Sockers Ring In Their Season Tonight : Newman Says Minnesota Is ‘Worst Team’ San Diego Can Open With

Picture the expression on Minnesota Striker goalkeeper Tino Lettieri’s face when the Sockers receive their Major Indoor Soccer League championship rings before tonight’s season opener in the San Diego Sports Arena.

“It’s almost like rubbing it in a little with the rings,” Lettieri said. “Maybe we’ll make some fantasy rings in the locker room before the game.”

The Strikers came oh-so-close to dethroning the Sockers last season. They led three games to one in the best-of-seven championship series, but ended up losing.

“You can just imagine the Minnesota players standing there (on the field during the ring ceremony) with steam coming out of their ears,” said Socker Coach Ron Newman, who said he would rather have played the home opener against any other team.

“This is the worst team we can open with,” Newman said. “We humiliate them by beating them. We humiliate them celebrating. Then we bring them back for the opener. All we’re doing is pouring salt on a wound. They’ll be like a nest of bees.”

The last time San Diego met Minnesota and the last time each team played a game that counted was May 26.

Having won two straight games, including an emotional victory in the sixth game of the championship series in the Met Center, the Sockers returned to the Sports Arena to play a winner-take-all final match in front of a sellout crowd of 12,881. “When the game started,” Lettieri said, “I kept thinking, ‘What are we doing here?’ It should have been over a couple of days ago. Right off the bat, when they scored, that set us back.”

San Diego won, 5-3, to earn its fifth straight indoor championship.

“The Strikers will come back even harder this season,” Socker midfielder Branko Segota said. “They’ll really be out to get us.”

Said Lettieri: “We’re getting better each season. We’re more mature and more confident. We don’t worry about other teams anymore.”

Does Minnesota worry about the Sockers?

“You always worry a little about San Diego,” Lettieri said. “But apart from them, I don’t think any other team has the talent and character to come back and win games. . . .

“No way we’ll pack it in this time.”

It was a long off-season for the Strikers, who are still replaying last season’s championship series. And that seventh game.

“We’ll still say, ‘Gosh, we were one game away and we had the home-field advantage,’ ” Lettieri said. “Once we get past the San Diego game (tonight), it will be back to real business. I mean we can only dwell on it so long.”

Lettieri was quite surprised when he heard the Strikers would open the season in San Diego. “When I heard,” Lettieri said, “I said, ‘Wow, give us a break.’ I just froze right there. But in a way, I kind of like it because of the rivalry between us.”

The Strikers may be even more pumped up tonight after watching the Sockers’ gala pregame festivities.

There will be eight spotlights in the Sports Arena parking lot.

Fans will be greeted by parking lot spotlights and attendants wearing tuxedos. There will be red carpets at the arena entrances.

And music, balloons and rings.

“Rings? This time of year?” Newman said. “They’ll expect another one at Christmas.”

In years past, the players did not receive their championship rings until the final months of the season.

And the championship banner will be unveiled before the first ball is kicked.

“I’m afraid we’re vulnerable Saturday night,” Newman said. “All the hype and hoopla. . . . Everyone will be wearing tuxedos and long dresses. I’m afraid the boys will be more worried about what their wives are wearing than with Minnesota.”