RACHEL SMITH, MISS USA®
Letter to the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team

June 22, 2007

Dear U.S. Men's National Soccer Team,

For as long as I can remember, professional basketball has been my all-time favorite spectator sport due to my own personal love for playing the game. However, due to a recent personal experience, I have discovered that I now have a new favorite professional sport: Soccer!

During this past May, I represented the U.S.A. at the 56th Annual Miss Universe Competition in Mexico City. It was a great honor and pleasure for me to compete at this international level, but along with that privilege came a bit of adversity.

Aside from a highly publicized graceful "fall" in front of a television audience of nearly a billion people, I felt the wrath of some of the hometown crowd and was consistently "booed" whenever "USA" was called out. I received many calls and letters of support afterwards, many from U.S. National Team fans.

As an amateur athlete, I appreciate the skill and stamina required to play at the top of your game for 90-plus minutes on the field. But now I have a greater appreciation for your team and what you must endure when you compete in hostile environments while representing our country. I also want to make my supporters aware of the similar, and often worse, conditions you experience almost every time you head out onto the field.

Congratulations on making it to the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup Finals!  I want to make sure you know I am rooting for and supporting each one of you.  As someone who can relate to you at this time, I am the newest recruit to "Sam's Army" and I will be cheering absolutely the loudest for you.

GO USA!

Your new #1 fan,
Rachel Smith
Miss USA® 2007