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      <font size="6" color="red"><b>COMMENTARY</b></font><br>
      by Roger Le Grove Rogers 
      <hr width="175" NOSHADE align="right">
      <font face="helvetica, arial"><font face="helvetica, arial"><b><b>EMAIL 
      <a href="mailto:editor@womensoccer.com">editor@womensoccer.com</a></b></b></font></font> 
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Press Here for [<a href="#past">Past Commentaries</a>] 
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<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font size="+1" color="#990000">Article 
  Index 2008</font></b></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">August 25, 2008</font></p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-ald_25august08.html">Colin Aldis lists standings for All Four Olympic Games</a></font></p>
<p>August 22, 2008</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-jere_22aug08.html">New York Time's article by Jere Longman today, somewhat misleading and possibly embarrassing for Solo and the rest of the team</a></font></p>
<p>August 21, 2008</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-gold_21aug08.html">An Olympic Gold Cup Final that was a showpiece of the brilliance of women's international soccer</a></font></p>
<p><font color="#000000"><em>August 9, 2008</em></font></p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-mat_9august08.html">With all of todays matches decided by one goal differance this Olympic shows the maturation and growth of women's international soccer competition.worldwide.</a></font></p>
<p>July 26, 2008</p>
<p><strong><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-haz_26july08.html">I</a></font></strong><a href="comment_refs/com-haz_26july08.html"><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">t can be hazardous for your health when playing in your opponent's goal area</font></a></p>
<p>January 16, 2008</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-euro_16jan08.html">Good 
  start for new USA Head Coach Pia Sundhage, and China Head Coach Elisabeth Loisel 
  at Four Nations Tournament</a></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font size="+1" color="#990000">Article Index 2007</font></b></font></p>
<p>October 8, 2007</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-greek_8oct07.html">Greek 
  Consular office in Tbilisi stymies the Georgia Women&#8217;s U-19 National Team 
  in their attempt to play in UEFA qualifier in Sweden </a></font></p>
<p><font color="#000000" size="-1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">September 
  27, 2007</font></p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-dum_27sep07.html">The 
  dumbing down of the coaching in the Women&#8217;s National Team program by the 
  U.S. Soccer Federation </a></font></p>
<p>January 28, 2007</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-mature_28jan07.html.">Mark 
  of maturity for the women's game at 2007 China Tournament?</a></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font size="+1" color="#990000">Article Index 2005</font></b></font></p>
<p>September 3, 2005</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-gboly_3sept05.html">Good news for the women as FIFA clears the way for Great Britain Teams in the Olympics </a></font></p>
<p>July 6, 2005</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-london_6july05.html">Will the the England FA find a way to participate in the 2012 London Olympics ?</a></font></p>
<p>June 18, 2005</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-expose_18june05.html">What does it all mean?</a></font></p>
<p>June 17, 2005</p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font color="#0000FF"><a href="comment_refs/com-Italy_17june.html">Italy and the English disease </a></font></font></p>
<p>June 8, 2005</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-openuef_8june05.html">Our view of the opening matches in the 2005 UEFA Championship Final</a></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font size="+1" color="#990000">Article Index 2004</font></b></font></p>
<p>August 25, 2004</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" size="3" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="/refs/comment_refs/com-refs_25aug04.html">Referees will be playing an important part in both medal games tomorrow</a></font></p>
<p>August 19, 2004</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF"><a href="comment_refs/com-olyquart_19aug04.html">&nbsp;<font size="3" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Our view of quarter-final matches</font></a></font></p>
<p>August 16, 2004</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" size="3" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-lastfli_16aug04.html">Our view of third and last day of games in First Round </a></font></p>
<p>August 13, 2004</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" size="3" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-olysec_13aug04.html">Our view of Olympic second round matches</a></font></p>
<p>August 10, 2004</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" size="3" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-olyfirst_10aug04.html">WSW review of Olympic matches tomorrow</a></font></p>
<p>May 31, 2004</p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font color="#0000FF" size="3" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-u19cruc_31may04.html">Final matches between top four teams in CONCACAF U-19 qualifier are crucial for semi-final positions</a></font></p>
<p>March 17, 2004</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" size="3" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-xanthi_17mar04.html">Greece and Xanthi Konstantinidou are the real story of the 2004 Algarve Cup</a></font></p>
<p>January 16, 2004</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" size="3" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-blatter_16jan04.html">Has FIFA President Sepp Blatter lost his marbles?</a></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font size="+1" color="#990000">Article Index 2003</font></b></font></p>
<p>October 12, 2003</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-germswed_12ost03.html">Germany to win World Cup today?</a></font></p>
<p>October 10, 2003</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-usacan_10oct03.html">USA /Canada game for third place should be a humdinger!</a></font></p>
<p>September 30, 2003</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-wwccrit_30sep03.html">A critique of the 2003 World Cup so far</a></font></p>
<p>September 17, 2003</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><em><a href="comment_refs/com-hamm_16sep03.html">The Reluctant Superstar</a></em><a href="comment_refs/com-hamm_16sep03.html">--A must read for fans of women's soccer and Mia Hamm !</a></font></p>
<p>July 17, 2003</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-history_17july03.html">History repeats itself with opening match against Sweden</a><b> </b></font></p>
<p>June 29, 2003</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-tixadv_29june03.html">Tickets and schedule advice</a></font></p>
<p>June 15, 2003</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-watch_15june03.html">Why don't women watch women's sports?--- headline for article in today's New York Times</a></font></p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-topten_15june03.html">World Top Ten Rankings &copy; Women's Soccer World</a></font></p>
<p>May 27, 2003</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-women_27may03.html">Women of America, this is your chance to help make this a successful &quot;Grass Roots&quot; Women's World Cup</a></font></p>
<p>May 5, 2003</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-uswcc_5may03.html">Is 2003 World Cup going back to the USA?</a></font></p>
<p>April 11, 2003</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-virus_11apr03.html">Will 2003 Women's World Cup be postponed because of virus?</a></font></p>
<p>April 2, 2003</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-fiji_1april03.html">Fiji National Team denied opportunity to compete in Oceanic 2003 World Cup qualifier by Fiji FA</a></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font size="+1" color="#990000">Article Index 2002</font></b></font></p>
<p>December 16, 2002</p>
<p><font color="#000099" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="wusa_refs/wusa-salary_16dec02.html">WUSA 
  feeling a financial crunch?</a></font></p>
<p>December 10, 2002</p>
<p><font color="#000099" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-ncaatv_10dec02.html">Kristin 
  Moore is our heroine of one of the most emotional final game cliffhangers seen 
  in NCAA championship history, and TV commentators Beth Mowine and Wendy Gebauer 
  Palladino show the world how to cover the women's game</a></font></p>
<p>November 7, 2002</p>
<p><font color="#000099" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-canprep%20-7nov02.html">Mexico 
  game was perfect preparation for Canada's game against the USA</a></font></p>
<p>November 3, 2002</p>
<p><font color="#000099" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-conca2_3nov02.html">Some 
  more thoughts on the USA v Panama game</a></font></p>
<p>November 1, 2002</p>
<p><font color="#000066" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-goldcup2_31oct02.html">1. 
