Posted on 06/15/2004 4:01:11 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Players' Wives Give Team Lucky Strip
Thu Jun 10, 2:27 PM ET
By Sonia Oxley
MOSCOW (Reuters) - If Russia win Euro 2004 the players will thank their lucky strip -- a nude photo-shoot by their wives.
Nine wives and girlfriends undressed for the cameras to encourage their men to win matches at the tournament being hosted by Portugal. Only a strategically placed placard featuring a photo of their partners offered some cover.
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Daily newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda is printing one of the photos on a full page every day hoping they will inspire the players at the tournament starting on Saturday.
"The wives have done their part, now it's the men's turn," said freelance photographer Svetlana Yeriklintseva, who came up with the idea for the pictures when the women told her they wanted to lift the team's spirits after a bad result.
They hatched the plan after Russia hit a low in April, losing to Norway -- who did not even make the finals -- for the first time in their history. Yeriklintseva said it was time to show some beautiful Russians to the public.
MORE STRIKING
"Our press publishes a lot of pictures of wives but not of (those married to) Russian soccer players. Most often it's (England captain David's wife) Victoria Beckham...," she said.
"I believe that our girls are considerably more striking and I wanted this to be reflected in the photographs."
Yeriklintseva said the women, who have been allowed to travel to Portugal to see their men, needed little persuasion. Some had worked as models and were used to being photographed but for others it was their first time.
The women are pictured in graceful black and white poses, with nothing but their man's picture to protect their modesty.
"They cover up more than a mini-dress," said Yeriklintseva.
Among those taking part were Russian captain Alexei Smertin's wife Larisa, goalkeeper Sergei Ovchinnikov's wife Inga and defender Vadim Yevseyev's wife Tatyana.
Komsomolskaya Pravda correspondent Svetlana Khrustaleva said some players were reluctant for their partners to pose. But striker Dmitry Bulykin could barely wait for his girlfriend Oksana Kuptsova to strip.
"He was really keen -- he gave a white toothy grin and said: 'Please, Oksana, it will really warm me up.'," Khrustaleva said.
Russia play Spain in their opening Group A game on Saturday in Faro and will also face hosts Portugal and Greece at the tournament that runs until July 4.
Have you been polling the pole workers? :)
Cabbage?
I'd rather be pole-ing them. Oddly enough, many of those pole polishers are Polish Poles.
I hope this catches on for professional sports here :-)
Tear down this wall changed to TEAR OFF THOSE CLOTHES.
Not to be a buzzkill, but that phrase was directed toward Gorbachev - I have no desire to find out what else may be wine-stained on him.
You'd be amazed how often I hear that from women.
or maybe you wouldn't...
Climate. Cold, dry air is hard on the skin. In humid places like Houston there are forty year olds that you have to take a second look at to realize their age.
The other day I flipped on the TV and they were interviewing a woman trying out to be a Texan cheerleader. There seemed to be something not quite right about her but it wasn't readily apparent what it was. Finally I heard them say she was a forty years old.
And that is the reason I won't leave Houston. I enjoy being mistaken for my teenage daughter Dale.
"Next... svim vehr!"
The pictures were great! But...the data mining software that seems to have come along with it wasn't. My computer locked up when I closed the link.
I ran Ad-aware and Spybot Search and Destroy and found 8!!! new data miners.
And introducing Susan Joyce and Nancy Reeves.
Susan this is Nancy, Nancy this is Susan.
Y'know, I Googled the phrase "teenage daughter dale" and got NO hits. What up with that, bee?
I know. I tried many variants looking for the picture of Susan and Nancy being introduced with no luck. Searching Kentucky Fried Movie turned up alot of pictures but not what either of us were looking for.
The shame, that such a fine movie should go un-screen-capped.
Why? Did RR remove Western propaganda that go to deepest of villages and find oldest, fattest and uglist of woman to show Russian "average"?
Most stay beautiful. Go to Russia and see of yourself...or to Russian community in America.
HA!!!
What ha?
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