Keeping Score

"The Greatest Team You’ve Never Heard Of"

I'm not sure if that is the best slogan to promote the U.S. Women's Soccer team (the slogan appears on their Website). They're playing right now in China for the FIFA World Cup and there has been some sports press on why this team isn't getting the attention it deserves. George Vecsey at the New York Times weighs in here, Christine Brennan of USAToday argues that FIFA made a huge mistake in scheduling the event in September, one of the busiest sports months (meaning men's sports months) of the year. As Brennan notes in her piece "Only seven U.S. media outlets are heading to China to cover the event"  The Associated Press also wrote about the lack of interest in the team. And Sports Illustrated looked at why women's athletes get no respect. None of these pieces (except for Brennan, who touches upon it) talks about the sports media own role in the lack of attention on women athletes/sports. It's the question I've been pondering the past few years - which comes first - sports coverage of a sport or fan interest of a sport, and how much interest is enough interest to drive sports coverage?

Kuronya vs. USA Boxing and more

Something must be in the water over at the Boston Globe - because today they had a variety of  coverage of women's sports. The first was a cover story on Lisa Kuronya, who lives in Maine and won the 2006 USA Boxing Women's National Championship and the 2006 National Golden Gloves Championship. She is suing the US Amateur Boxing for gender discrimination and civil rights violations.

There is also a profile on Kristine Lilly, U.S. Women's Soccer veteran - the story also touches on the future of women's professional soccer.

And most of the pre-marathon coverage section was devoted to women runners - from the past to today's contenders. The print edition ran that great 1967 photo of Kathrine Switzer being tackled by two race officials (women weren't allowed to run then, and she entered with just her intials, they discovered her around mile 4).

And speaking of marathon - I sent all my best wishes to you folks running - it's going to be  a doozy with that wind!

Tar Heels on top again

ESPN's Graham Hays covered the NCAA Women's College Cup "soccer's version of the Final Four" where Univ. of North Carolina (Mia Hamm's alma mater) beat Notre Dame 2-1.

#1 women's soccer defender in the world

The Boston Globe has a front-page sports page profile on Laura Georges - a student and soccer player at Boston College who is one of the top players in the world. She's from France and also plays for the French national women's team. I like blurb in particular form the piece:

"BC is a solid team with quality players in a premium league, the Atlantic Coast Conference. But it's no soccer superpower. And Georges is ignored in a city that develops a rash when presented with anything other than the four traditional American team sports."

That final sentence really sums up nicely sports coverage in this city (the word men's should be inserted in there), so it was nice to see this profile get big play.

Remember the days of Mia Hamm?

Mark Zeigler of the San Diego Union Tribune takes a look at the current status of national women's soccer in this country.

Gol!

After complaining yesterday about Soccer 101 type coverage in the U.S. press I figured I should point out the excellent coverage such as Jere Longman who writes for the New York Times. Here's his latest. Longman also wrote the book on the U.S. women's national soccer team win in the 1999 World Cup  - "The Girls of Summer".

More on racism and soccer

More U.S. sports media outlets are picking up on the racism and soccer issue - the Christian Science Monitor profiles a German who monitors soccer fans during games ands works to  prevent unruly behaviour in the stands. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has a piece and so does the San Jose Mercury News.

World Cup and racism

The New York Times had an article yesterday on racism in professional soccer - a topic Bryant Gumble tackled back in January on "Real Sports." USAToday also has a piece (reprinted here in the Indy Star).  Although these pieces (or the headlines) allude that this is a new problem - I think it's an old problem that is finally getting the attention of the media  - thanks in part to some players who are speaking out about what is happening to them on and off the field.

Racism and soccer

There was a great piece that aired last night on HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" about racial incidents against black male soccer players during soccer games throughout Europe. The HBO Website isn't updated yet with info from this particular program  - but it was shocking to me to watch video of fans screaming racial taunts and chants (a monkey sound), throwing bananas at black players, etc. Racial comments being made by coaches, etc. In the U.S., the media has reported at times on acts of "hooliganism" - but I've never heard any stories about this hateful enviroment these soccer players play in on a game-to-game basis- in major stadiums around Europe. Plus some of these stadiums have sections that are taken over by ultra-right groups waving their swastica flags, etc. And even more embarassing is that UEFA, which governs the sport in Europe, is barely doing anything to control it.

The future of women's soccer

ESPN had a piece "The women try to find a way" on the state of women's soccer in this country - the hopes of reviving the professional league don't look so great right now. On the other hand, the national players did settle their labor contracts  - here is the AP piece appearing in USA Today. The highlight being that if the team wins the Olympics or World Cup each player could earn up to $200,000. (The U.S. men's players contracts stipulate bonuses in the $750,000 range for winning the World Cup - but, of course, that's a huge long shot -sorry guys).  The women's agreement also included maternity leave provisions.