  Gold Cup comments </a> </font></p>
<p>October 29, 2002</p>
<p><font color="#003399" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-tvcom_29oct02.html">FoxSportsWorld 
  commentating at an all time low in 2002 Gold Cup, as poor quality TV commentators 
  continue to hurt the women's game in the United States </a></font></p>
<p><font size="-1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">If you thought that when 
  you watched Stone cover the Norway game on ESP N, and the WUSA Atlanta game 
  against Carolina on regional Fox Sport South TV, he was the most pitiful excuse 
  for a soccer commentator you have ever seen- then think again. The current TV 
  coverage of the 2002 Gold Cup is even worse than the officiating, and an uninformed 
  Hopkins with his trite babble has taken the commentating to a new low.</font></p>
<p>September 2, 2002</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="/refs/comment_refs/comm-congrats_1septo2.html">Congratulations 
  to the U.S. National Under-19 Team in becoming FIFA World Champions. Superbly 
  coached by Head Coach Tracey Leone they are worthy winners. </a></font></p>
<p>August 26, 2002</p>
<p class=MsoBodyText><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="/refs/comment_refs/comm-leung_26aug02.html">USA's 
  performance at FIFA Championship is a reminder of the first international games 
  played by a U.S. U-19 National Team that included Biefeld (Fawcett), Foudy, 
  Hamm and Lilly in 1987</a></font></p>
<p class=MsoBodyText>August 24, 2002</p>
<p class=MsoBodyText><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="/refs/comment_refs/comm-brazil2_24aug02.html">Brazil's 
  success is no surprise for readers from the 85 countries who log on to Women's 
  Soccer World </a></font></p>
<p>August 6, 2002</p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="/refs/comment-refs/comm-concacaf_6aug02.html">Men 
  to tell women officials for Gold Cup how to do it</a></font></p>
<p>April 23, 2002</p>
<p><font color="#FF0000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font color="#0000FF"><a href="comment_refs/com-pax_23apr02.html">PAXTV 
  coverage of WUSA games is not available as promised</a></font> </font></p>
<p>April 15, 2002</p>
<p><font color="#FF0000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font color="#0000FF"><a href="comment_refs/com-milbrett_15apr02.html">No 
  contest as Tiffeny Milbrett is named WUSA Player of the Week</a></font></font><br>
  <font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><br>
  </font>April 8, 2002</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-fulham_7apr02.html">Will 
  Fulham FC. and their visionary owner Mohamed Al Fayed move the English FA and 
  its professional clubs towards equality for women's soccer?</a></font></p>
<p>April 2, 2002</p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="#0000FF"><a href="comment_refs/com-wusa-2apr02.html">WUSA 
  fans in for treat this season as quality of players climbs </a></font></p>
<p>January 16, 2002</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/comm-tony_16jan02.html">WSW 
  congratulates Tony DiCicco on his move to the FIFA coaching elite- a personal 
  tribute</a></font></p>
<p>December 17, 2001</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/comm-eng_17dec01.html">The 
  &quot;English disease' persists as BBC World Television and Fox Sports World 
  (Sky Sports news) ignore the FIFA Women's Player of the Year </a></font></p>
<p><font color="#000000">November 12, 2001</font></p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">NCAA Tournament in 
  Dallas , Texas</font> <font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="#0000FF">and 
  debt to Anson Dorrance</font></p>
<p>September 12, 2001</p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font color="#3333FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/comm-letters_12september01.html">We 
  thank our many friends of women's soccer around the world for their caring letters 
  of support and sympathy sent to us in the USA following the terrorist attacks 
  yesterday.</a></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Following 
  is a selection of letters received</font></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>September 8, 2001</p>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-tiffeny_8september01.html">Some 
  thoughts from Tiffeny Milbrett</a></font></p>
<p>August 3, 2001</p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="#0000FF"><a href="comment_refs/comm-england_3august01.html">Is 
  Fulham shaking up the English women's game?</a></font></p>
<p>June 27, 2001<br>
  <font color="#FF0000"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="#0000FF"><a href="comment_refs/com-italy_27june01.html">A 
  follow up to Rimati's feature article about the lack of coverage by the Italian 
  media of Italy's National Team at the UEFA Championship 2001</a></font></font><b><br>
  </b></p>
<p>April 28, 2001<br>
  <font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-wusa_28april01.html">Lessons 
  for fans and players offered by WUSA in its first two weeks including the dominance 
  by goalkeepers.</a></font> </p>
<p>March 12, 2001<br>
  <font color="#0066FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-12mar01.html">Reaching 
  for the stars... a new route to the National Team?</a></font> </p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">February 26, 2001<br>
  <a href="comment_refs/comm-spanish_26feb01.html">Welcome to our Spanish speaking 
  readers </a></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">February 5, 2001<br>
  <a href="comment_refs/comm-voice_5feb01.html">A voice from the China National 
  Team </a></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">January 23, 2001<br>
  <a href="comment_refs/comm-export_23jan01.html">U.S. women's soccer export business 
  continues</a> </font></p>
<ul>
  <li><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <a href="comment_refs/comm-exportwsw_23jan01.html">Commentary 
    in Women Soccer World&copy; January/February 1999</a> </font></li>
</ul>
<p><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="comment_refs/com-engdis_janfeb1997.html">The 
  &quot;English Disease&quot;</a></font><a href="comment_refs/com-engdis_janfeb1997.html"><font color="#0000FF"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">_commentary1997</font></font></a></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font size="+1" color="#990000">Article 
  Index 2000</font></b></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">December 23, 2000<br>
  <b>Guest Editorial by Hank Leung</b><br>
  <a href="comment_refs/comm-leung_23dec00.html">Lack of Female Officials Doing 
  the NCAA Finals </a></font> </p>
<p><a href="comment_refs/comm-oldboy_20dec00.html"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">December 
  20, 2000<br>
  Another example of WUSA's positive effect on the "old boy" Football Federations 
  around the world </font></a></p>
<hr>
<p><b><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="+1" color="ff0000"><a name="dec10wusa"></a>The 
  past, the present and the future of women's soccer come together at inaugural 
  WUSA combine player draft</font></b> </p>
<p> 
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">What an incredible experience 
  to be present at this event as the first women's professional league becomes 
  a reality with each of the eight teams participating in the first player draft. 
  Beginning with the team games during the first few days, and culminating in 
  the player draft it was a continuous reminder of the history of the first fifteen 
  years of international soccer in the United States. <i>more</i></font> 
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> Everywhere were committed 
  women who have been part of the success of women's soccer as players, coaches, 
  administrators and organizers. Players like Kim Wyant, the goalkeeper in the 
  first ever U.S. international game in 1985, who has continued to play and work 
  in the game, Janine Szpara a goalkeeper with the National Team Pool from 1986-1991 
  who has continued to play and coach in countries like Japan, Marsha McDermott 
  a National Team Player in 1986, NCAA Division l Head Coach and now Coach of 
  the WUSA Carolina team, Lauren Gregg , National Team member in 1987, NCAA Division 
  l Head Coach, Under-21 National Team Head Coach, and Assistant U.S. National 
  Team Coach until the end of 1999, and now the WUSA Technical Director. Administrators 
  like Charlotte Moran, Pennsylvania, who has been involved since the beginning 
  with girls and women programs, and Louise Waxler, Washington D.C., whose long 
  time involvement includes the W-League and the creation of the Kicks against 
  Cancer Tournament. The players in the matches were of all ages and experience 
  and their enthusiasm added to the emotionally filled atmosphere during games 
  and the Draft, as they watched their dreams of a professional women's league 
  become a reality.</font> 
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> The pressure is now on 
  the top brass of WUSA to make sure that they appoint a top class administrator, 
  who understands the women's game completely and is given full rein. A corporate 
  type chief would indicate that they do not do realize their good fortune in 
  having this powerful, dedicated groupof women, who have brought the game this 
  far, on their team. If they lose them their huge investment will be for naught. 
  </font> 
<hr>
<p><b><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="+1" color="ff0000"><a name="dec7crow"></a>Guest 
  Commentary -THE DYNASTY CONTINUES</font></b> </p>
<p> <font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Rick Crow</font> 
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> Last weekend the North 
  Carolina women's soccer team proved to a national television audience why it 
  may be one of the greatest dynasties in sports history. Down 1-0 in both the 
  NCAA semifinal and championship matches, the Tar Heels battled brilliantly to 
  earn back-to-back 2-1 victories en route to their 16th NCAA title and 17th national 
  championship. Since taking the field in the early eighties, the Tar Heels have 
  compiled an unbelievable 487-22-11 record and outscored their opponents 2,291 
  to 232. <i>more</i><br>
  Even if you hate losing to North Carolina year after year, you have to feel 
  proud of what the Tar Heels have accomplished for women's soccer. Led by former 
  U.S. Women's National Team coach Anson Dorrance, North Carolina has put women's 
  soccer on the national map for good. Even a media dominated by editors, producers 
  and talk show hosts who hate soccer can't ignore North Carolina's accomplishments. 
  <br>
  But some people in the media still don't get it. In one of the greatest national 
  championships ever played, North Carolina battled UCLA on ESPN-2. Simultaneously, 
  sister station ESPN, a channel with a much greater national signature, televised 
  an early season women's college basketball game, which couldn't have had one-fourth 
  as many spectators as the NCAA women's soccer final. <br>
  If you don't believe that the media discriminates against women's soccer, just 
  check the sports pages and you'll see many more column inches photos devoted 
  to women's basketball. These games draw crowds that aren't much bigger than 
  those who flock to tiny university soccer facilities. But then again, if editors 
  are pressured to devote more resources to women's sports, they'll toss a bone 
  to basketball. <br>
  Despite the phenomenal growth of women's collegiate soccer, athletic departments 
  do almost nothing to promote their women's soccer programs to the general public. 
  Every state has tens of thousands of little girls playing soccer, but college 
  marketing departments that care only about football and men's basketball seem 
  blind to a huge and wealthy market that they can hardly avoid tripping over. 
  When was the last time a college marketing rep visited your state association, 
  club or league to hand out schedules and sell tickets?<br>
  Thank God for North Carolina! Yes, it would be nice if someone else took home 
  the NCAA crown for a change. But if it weren't for North Carolina, women's collegiate 
  soccer would receive about as much media coverage as the men's swim team or 
  the women's gymnastics team.</font> 
<hr>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="+1" color="ff0000"><b><a name="dec3referee"></a>Same 
  old story-UNC dominates and NCAA does not see fit to use women referees in televised 
  College Cup Final</b></font></p>
<p><b><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1" color="#000000">It seems 
  that every year WSW ask the question as to why with 650+ women's college teams 
  in the NCAA and NAIA there are so few women referees used. It is particularly 
  noticeable that even when available they are not used when matches are being 
  televised live. Who chooses the referees for televised college game? Men? A 
  wonderful opportunity to showcase women referees is missed, as well as losing 
  a chance to persuade girls and women to officiate, we need more girl and women 
  referees</font></b></p>
<hr>
<p> <b><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="+1" color="ff0000"><a name="nov11token"></a>A 
  token tour?</font></b> </p>
<p> <font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">This performance by a 
  poorly coached and prepared U.S. Team along with a pitiful attendance raises 
  many questions of the U.S. Soccer Federation. What is the purpose of this three 
  game tour? Was it a contract that couldn't be broken, or was it some sort of 
  ego statement to try and combat U.S. Soccer's waning authority? Why have a tour 
  at this time of the year in the middle of the NCAA playoffs? The fans have been 
  told that it is to honor the U.S. Team, if so why is it so badly marketed and 
  managed? </font> 
<hr>
<p> 
<p><b><a name="nov1comment"></a><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="+1" color="ff0000">WUSA 
  will continue the women's soccer movement that the incredibly successful FIFA 
  WWC '99 USA set in motion around the world&copy;<font size="2">WSW</font></font><br>
  </b><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><br>
  The foreign player selection by the WUSA teams this week remind us what an impact 
  this first professional women's league will have on the world of women's soccer.</font> 
</p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> With eight teams and this 
  level of players we will be seeing soccer played at the level of the top five 
  teams in the world by all eight squads, as opposed to the varying levels seen 
  in the Olympics and even the World Cup. We are going to be treated to some of 
  the best soccer in the world</font>. 
