`USA! USA!' SOUTHLAND HAILS WORLD CHAMPS.Byline: Douglas Haberman Staff Writer One day after its Women's World Cup The Women's World Cup could refer to either the:
``We appreciate all of your support, and we love all of you,'' goalie Briana Scurry Briana Scurry (born September 7, 1971 in Minneapolis, Minnesota) was the starting goalkeeper for the United States women's national soccer team at the 1995 World Cup (3rd place), 1996 Olympics (gold medal), 1999 World Cup (champions), 2003 World Cup (3rd place) and 2004 Olympics gushed to the crowd of enthusiasts clad in red, white and blue in front of the Los Angeles Convention Center The Los Angeles Convention Center (abbreviated LACC) is a convention center in downtown Los Angeles. The LACC hosts annual events such as the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show, and was best known to video games fans as host to E3 until its cessation in 2006. . ``You made our dream come true.'' Braving the 95-degree heat, fans chanted ``USA! USA!'' as the players emerged from the Convention Center wearing their gold medals around their necks. Star player Mia Hamm Mia Hamm (born Mariel Margaret Hamm on March 17,1972 in Selma, Alabama) is a former American soccer player. Playing for many years as a forward for the United States women's national soccer team, she scored more international goals in her career than any other player, male carried the team's World Cup trophy. The team passed by the eager crowd on the other side of temporary fencing, high-fiving their fans along the way to an outdoor stage where several Women's World Cup organizers and other top soccer officials sat. Co-captain Julie Foudy spoke first at the rally, running to the microphone and raising her arms in triumph. ``What's up L.A.?!'' she cried. ``You guys are awesome!'' Whenever the downtown crowd chanted ``USA!'' team members raised their hands skyward sky·ward adv. & adj. At or toward the sky. sky  wards adv. in the No. 1 sign. Recreation and Parks Commission President Steve Soboroff presented a proclamation to the team, praising its members for captivating cap·ti·vate tr.v. cap·ti·vat·ed, cap·ti·vat·ing, cap·ti·vates 1. To attract and hold by charm, beauty, or excellence. See Synonyms at charm. 2. Archaic To capture. a city that he said can be hard to impress, as well as the rest of the world. ``And you did it collectively wearing less jewelry than we're used to seeing on Dennis Rodman at one time,'' he said to laughs. Foudy then humorously introduced every team member, including the team psychologist and the team masseur masseur /mas·seur/ (mah-sur´) [Fr.] 1. a man who performs massage. 2. an instrument for performing massage. . She called teammate Brandi Chastain ``the woman with the uncanny knack for taking her clothes off.'' Chastain shed her jersey after kicking the winning goal and stirred up pregame controversy by posing in the nude - carrying a strategically placed soccer ball - for Gear magazine. ``I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. if you'll see any more of that,'' Chastain told reporters. ``But I'm glad I did it. It was fun, and if it brought attention to soccer, that's great.'' Hours earlier, team members were showered with confetti as they rode a float that swept through Disneyland's Main Street, rubbing elbows with Mickey and Minnie Mouse. The festivities fes·tiv·i·ty n. pl. fes·tiv·i·ties 1. A joyous feast, holiday, or celebration; a festival. 2. The pleasure, joy, and gaiety of a festival or celebration. 3. marked the start of a two-day, two-coast whirlwind tour that will put the team in front of the cameras that missed them the first time around - when they crisscrossed criss·cross v. criss·crossed, criss·cross·ing, criss·cross·es v.tr. 1. To mark with crossing lines. 2. America en route to winning the 16-nation, 32-game tournament that concluded Saturday with a 5-4 victory over China on penalty kicks following a scoreless tie. Missing from the celebration was Coach Tony DiCicco, who was with his family at a hotel in Pasadena, and veteran player Michelle Akers, who suffered a concussion and heat exhaustion heat exhaustion, condition caused by overexposure to sunlight or another heat source and resulting in dehydration and salt depletion, also known as heat prostration. The symptoms are severe headaches, weakness, dizziness, blurred vision, and sometimes unconsciousness. that forced her to leave the game Saturday at the Rose Bowl before its dramatic finish. ``Michelle is sick today,'' Foudy said. ``She had an awesome game last night and is still recovering.'' Then, figuring Akers was watching on television, she said, ``Michelle, we love you, man.'' And did the crowd ever love the team, demonstrating it not only with chants but with American flags, funny hats and red, white and blue hair. ``I touched every single one of their hands!'' squealed 11-year-old Veronica Renov of Los Angeles to her parents as the team left the rally. Elizabeth Drake came from Greensboro, N.C., to watch the match and was downtown Sunday to cheer Team USA one last time before heading home. She decorated her oversize o·ver·size n. 1. A size that is larger than usual. 2. An oversize article or object. adj. o·ver·size also o·ver·sized Larger in size than usual or necessary. Adj. 1. straw hat with a Soccer Barbie, a team roster and a miniature plastic goal with a sign that read ``Briana's Room - Do Not Enter.'' ``It was sensational, it was electrifying e·lec·tri·fy tr.v. e·lec·tri·fied, e·lec·tri·fy·ing, e·lec·tri·fies 1. To produce electric charge on or in (a conductor). 2. a. ,'' she said of Saturday's match. ``It was the greatest soccer game to date for me.'' Freckle-faced soccer diehards Brittany and Kira Sharp of Salt Lake City, who put hundreds of red, white and blue beads in their hair before the big game, were similarly charged up. ``It made me feel like a kid again,'' said Brittany, 21. ``It rushes all through your body.'' Ed Castellanos of Winnemucca, Nev., cut the hair of his 15-year-old son Richard into a soccer-ball pattern then spray-painted the pentagonal sections red, white and blue. He predicted the Team USA victory will have long-lasting reverberations in the sports world. ``This is going to boost soccer in America,'' said Castellanos, president of a soccer club in his hometown. ``This is really going to rocket women's sports in the colleges.'' The U.S. team had another reason to be happy Sunday - the Women's World Cup Organizing Committee announced that it would make a $750,000 contribution to the tournament's prize money. The players already have been paid between $25,000 and $45,000 each, but their $12,500 bonuses for winning the final were increased between $40,000 and $50,000 each. The Americans' thrilling triumph produced the most-watched soccer game ever on U.S. network television, with ABC ABC in full American Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. television network. It began when the expanding national radio network NBC split into the separate Red and Blue networks in 1928. estimating that 40 million viewers tuned in. The game posted a 13.3 overnight rating and a 32 share for the network, 4 percent more than the previous record, a 12.8 for the 1994 men's World Cup final, also played at the Rose Bowl. The rating was nearly double the 6.9 overnight for last year's men's World Cup final between Brazil and France. The Associated Press contributed to this story. CAPTION(S): 4 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Lindsey Weening, 15, left, and Jenny Farenbaugh, 14, both of Fresno, pose with Team USA's Saskia Webber at the L.A. rally. David R. Crane/Daily News (2 -- color) Richard Castellanos, 15, of Winnemucca, Nev., shows his support for the U.S. team with his hair cut in a soccer-ball pattern and the pentagonal sections spray-painted red, white and blue. David R. Crane/Daily News (3 -- color) Team USA members Brandi Chastain, lower left, and Mia Hamm, center, celebrate on a float with teammates Sunday at Disneyland. Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press (4 -- color) Elizabeth Drake of Greensborough, N.C., is all dolled up at the Convention Center. David R. Crane/Daily News |
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