Come for the Soccer, Stay for the Freedom

I guess Cuba is not the idyllic fantasyland that Michael Moore and other Hollywood types would have you believe:

TAMPA, Fla. — Fidel Castro might be gone from power, but some things never change.

Seven members of Cuba's national soccer team, which tied the United States in an Olympic qualifying match Tuesday night, deserted the team before its match Thursday against Honduras.

Cuba, which could only field 10 players, lost the match, 2-0, in Group A play of the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament.

Five players left the under-23 squad after a 1-1 draw with the U.S. on Tuesday night. Officials have not identified the missing players. But absent from yesterday's practice were: Jose Manuel Miranda, Erlys Garcia Baro, Yenier Bermudez, Yordany Alvarez and Loanni Prieto.

Two more players disappeared Wednesday night — Yendry Diaz and Eder Roldan. And Roberto Linares was automatically suspended a game for receiving a red card.

Under the United States' "wet foot, dry foot" policy, Cubans who reach U.S. soil are allowed to remain in the country and apply for U.S. residency after one year.

Chances are they've all got relatives somewhere in Florda.