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> On the positive side it 
  will help continue the continuing improvement in the quality of the women's 
  game, although on the negative side it will tend to mostly improve the quality 
  of the National Teams with players in WUSA teams with the accompanying risk 
  of further emphasizing the gap between the top ten teams in the world and the 
  rest. As the league expands this could change as the foreign player pool becomes 
  more diversified.</font> 
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> Our belief is that the 
  greatest benefit will be the pressure that the publicity and presence of WUSA 
  will put on soccer federations worldwide to support and finance their women's 
  programs equally with the men's. Last year at the Women's World Cup'99 the FIFA 
  President announced that FIFA would be sending a million dollars to each of 
  its member federations. It is obvious, from the letters from women in over 50 
  countries that WSW has received in the last six years, that the women's programs 
  have in most countries not received a fair share of that money and many get 
  no financial support. Yet much of the money collected by federations and FIFA 
  come from women's involvement in the game.</font> 
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> We have already seen some 
  results that the formation of WUSA has had on UEFA, who after years of stalling 
  will be holding the first UEFA Club Championship for women. Yet they are demanding 
  that the final host team for the championship must make sure that it is financially 
  supported. Conditions that were never made in the developmental days of the 
  men's game. The amount of money and publicity that is freely given to support 
  the men's game makes a mockery of any pretense of women's equality in UEFA. 
  Just look at their printed monthly newspaper and add up the space given to the 
  women's game in Europe. Often not more than four or five short lines. Their 
  edition following the Women's World Cup last year did put in a small paragraph.</font> 
<hr>
<p> 
<p> 
<p><b><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="+1" color="ff0000"><a name="oct11level"></a>Taking 
  the U.S. Women's National Team to another level ?</font></b> </p>
<p> <font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">When the U.S. Soccer Federation 
  dismantled the women's national team coaching program after their World Cup 
  success last year there was a variety of reactions in the USA and the rest of 
  the world. </font> 
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> Amazement by most, that 
  this would be the response to a coaching staff responsible for creating a national 
  team that dominated the international scene in such a short time, and in a manner 
  that no men's national team in the USA could ever match.</font> 
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> Coaches of top national 
  teams expressed some relief that they would no longer be competing as coaches 
  against this intelligent and competent coaching staff who had set new standards 
  for the international women's game.</font> 
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> Many women in soccer and 
  sports regarded it as the usual reaction, by control freaks in testosterone 
  filled male dominated sport's federations around the world, to success by female 
  athletes. In this case a group of exceptionally gifted athletes who had decided 
  that two World Cups and an Olympic Gold Medal plus their success in placing 
  women's soccer into the fabric of American everyday living justified being treated 
  equal to men. Imagine how the members of the U.S. Men's National Team would 
  react, and what their demands would be if they won <b>one</b> World Cup.</font> 
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> Some of the more paranoid 
  felt that the disassembling of the coaching staff was a way of putting down 
  some naughty girls who had forgotten their place in the sporting hierarchy, 
  and that women's soccer had got out of hand and run amuck. It was even suggested 
  that they needed bringing down a peg or two to be closer to the quality of the 
  men's game, for if they wanted equality with the men they should play at their 
  level. This last thought was inadvertently given some credence when U.S. Soccer 
  's Head Coach Heinrichs talked about "taking the team to a new level "at her 
  first press conference.</font> 
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> In spite of the debacle 
  that started the year when almost the entire team was filled with new players 
  in their match against Norway, in what must have been a moment of sheer madness, 
  or an order sent down from the U.S. Soccer hierarchy or both, we all felt that 
  it was only fair to wait until after the Olympics before offering an opinion.</font> 
<p> <br>
<p> <b><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="+1" color="ff0000">2000 
  Olympic review ...an opinion</font></b><br>
  <br>
  <font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">The recent Olympic results 
  show what happens when you replace an experienced national team coaching staff 
  with a group of coaches with negligible international coaching experience and, 
  except for Head Coach Heinrichs, no major accomplishments at even college level.</font> 
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> Both the USA and China 
  looked physically and mentally tired coming into this tournament, and no wonder 
  considering the continuous world wide travelling their Federations had put them 
  through the last twelve months. Conversely Germany, a team destined for more 
  success, lacked the edge of play needed at this level because of the absence 
  of any real international travel and meaningful competition in their preparation. 
  Norway looked the most ready and you could almost see their very competent Head 
  Coach Per-Mathias H&oslash;gmo rubbing his hands with glee after watching the 
  drop in the quality of the international match preparation for the USA this 
  year. It gave his new and younger players the belief that this U.S. Team could 
  be beaten.</font> 
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> Brazil still appear to 
  have a problem with fitness in spite of their pre-Olympic claim in the United 
  States that they were much fitter than before. They did not show the cohesiveness 
  in their team play that we all admired in previous tournaments.</font> 
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> Nigeria and Australia 
  are still only on the verge of breaking into the top ten of the world. Nigeria 
  was still very physically threatening but had little organization and no defense. 
  When they meet strict, competent officiating as they did at the 99' World Cup 
  they are no match for the top teams. They were lucky to qualify and with the 
  rapid improvement of teams such as Russia they are unlikely to be seen at the 
  next Olympics.</font> <font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Unfortunately 
  the circumstances and lack of proper support and organization of the women's 
  program in Nigeria bodes ill for improvement.</font> 
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> Australia's improved performance 
  should be more apparent in the next few years. With such a solid program they 
  will have no trouble staying in the top ten.</font> 
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> Compared to the World 
  Cup the overall quality of play was lower and the competition should have been 
  no match for the USA. There appeared to be no clear plan against the teams faced, 
  and while it would be difficult to match the level of pre-game analysis that 
  DiCicco and Gregg excelled at, it seemed that no one had done a competent job 
  of scouting or tape reviewing. If they had there was no evidence of its use 
  during the matches. </font> 
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> The reluctance to substitute 
  more than one player during crucial matches (was there a mention of the English 
  Marines in one of the coaches biography?), the staying with a 4-4-2 (has a command 
  from that other English trained coach crept in here?), leaving one of the best 
  players , Parlow, on the bench and substituting her late in the games (you mean 
  that there is a rumor that UNC is out of favor and west coast is in?).</font> 
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> When she was corralled 
  into taking the job by U.S. Soccer who had got themselves into a corner with 
  their shenanigans, Head Coach April Heinrichs was honest and said that she had 
  not applied for the position because she had not felt that she was ready. She 
  knew that it would be a tough job, and now it will become even more difficult 
  for her unless she can find a better level of coaching support, because we did 
  not see any of the toughness or command we had seen in her as a player. The 
  U.S. now looks vulnerable and perhaps that is good for the game in countries 
  trying to improve their women's programs.</font> 
<p> <font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><br>
  <i>Next commentary will be about the officiating</i></font> 
<hr>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><br>
  </font> 
<p> <font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><br>
  </font><br>
<p><b><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="+1" color="ff0000"><a name="sept20nbc"></a></font><i><font size="-1">September 
  20 , 2000</font></i><br>
  <font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="+1" color="ff0000">NBC poor 
  coverage is frustrating and insulting</font></b> </p>
<blockquote> 
  <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Thousands of fans wrote 
    to us and NBC about their complete lack of coverage of women's soccer before 
    and during the Olympics '96. Unfortunately NBC refused to acknowledge their 
    complaints. Like Oliver Twist those same Americans are not satisfied with 
    the mere pittance of taped delayed women's soccer now offered by NBC, they 
    all have the same request "we want more and we want it live." NBC has again 
    made major errors of judgement about theiir Olympic coverage and this time 
    it is not just women's soccer that has been been short changed. The fans have 
    given up writing to them this time,, and are expressing themselves by refusing 
    to watch. In 1996 WSW was told by NBC that their marketing consultants had 
    told them that nobody watched women's soccer on television in the United States, 
    it seems they are trying to make certain that is true for these Olympics. 
    </font> </p>
  <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> Presumably that same 
    group advised them this time that the fans would only watch women's soccer 
    if it was presented as a packaged sitcom with plenty of commercial breaks. 
    In addition our worst fears (see our commentary last month) have been realized 
    with the incredibly bad performance by an uniformed Cantor ( a relation of 
    Eddie?). As far as we can tell he was hired because of his ability to irritate 
    with his ridiculous and overused gimmick of hysterically screaming "gooooooal 
    " ad nauseum. NBC is fortunate that Amy Allman is there to save him. At times 
    even her patience seems strained as he makes another of his several asinine 
    remarks. You can almost guess what she is thinking. Her soccer knowledge and 
    intelligence saves him and the show from being a complete disaster. </font> 
  </p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<p><b><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="+1" color="ff0000">Three 
  items of interest today</font></b> 
<blockquote> 
  <p> <font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">What a wonderful idea 
    to honor past and present Australian women athletes by having them participate 
    in the lighting of the Olympic Flame. So many Sports Federations in the United 
    States including U.S. Soccer tend to honor the people that contributed their 
    time and talents in their sport in word only and not by deed. </font></p>
  <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> The September issue 
    of the Archives of Pediatric &;Adolescent Medicine contains the results of 
    a survey led by Russell R. Pate, a Professor of Exercise Science at the University 
    of South Carolina School of Public Health, of more than 14,000 teenagers. 
    They found that those who took part in team sports were less likely to use 
    drugs, smoke, have sex, carry weapons, or have unhealthy eating habits. </font></p>
  <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> American Nancy Johnson 
    won the first gold medal awarded in the Sydney games. On Saturday she won 
    the 10-meter air rifle competition </font></p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<p><br>
<p><b><a name="aug24akers"></a><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="+1" color="ff0000">WSW's 
  Most Valuable Player of World Cup '99 </font><br>
  <i><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">&copy; Women's Soccer 
  World Magazine Special World Cup Edition 1999</font></i></b></p>
<blockquote> 
  <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="+1"><b>We shall miss her</b> 
    </font></p>
  <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> There are always elite 
    athletes who perform at the top level of their sport but only a few - like 
    Gretsky in ice hockey - are blessed with the presence to dominate and influence 
    the game. The first fifteen years of women's international soccer in the U.S. 
    has already produced two such giants of their sport who have both in their 
    own ways dominated the two World Championships won by the USA during that 
    period.</font> </p>
  <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> For five years April 
    Heinrichs was the driving force behind the development of a national team 
    whose determination, courage and commitment would help overcome its lack of 
    international experience to win the first ever Women's World Cup in 1991. 
