COLUMN: Title IX fueled U.S. World Cup success

Tickets sales for the Women's World Cup broke even the most stratospheric expectations. ABC's jaw-dropping ratings for the U.S.-China finale was the highest rated soccer event seen on U.S. televisions. Murmurs of the formation of an America women's soccer league are no longer, having been replaced with published, front-page suggestions. U.S. media outlets -- including the television commentators, newspaper columnists, and sports magazines -- all leapt aboard the face-painted adolescent bandwagon, giving the Women's World Cup its due fanfare. But people should not be blinded by the nationalistic glory and face-painted hype. The United States is still not a soccer-loving country. Had China defender Fan Yunjie's header found its way into American netting in the first overtime period of the epic final, the white-knuckle, tear-jerking victory by the Americans could easily have been a disappointing one-goal overtime snoozer. Any low-scoring loss in the championship match probably would have ripped the voice box out of advocates as quickly as they found it. That silence would probably have more effect than the undying enthusiasm has today. Being FIFA World Champions for the next four years has a nice ring to it. But President Bill Clinton, during his halftime interview, alluded to the true victory in the glory of the stars-and-stripes. Title IX, he said, was the entity to which the level of American competition should be attributed. Although it continues to have a tumultuous legislative existence, its presence continues to find consistent rewards, such as the U.S. victory on July 10. Title IX might not be perfect, but the 1991 and now 1999 United States Women's World Cup soccer champions have proven that it works. Furthermore, the two championship teams have shown that, on a global standard, America is far ahead of its time, even if the legalese behind women's opportunity began in 1972 -- 27 years ago. Not ironically, the average age of the athletes on this year's championship squad is just under 27 years old. In China, it was widely recognized that most women didn't show interest in the Women's World Cup. The 16 teams present in the tournament show how under-appreciated women's athletics are throughout most of the world; the men's World Cup featured 32 teams and a plethora more that didn't qualify. Soccer will probably never achieve the love and appreciation in America that it enjoys in most other countries. But America has the best women's team in the world's most popular sport. The best women's team. The best integration of women into the athletic mainstream. The best women's opportunity. This is our crowning glory. And a little soccer enthusiasm happened to rub off in the meantime.

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