U.S. World Cup soccer team members Cobi Jones, Chad
     Deering, Eddie Pope, Mike Burns and Brian McBride appeared
     on ABC's "GMA" live from Central Park.  The players named
     their MLS team when introducing themselves, then gave some
     tips to young soccer players/fans.  "GMA"'s  Kevin Newman
     noted that ABC/ESPN would be covering the Cup with the first
     game on June 15 (ABC, 6/4).  French railroad workers have
     "threatened to worsen transportation chaos" in that country
     by going on strike just as the World Cup gets underway next
     week.  Pilots for Air France are already on strike (INT'L
     HERALD TRIBUNE, 6/4).  Brazilian star Ronaldo is the subject
     of a front-page profile by Michael Shepherd in this
     morning's WASHINGTON POST.  Shepherd writes that Nike's
     signing of Ronaldo "has made him chief spokesmodel for all
     of soccer," adding that the deal "may end up being [Nike's]
     biggest endorsement ever" (WASHINGTON POST, 6/4).

          Ticket sales are "sagging" for Saturday's heavyweight
     championship bout between Evander Holyfield and Henry
     Akinwande at MSG, as just over 7,000 tickets have been sold,
     according to Timothy Smith of the N.Y. TIMES.  Smith
     attributes the low turnout to the event's high ticket prices
     -- $1,000 for ringside to $100 for the least expensive seat
     -- as well as the running of the Belmont Stakes and the warm
     weather.  Smith adds that another reason for "flagging
     sales," is that many boxing fans see the Holyfield-Akinwande
     bout "as a stinker" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/6).
          THE SPIKE IS RIGHT: In N.Y., Holyfield made the "high
     bid" at a benefit auction the other night, $8,000 for a
     walk-on part in Spike Lee's next film (N.Y. POST, 6/4).