    In that same World Cup we saw the emergence of the player who would win the 
    FIFA Golden Boot for the most goals scored and go on to accept the National 
    Team mantle from Heinrichs, whose influence has moved into the coaching arena. 
    Michelle Akers's presence dominated the stadium every time she stepped on 
    the field in World Cup '99, and we saw her demonstrate that same strength 
    of purpose and ability to lead her fellow players when the going got tough.</font> 
  </p>
</blockquote>
<p><b><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="+1" color="ff0000"><a name="aug24com"></a>NBC 
  still does not get it...better get your e-mails ready</font></b></p>
<blockquote> 
  <p> <font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">If the media release 
    put out by NBC is correct it seems that there will be no guaranteed complete 
    coverage of U.S. women's soccer at these Olympics except in the opening game 
    which will not be live. The U.S. Olympic Soccer Team meets Norway on September, 
    14, 2000, the day before the opening ceremonies, and it will be televised 
    via tape delay in the 6:30-9 p.m. (ET) time slot on MSNBC. According to NBC 
    the rest of the first round games will be covered via <b>partial</b> game 
    <b>segments </b>as part of regular Olympic coverage on MSNBC.............more</font> 
  </p>
  <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> The quarterfinals and 
    semifinals will be divided among the three networks of the NBC family, with 
    the Women's Semifinal being shown as part of Olympic coverage on NBC on September, 
    24th and the Final as part of regular Olympic coverage on MSNBC. </font> </p>
  <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"> Other bad news and further 
    evidence of NBC's poor attitude to the women's game is that veteran Univision 
    and current Telemundo broadcaster Andres Cantor will be handling the play-by-play 
    of all women's soccer broadcasts (In 15 years WSW has yet to see him at or 
    covering a women's international game). Fortunately for the fans he will be 
    joined by a real expert in women's soccer former U.S. Women's National Team 
    goalkeeper Amy Allmann.</font> </p>
</blockquote>
<p><br>
<p><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="+1" color="ff0000"><a name="aug2u21"></a></font></b></font><i><font size="-1">August 
  2, 2000</font></i><br>
  <font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="ff0000">The U.S.Under-21 National 
  Team performance these last years are the result of strong girls' programs across 
  the USA that are the envy of the world</font></b> </p>
<blockquote> 
  <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">The interview, in last 
    Sundays' Sports section of the New York Times,with the Iranian soccer star 
    Khodadad Azizi was of great interest to WSW because of our correspondence 
    through the last two years with women in Iran who are trying hard to secure 
    the growth of women's soccer in their country. When Azizi, who has signed 
    with the MLS San Jose Earthquakes, was asked for his impression of the popularity 
    of women's soccer in the United States he said that he had seen some of the 
    U.S. Team's games and that they deserved to be the number one team in the 
    world. He went on to say that &quot;you can tell that you have better youth 
    programs here than anywhere else in the world.&quot; </font></p>
  <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">We would like to clarify 
    the Time's preceding statement&quot; that they have heard that women in Iran 
    are not permitted to attend soccer games.&quot; Women have been allowed to 
    watch soccer games but have been confined to a special women only section. 
    The famous time that they broke that rule ( reported here at WSW) was when 
    their Men's National Team arrived home from Australia having qualified for 
    the World Cup. Thousands of women turned up at the stadium for the welcoming 
    appearance of the team and broke through the barriers set up to separate them 
    from the men..When the Iranian religous leader was asked what he would do 
    about it, he is reputed to have shrugged his shoulders and replied&quot; That's 
    football.&quot;</font></p>
</blockquote>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="+1" color="ff0000"><a name="jul26poor"></a></font></b></font><i><font size="-1">July 
  26, 2000</font></i><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="+1" color="ff0000"><br>
  Poor performance by the DFB</font></b></font></p>
<blockquote> 
  <p><font size="-1">Not only were the game results bad for host team Germany 
    at the DFB Jubilee Tournament, but the low attendance at the matches was somewhat 
    of an embarrassment according to many of the supporters present. The apparent 
    failure of the DFB to promote the women's games properly was made worst by 
    the inflated official attendance figures announced. WSW has learned from several 
    unrelated sources present at the matches that the actual attendance was little 
    more than half of the figures released (and used by WSW).</font></p>
  <p><font size="-1">In the last years we have seen disappointing performances 
    by a well trained and skilled German Team and it leads one to believe that 
    a basic philosophical error may be part of the problem. The German National 
    Team does not schedule or play many of the top teams in the World as part 
    of its preparation for the Olympics or the World Cup. The league always seems 
    to come first, as it did last year when Germany arrived a week before the 
    WWCup '99. As fine a league as it has been in the past, and as valuable as 
    it has been for keeping their players match fit it does not compare now with 
    the level of play exhibited by the top teams in the world. It is never been 
    helpful when preparing for the top international tournaments to be playing 
    weak opponents.</font></p>
</blockquote>
<p><a name="Jul9bri"></a> 
<p><font size="-1"><i>July 9, 2000</i></font> <br>
  <font color="#FF3300" size="+1" face="helvetica,arial"><b>Welcome back Brianna</b></font><br>
<p> 
<blockquote><font size="-1"> After Heinrichs was recently quoted as saying that 
  Siri Mullinix had earned the starting keeper position in the team after ten 
  shutouts I thought that it was probably an out of context quote, but then maybe 
  it was to give Brianna a little push. I am sure that Heinrichs remembers that 
  the tough mental strength of Mary Harvey in goal was one of the reasons that 
  the USA won the First FIFA World Cup in 1991, and that no amount of skill and 
  athletic ability in a keeper can equal the mental strengths of a seasoned goalkeeper 
  in the pressure cooker occasions of World Cups or Olympic Games. What a tough 
  job ahead for Head Coach Heinrichs.. having to make choices from the fantastic 
  number of talented players in the USA. Any one of the top 50 players seen in 
  the National Teams' training camps (U-18, U-21 and Senior) this past twelve 
  months would make the women's national teams in most of the other countries 
  participating in international competition. </font></blockquote>
<p><a name="Jun21mex"></a> 
<p><font size="-1"><i>June 21, 2000</i></font> <br>
  <font color="#FF3300" size="+1" face="helvetica,arial"><b>Do Mexican men feel 
  threatened by women's soccer?</b></font><br>
<p> 
<blockquote><font size="-1"> The shameful lack of support shown by the Mexican 
  Soccer Federation (Federacion Mexicana de Futbol Asociacion) for their Women's 
  National Team players confirms their reputed chauvinistic attitude to women's 
  soccer. It has been reported that each of the players will receive $25.00 per 
  day as opposed to their men's daily $100.00, and that they have only one uniform, 
  and one set of pants which are men's size so they look too big for them. They 
  have no training uniforms. </font> 
  <p><font size="-1"><b>Mexican women not alone...New Zealand has the same approach</b> 
    </font> 
  <p><font size="-1"> WSW has learned that the situation in New Zealand is similar 
    to Mexico. </font> 
  <p><font size="-1">They do not receive any money while on tour or in training 
    camps despite the fact that most of the players have to take time off their 
    full-time jobs at their own cost. If they are unable to attend a training 
    camp due to lack of funds they jeopardize their position in the squad. The 
    players are given fitness programs to follow but are expected to fund gym 
    memberships etc themselves. Although the national teams secured sponsorship 
    from Adidas for strips etc, the women were allowed to keep just one playing 
    shirt out of their entire kit from their US/ Europe tour of 1998. The men 
    however seem to have far more equipment. This does not appear to be the doing 
    of Adidas but more the NZ soccer administrators. </font> 
  <p><font size="-1">These types of things are common and may seem to be petty 
    things but they do illustrate the lack of respect for the women's national 
    side and therefore the women's game. <br>
    <img src="../gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" border="0"> <a href="fans_speak-2.html#jul1mex">I 
    Am Ashamed</a> <br>
    <img src="../gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" border="0"> <a href="fans_speak-2.html#jun26mex">This 
    Has Got To Change</a> <br>
    <img src="../gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" border="0"> <a href="fans_speak-2.html#jun23mex"> 
    Sadly your story on Mexican Women's soccer is true</a> <br>
    </font> 
</blockquote>
<p><a name="may29conca"></a> 
<p><font size="-1"><i>May 29, 2000</i></font> <br>
  <font color="#FF3300" size="+1" face="helvetica,arial"><b>Kudos to Football 
  Confederation's (CONCACAF) moral and financial support for the women's game</b></font><br>
<p> 
<blockquote><font size="-1"> It is encouraging that the Football Confederation 
  is sending a message to its member Federations by awarding the men and women 
  playing in the Gold Cup equal prize money. It should not be surprising that 
  they would be a leader by example. Unlike some of their federations who have 
  to be cajoled and threatened by their women players before any financial equality 
  is given, it is probably not well known that Football Confederation General 
  Secretary Chuck Blazer was a driving force in arranging the U.S. National Team's 
  entry into the international arena in 1985. He was instrumental in obtaining 
  the first trip to a tournament in Jesolo, Italy to play Italy, England and Denmark, 
  and was the Head of Delegation for that historic event. </font> 
  <p><font size="-1">It is nice that he has not forgotten his roots.</font> 
</blockquote>
<p><a name="may23mls"></a> 
<p><font size="-1"><i>May 23, 2000</i></font> <br>
  <font color="#FF3300" size="+1" face="helvetica,arial"><b>WUSA RULES!</b></font><br>
<p> 
<blockquote><font size="-1"> A professional league for women that promises to 
  be the flagship league of the millennium is now more than a dream. The announcement 
  today that the MLS has opted not to file an application with U.S. Soccer to 
  operate a women's professional league is good for soccer. </font> 
  <p><font size="-1">The much needed league for international level players in 
    the United States will also help keep pressure on the Federations in the rest 
    of the world. They have shown little encouragement and none of the millions 
    of dollars received from FIFA (announced at the FIFA Women's Symposium during 
    the '99 World Cup) to their own soccer programs for women and girls. </font> 
  <p><font size="-1">This league has the advantage of immediately playing at a 
    level of women's soccer not presently seen anywhere else in the world, since 
    in addition to the many talented players in the USA we have received inquiries 
    from members of the top ranked National teams in the world about playing in 
    WUSA. <br>
    <img src="../gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" hspace="5"><a href="wusa_news.html#may23mls"> 
    WUSA will operate the Division 1 Women's Professional Outdoor Soccer League 
    in the United States as MLS opts not to file an application </a></font> 
</blockquote>
<p><a name="may17mls"></a> 
<p><font size="-1"><i>May 17, 2000</i></font> <br>
  <font color="#FF3300" size="+1" face="helvetica,arial"><b>A Wasted Opportunity 
  For MLS</b></font><br>
  <i>By Rick Crow</i> 
<p> 
<blockquote><font size="-1"> On Saturday, May 13, Major League Soccer was presented 
  with a golden opportunity to show the local and national soccer communities 
  why it deserves to operate the country's women's professional league that will 
  take the field next year. </font> 
  <p><font size="-1">In a unique, men's-women's doubleheader at RFK Stadium, the 
    Maryland Pride faced the Delaware Genies in a W-League showdown at 5:00 p.m., 
    followed by a D.C. United-New England Revolution clash at 8:00 p.m. </font> 
  <p><font size="-1">Unfortunately, instead of proving that one organization can 
    run two separate leagues, the doubleheader merely confirmed why MLS and D.C. 
