The opening ceremonies for the 2012 Summer Olympics is next Friday, but the U.S. Women’s National Team and 11 other sides begin pursuit of gold on Wednesday. The Olympics are upon us.

Other than making me feel four years older in one moment, the Olympics represent a chance for the U.S. women to win a third consecutive gold medal. Talk to some in American soccer circles and you’d think it was a fait accompli. Others point to the growing international challenge and the setbacks of the last three World Cups to remind that nothing is inevitable. Our staff (as always) has opinions on the matter too, and here they are.

Will the USA Women win a third consecutive gold medal in London?

Robert Ziegler: I am sometimes accused of hedging my bets so let me just come out and say it. The USA will win the gold in London.

It’s not that there won’t be some stiff challenges out there. Japan, Canada, opening-match opponent France and Brazil can pose difficulties for the U.S. side, but Pia Sundhage seems to have a very good vibe going with this squad, and there is a nice mix of youth and experience on this squad. There are veterans like Abby Wambach and Carli Lloyd,and uber-bets like Shannon Boxx and Christie Rampone, plus younger stars such as Lauren Cheney and Amy Rodriguez. I think this group has too much talent and too strong a work rate to be undone. Come August 9 at Wembley Stadium, I look for gold medals to be hanging around the neck of each U.S. player.

Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan

Caroline Yort: I am an Olympic junkie.  I'll watch curling (I love to watch curling, actually) and the biathalon during the Winter Games, and everything from archery to synchronized swimming in the summer. Our family has DVR'd all the Olympic Trials (every sport), and have been watching them for the last month as a teaser for the real thing.  So I am really looking forward to the start of soccer matches next Wednesday and I agree that the U.S. will dominate. Unlike on the men's side, the women have the talent to go along with all that grit and determination, so I don't see any reason why they wouldn't win the gold medal.  The 1-0 loss to Japan at the Algarve Cup only served to fuel their fire, I think, and few teams can even score against them at this point, much less win.

J.R. Eskilson: I believed Caroline until she said the biathlon - now, I think she is just trying to show off. Not even the families of those athletes watch that competition. For the actual question, I will make it crystal clear: the U.S. Women's National Team will win gold in London. The narrative I am excited to see play out is how good this team can be while doing it. No USWNT has been perfect during Olympic (aka 6-0-0). Every team has suffered either a loss or draw while on the path to a medal. Could this be the team to do it? As Rob mentioned, there is plenty to be excited about with this group (somehow he forgot to put Alex Morgan in his reply), and the path to gold only seems to have minor speed bumps along the way. 

Travis Clark: The U.S. women won't win gold in London.

While my colleagues gush about how well the women have been doing of late, let us not forget that last year they couldn't beat Japan in the World Cup final, and truly should have lost to Brazil, if not for Abby Wambach's miracle equalizer at the death in overtime to send the game to penalties.

The rest of the world has caught up, and there is going to be plenty of motivation from France, Brazil and Japan -- look for one of those latter two nations to win the women's tournament -- to eclipse the U.S. powerhouse. There are plenty of cracks in the U.S. facade, including a suspect back line without Ali Kreiger, missing because of an ACL injury.

Sorry to rain on everyone's parade.

Caroline Yort: You're right, J.R.  I don't really watch the biathalon, though my daughter's high school cross country coach was on the US biathalon team (a long time ago).  We do watch all the others.

J.R. Eskilson: Ignore Travis. He is in a bad mood due to the weather in D.C. USA! USA! USA!

Robert Ziegler’s Final Word: Don’t you people have any work to do? Am I not assigning enough articles? We got from talking about the Women’s National Team in the Olympics to the biathlon and the weather in Washington D.C. in just a couple of emails. Focus, people. Focus.

That reminds me, if you listen to the podcast today you can hear me singing the Olympic theme song. It is epic. As for the Games themselves, the girls in my house will insist I watch women’s gymnastics and synchronized swimming with them. Sometimes you have to take one for the team as a dad (although it was pretty cool back in ’96 when that girl landed on her head on the balance beam).

GO USA indeed.

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