I it is really special, obviously being able to play here for so long and just seeing the way that the, the team has grown and the club has grown and the fan base has grown and obviously we're um still very much in the middle of that and, and have so much more room to grow. But um I've always really loved playing here and felt really appreciated and seen, I think that was the, I think the most important part for me. Um You know, I, I feel like we had a very loyal fan base and always showing up no matter what, even when we were bad and trash and when we were good and scoring goals and, and all of it, um you know, they've been here since the days we were at memorial. So it's really special, you know, to be able to see, uh, you know, the purple, there's a little purple or pink still in here, it's still there streaking in there a little bit in there somewhere. The Olympics took most of it out. But, um, you know, to, to see all the fans show up and, and hopefully, um, you know, have a great time, um, means the world to me. I know they're, you know, in part here to, to celebrate me in the career that I've had with them. Um And for them, so hopefully we can give them a good show on the field as well. Lastly, what's on the horizon for you? I know you have your podcast with your wife. Sue. What, what else is in the cards for you right now, the podcast is taking up a lot of time. So I, I definitely want to um focus on that and I feel like we're just kind of like getting our feet wet and like understanding the business of it and understanding sort of how to do it, but I feel like it's an amazing platform for us both. Um And something that I don't think really exists in, in women's sports right now, um that sort of intersection between culture and sports and politics and like, you know, all the, all the things. Um So I definitely want to spend a lot of time doing that. I feel like my other full time job is just being a fan of women's sports. Apparently I'm just like, number one fan. I love it so much. I love going to all the games. I love supporting, I love being able to, to go and just like, uh, for me it's, I, I just never take for granted how far it's come, whether I go to a Storm game or Liberty game or, you know, a Gotham game or going to the Rain games, um, seeing, you know, them at the Olympics like it, it's just, I, I just feel like I'm like a proud, you know, I'm like the proud gay antie all the time. But, um I, I just have so much like pride and joy watching it and um it's really cool to be able to see the way these players have totally just, you know, taken the reins and, you know, they'll be able to take it places. We, we never could. So I'm really interested in still being a fan and then I think just living my life, I'd like to go on more vacations and relax a little bit more and, um, you know, not have to be as busy as I was as a player. Well, you deserve it. Megger Pino. Thank you so much. Thank you, the Proud Gay. We've all, we've all needed it. Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you.