    United have no business getting involved in women's soccer. </font> 
  <p><font size="-1">Despite a violent thunderstorm that fell between games, 18,493 
    attended the men's match, while less than 300 showed up to see the Pride, 
    who kicked off well before the clouds rolled in. </font> 
  <p><font size="-1">Although D.C. United and Pride officials met months ago to 
    set aside the date and coordinate game-day operations, D.C. United did practically 
    nothing to promote the women's part of the doubleheader. The D.C. United communications 
    staff put a short blurb in the May 13 game notes, but not a single advance 
    press release was sent to the media promoting D.C. United's or Major League 
    Soccer's involvement in the doubleheader. </font> 
  <p><font size="-1">Many fans who purchased advanced tickets for the D.C. United 
    game claimed that neither TicketMaster, nor D.C. United group sales representatives 
    had told them about the Pride match. Other fans didn't know even know that 
    the Maryland Pride is an elite women's soccer team, which includes many former 
    national team players and has advanced to five national championship tournaments. 
    </font> 
  <p><font size="-1">After Maryland defeated Delaware 2-0, dozens of youth players 
    leaned over the railing requesting autographs, but Pride players were hustled 
    off the field. Although some Maryland players managed to stay and chat with 
    their fans for a few minutes, ushers could be heard telling the young girls 
    that if they didn't have tickets for the lower sections, they would have to 
    move out of the area. </font> 
  <p><font size="-1">Just as it appeared that D.C. United and Major League Soccer 
    had completed their public relations disaster, along came the bizarre clincher. 
    After the men's game, D.C. United general manager Kevin Payne came out of 
    nowhere to hunt down a reporter and chastise him for "misleading the public" 
    by comparing Kristine Lilly's all-time record of 200 international appearances 
    with Lothar Matthaus' men's record of 145. Any serious soccer fan will agree 
    that Matthaus' accomplishment is truly monumental, but it's hard to believe 
    that a league, which hopes to become the vanguard for elite women's soccer, 
    can afford to trivialize Lilly's feat. Despite MLS claims that it can run 
    two separate leagues to the detriment of neither, the men's league appears 
    to have few people in its Washington franchise who embrace this concept. Over 
    the years, MLS has developed a great product, which has given a huge boost 
    to the men's national team program. But unless a major re-education campaign 
    is successful in the men's league, both MLS and WUSA should stick to their 
    core competencies and focus exclusively on what they do best. </font> 
  <p><font size="-1">Responses:<br>
    <img src="../gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" align="left"><a href="fans_speak.html#may26crow"> 
    MLS and Women's Soccer </a> <br>
    <img src="../gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" align="left"> <a href="fans_speak.html#may21crow"> 
    Crow's experience with MLS is no surprise </a> </font> 
</blockquote>
<p><a name="apr28carib"></a> 
<p><font size="-1"><i>April 28, 2000</i></font> <br>
  <font color="#FF3300" size="+1" face="helvetica,arial"><b>Progress in the Caribbean</b></font> 
<p> 
<blockquote><font size="-1">The first-ever full international for the Bermuda 
  Women's National Team opened the inaugural Caribbean Football Union Women's 
  Championship. Bermuda defeated Bahamas 3:0 on April 23, 2000 at the National 
  Centre in Hamilton in the preliminary round. </font> 
  <p><font size="-1">This is a major step for the Caribbean who have not been 
    properly supportive of the women's game in the past according to the women 
    WSW talked to at the 2nd. FIFA Women's Football Symposium held in Los Angeles 
    during the World Cup '99. Only about a third of the representatives from the 
    70 countries attending were women and some countries have since written to 
    WSW to complain that the men who represented their federation did not make 
    any information about the meeting public. </font> 
  <p><font size="-1">Bermuda Football Association general secretary David Sabir 
    is quoted by the Bermuda Sun as saying "We are delighted for our ladies. They 
    have asked for a level of international commitments that could rival the men's. 
    We know that is not always possible because the opportunity to do such is 
    not always readily available." </font> 
  <p><font size="-1">His last sentence is of course a bit of double talk, because 
    with the money that FIFA promised to its Federations around the world ($1 
    million each) for soccer development there should now be in place a comprehensive 
    girls and women's programs in every country. Women from many nations at the 
    conference expressed their concern to President Blatter that the women's game 
    would receive little of that money in their countries and asked that FIFA 
    designate part of it for programs for girls and women, but they were told 
    that they should lobby their own federations for a fair share of it. A remark 
    that was received with amusement, scorn and an understanding born of their 
    own experience that the "Old Boys' Club" was still rather strong in all of 
    the Confederations of FIFA. </font> 
  <p><font size="-1">So if you are vacationing in any of the islands of the Caribbean 
    this summer, support women's soccer there and go to one of their play off 
    games.</font> 
  <ul>
    <li><font size="-1"><a href="features/future_feature.html"> The Future of 
      Women in Football by Judith Phillips Rogers<br>
      Women's Soccer World ... &copy; Special edition WWCup 1999</a> </font> 
    <li><font size="-1"><a href="concacaf.html#apr26carib"> The Schedule</a> </font> 
  </ul>
</blockquote>
<p><a name="apr17wwc"></a> 
<p><font size="-1"><i>April 17, 2000</i></font> <br>
  <font color="#FF3300" size="+1" face="helvetica,arial"><b>From the 1999 Women's 
  World Cup Champions: A commitment to our future</b></font> 
<p> 
<blockquote><font size="-1"> Together, we comprise the Founding Players of the 
  Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) which submitted a comprehensive Division 
  I league membership application to the United States Soccer Federation on February 
  2, 2000. WUSA has assembled all of the critical components for league success: 
  (1) a strong and enthusiastic investor group which has committed a minimum of 
  $40 million in start-up capital; (2) a powerful television exhibition agreement 
  with Turner Broadcasting; and (3) our exclusive playing services along with 
  the commitments of over 100 of the world's top female soccer stars. The world's 
  top female soccer talent came together to make sure that the WUSA is the very 
  best women's pro soccer league in the world. Only by presenting the world's 
  most widely recognized soccer talent can a league hope to attract ticket-buying 
  fans, television viewers, and major sponsors. </font> 
  <p><font size="-1"> Recent press reports indicate that there may be more than 
    one entity interested in establishing a Division I women's professional soccer 
    league. Those same reports imply that the Women's World Cup Champions and 
    other stars might ultimately play in a league other than the WUSA. There seems 
    to be speculation that we are without a choice in determining which league 
    we will play in. Frankly, this speculation concerns us and we are issuing 
    this statement to clarify the situation. </font> 
  <p><font size="-1"> Thus, we are collectively stating that each member of the 
    1999 Women's World Cup Championship team will only play professionally for 
    the WUSA.</font> 
  <p><font size="-1"> Together we are committed to participating in the historic 
    creation of a women's professional soccer league that is vibrant, strong, 
    independent, and has the singular mission of developing women's pro soccer 
    into all that it can be. We are steadfast in our resolve because future generations 
    of female soccer players depend on us to make the right decisions now. We 
    embrace this responsibility to these future players, to our fans, to youth 
    players, and to the entire sport of soccer. </font> 
  <p><font size="-1"> We want to thank our fans for standing behind us through 
    all of the years and all of the competitions that have led to this historic 
    and exciting moment in our sport. Next year, we look forward to the women 
    of the WUSA taking the field on national television and playing professionally. 
