The bravura performance put forth by the American women on July 10th, to win the World Cup, was one of the best athletic events I've seen in years. A full 120 minutes passed with China and the U. S. deadlocked. It came down to penalty kicks--never the greatest way to determine the champion--but what else can you do? Keep playing until players drop or are injured because of fatigue?

Although the winning kick was made by (soon to be jersey-less) Brandi Chastain, let's not forget the spectacular header by Kristine Lilly in the 100th minute, that prevented a sure goal. Kudos also to old-timer Michelle Akers, who literally gave it all she had, and was forced to leave the game at the end of regulation time.

Finally, American sports fans have something to be excited about, and showed it by making this contest one of the highest TV rated women's sporting events. Indeed, ABC realized NFL type numbers. It WAS the best-attended women's event of all time.

Why the sudden popularity of women's soccer?

First of all, this was pure athletic competition, pretty much for the joy of participation. While endorsement income is in the cards for the players, this was not exactly something to count on, when the girls began their soccer careers years earlier. Contrast this with the spoiled male athletes in the highly touted sports.

Furthermore, there was a true esprit de corps, and desire for victory at all costs. When the team marched onto the field, Akers jumped up and down like a schoolgirl as her teammates waved their arms above their heads and encouraged more cheering from a crowd already screaming its lungs out. The wave of sound, punctuated by a U. S. Navy F-18 fly-over at the conclusion of the national anthem, was deafening.

Think about the last Super Bowl, when the defending champion Green Bay Packers came out flat. Imagine--coming out flat for the world's biggest sporting event!

But, for every great story there has to be a negative, I guess.

In the July 15th edition of the L. A. Times, sports editor Bill Dwyre wrote an absurd article about Briana Scurry's "illegal" move on the save of the penalty kick, that gave the U. S. team its title. Yes, she did test the referee by moving forward before the ball was kicked. It is a judgement call, and the call was not made. Scurry played the gray area and won. Get a grip, Dwyre, that's part of competition.

I know very well that sportswriters are at the absolute bottom of the food chain in journalism, which itself is not known for smarts, but this one takes the cake.

Where are all the editorials about the many felons who get off scot-free as long as they possess some athletic skill? Supposedly, it was Eugene Robinson's arrest for solicitation, the night before the Super Bowl, that ruined Green Bay's morale. O. J. Simpson was beating women long before Nicole, and you never read much about it. But for a goalie to tweak a slight advantage, this is valid fodder for one of the country's biggest newspapers?

Does Dwyre think that if defensive back were played exactly according to the rules, a wide receiver could EVER be stopped? Do offensive lineman never hold? What absolute rot, made even worse by his quoting two self-styled "moral authorities."

This is sports, for God's sake.

Measure for measure, there was less time spent agonizing about Bill Clinton's many immoral acts. But maybe that's the point! If neither the president, nor male professional athletes can be role models, maybe it IS up to these women. And you know what? They can probably handle it.