Four Tiny Tidbits On: Czech Republic

The World Cup is ominously close! So that you aren't caught offside (they have that in soccer, right?), we're previewing all the participants, bringing you Four Things You Don't Know About Them. If you have a tidbit, send it along to [email protected]. Today: Czech Republic! And for World Cup previews that are even better than ours, check out That's On Point, who helped us with these as well. • 1. Quiet On The Set!. Prague is known as the "Hollywood of the East," with a variety of films made there. The good: Blade II, Hellboy, The Bourne Identity, Amadeus. The Bad: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, XXX, Alien vs. Predator. The Creepy: Oliver Twist (directed by Roman Polanski). • 2. Know Your Czech Stars. Petr Cech (GK, Chelsea); Pavel Nedved (Mid. Juventus); Tomas Galasek (Mid. Ajax); Tomas Rosicky (Mid., Borussia Dortmund); Milan Baros (F, Aston Villa); Jan Koller (F, Borussia Dortmund — currently out with broken leg, but had nine goals in qualifying).

• 3. Cech And Mate. At one point last season Petr Cech set the record for most time without conceding a goal in the English Premier League. Of course in Germany he won't have John Terry or William Gallas patrolling his box. Or "The Special One" causing referees to be fired. • 4. Grooming Tidbits. Rangers forward and current NHL points leader Jaromir Jagr imported the Eastern European mullet to North America, where it mutated with the main DNA stands of "Hockey Hair" and "Tennesse Waterfall." Also, Nedved looks like Patrick Swayze in Point Break. That's minus points, Johnny Utah. — (thanks to Mike Cardillo) (Tomorrow: Trinidad and Tobago)