    It is our fondest hope that we can inspire this and future generations with 
    on- and off-the-field examples of teamwork, perseverance and excellence. We 
    know all of you will continue to be behind us in our quest to build the WUSA.</font> 
  <p> 
  <table cellspacing="3" cellpadding="2">
    <tr> 
      <td colspan="2"><b>Signed, The 1999 Women's World Cup Champions:</b></td>
    </tr>
    <tr> 
      <td> 
        <ul>
          <li><font size="-1">Julie Foudy </font> 
          <li><font size="-1">Mia Hamm </font> 
          <li><font size="-1">Brandi Chastain </font> 
          <li><font size="-1">Briana Scurry </font> 
          <li><font size="-1">Tiffeny Milbrett </font> 
          <li><font size="-1">Danielle Fotopoulos </font> 
          <li><font size="-1">Saskia Webber </font> 
          <li><font size="-1">Christy Pearce </font> 
          <li><font size="-1">Kate Sobrero </font> 
          <li><font size="-1">Lorrie Fair </font> 
        </ul>
      </td>
      <td> 
        <ul>
          <li><font size="-1">Carla Overbeck </font> 
          <li><font size="-1">Kristine Lilly </font> 
          <li><font size="-1">Michelle Akers </font> 
          <li><font size="-1">Joy Fawcett </font> 
          <li><font size="-1">Cindy Parlow </font> 
          <li><font size="-1">Shannon MacMillan </font> 
          <li><font size="-1">Tiffany Roberts </font> 
          <li><font size="-1">Sara Whalen </font> 
          <li><font size="-1">Tisha Venturini </font> 
          <li><font size="-1">Tracy Ducar </font> 
        </ul>
      </td>
    </tr>
  </table>
  <img src="../gifs/bullet.gif" alt="" width="4" height="4" align="bottom"> <font size="-1"> 
  <b>Subj: WUSA League </b><br>
  I whole heartedly agree. The WUSA is women's soccer's best chance for success. 
  <a href="fans_speak.html#apr20WUSA"> (continued) </a> </font></blockquote>
<p><a name="apr7u18"></a> <font size="-1"><i>April 7, 2000</i></font><b><font color="red" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>
  U-18 National Team</font></b> 
<p> 
<blockquote><font size="-1"> What a fine performance by the Under-18 National 
  Team in Bulgaria, especially when one considers their win over the Ukraine National 
  Team . That team went on to beat Russia ,who played in the USA WWCup '99, and 
  the U.S. U-18 squad will meet Ukraine again in the Final Match. One must remember 
  that the other teams in this tournament are women's national teams albeit below 
  the top 10 UEFA sides. </font> 
  <p><font size="-1">Unfortunately this fine performance has not been given the 
    same coverage or exposure by U.S. Soccer as has been given to their boys' 
    U-17 National Team games. There have been no detailed press reports made available 
    from the matches played. Apparently it was not considered important. </font> 
  <p><font size="-1">When will we see some proof of U.S. Soccer's talk of their 
    intent to ensure equality with the men's game for girls and women? Or did 
    it all leave when Secretary-General Steinbrecher left? </font> 
</blockquote>
<p><a name="apr1mls"></a> <font size="-1"><i>April 1, 2000</i></font><b><font color="red" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>
  <b>A big test for any U.S. Soccer member with a conflict of interest, as M.L.S. 
  applies to run a Division 1 professional women's league.</b></font></b></p>
<p><b><font size="-1" color="#666666"><i> On Thursday Don Garber, the Commissioner 
  for Major League Soccer, said that they (M.L.S.) are great believers in women's 
  soccer and feel that they have the experience, resources and operational expertise 
  to effectively create and manage a professional women's soccer league.</i></font> 
  </b> 
<p><font size="-1"><b>continued....<br>
  It was expected that a men's professional league that is declining in fan support 
  would be looking a life rope, but the two entities are quite different. Women's 
  soccer is the top American team sport for women, the men's games nearer the 
  bottom of men's team sports. The women have through their accomplishments (two 
  World Cups, and an Olympic Gold Medal) earned the right to their own league, 
  not one that is part of a male dominated and focussed organization. </b></font> 
<p><font size="-1"><b>Most of the many letters received by WSW point out that 
  it is not in the best interests of the M.S.L. for a women's professional league 
  to be successful, and that it is in their interest to control it. From both 
  our mail from around the world and our correspondents' reports, it is clear 
  that under the WUSA proposal the league would rapidly become the elite women's 
  professional league of the world. Already the interest from national team level 
  players in the top soccer nations is immense, and the number of letters received 
  from companies that want to information about how they can support it grow daily. 
  </b></font> 
<p><font size="-1"><b>Please <a href="mailto:WOMENSOC@aol.com">e-mail</a> us with 
  your opinion about this next critical stage of women's soccer.</b></font> 
<p><b><a name="mar29answers"></a> <font size="-1"><i>March 29, 2000</i></font><font color="red" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>
  Still waiting for answers</font></b></p>
<p><font size="-1"><b> Although the fine performance by Head Coach April Heinrichs 
  and the U.S. National Team in Portugal does not seem to have satisfied the many 
  critics of the U.S. Soccer Federation who still write to WSW, it confirmed their 
  specific criticism about playing so many inexperienced young players against 
  Norway while reaffirming the psychological strength of the veteran players. 
  </b></font> 
<p><font size="-1"><b> Several other questions about U.S. Soccer remain unanswered. 
  Soon we should know who is in the running for a women's professional league, 
  and who will be the new Secretary-General. All of which promises more opinions 
  and comments in our mailbag, not to mention an increase in our growing list 
  of players asking how to be considered for the new league.</b></font> 
<p><b><a name="mar14algar"></a> <font size="-1"><i>March 14, 2000</i></font><font color="red" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>
  A Portuguese pressure pot!</font></b></p>
<p><b><font size="-1">The real test of the Algarve Cup for the U.S. Team is yet 
  to come. <br>
  Portugal, ranking somewhere below the fortieth place in a world ranking of international 
  teams, was a great starter for a U.S. team struggling to get its top players 
  into shape after a long lay off. The pressure for newly crowned Head Coach Heinrichs 
  will surely increase in each of the next games. She is no stranger to pressure 
  having, as Team Captain of the 1991 FIFA World Champion Team, cajoled and driven 
  them to success through the preceding years. It is perhaps apt that her assistant 
  coach has a military background since she regards every game as a battle in 
  a very serious war.</font> </b> 
<p><b><font size="-1"> On this trip the present mixture of veterans and youth 
  looks promising. What seems to have been missing in all of the comments made 
  during the last few months is an understanding of the psychological strength 
  of the veteran players. Their stand against the unfair salary structure offered 
  to women national team players last year was reported in a negative fashion 
  by the media and others as a "strike" or " holdout." It was in fact a courageous 
  act by top level athletes who recognized and seized what was perhaps the first 
  and only time that the window of opportunity would be open for establishing 
  a fair financial and playing status for future women players. It was done with 
  the risk of losing their own national team places, and knowing that they could 
  lose the sort of international competition in Australia so essential for athletes 
  trying to maintain the super level of skill and fitness they had already attained.</font> 
  </b> 
<p><b><font size="-1"> That same moral fiber is what they bring to the game itself 
  and adversity brings out their best performances. I predict that they will rise 
  from the "trenches" this month in Portugal and win their first Algarve Cup. 
  Doesn't it seems weird that as athletes who have achieved consistently more 
  in the last decade than any other United States Team in any sport, male or female, 
  that they are still being asked to prove themselves?</font> </b> 
<p><b><font size="-1"> The positive side of all of the controversy and opinions 
  that raged though our pages during the last few months is the sustained interest 
  in the women's game. Women's soccer in the USA has become an entrenched staple 
  of American sport. It is now one of the fasting growing lifestyles in the country. 
  </font> </b> 
<p><b><a name="feb29league"></a> <font size="-1"><i>February 29, 2000<br>
  </i></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="red">Want a women's 
  professional league to succeed? Then add the women who pioneered the game. </font></b></p>
<p><b><font size="-1"><i><font color="#666666">Unfortunately in all of the discussions 
  about the professional league published so far no mention has been made of a 
  particular group of women who are needed to guarantee the success of any new 
  women's league. That is because those responsible for the rapid growth and success 
  of the women's game in the United States have been ignored for years by the 
  U.S. Soccer Federation and more recently its subsidiary the World Cup '99 Committee.</font></i></font> 
  </b> 
<p><b><font size="-1">Some of our readers may be unaware that the United States 
  Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer) is composed of three administrative parts. </font> 
  </b> 
<ol>
  <li><b><font size="-1"> The U.S. Youth Soccer Association is composed of more 
    than 3 million registered players under the age of 19 years and is administered 
    statewide and centrally. </font></b></li>
  <li><b><font size="-1"> The Amateur Division of U.S. Soccer has about 300,000 
    registered players over the age of 19 and is also administered statewide and 
    centrally. </font></b></li>
  <li><b><font size="-1"> The professional division includes the MLS. </font></b></li>
</ol>
<p><b><font size="-1"> Reverse order applies when it comes to clout at U.S. Soccer, 
  even with the huge financial contribution made by the USYA. </font> </b> 
<p><b><font size="-1">From the beginning the biggest support for the women's international 
  soccer program in the U.S. has come mainly from the efforts of women actively 
  involved in the U.S. Youth Soccer Association in certain states. </font> </b> 
<p><b><font size="-1">As the program grew they were seen organizing and filling 
  stadia for women's international matches and in 1991 many could be seen in the 
  stands cheering on their team at the 1st FIFA Women's World Cup in China. Back 
  in the States they made sure that events such as the U.S. Cup were well organized 
  and supported, which was evidenced by the drop in attendance and poor promotion 
  seen when Nike and U.S. Soccer bought the rights to the U.S. Cup from Maryland 
  Soccer a few years ago. </font> </b> 
<p><b><font size="-1">Yet those talented and hardworking pioneers of the women's 
  game, who fought opposition and inertia especially from the Amateur Division 
  in those early days, were passed over by U.S. Soccer and the recent World Cup 
  '99 Committee in an event that was the result of their accomplishments and determination. 
