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Published on 07/21/1999 All articles from this issue

World Cup makes Fair, Team USA world famous

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By Pete Borello

Town Crier Staff Writer

Los Altos native Lorrie Fair merely chuckled when asked if the USA women's soccer team has reached rock star status.

However, the attention Fair and her teammates have received since winning the Women's World Cup earlier this month has put them on par with anyone appearing on MTV these days.

The team hasn't been on MTV, at least not yet, but the 20 players have procured plenty of tube time.

Their shootout win over China in the July 10 final attracted an estimated 40 million viewers. Two days later, Team USA was in New York doing the morning talk show circuit. The players appeared on ABC, NBC, CNN and Fox - all in one morning.

"Every place we went, people greeted us as we got off the bus," said Fair, a defensive specialist. "The networks are all near each other, and one guy followed us from place to place, running alongside the bus in a suit and tie. It was bizarre."

This wasn't the only time fans mobbed the bus or followed it on foot. Fair recalls a similar situation June 24 when the team was departing from Chicago's Soldier Field after a win over Nigeria.

"One woman jogged from the stadium all the way to the main street," Fair said. "I think she was a cross-country runner and she was really bookin'."

The team's fan base seemed to grow with every game and reached a point that Fair called "jaw dropping" by the final.

"We had 2,000 people show up for a practice in Pasadena," she said. "It was scary, but nice."

The game itself drew 91,185 fans to Pasadena's Rose Bowl, the biggest crowd ever to attend a women's sporting event.

Among those in the stands were Fair's twin sister, Ronnie, older brother, Greg, and mother, May.

Lorrie may not have a bigger fan than May, who recently moved from Los Altos to South San Francisco. May racked up some serious frequent flier miles by attending all six of the team's World Cup matches.

"It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience," May said, "and the final match was unbelievable."

The United States and China played to a scoreless tie in regulation, and when neither team scored in overtime, the match went to a shootout. Team USA then won 5-4 on penalty kicks. Goalkeeper Briana Scurry made the decisive save for the United States and teammate Brandi Chastain of San Jose nailed the winning kick.

Fair didn't play in the final, but that didn't make the shootout any less nerve racking for her.

"I think I'm 10 times grayer from it," said Fair, the youngest player on the team at age 20. "I was on the ground on my hands and knees during it. Some players can't bear to watch shootouts, but I watched every kick."

And how did she react to Chastain's cup-clinching shot?

"I just wanted to tackle somebody," Fair said. "I ran right toward Brandi and Bri."

The postgame celebration included a locker room visit from President Clinton, who also met with the team after its July 1 quarterfinal win over Germany in Landover, Md. Actor/comedian Arsenio Hall stopped by, too, which was a real thrill for Fair.

"I spotted him and yelled, 'Arsenio!'" Fair said. "I ran over to him and he lifted me up and the team surrounded us."

A day after the final, Team USA took part in a parade at Disneyland and a rally at the Los Angeles Convention Center before embarking on a red-eye flight to New York.

Fair returned home July 13, but not for long.

The team was scheduled to visit the White House this past Monday and return to New York Tuesday to appear on "Late Night with David Letterman."

The victory tour won't end anytime soon, as several team members plan to play in exhibition games around the country.

Fair, however, won't be among them. She still has school to contend with.

Fair, the only player on Team USA with college eligibility remaining, is entering her senior year at North Carolina. The Tar Heels start training Aug. 12 and classes begin a few weeks after that.

As a college player, Fair also misses out on the money that comes with winning the cup. Her 19 teammates get to split $1 million in prize money and can weigh down their wallets even more with endorsements and appearances.

"It's a bummer, but there's nothing I can do about it unless I drop out of school," said Fair, a communications major.

The Los Altos High graduate should get other opportunities to cash in on soccer in the future, especially if rumors of a women's pro league forming in the United States by the year 2001 come true.

"I think the World Cup showed we can support a league and we need it," Fair said. "All the other countries have one, and it's a good way to develop players. Let's keep this team going."

Fair expects to rejoin Team USA for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Tryouts begin in March, and Fair hopes sister Ronnie, a senior at Stanford, will make the cut as well.

"It would be great to play together," Lorrie said.

Lorrie also hopes to earn more playing time than she did in the World Cup. She played in four games, logging 69 minutes off the bench. Her longest stint on the field came against Nigeria when she played on defense the entire second half.

But Fair found playing the final four minutes of the United States' 2-0 semifinal win over Brazil even more memorable. Not only was the game held close to home at Stanford Stadium, but she also got a chance to play forward.

"I didn't expect to go in up top, but it was great," Fair said. "The coach (Tony DiCicco) said, 'Go chase the ball.'"

Now that the World Cup is over, Fair and her teammates are the ones being chased - by reporters, photographers and even fans on the run.