hat is why, as Chris Berman likes to say, they play the game. Two extra periods. Five penalty kicks each. One small kick for Brandi Chastain, one giant leap for women's sports.
At least that is what the ABC broadcast team told us yesterday as the US beat China for the 1999 Women's World Cup Championship.
ABC commentator (and member of the US squad that won the 1991 Cup) Wendy Gebauer said she had to compose herself before giving her final comments after the game.
''I broke into tears after seeing the team win it,'' Gebauer said. ''They were focused on their goal and made it happen.''
Robin Roberts hosted the coverage and she gushed about the new revolution.
''I have waited a long time to see mainstream America embrace and welcome women's sports,'' Roberts said.
She was talking about the 90,000 people who packed the Rose Bowl to see the championship game. She very well could have been talking about the expected record TV ratings for the dramatic event.
No one will remember the missed replays, the lack of analysis for casual fans or the pro-American slant. Talk about homers. It was as if the Chinese team did not have anything to do with the scoreless game at the end of two extra periods. Play-by-play annnouncer J.P. Dellacamera and Gebauer seldom gave the Chinese credit for tremendous defense, only saying that the American players missed opportunities or were unable to execute.
Not all the commentary was America first.
Gebauer was good in putting the penalty kicks in perspective, saying no team should win or lose that way.
''But as a coach told me, `It's make one, take one,''' she said.
