Fans celebrate soccer, Teddy Roosevelt, and budding authors throughout a sizzling summer season

By Janet Donovan

Real Madrid’s “Kaka” Leite signed T-shirts for fans. (Photo by Janet Donovan)

SOME LIKE IT HOT!
The temperature on the rooftop of the W Hotel may have been in the 90’s during the exclusive pre-game party honoring the DC United & Real Madrid soccer teams, but the real heat was generated by two of the latter team’s stars, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite (known as “Kaka”).
While the formidable duo sucked up all the oxygen, home team players stayed in the background, allowing their competitors to indulge in the limelight. Cristiano appeared bored and aloof, but Kaka graciously shook hands and endured endless photo ops.
The VIP guest list was negligible, although an odd mix of White House staffers (Robert Gibbs, Melody Barnes and Mona Sutphen) and “reality stars” (Katherine Kennedy of “Blonde Charity Mafia” and Navy Lt. Cmdr. Andy “The Bachelor” Baldwin) were spotted.
Sunday game: Real Madrid 3. United 0
Amid rumors that Cristiano had played only a few minutes in the match because he had fallen ill with swine flu, an official team statement was issued: “Cristiano Ronaldo returned from Washington, D.C., with the flu and has been told to rest at home and was prescribed medication.” So, count yourself lucky, fans, if you didn’t get that coveted handshake or double kiss you were hoping for.