WHAT DID THEY RATE THE COACH?
L’Equipe, the French sports daily, analyzes each game and rates the players’ performances on a scale of one to 10. It didn’t give good ratings to many U.S. players after the team’s 1-0 loss to Yugoslavia, giving its highest mark--a six--to defender David Regis.
The other ratings: Brad Friedel 5.5, Thomas Dooley 5, Mike Burns 5, Claudio Reyna 5.5, Ernie Stewart, Frankie Hejduk and Cobi Jones 5 each, Brian Maisonneuve 4, Joe-Max Moore 4 and Brian McBride 4.5.
AT LEAST THEY DON’T DYE THEIR HAIR
A restaurant owner in Lyon, Philippe Chavent, told his servers that during the World Cup, they must wear shorts and jerseys to continue the soccer theme--and has even given them whistles and red and yellow cards.
WHAT, NO BRATWURST?
The German team has a tradition of eating a certain meal the night before a game: spaghetti.
It began in 1954, when Germany was in Switzerland for its first tournament. Then the team won the World Cup in 1974 and ‘90, with the same recipe.
NO BADGE OF HONOR
Crime doesn’t pay.
An employee of the French Organizing Committee was sentenced to nine months in prison, three on a prison farm, for having sold stolen accreditations to Japanese fans. Another employee, also a committee worker, was given a three-month suspended sentence. The two were arrested at Stade de France for reselling to Japanese fans for 3,000 francs (about $500) badges that would give those fans access to certain zones in the stadium.
ACROBAT MAYBE, HOUDINI NO
A Brazilian man who climbed into the rafters of Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium in Saint-Etienne during Mexico’s game against the Netherlands was arrested and was scheduled to be arraigned today.
Elias de Sousa Aguiar, 32, is a fan of the Mexican team--and a professional acrobat.
BROTHERS FOR NOW
Italian forward Roberto Baggio said he doesn’t mind splitting playing time with teammate Alessandro Del Piero. “Del Piero is the same age as my brother, Eddy, and that’s what I consider him, a younger brother,” Baggio said. “This situation works perfectly well.”
