International
"One last time, the US softball team crowded
around its coach and listened. 'Who do you
play for?' he asked.
'U-S-A!' they screamed. Loud enough for
the whole world to hear.
On Monday, the US team completed an almost
flawless romp through the Olympics, winning gold
with a 5-1 victory over Australia - another
dominant performance by the best softball team
America has ever built.
'This team got it done, and we got it done in
grand fashion,' said pitcher Lisa Fernandez.
'This is the best that's ever put on the red,
white and blue.'
The Aussies knew better than to go for gold.
Fernandez wasn't going to let them get their
hands near it. 'We didn't do our homework
well enough,' Stacey Porter said. 'She got
us in the end again.'
No worries, mate. Fernandez gets
everyone.
At 33, the three-time Olympian only seems to
get better. She went 4-0 in the tournament
and batted .545 in her third games, leaving
little doubt that she's still the game's best
all-around player.
The best team was never a debate. Four
years ago in Sydney, the United States barely
captured gold. This time, it was just a
blink from perfection. Fernandez, as
always, led the way."
Excerpt from "Nearly
Flawless, US Women Win Gold" by Associated
Press (August 23, 2004)
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