Contract negotiations, dueling tours and Olympic preparation follow post-World Cup hubbub


TheyÆve been to Disneyland and the White House, thrown out first pitches at Yankee Stadium and Camden Yards, played golf in an LPGA event, even watched the space shuttle fail to blast off. The U.S. womenÆs soccer team has been caught in a whirlwind since knocking off China on penalty kicks in the WomenÆs World Cup final, charging to and fro, from one public appearance to the next, enjoying their rather stunning status as AmericaÆs most beloved heroines. ôItÆs like flying on a Concorde instead of a normal DC-10,ö said midfielder Julie Foudy, seeking to describe the bedlam thatÆs engulfed the team since its dramatic triumph at the Rose Bowl. ôWeÆre going fast from one place to the next, but itÆs not going to last.ö True. Another gig or two ù Letterman, maybe Rosie OÆDonnell or Oprah, a few more things ù and life goes back to normal, sort of. The focus becomes the 2000 Olympics, although their trek down the road to Sydney, where the American women will defend the gold they captured in Atlanta, could be quite nettlesome. Ahead are what could be difficult negotiations with U.S. Soccer on a new collective agreement to replace the pact that expired with the conclusion of the WWC. Asked to describe the relationship between the parties, John Langel ù the Philadelphia attorney who has represented the squad since December 1997 ù sought to be positive. ôAh … ah …,ö he stuttered. ôAt times itÆs good, but thereÆs room for improvement. … But at times itÆs good.ö The area most in need of improvement, he said, are ômutuality of interests.ö Indeed, the fiercest battle ahead might concern competing tours for the U.S. women ù one sponsored by the federation, the other created in part by the players ù slated for the fall. One, a ôFIFA World Tourö to Egypt, South Africa and the Caribbean (with other sites possibly to be added), was part of an elaborate ôtentativeö schedule U.S. Soccer announced the day following the WWC victory. The other, a ôVictory Tourö of 11 indoor arenas slated to begin in October, has the playersÆ backing. Contracts with SFX Sports Group ù which presented a tour of the gold medal-winning U.S. gymnasts following the æ96 Olympics ù were finalized before the WWC was finished, and the players involved stand to make more than $40,000 apiece. U.S. Soccer is against the idea of an indoor tour and has discussed what it might take to buy out the contracts, a USSF official acknowledged. More likely, U.S. Soccer President Bob Contiguglia suggested, is that the Federation will support the playersÆ tour and reschedule its ôWorld Tourö for the spring or later. ôWeÆre hopeful we can work it out,ö Contiguglia told the Washington Post. ôWeÆre pretty flexible.ö Without U.S. Soccer approval, the ôWorld All-Starsö ù the AmericansÆ foe on the indoor tour ù would be without players worthy of the title; and inability to reach compromise with the players on the issue could provide unfavorable public relations. ôWeÆre certainly open to discussions with the Federation,ö Langel noted. ôWe donÆt want to run counter to the interests of the Federation, and likewise we donÆt believe they want to run counter to the interests of the women.ö Working out an equitable fall schedule is the first priority, said Langel, who met with USSF officials in Washington the weekend following the final. Negotiations on a contract would follow, he said. Julie Foudy, Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly and Carla Overbeck have been the players most involved in the negotiating process, Langel said, and he plans to involve ôa couple of the younger playersö when it comes time to get serious. What kind of negotiations does Langel expect? ôI donÆt know. I donÆt know,ö he says. ôI anticipate serious negotiations.ö A U.S. Soccer official said the offer to be presented to the players would have appeared quite substantial prior to the announcement of the indoor tour. The cash they can earn in the arenas, the official surmised, will make the USSF offer appear paler. The logical compromise, then, is to support the playersÆ tour in exchange for other considerations.

DiCicco: Schedule too extensive


Coach Tony DiCicco, meanwhile, hasnÆt determined if heÆll be in charge when the Olympics arrive in September 2000. ôI love international coaching, I love coaching this team, I like the challenge of the Olympics,ö he said. ôItÆs got to be right for my family, too.ö HeÆs soldiering on for the moment, preparing for the fall, but heÆs not pleased with the schedule U.S. Soccer released. Included are two trips to Australia ù not counting the Olympics ù the ôFIFA World Tour,ö the Algarve Cup in Portugal next spring, and a tournament slated for Barsinghausen, Germany, in July 2000. ôThat schedule is pretty extensive, more extensive than I want it to be,ö DiCicco said. ôThereÆs too much travel, too much international travel. … One of the things weÆve done well in the past is making sure that we donÆt overdo it.ö He wants to drop the proposed ôvictory tourö games Aug. 29 and Sept. 5, cancel one of the Australia trips ù probably the Nov. 29-Dec. 12 Australia Cup, which conflicts with the indoor tour ù and postpone most of the ôFIFA World Tourö to a non-competition year. ôIÆm intrigued with the July Germany tournament, but not totally sold on it yet,ö he said. ôThe Caribbean trip can be a great event for a number of our world champions and some B-level players, players we think have a future with the team.ö DiCicco has no problem with the players going indoor. ôThereÆs some benefit for them,ö he said. ôThe players have to play in tight spaces. Indoor soccer is always good training for players, but not for goalkeepers.ö A handful of players are heading back to school. Only reserve defender Lorrie Fair has college eligibility remaining ù sheÆll be a senior at North Carolina ù but forward Cindy Parlow intends to continue her studies in Chapel Hill and defender Kate Sobrero plans to begin work on a masterÆs degree at the University of Texas in Austin. Another four ù defenders Brandi Chastain (Santa Clara) and Carla Overbeck (Duke), forward Shannon MacMillan (Portland) and reserve goalkeeper Tracy Ducar (UNC Greensboro) ù serve as college assistant coaches. And Michelle Akers plans to mull over her return to the field. ôI have to weigh do I want to go through this again, do I need to, or can I hang up my cleats and be satisfied.ö

Movie of the week?

Everyone figures to get a few months off, although most will remain busy. Several have camps coming up, and a handful can plan on endorsement opportunities that werenÆt present previously. Brandi Chastain and Briana Scurry emerged as stars from the WWC and could join Hamm among womenÆs sports most enduring marketing properties. There have been talks with publishers about a book on the team, Langel said, and producers have contacted him about making a TV movie. Entertainment Weekly magazine has already offered casting recommendations: Sandra Bullock as Hamm, Melissa Etheridge as Chastain, Courteney Cox as Foudy, Lisa Gay Hamilton as Scurry and Tony Orlando as DiCicco. Add it to all the rest. A parade at Disneyland, appearances on ôTodayö and ôGood Morning America,ö on ôThe Tonight Showö (Scurry) and ôMeet the Pressö (Chastain), a stop by ôThe Late Show,ö where host David Letterman has been one of the teamÆs strongest supporters. Chastain tossed the first pitch at a YankeesÆ game, Overbeck for the Orioles, and their White House celebration was followed by a flight aboard Air Force One to the planned shuttle liftoff ù halted at the last moment ù at Cape Canaveral. Next up: rest. ôWe have a few months off, and a lot of us are looking forward to that time off,ö Fawcett noted. ôWeÆve put so much into this, and itÆs taken a lot out of us.ö by Soccer America Senior Editor Scott French