USA COACH SAMPSON CONTINUES TO BEAR BRUNT OF TEAM'S FAILURE

          Team USA's "poor" showing at the World Cup, stems from
     the U.S. Soccer Federation's "inability to develop world-
     class stars," according to John Eisenberg of the Baltimore
     SUN.  Eisenberg: "Where are the minorities, the sons of
     Hispanic and African-American parents?  Not nearly enough
     are in the pipeline. ... The reality is the United States
     might never approach Brazil, England or any country in which
     soccer comes first.  There's just too much interest in those
     countries and not enough here" (Baltimore SUN, 6/25).  On
     CBS SportsLine, Bob Keisser writes that "while the rest of
     the world sets its alarm clocks to the World Cup schedule,
     America stays asleep.  It's this lack of passion for soccer
     that separates North America from everyone else."  Keisser
     added, "It doesn't help a bit that most network coverage is
     passionless" (CBS SportsLine, 6/24).
          SAMPSON STANDS THE HEAT: U.S. Soccer coach Steve
     Sampson, on criticism he has received from his own players:
     "They have a choice whether to be professional or not.  I've
     always been professional with them.  I will never criticize
     a player through the press" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 6/25).