BERMUDA'S number two goalkeeper Antoine Lightbourne became an instant celebrity during the stopover in Miami.

He arrived at the Fusion's Fort Lauderdale Stadium to be asked to take part in a TV sports segment being shot by South Florida station Channel Seven.

They were recording a report comparing the kicking abilities of two Fusion players, Cle Coyman and Matt Kmosko, with those of Miami Dolphins' kicker Olindo Mare, using both a soccer ball and American football.

When Bermuda arrived a couple of hours early they asked to borrow a goalkeeper.

With Timmy Figuereido getting set to concentrate on more important matters, Lightbourne was sent to get changed for the cameras. In the event, Mare seemed to have the edge.

Lightbourne confirmed: "I can save the kicks from those Fusion guys but not from the Dolphins players.'' *** SPORTSMEN have to be careful to watch what they eat these days if they want to be successful. Low fat and carbohydrates are the watch words of the footballers' diet and woe betide those found munching on pie and fries before a big game.

So it was quite a surprise to see the majority of Bermuda's squad walking through the lobby of their Cayman Island hotel late on Wednesday night carrying giant packets of chips, large bars of Cadbury's and litre bottles of Coke for an apparent midnight feast. And even more surprising when neither Clyde Best nor coaches Robert Calderon and Mark Trott tried to stop them.

However, it transpired that these were just emergency measures -- the players had been unable to eat before going out to watch the Caymans against Cuba match because the hotel restaurant had run out of food.

*** ALL members of the Bermuda contingent were impressed by the raucous and fun atmosphere generated at the national Truman Bodden Stadium on Wednesday night among a crowd of around 1500 packed into the main stand.

There was a huge amplifier facing towards the stand which belted out reggae and calypso songs during the break.

Less impressed, though, was the Jamaican referee. During a temporary lull in support for the home team, after they had fallen 2-1 behind to Cuba, a pitchside self-styled cheerleader grabbed the microphone and -- pantomime style -- tried to encourage the crowd to get behind their team.

However, the referee quickly put a stop to it, running towards his fourth official and indicating with a quite worrying cut-throat gesture that the cheerleader should refrain.

It seemed a strange attitude: but at least it was deflecting attention from his decisions, some of which were quite bizarre.

*** BERMUDA'S officials have also been casting envious eyes at the stadia they have encountered on this trip.

The Lockhart Stadium, home of Major League expansion team Miami Fusion, is a neat all-seater 21,000 capacity affair with bleachers at either end and bucket seats down each side.

But it was not always so. It has been developed over the years from a high school sports field to a home for former NASL side Fort Lauderdale Strikers and depending on whether Clyde Best, who played there during his NASL days with Tampa Bay, or the Fusion PR guys, is accurate, it has been built up from 15,000 or 8,000 capacity.

The Truman Bodden Stadium in Cayman is less attractive but is functional with an athletics track and facilities around its perimeter. A covered bleachers stand runs two thirds of the length of one touchline and there is a smaller covered stand opposite. And all this for a cost of just two million dollars.

It had one or two of the Bermudians wondering about the expense of the redeveloped National Centre back home.