6-12-2004: I'm gonna find me two waitresses here and I'm gonna pull me a Fredo.

[JMU Soccer!]

Back woes sideline top scorer Noonan (http://www.boston.com/sports/articles/2004/06/12/another_loss_for_revolution/) - Boston Globe

Backups to step up (http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~29583~2207845,00.html) - LA Daily News

For Rapids, it's puzzling (http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/rapids/article/0,1299,DRMN_51_2958163,00.html) - Rocky Mountain News

Filling the Holes Is Half the Battle (http://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/la-sp-galaxy12jun12,1,7885179.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-soccer) - LA Times

There's Some Concern About Chivas Policy (http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-letters12.1jun12,1,4508152.story?coll=la-headlines-sports) - LA Times

Metros depend on rookie goalie (http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1087023146180640.xml) - New Jersey Star Ledger

Colorado Acquires Martinez From Chicago (http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0604/152790.html) - Sports Network

Anderton eyes move to MLS after Spurs release. (http://www.soccertimes.com/oped/2004/madbrit/jun11.htm) - Soccertimes

Wave United Acquires Jamar Beasley (http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3046523&l_id=&t_id=) - Oursportscentral.com

Edmond MLS Soccer Bid Apparently Dead (http://www.channeloklahoma.com/sports/3408669/detail.html) - Channel Oklahoma

Timbers add a colorful talent (http://www.portlandtribune.com/archview.cgi?id=24795) - Portland Tribune

Langley key to Jamaica (http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0600soccer/0900cardiffcity/tm_objectid=14323336&method=full&siteid=50082&headline=langley-key-to-jamaica-name_page.html) - IC Wales

S.J.'s image problems crystalized in verse (http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/8897207.htm?ERIGHTS=-7207186923373878285mercurynews::bigsoccer@bigsoccer.com&KRD_RM=8opotqoxwxorwqvrpqrooooooo|bigsoccer|Y) - San Jose Mercury (halfway down)

Galaxy's Kirovski lost to qualifier (http://www.pe.com/sports/soccer/stories/PE_Sports_Local_galaxy_notes_12.a1240.html) - Press Enterprise

Wells left with goalkeeping duties vs. Earthquakes (http://www.dailyrecord.com/sports/pro/sports3-061204metros.htm) - Daily Record.com

Resurgent Wizards find the road to their liking (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/8903405.htm?ERIGHTS=-4882924726145792775kansascity::bigsoccer@bigsoccer.com&KRD_RM=0hmjgkhkoipggggggggggghohg|Karl|Y) - KC Star

Metrostars facing tough stretch (http://www.nypost.com/sports/17409.htm) - NY Post

1994 World Cup coverage changed the way soccer is broadcast in U.S. (http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5185264/) - MSNBC

Cancela must pick up slack (http://sports.bostonherald.com/soccer/view.bg?articleid=31612) - Boston Herald

And you thought the Cubs have waited a long time (http://www.vaildaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040611/SPORTS/106110016) - Vail Daily (good read)

From local to global: Delicate aims higher (http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031776013420&path=!sports!localpros&s=1045855935035) - Richmond Times Dispatch

365 Q & A with Pat Noonan (http://www.soccer365.com/_365_Interviews/page_123_74191.shtml) - Soccer365

Stewart Answers D.C.'s Emergency Call (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35543-2004Jun11.html) - Washington Post

France, Italy among Euro favorites (http://washingtontimes.com/sports/20040611-111012-1697r.htm) - Washington Times

Fire youth attempt to make the grade (http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/soccer/fire/cs-040611fire,1,3341291.story?coll=cs-home-headlines) - Chicago Tribune

Cup road long, bumpy (http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/soccer/cs-0406110227jun11,1,5408336.story?coll=cs-soccer-print)

Concacaf News

Haiti defeats obstacles (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/sfl-haijamadv12jun12,0,1102665.story?coll=sfla-sports-headlines) - Sun Sentinel

Haiti-Jamaica: 40,000 expected (http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/soccer/8905104.htm?ERIGHTS=3465215066644603970miami::bigsoccer@bigsoccer.com&KRD_RM=3jommkrrkrsmnnjjjjjjjjkjrq|big|N) - Miami Herald

Haiti, Jamaica rivalry hits soccer field (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/sfl-csoccer12jun12,0,1660305.story?coll=sfla-sports-front) - Sun Sentinel

Jones: We’re on firmer ground (Barbados) (http://www.nationnews.com/StoryView.cfm?Record=50525&Section=Sports&Current=2004-06-11%2000%3A00%3A00) - Barbados Daily Nation

Canada kicks off Cup quest (http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1086991811394&call_pageid=1044529386722&col=1044529386490) - Toronto Star

[babytiger2001]

1994 World Cup coverage changed the way soccer is broadcast in U.S. (http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5185264/) - MSNBC

Interesting article, albeit one that's too short, unfortunately.

One other insight I'd like to add to it-- and I'm going to do a little name-dropping here from my own personal experience (so this is an official warning)...

I interviewed ESPN's Bob Ley for an old magazine that I was writing and editing for some years ago, and I asked him about (among other things) the television legacy left by the network's World Cup coverage that year, and he did say something very profound about the clock and score in the upper corner, something which the MSNBC.com article says is now downright expected.

Bob said something along the lines of, "...in a 60-plus cable-channel environment, it hooks the viewers in," as describing something that made that feature advantageous for ESPN.

Certainly that was true in the mid-1990s/pre-DSS/pre-TIVO television culture, but the fact that so many other networks have followed that lead have made it less unique amid a culture that also has been known for its channel-surfing, too.

Thing is, there's not much to improve upon with that feature. That box in the upper corner is so perfect, that everything is right there.