MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / July 10, 1999

Every once in a while, a group of players come around to make you feel good about sports again.

The U.S. Women’s Soccer Team was just such a group.Here was a team that the nation could proudly get behind, one that brought us together as Americans. Even if you didn’t know the difference betweena corner kick and a free kick, you couldn’t help but root for this squad.

Forget the men’s basketball teams of the past Olympics, this was a real Dream Team. Mia Hamm, Tiffeny Milbrett, Kristine Lilly, Michelle Akers,Cindy Parlow, Julie Foudy, Brianna Scurry, Brandi Chastain, Joy Fawcett, Carla Overbeck, Kate Sobrero, Lorrie Fair, Shannon MacMillan and Tisha Venturini. Virtual unknowns a few weeks ago, they became national starsover the last three weeks.

The players were on the cover of national magazines, featured on ESPN and appeared on commercials together. Chastain even appeared on DavidLetter-man’s show. Hamm, the best known of the players before the WorldCup, appeared with Michael Jordan on a commercial. “Anything you can do,I can do better” was the theme.

How appropriate. The U.S. Women have proven to be better than their malecounterparts. In all the years of the men’s World Cup, the U.S. has failed toreach the finals much less win a title. On the other hand, in this decade,the U.S. Women have captured two of the three World Cups played and wonthe gold medal in the 1996 Olympics.

It could be argued that the U.S.’s success this year has done more forwomen’s athletics than anything since Title IX was enacted in the early 1970s. Over 90,000 attended Saturday’s final between the U.S. and China,the largest crowd to witness a women’s sporting event. The game alsoposted a 13.3 overnight rating and a 32 share on television.The run started three weeks ago when the U.S. defeated Denmark in frontof 78,972 fans. Victories over Nigeria (7-1) and North Korea (3-0) sentthe U.S. into the quarterfinals against Ger-many. There, the U.S. overcamean early deficit and a own-goal, rallying in the second half for a 3-2 victory.

That sent the U.S. Squad into a semifinal matchup with Brazil. Five yearsto the day of the Brazil men eliminating the U.S. from the 1994 World Cup,the women blanked the Brazilians, 2-0, to move onto the finals.

There, the U.S. Faced its most daunting challenge. Many argued that the U.S.defenders would not be able to stand up to China’s speed. After all, hadn’tthe Chinese defeated the Americans twice in three attempts this year? This time, the defenders rose up to the challenge, holding China without a shot in the first half. Lilly came up with a big save in the first overtime,heading out a shot that appeared destined for the American goal. Then itwas Scurry’s turn, knocking away Liu Ying’s shot with the score tied at two in the shootout.

The Cup would come down to the American’s final shot. And whenChastain’s shot found the back of the net, the exuberance shown by both the crowd and the team has rarely been seen since the 1980 Olympic Hockey team’s unbelievable run to the gold.

That exuberance was what made this team special. The players enjoyedwhat they were doing and made us enjoy it with them.

Soccer may not be the national pastime but for three weeks, this team was America’s team.

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