Athletic Teams

Ecuador looked every bit the part of a wide-eyed World Cup first-timer Monday, marveling at the wondrous sights all around--the plush grass field inside the high-tech Sapporo Dome, the filled stands, the two goals in the first half-hour by Italy's Christian Vieri. By the time the Ecuadoreans had settled down and settled in, their first-ever World Cup match was fairly determined--a 2-0 loss to Italy at Sapporo, Japan, and a quick assignment to last place in Group G.

To the other Lakers, Kobe Bryant is simply a ballplayer, their teammate. To most, he will be the man and the player he was when they saw him last, trudging sadly from the floor at Staples Center, and what he is this week, when he returns, in a gym near downtown Honolulu.

Barry Schreifels finds a cruel irony in the fact that gender-equity considerations were partly responsible for Cal State Northridge eliminating its men's swimming program. Schreifels, coach of the men's and women's swimming teams, says no other sport on campus provided a more equal opportunity for both sexes. Side by side, male and female swimmers worked out together, competed together and on Wednesday, when news of the cutbacks hit, they shed tears together.

On Wednesday, Cal State Northridge President Blenda J. Wilson issued a four-page statement in response to the intense public scrutiny the school received after dropping four men's sports last week. Wilson said the controversy "represents a 'teachable moment' for me personally." Here are excerpts from Wilson's statement: . . .On the day the decision was announced, a university spokesman mistakenly stated that I was not available for comment. . . .

Club programs give young athletes opportunities to play such sports as soccer, softball, swimming and volleyball year-round. They help provide the skills and polish necessary to compete at the high school, college and national levels. Clubs can often provide better facilities, stronger competition, more personal attention and professional expertise in a particular sport. But at what cost? Club sports can be a lucrative business.

When you aspire to greatness, there are some great risks. That is the most sound advice that can be given athletes who choose to become specialists, who devote the bulk of their time to one sport in the pursuit of the almighty scholarship. Club sports provide the teaching that gives many of today's athletes the edge they need to receive local and national attention. That often leads to college scholarships. That's a good thing.

In considering who will play in the fledgling organization known as Major League Soccer, perhaps the simplest and quickest way of defining the situation is to answer the question with a question. Who won't play? For starters, we'll take a look at the World Cup roster of the U.S. national team and start crossing off players who have been under contract and might be returning to teams in Mexico and Europe.

The Seahawks will play at Husky Stadium and the Mariners might head to Tacoma while crews scrape loose ceiling tiles off the Kingdome. Because of the stadium's week-old tile problem, the Seahawks said Tuesday they will move their home exhibition opener on Aug. 13 against Tampa Bay to the University of Washington's stadium. The Mariners are awaiting complete league and union approval to use Tacoma's Cheney Stadium for their Aug. 2-10 home stand, which includes three games against the Angels.