  </font> </b> 
<p><b><font size="-1">WSW believes that if any professional women's league is 
  to succeed it needs to go to the real grass roots of the women's game and invite 
  those legitimate women of soccer into their organization instead of the network 
  of corporate type airheads from the MLS, NHL, NFL and other sports seen working 
  at World Cup '99 events.<br>
  </font><font size="-1"><img src="../gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4"> <a href="features/behind_scenes_feature.html">Behind 
  The Scenes</a> </font> </b> 
<p><b><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Other</font><br>
  <font size="-1">The word recently expressed that U.S. Soccer wants a women's 
  professional league to have a relationship with the MLS sounds reasonable, but 
  the news recently that the MLS is working on its own plan (and teams like the 
  Chicago Fire are reported to have made their bid to MLS) send shivers down the 
  spine of everyone who has followed closely the workings of the U.S. Soccer Federation 
  and the MLS. Burton Haimes, who has been chairman of the Women's Professional 
  League Development Committee that was rapidly formed by Rothenberg when made 
  aware of an application by the player supported National Soccer Alliance in 
  1998, tells Scott French ( Soccer America February 28, 2000 edition) that &quot;next 
  thing is to have everyone get together...and see how they can work together.&quot; 
  </font> </b> 
<p><b><font size="-1">It is important to realize that national sport associations 
  in the United States are composed generally of a mostly male mixture of professional 
  administrators, and elected part time amateurs. Since the elected officials 
  also appoint their own representatives on committees etc., the amount of &quot;special 
  interests&quot; involved is mind boggling especially if you are in the professional 
  administrator group. When mixed with the abundance of testosterone and egotism 
  seen in male dominated sports then it becomes clear as to why most administrative 
  staff find it difficult to operate well under such conditions, and the best 
  leave quickly. Unlike the rest of business and society, conflict of interest 
  seems to be the norm. </font> </b> 
<p><b><font size="-1">This situation is a case in point. U.S. Soccer will choose 
  which application is approved, yet many in the U.S. Soccer Federation have not 
  only operating links with MLS but direct and indirect financial interest. </font> 
  </b> 
<p><b><font size="-1">But let's be honest about this, the real problem they have 
  is in accepting that the women players would own equity and more importantly 
  a say in the proposed WUSA league. MLS should learn from this. The day that 
  the MLS is run by current and retired players who know the game will be when 
  it becomes successful.<br>
  </font><font size="-1"><img src="../gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4"> <a href="features/behind_scenes_feature.html"></a><a href="features/players-nsa_feature.html">The 
  Players who are the NSA</a></font> </b> 
<p><b><a name="jan18"></a> <font size="-1"><i>February 6, 2000<br>
  </i></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="red">USA 2 Norway 
  3</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="red"><i> </i></font></b></p>
<p><b><font size="-1">The match against Norway today answered a lot of the questions 
  posed in our mailbox during the last few months and raised some new ones. </font> 
  </b> 
<p><b><font size="-1">It showcased the abundance of new young talent in the USA 
  and how far they have yet to go to reach the level of the experienced players 
  that have taken the game to such great heights. </font> </b> 
<p><b><font size="-1">They have speed, physical strength and skills but were toyed 
  with by Norwegian players who have grown up immersed in the mental skills of 
  soccer. The international game is played at a different and higher level than 
  even the top college level in this country, and being a top college player does 
  not guarantee that you can handle international competition. </font> </b> 
<p><b><font size="-1">The game also re-emphasized the desperate need for a top 
  level women's professional league in the United States so that all of our young 
  talent can acquire the soccer savvy necessary to be always match ready to compete 
  at the highest level. </font> </b> 
<p><b><font size="-1">One example of the lack of experience seen in the match 
  was the goalkeeping. Saskia Webber has outstanding athletic ability and skills, 
  but does not have that same commanding presence that Brianna Scurry has, that 
  Mary Harvey showed in the 1991 World Cup, and ironically some of that same indefinable 
  superiority and strength that April Heinrichs and Michelle Akers both possess. 
  </font> </b> 
<p><b><font size="-1">Perhaps the lineup in this match was designed to show the 
  many armchair critics why we need the U.S. National Team to be built around 
  the experienced, soccer wise veterans if we are to succeed at the Sidney 2000 
  Olympics. The level of international women's soccer is so high that only one 
  or two mistakes in a game are needed to lose, as happened in this match. <br>
  Fan response:<br>
  <img src="gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" align="BOTTOM"> &nbsp; <a href="fans_speak.html#norwaywhat">What 
  Happened?</a><br>
  <img src="gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" align="BOTTOM"> &nbsp; <a href="fans_speak.html#norwaytookind">I 
  think you're too kind</a><br>
  <img src="gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" align="BOTTOM"> &nbsp; <a href="fans_speak.html#norwayus">USA 
  vs Norway</a><br>
  <img src="gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" align="BOTTOM"> &nbsp; <a href="fans_speak.html#norwayanother">Another 
  view of the USA v Norway game</a><br>
  <img src="gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" align="BOTTOM"> &nbsp; <a href="fans_speak.html#norwayreading">Are 
  we reading into this game too much?</a><br>
  <img src="gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" align="BOTTOM"> &nbsp; <a href="fans_speak.html#norwaystart">You've 
  got to start somewhere</a><br>
  <img src="gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" align="BOTTOM"> &nbsp; <a href="fans_speak.html#norwayboo">U.S.A. 
  vs Nor- 4-4-2 boo-boo-boo</a> <br>
  <img src="gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" align="BOTTOM"> &nbsp; <a href="fans_speak.html#norwayamateur">One 
  of the most amateurish...</a></font> <font size="-1"><br>
  <img src="gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" align="BOTTOM"> &nbsp; <a href="fans_speak.html#problem">We 
  have a problem</a></font> </b> 
<p><b><font size="-1">WSW is closing discussion on this subject with these three 
  letters. <br>
  <font size="-1"><img src="gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" align="BOTTOM"> 
  &nbsp; <a href="fans_speak.html#finalword1">Final word 1<br>
  </a></font> </font><font size="-1"> <font size="-1"><img src="gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" align="BOTTOM"> 
  &nbsp; <a href="fans_speak.html#finalword2">Final word 2</a></font> <br>
  <font size="-1"><img src="gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" align="BOTTOM"> 
  &nbsp; <a href="fans_speak.html#finalword3">Final word 3</a></font> </font> 
  </b> 
<p> 
<p><b><a name="jan18"></a> <font size="-1"><i>January 18, 2000</i></font> <br>
  <font size="+1" color="red" face="helvetica,arial">U.S. National Team Head Coach 
  April Heinrichs at the U.S. Soccer Press Conference Tuesday, January 18, 2000</font> 
  </b> 
<blockquote> 
  <p><font size="-1"><b>Perhaps the most promising aspect that emerged from the 
    press conference was the apparent wide range of authority being given to Heinrichs 
    as Head Coach & Technical Director of the U.S. Women's National Team programs. 
    In response to a question from WSW, as to whom she directly reports to, she 
    replied " Hank Steinbrecher (Secretary General, U.S. Soccer)." This along 
    with a four year contract and complete authority in choosing her assistant 
    coaches bodes well for a program that is already so far ahead of the men's 
    soccer section of U.S. Soccer in popularity and prestige. </b></font> 
  <p><b><font size="-1">None of us asked whether the salary was the same as the 
    U.S. Men's National Team Coach, but an answer to that will surely be forthcoming 
    with other similar player information from U.S. Soccer.</font> <a name="jan18quotes"></a></b> 
  <p> 
  <hr align="center" width="100">
  <p><b>Following are some of the introductory quotes at the Press Conference 
    held in New York City on Tuesday January 18, 2000 to announce the appointment 
    of April Heinrichs as U.S.. National Team Head Coach </b> 
  <p><font size="-1"><b>Dr. S. Robert Contiguglia, U.S. Soccer President </b></font> 
  <p><font size="-1"><b><font color="#990033">On April Heinrichs</font><br>
    "It is an honor to introduce April Heinrichs as the new U.S. Women's National 
    Team Head Coach. I have known her since she was a youth player in Colorado 
    when she would drlbble a ball around my feet. Her vibrant and charismatic 
    personality style mixed with a passion and unprecidented dedication to the 
    sport of soccer makes me proud to name April as the new U.S. Women's National 
    Team Head Coach." </b></font> 
  <p><font size="-1"><b><font color="#990033">On importance of a four-year contract</font><br>
    "lt is important that an individual has a chance to express themselves over 
    time. We are talking about building a program and not an event. It involves 
    success on the field, but it's more than that. We're building a program and 
    sport.~ </b></font> 
  <p><font size="-1"><b>April Heinrichs, U.S. Women's National Team Head Coach 
    </b></font> 
  <p><font size="-1"><b><font color="#990033">April's opening statement:</font><br>
    "It is exciting for me to be here and to accept thls position. W'thout Title 
    Nine I wouldn't of had the opportunity to play college sports. Without Anson 
    Dorrance (North Carolina head coach) I wouldn't of had that opportunity to 
    play college soccer and without U. S. Soccer I wouldn't of had the opportunity 
    to compete at the intenational level. I have great pride and honor in this 
    new position, and looking forward to the opportunity." </b></font> 
  <p><font size="-1"><b><font color="#990033">On learning to play under Dorrance 
    and as an assistant with DiCicco</font><br>
    "With Anson there came structural organization. You have to put together organized 
    training sessions and present that to the team day in and day out. I was very 
    lucky to work with Tony DiCicco. We came together over the last couple of 
    years, looked at the game and took it to another level. I am looking forward 
    to taking the women's team and program to another level with what I have learned 
    from the great teachers of the sport." </b></font> 
  <p><font size="-1"><b><font color="#990033">On being named the new U.S. Women's 
    National Team Head Coach</font><br>
    "This past week has been incredibly exciting. I am hopeful U S. Soccer and 
    players will come together soon. I can't wait to get on the field, put my 
    cleats on and get down to business." </b></font> 
  <p><font size="-1"><b><font color="#990033">On coaching staff</font><br>
    "I have lived in a whirlwind these last five to six days. I have not given 
    a lot of thought to staffing yet. I'm also techniacal director, so I'm looking 
    at a big picture. I'll tap in to people that are currently in place and the 
    grass roots soccer community." </b></font> 
  <p><font size="-1"><b><font color="#990033">On status of team</font><br>
    "I start every training camp the same way. The players come in with a clean 
    slate and I watch those players that day, the next and the next. I am a coach 
    that believes that training is important every day and competing against world 
    powers is important." </b></font> 
  <p><font size="-1"><b><font color="#990033">On the pressures of being the U.S. 
