Conner Helps Get Sockers Shipshape, 6-2

The Sockers were losing to--of all teams--the New York Express at halftime Sunday night when a guest in owner Bob Bell’s box came up with a crazy suggestion.

“Let me go down there and give those guys a little pep talk,” the guy said. “And, if it’s not too much trouble, how about letting me stand behind the bench during the second half?”

Bell, whose five-time indoor champions seldom find themselves trailing an expansion team that has won only 3 of its first 25 games, said what the heck.

So who comes running out onto the field with the Sockers at the start of the half, wearing bright pink pants and exhorting the crowd by wildly waving a white towel? Why it was America’s favorite skipper, Dennis Conner.

Conner’s appearance seemed to pull the Sockers out of their first-half lethargy and they rallied for a 6-2 victory at the Sports Arena to move within three games of first-place Tacoma in the Major Indoor Soccer League’s Western Division. Tacoma lost, 7-5, to Chicago Sunday night.

“Hey, the guy’s a winner, let’s face it,” Sockers Coach Ron Newman said of Conner. “Him being out there kind of took the pressure of us and made the game fun. It’s hard sometimes when you’re playing a last-place team and you get behind.”

Conner actually made his first appearance Sunday night early in the second period. When the crowd of 8,499 got its first glimpse of him, they gave him a standing ovation. While all of this was going on, however, New York’s Njego Pesa was scoring his second goal of the game to give the Express (3-23) a 2-1 lead at the half.

San Diego (16-12) was somewhat hampered because forward Hugo Perez had been kicked out of the game late in the first quarter for spitting on New York’s Alex Tarnoczi during a shoving match in front of the New York goal. The Sockers went to the dressing room at halftime still trailing, then Conner showed up.

“He just gave us a little pep talk,” goalkeeper Jim Gorsek said. “He threatened us and told us that if we didn’t pull this game out, he would make all of us go sailing on his boat. Coach Newman went sailing with him last summer and he told us all that it was a lot of hard work.”

So, rather than risk a day on the boat trimming sails and raising spinnakers, the Sockers worked hard in the second half.

Branko Segota, who finished with two goals and two assists to move into sole possession of second place in the league scoring race, got the Sockers even with a goal at 4:26 of the third period.

Segota worked his way past two New York defenders in the penalty box and got off a shot that was blocked in front. Segota collected his own rebound and beat New York goalie Hubert Birkenmeier to tie the score.

Less than two minutes later, Segota broke in on the left side and passed across the crease to Julie Veee, who beat Birkenmeier for a 3-2 Sockers’ lead.

Conner got up on the bench and waived the towel wildly again.

“He’s been a supporter of the team long before he became famous,” Newman said. “He was over there kicking the water bottle and getting the players going. It was a lot of fun.”

In the fourth quarter, San Diego scored three more goals, two in the final two minutes when the Express pulled Birkenmeier in favor of a sixth attacker.

After the game, Conner continued to enjoy himself. He went back to the dressing room and led some cheers: “Let’s hear it for the Sockers!” he yelled.

Said Segota: “He’s a wild guy.”

The rest of the Sockers yelled, too: “Let’s hear it for Dennis Conner!”