Some time ago, my wife Ilka and I spent a memorable month in Paris. Thus, when soccer's World Cup ‘98 took place in France, I followed it with interest. I watched the exciting quarter-final soccer match between France and Italy on television. It was played at Stade de France in Saint-Denis with nearly 80,000 people in the stands, and it was broadcast worldwide. France went on, in this paramount event, to win its first World Cup ever, igniting the largest celebration in France since the end of World War II.

I was particularly interested in observing Fabien Barthez, the head-shaven French goalkeeper. During the game, he injured his left hip. All at once a close-up shot popped onto the screen. It was of his naked left buttock, a team trainer spraying it with a magical remedy to ease the pain. Later, just...

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