Sockers to Meet Ozzie, Strikers in Semifinals

Tino Lettieri is never alone when he is in goal for the Minnesota Strikers. He has Ozzie with him.

Who’s Ozzie? His stuffed parrot.

Ozzie will be with Lettieri once again when the Strikers meet the Sockers in Game 1 of the Major Indoor Soccer League’s semifinal series at 6:05 tonight in the Sports Arena.

The parrot has been Lettieri’s good-luck charm for a long time, but others may think he is for the birds.

“I’m not going to worry about the parrot,” Branko Segota of the Sockers said. “I just want the ball to go in the net.”

A properly placed shot could knock Ozzie off his perch.

“Who cares about the parrot?” said Steve Zungul of the Sockers. “Not me. Tino wants to sell parrots and make money. I’m not going to buy it.”

The MISL, in fact, has sent the Sockers and Minnesota a directive concerning the parrot. Anybody who “disrupts” a game with antics involving the parrot will draw a yellow-card caution.

Ozzie has been involved in a mix-up or two in the past.

In Game 2 of the MISL wild-card round against Wichita, Lettieri’s parrot disappeared during a timeout. The parrot eventually was returned, but an obviously agitated Lettieri caused a fight to erupt when he tripped a Wichita player.

In Minnesota’s last game at San Diego, fans did not fall for Lettieri’s act--at least they didn’t fall in love with it. They repeatedly booed him for his antics, which resembled what one would expect from pro wrestlers and roller derby skaters.

“I love to play against crowds like theirs any day of the week,” Lettieri said. “Their booing is like cheering me on. When I look back and smile at them, they look at me as if to say ‘you’re great.’ ”

Lettieri did have an outstanding season for Minnesota, leading league goalkeepers in wins (24), saves (614), games played (45) and minutes (2,673). He also set an all-time league record by facing 1,193 shots.

Minnesota fans love Lettieri for both his performances and parrot. But on the road, it’s a different story. San Diego fans are typical of how opposing MISL fans view Lettieri.

“Some of the opposing crowds fall into a trap by taunting him,” Minnesota Coach Alan Merrick said. “They increase his concentration and desire to do well when they boo him.”

Lettieri had a fine season, and so did his teammates. However, the 1984-85 season, Minnesota’s first in the MISL, did not start as well as it is finishing. The Strikers opened with a 10-2 loss to the Sockers in San Diego.

However, Socker Coach Ron Newman felt the lop-sided win was deceiving.

“I knew then they had the players,” Newman said. “It was just a matter that a lot of them had not played indoors. They needed time to adjust.”

And adjust they did. The Strikers finished their first indoor season with a 24-24 record after getting off to a 14-19 start.

Minnesota’s progress through the season is illustrated by its games against the Sockers.

When the teams met a second time, the Sockers won, 5-2. In their third meeting, at Minnesota, the Strikers handed the Sockers their worst loss of the season, 9-5.

“Of the four wild-card teams, I didn’t want to play Minnesota the first round,” Newman said. “I thought it was the hottest team at the end of the season. Minnesota knows it can beat us from the game we played there. We have to respect that.”

The Sockers also must respect what Minnesota has accomplished in the playoffs.

Minnesota won the deciding game of its wild-card series against Wichita, 3-2 in overtime, after rallying from a two-goal deficit in the fourth quarter. The Strikers proceeded to beat favored Las Vegas in three of four games during the quarterfinals.

“Everyone seemed to count them out against Las Vegas,” Socker defender Fernando Clavijo said. “That’s why we can’t count them out. If you beat a team three times like Minnesota did to Las Vegas, you must be good.”

It’s unusual for the Sockers to compliment opponents. Before the quarterfinals against Kansas City, the Sockers said they would win--and they did--in a three-game sweep.

After all the bluster and bravado before the Kansas City series, the Sockers have adopted a low-profile approach to this one.

Merrick isn’t letting himself be fooled.

“They’re a good team, and they know it,” Merrick said. “They’re the cream of the league. I can’t find fault with them anywhere.”

Few people find fault with the play of Merrick’s goalkeeper, but they would be much happier if Ozzie the parrot found somewhere else to hang out.