Socker Subs Show Their Savvy in the Spotlight
The Sockers’ “K mart” unit unites.
It has taken verbal abuse from older, higher-paid teammates throughout the playoffs.
Now that it is in the spotlight, it is lashing out on its own behalf.
“We have good backups and maybe our performance (Friday night) will show some of the guys they should have more confidence in us,” said Cha Cha Namdar, a member of the newly named “K mart” unit.
With the Sockers crippled by injuries Friday, it was the substitutes who pulled the team through.
Jacques Ladouceur scored two goals. George Katakalidis had two assists. And along with Namdar, Waad Hirmez and Gary Collier, they were running the Minnesota Strikers ragged.
“If we didn’t come through,” said Katakalidis, “there wouldn’t be a tomorrow.”
The Sockers would not be hosting the Strikers in a decisive Game 7 of the Major Indoor Soccer League championship series at the Sports Arena Monday night at 6:05.
Thanks to the quick wit of Socker Coach Ron Newman, the Socker subs acquired a catchy nickname after Friday’s game.
At first, the players were a little taken aback by Newman’s humor. But then they got them headlines in Saturday’s St. Paul Pioneer Press and Dispatch.
The headline read: “K-Mart corps saves game.”
Suddenly, the “K mart” unit was enjoying its new-found fame.
Newman emphasized that he wasn’t being rude to his players.
“It’s just that the guys who won the game for us tonight (Friday) are on the bottom of the salary totem pole,” Newman said.
Maybe not for much longer.
“He can call us anything he wants,” Namdar said, “but we won’t be K marters next season. Not after this game.”
All of the Sockers clamor for more money. The reserves also want respect. “I never liked the idea of people thinking of me as a second-class citizen,” Ladouceur said. “It’s terrible that we had that type of reputation. I don’t think that should happen.
“I would never say those things about other players. It’s unprofessional.”
He was probably referring to the “dogs” label that Juli Veee gave the reserves.
After Friday’s game, Veee said: “They’re not dogs anymore. They’re purebreds.”
Ladouceur said: “I feel I can play with anyone. If this was an outdoor team, all the players would start.”
Ten field players are used in outdoor, only five in indoor.
Katakalidis said: “It’s amazing that some of the players think that, because of their high salaries, they are twice as good. The fact is that we all can play.”
Newman understands that.
“Senior players get to play more,” Newman said, “but nobody can deny what value these other lads give to the team.
“I don’t think those players ever had to prove anything. They’ve done their job. When these lads go on, it’s like a buzz saw going through the opposing team.”
That is exactly what happened against the Strikers Friday.
“They didn’t know what hit them,” Ladouceur said. “I don’t think they’ve seen that pace since the series started. We attacked them and took the ball from them.”
They contributed and were an important cog in the team’s victory.
“This was the biggest game for most of us,” Namdar said. “It feels good to prove we can do it. . . . But why did he pick K mart? I don’t shop there.”
Newman happened to walk by.
“OK, Gemco,” Newman said.
Socker Notes
Monday night’s game at the Sports Arena is sold out. It will be televised locally on KTTY (Channel 69) and on Prime Ticket. . . . A couple of hundred fans chanting “Sockers” greeted the team at Lindbergh Field Saturday afternoon. Flowers were presented to the players and coaches as they came into the main waiting area at the airport.
Socker trainer Ted Wallace was the busiest man on the plane trip to San Diego Saturday morning. Ice packs and ankle and knee wraps were handed out more frequently than peanuts. Here is the injured lineup: Jean Willrich has a left groin pull and is questionable for Monday’s game. Juli Veee sprained his left knee and ankle and is questionable. Veee was injured when he was fouled by Striker defender Dwight Lodeweges in the third quarter. Lodeweges was on top of Veee’s ankle while Veee’s body was pushing in the other direction. “I was all twisted,” Veee said. “What a bad feeling. I was like a rubber man immediately. Like Silly Putty.” Brian Schmetzer has a sprained left knee and is questionable. Waad Hirmez has a sprained right ankle and is probable. Brian Quinn will play despite suffering right hip contusions. Hugo Perez missed Friday’s game with a sprained left knee and is doubtful. . . . As might be expected, there will be no training today but lots of treatment for the Sockers.
The Greater San Diego Sports Assn. will sponsor a brunch for the Sockers’ players and wives at the Stadium Club before today’s Padre game. After the reception, the players will be introduced on the field at 12:45. This was scheduled a couple of weeks ago. . . . The Major Indoor Soccer League championship medallions did not arrive as scheduled in San Diego Wednesday. They arrived Friday morning, after almost everyone in the office had left for Minnesota. Socker receptionist Nele Berner put the medallions on an airplane headed for Minnesota. They arrived at the Met Center during the third quarter of the game. Guess where the medallions are headed this weekend?
Sports Illustrated reporter Jaime Diaz became familiar with indoor soccer the past week and a half, but he did not write a story about the championship series. Diaz attended the third and fourth games in Minnesota, the fifth game in San Diego and the sixth game in Minnesota. If the Strikers had won the championship Wednesday or Friday, he would have written for next week’s issue. However, since his deadline is Sunday night, the magazine decided not to have him write on an event that will end Monday and would not be fresh news for the issue that came out the following week.
The Striker locker room emptied quickly after Friday’s game. When asked about Minnesota’s runner-up syndrome (the Vikings lost four Super Bowls), Striker defender Gregg Thompson told a Minnesota columnist: “I had that ‘Vikings flashback’ for a moment when I was carrying the banner around after the game. ‘Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.’ But it can’t be the state. After all, the Lakers did win.” Yes, but that was back in 1954, which was six years before Thompson was born.
