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The paradox of Hope Solo (and some news on the U.S. women’s team goalkeeper)

ESPN The Magazine's "NEXT" Event

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 03: Soccer player Hope Solo attends ESPN The Magazine’s “NEXT” Event on February 3, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Robin Marchant/Getty Images for ESPN)

Getty Images for ESPN

If U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo wants to be the shy and retiring type, heaven help her find the way. No problems here.

And if Hope Solo wants to be outspoken, dominating the public podium when things need to be said or sometimes permitting her dancing feet to do teh talking? Yeah, I got no problem with that either.

But that seems to be the paradox of Solo, who soon will be in U.S. camp, prepping along with America’s fellow best for a run at London Olympic gold: She seems to go a lot of different directions at once.

Solo says she enjoys private time, acquiescing to her shy side, generally preferring her hotel room on road trips, enjoying the company of a good book. She knows that isn’t the best way to endear herself to teammates.

I say, “Fair enough.”

But it’s hard to square “shy and retiring” when she’s Dancing with the Stars, doing the quickstep, the samba and the jive with partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy in front of millions and millions.

So what gives?

Maybe the answers are here in the L.A. Times, where soccer writer Kevin Baxter profiles all sides of the U.S. goalkeeper.

And there’s some fairly substantial news there, too: Solo and San Francisco-based journalist Ann Killion have combined to write her autobiography, “Solo: A Memoir of Hope.”

Get it? Solo. Hope. ... See what they did there?

Anyway, expect it out this summer just in time for the Olympics according to Baxter and the Times.