Dateline

2:30 p.m., Mulberry St., Little Italy:

The World Cup final is on every publicly-displayed TV in sight, and the excitement is palpable throughout Little Italy. The person who's dismbodied legs are in the window above La Mela would occasionally crane downwards toward the open window and, with Peroni in hand and face purpled from screaming at the telly, whip up the crowd with a chant of, "EEE-TAL-YAA! EEE-TAL-YA!"

People took a moment between mouthfuls of penne arrabiata and chicken francese to holla back at the playa.

And after Italy actually scored? Forget it -- the howl lasted for blocks, from Kenmare and Cleveland (above) all the way down to Chinatown.