    Women's National Team Head Coach</font><br>
    "The most important thing is that I am going to let the players be themselves. 
    There are a bundle of different personalities on the team. I am going to put 
    the best starting 11 on the field and let them play. We'll fight for every 
    win and compete for every ball. I haven't felt pressure yet. In my career 
    as a player and coach, I have found that I love to win and I will put a tremendous 
    amount of pressure on myself to win and prepare a team in a fashion to win 
    and that's the greatest pressure I'll ever have." </b></font> 
  <p><font size="-1"><b><font color="#990033">On upcoming match against Norway</font><br>
    "1 am looking to get 30-35 players together for a training camp starting at 
    the beginning of February in preparations for the Feb. 6 match against Norway. 
    We will get the ball rolling and the best 11 will start." </b></font> 
  <p><font size="-1"><b><font color="#990033">On biggest challenge in prepring 
    for Olympics</font> <br>
    "The biggest challenge will be cutting a player pool from 41 to 16. That means 
    that four players from the World Cup roster will not make it. It is going 
    to be a tremendous process of pickin those 16 players." </b></font> 
  <p><font size="-1"><b><font color="#990033">On Lauren Gregg</font><br>
    "I haven't spoken to Lauren. I don't think it was my place to contact her. 
    It is important that U.S. Soccer did their research and sought out great coaches. 
    There wasn't just one right choice. There was more than one good choice. l'm 
    certain that Lauren will be tremendously supportive and she knows how important 
    support is to be successful." </b></font> 
  <p><font size="-1"><b><font color="#990033">On the interview process</font><br>
    "The interview progress was long and when Tony (DiCicco) resigned, I thought 
    that maybe in five years I would have the opportunity to interview for the 
    position. But when, U. S. Soccer called (note: according to a question asked 
    and answered later this was in November '99) and asked me to submit a paper, 
    I said I'd love to. So I tried to write the best paper and have the opportunity 
    to get a face-to-face interview and hope that they (U.S. Soccer) would remember 
    me in future as a top candidate." </b></font> 
  <p><font size="-1"><b>Julie Foudy, U.S. midfielder and co-captain of U.S. Women's 
    National Team </b></font> 
  <p><b><font size="-1"><font color="#990033">On selection process</font><br>
    "We are happy with all the candidates and pleased with the process. We knew 
    that it wasn't our decision but it was appreciated that our input mattered. 
    April is an incredible leader, a gifted motivator and great tactician."</font> 
    <font size="-1"> Related articles: </font> <br>
    <img src="../gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" align="BOTTOM"> &nbsp; 
    <font size="-1"><a href="#jan17">WSW congratulates April Heinrich on her appointment 
    as the Head Coach of the U.S. National Team</a></font> <br>
    <img src="../gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" align="BOTTOM"> &nbsp; 
    <font size="-1"><a href="../biogs/heinrichs.html#u16">April Heinrichs: Head 
    Coach U.S. Under 16 Girls National Team</a></font> <br>
    <img src="../gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" align="BOTTOM"> &nbsp; 
    <font size="-1"><a href="../biogs/heinrichs.html#passion">A PASSION FOR THE 
    GAME: Profile of April Heinrichs</a></font> <br>
    <img src="../gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" align="BOTTOM"> &nbsp; 
    <font size="-1"><a href="wsports.html#jan13heinr"> The inaugural NSCAA Women's 
    Committee of Excellence Award won by April Heinrichs </a></font> </b> 
  <hr align="center" width="100">
  <b><br>
  <img src="../gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" align="BOTTOM"> &nbsp; <font size="-1"><a href="http://www.womensoccer.com/wwwboard/messages/2107.shtml">An 
  article that puts numbers in the equity issue.</a></font> <br>
  <img src="../gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" align="BOTTOM"> &nbsp; <font size="-1"> 
  <a href="fans_speak.html#april">Fan response</a> </font> </b> 
  <p><b><a name="jan17"></a> <font size="-1"><i>January 17, 2000</i></font> <br>
    <font size="+1" color="red" face="helvetica,arial">WSW congratulates April 
    Heinrich on her appointment as the Head Coach of the U.S. National Team</font> 
    </b> 
  <blockquote> <b><img src="../gifs/newsjpgs/heinrichs_3.jpg" alt="april" width="170" height="222" align="left"> 
    </b> 
    <p><font size="-1"><b>She was the first superstar of women's soccer in the 
      USA and her drive and determination as Captain of the U.S. National team 
      from 1986 to 1991 was one of the major factors in the squad capturing the 
      First FIFA Women's World Cup in 1991. </b></font> 
    <p><font size="-1"><b>She became the first female player to be inducted into 
      the U.S. National Hall of Fame in 1998, and now she is to become the first 
      woman to be appointed as the Head Coach of a United States National Team. 
      </b></font> 
    <p><font size="-1"><b>Her strong leadership should help unite and protect 
      the National Team in its quest for Olympic Gold in Sydney this year, a task 
      made more difficult by the inept handling of this appointment and the inexplicably 
      extended negotiations for fair compensation for the women who have brought 
      U.S. Soccer the best publicity and popularity it has yet seen. </b></font> 
    <p><font size="-1"><b>Off the field administrative incompetence has a damaging 
      effect on player performance as was seen in World Cup France '98 when the 
      U.S. Men's National team literally fell apart, culminating in a juvenile 
      display that was a nation wide embarrassment for fans of soccer in the USA. 
      </b></font> 
    <p><font size="-1"><b><img src="../gifs/newsjpgs/heinrichs2%20.jpg" alt="April" width="84" height="96" align="right">The 
      opinions voiced in our daily deluge of letters in the WSW mailbag indicates 
      that the credibility of the U.S. Federation is at an all time low, and all 
      are calling for more openness about the comparative financial compensation 
      paid to the National Team's men and women players and coaches. </b></font> 
    <p><b><font size="-1">To millions of soccer and non-soccer fans in the United 
      States this a team of women who represent the very best of how athletes 
      should behave and sporting competition be conducted. These All-American 
      role models have become the genuine "U.S. Dream Team."</font> <br>
      <font size="-1"><img src="../gifs/bullet.gif" width="4" height="4" align="bottom"> 
      &nbsp;<a href="fans_speak.html#jan17comment">"Sexism to Stupidity: Own Goal"</a> 
      </font> </b> 
  </blockquote>
  <p> 
  <p><font size="-1"><b><a name="jan10"></a> <i>January 10, 2000</i> <br>
    <font color="red" face="helvetica,arial">Commentary 2000</font> </b></font> 
  <blockquote> 
    <p><font size="-1"><b>The New Year has brought no relief to the fans of the 
      women's game around the USA as they gird for a more active approach to the 
      U.S. Soccer Federation. WSW receives hundreds of e-mails each week in the 
      nearly 2 million hits received from 65 countries every month, and among 
      them have been several containing copies of petitions to U.S. Soccer being 
      circulated. </b></font> 
    <p><font size="-1"><b> The involvement of Ex-President Alan Rothenberg in 
      recent events has become the catalyst for reigniting an apparent smoldering 
      resentment that dates back to the 1994 Men's World Cup and the reported 
      $7 million bonus received by him, and is covered In depth in some mail received. 
      Many writers ask questions or make comments about news or circulating rumors 
      in the soccer community. Following are the most commonly asked questions 
      received by us for which WSW has no answer. </b></font> 
    <p><font size="-1"><b> One of the best balanced articles about the salary 
      dispute was by Richard Sandomir in the December 23, 1999 edition of the 
      New York Times. </b></font> 
    <p><font size="-1"><b> From letters received </b></font> 
    <ul>
      <li><font size="-1"><b>1 Who is actually running the U.S. Soccer Federation? 
        </b></font> 
      <li><font size="-1"><b>2 Why is Alan Rothenberg handling the salary negotiations 
        since he was the President that stopped some of that same group of players 
        starting a professional league over two years ago? </b></font> 
      <li><font size="-1"><b>3 Is there any truth to the rumor that Coach DiCicco's 
        resignation was linked to his being asked to drop some of the players 
        who were considered to be leaders in the drive for moving the financial 
        rewards for women national team players closer to those already paid to 
        the men? </b></font> 
      <li><font size="-1"><b>4 What are the present salaries of all the Men's 
        National Team's coaches and their assistants? </b></font> 
      <li><font size="-1"><b>5 What are the present salaries of all the Women's 
        National Team's coaches and their assistants? </b></font> 
      <li><font size="-1"><b>6 How much do the Men's National Team players get 
        paid? </b></font> 
      <li><font size="-1"><b>7 What is the salary currently being offered to the 
        applicants for the position of Head Coach of the Women's National Team? 
        </b></font> 
      <li><font size="-1"><b>8 Why does "conflict of interest" not seem to be 
        applied in U.S. Soccer Federation actions and deliberations? </b></font> 
      <li><font size="-1"><b>9 Why so much secrecy, what is there to hide? </b></font> 
    </ul>
  </blockquote>
  <p> 
  <hr>
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  <dl><font size="-1"><b><a name="past"></a> </b></font> 
    <dt><font size="-1"><b><font color=red face=helvetica, arial>PAST COMMENTARIES</font> 
      </b></font> 
    <dd><font size="-1"><b><a href="comment99.html">[1999]</a> </b></font> 
    <dd><font size="-1"><b><a href="comment.html">[1996-1998]</a> </b></font> 
  </dl>
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