Speaking of soccer that nobody watches: In case you don't catch the last ten seconds of SportsCenter, or fail to read the tiny 2-inch column below the local high school sports section in your paper, it's time again for the Women's World Cup - new marketing slogan: "No sports bras this time!". Can't you just taste the excitement? Fortunately for its own sake, the event is once again in the U.S. where there is at least the hope of some $$ trickling in (for all of the chest-beating over in Europe about how much they love the foot, they love more relegating women to where they belong, and don't spend much time watching the gals run around on the pitch). Also fortunate, is that the U.S. team has no young talent, so it's pretty much the Mia Hamm show again (I think there's a clause in there somewhere that she has to play and appear in every ad until she dies), with the nearly menopausal supporting cast: Lilly, Foudy, Fawcett (all combined, nearly 500 games played). Chastain is back too.

Interesting side notes: For some reason, the Nigerians and the North Koreans (!) are getting all the press; for the first time, headgear will be worn by certain players to reduce concussive type injuries; rumor is that another successful tournie will revive WUSA.