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CNN Live At Daybreak

U.S. Soccer Team Getting Ready to Sock it Poland

Aired June 14, 2002 - 06:31   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. soccer team is getting ready to sock it to Poland, at least that's what many are hoping. The World Cup match gets under way in an hour in South Korea, and fans here at home will be watching too.

Our Sean Callebs is at an Atlanta brewhouse with soccer fans rooting for Team USA. Are there a lot of people there?

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes and no. I'll explain. Right now, we are the lucky ones. We are inside right now.

Let's take you to a camera out front. There are about 50 people who have been waiting out there for some time. The match is still more than an hour away, so it just gives you a pretty good indication of what has been going on all across the United States as people have been gathering to watch the U.S. soccer team.

So you have to excuse your friends, colleagues, if they have been dragging in to work a little bit groggy over the past 10 days or so. Many of them may have been at a pub like this one, watching World Cup a half a world away. And of course, the big story coming out of the Cup so far this year, that young U.S. soccer team doing far better than anyone had imagined.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CALLEBS (voice-over): The drinking lamp is lighted before the sun comes up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got up as early as I to get here and have a good breakfast and check out the soccer.

CALLEBS: The Brewhouse in Atlanta has been open around the clock during World Cup, catering to those loyal enough to watch the games being played in Asia, some starting at 2:30 in the morning Eastern Time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My staff was saying when we were organizing this, why are we doing this? Nobody is going to turn up. I said, this is the biggest sporting event, and to a lot of people, the biggest religious event of the last four years.

CALLEBS: Stellar play by a young American team is feeding the frenzy. Some groggy fans are still trying to explain the attraction to the non-initiated.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They simply can't relate. You know, I am certainly not a morning person, and they are, you know, watching their friend, you know, getting up at the crack of dawn, you know, just to get down here and watch a game. They think I am completely out of my tree.

CALLEBS: The most popular game in the world is growing in the U.S., and advertisers beware. One day these kids will have TV remotes in their hands.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The U.S. and Brazil are probably our best sellers. There is a big following for Brazil.

CALLEBS: Another byproduct of the popularity of the World Cup, a big jump in business at one of Atlanta's soccer stores. Now, they can't keep the $90 U.S. jerseys in stock. And of course, all of these Johnny-come-lately fans are also instant experts at breaking down the game.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are an expert. You might never have played the game, but you are an expert. That's what's having a beer in your hand is. You are an expert.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLEBS: A beer in the hand at this hour of the morning. OK, we're going to take you back out front real quick. The Neilsen numbers aren't going through the roof, but if you look at what happened to the U.S.-South Korea match earlier in the week, it was the most-watched broadcast overnight in the United States.

Once again out there, and I've got to tell you, there is this one knucklehead out there dressed like Captain America or something like that. Can we find that guy? There he is, standing right by the door. And we can also, Carol, whip these guys into a frenzy.

Hey, guys, do you want in? You know, should I open the door for you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I can't do that -- can't do it.

CALLEBS: Another half hour, 30 more minutes. They are kind of cranky at this hour of the morning, but I guess you could imagine that. The U.S. really holds its own fate in its hands. If they win or have tie against Poland, then they move on to the second round. After that, it gets a bit complicated -- Carol, back to you.

COSTELLO: That's a shame you couldn't let them in. I really wanted you to talk to that guy dressed up as Uncle Sam.

CALLEBS: You know what? We can't speak to him, because the door is too thick and there is no mike out there. We have been trying to get a hold of it.

COSTELLO: OK, Sean Callebs, thank you very much -- reporting live from Atlanta with some Team USA soccer fans -- thank you, Sean.

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