U.S. Cup Team Can at Least Escape Cellar
The United States might not be the worst team in the World Cup. The United Arab Emirates is edging the United States in the Cup’s first tiebreaker for last place--the margin of goals scored.
The United States has scored once and given up six goals, a differential of minus-five. The United Arab Emirates has scored once but given up seven goals, a minus-six.
Each has one more game to play Thursday--the United States against Austria and the United Arab Emirates against Yugoslavia.
The United Arab Emirates has a national population of 1.4 million. The United States population is 250 million.
Trivia time: When was the last time the United States won an Olympic gold medal in men’s basketball outside of North America?
Sweet revenge: Earl Strom, who is slipping into retirement after 33 years of officiating pro basketball, told this to Phil Jackman of the Baltimore Evening Sun: “Know what I’m going to do next season? Go to games and boo the referees.”
Very L.A.: Jockey Karen Rogers, in the Belmont winner’s circle with Dame de Soleil for her first victory since being injured in a racing mishap last September, had this to say:
“I want to thank (trainer) Red Terrill; my agent, Dominick Delvecchio; and my therapist, Lenny Framson--he put me back together.”
Would-you-believe-it Dept: Since 1983, USC has won the same number of Pacific 10 Conference basketball championships as UCLA--one.
Strike a pose: The vogue for the 1990 World Cup is black thigh-huggers that peep out from under the shorts in the manner of tennis star Andre Agassi.
Manufacturers say the aim of the shorts--similar to those worn by cyclists--is to support the thighs and keep the legs cool when hot and warm when cold.
Questionably vogue: Goalkeepers, who tend to favor longer padded shorts to cushion the impact of dives, wear huge gloves these days with a variety of surfaces to suit the conditions.
In 1934, most keepers would merely spit on their bare hands and hope for the best.
Why not?: Despite being a highly touted college quarterback, Notre Dame’s Tony Rice was not drafted this year by the NFL. Apparently the feeling among scouts was that his arm isn’t strong enough.
Instead, Rice was picked in the 50th round of the June draft by the Angels as a catcher.
Rice has never played baseball, either at Notre Dame or at Woodruff High in South Carolina, where, besides football, he lettered in basketball and track.
And on the day he was drafted by the Angels, Rice signed a two-year contract with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League.
Trivia answer: 1964 at Toyko.
Quotebook: Gary Ward, Oklahoma State baseball coach, after his team finished second to Georgia in the College World Series: “I’ve been blessed. You don’t have to feel sorry for me. I may still get a raise.”
