The only thing more amazing than the large crowds at USA ’99 has been the media coverage. Coverage of the team this winter and spring was, frankly, sparse, but the American media have made up for that in recent weeks. USA ’99 is one of those stories that editors latch on to and run with. MLS can only dream of the coverage the major dailies have been offering. The coverage has equaled if not exceeded coverage of any soccer event with the possible exception of the ’94 World Cup. Papers aren’t just concentrating on Tony DiCicco’s girls, new darlings of the American sports scene. Dailies like the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times have been providing extensive coverage of the non-USA games. Players such as Linda Medalen, Sissi and Mercy Akide have probably gotten more ink here in the last two weeks than they’ve gotten in their entire careers back home. Several factors have helped to build the coverage. On a practical level, it helps that the Women’s World Cup is in an odd year. There’s no Winter or Summer Olympics, not to mention a Men’s World Cup, to eat up the international sports travel budget. Many of the journalists covering USA ’99 were around in Athens, Ga., when the U.S. women won the gold medal. They were already a story three years ago, although no one knew it because they were snubbed by NBC. (NBC’s plan for Sydney 2000 is, apparently, to farm the women’s soccer out to one of its cable affiliates.) Many of these same journalists who couldn’t be caught dead at an MLS game have taken to the U.S. women. They’re down-to-earth, charming, happy, on the whole, for the attention. One final thing helps: They’re winning. FANS, LET’S HEAR YOUR VIEW Click here to log onto (Soccer) American Graffiti. Then click on the topic titled “YOUR VIEW: Amazing on all fronts” and respond to Paul Kennedy in 200 words or less. Best responses may be reprinted in Soccer America Magazine. If YOUR View is selected, we’ll send you a cool T-shirt and pin… Because You’re FANATIC.