Sockers Grumble Way Into Game 2

There’s nothing like a frustrating playoff loss to get the Sockers complaining and pointing fingers.

Saturday night, the Sockers blew a 4-2 third-quarter lead at home and lost, 5-4, to the Kansas City Comets in the opening game of the best-of-seven MISL Western Division finals. Game 2 will be played tonight at the San Diego Sports Arena at 7:35.

After Tuesday’s practice, this could be heard:

* Socker defender Kevin Crow said his teammates don’t seem committed to winning the title.

“People have other things on their mind right now,” Crow said. “They have to reverse that for the short run.”

What things? A championship probably will benefit only the owners financially, because players are not likely to get raises or championship bonuses. Socker management has filed for Chapter 11 protection under the bankruptcy code. Salary-cap reductions will force players with guaranteed contracts to take cuts of 15% to 30% next season or play elsewhere, an option many of them don’t have.

“Everyone will be thinking about the circumstances they are under,” Crow said. “It’s human. But if people are thinking that, they’ve got to put it aside.”

And they have to become more intense, Crow said.

“We act as if we won (Saturday),” Crow said. “It’s not good.”

* Branko Segota said too many Sockers are concerned about scoring.

“We need hard work from Waadie (Hirmez), Jacques (Ladouceur), Paul (Dougherty),” Segota said. “They can’t worry about scoring.”

Segota returned to the lineup in a limited capacity Saturday after missing three playoff games against Tacoma with a pulled quadricep. Ladouceur, incidentally, was benched by Coach Ron Newman and did not play.

“I get upset when I see players who have had one good year all proud and walking around with big shoulders, but they haven’t won anything,” Segota said.

Segota won three indoor titles with the New York Arrows and two with the Sockers. Although he contemplates cuts that will certainly affect his three-year, $700,000 contract (highest on the team), he said he plans to take full shifts tonight and is determined to win yet another title.

“I’ve never gone in to deliberately lose or not try because there is nothing ahead,” Segota said. “You always have to be hungry to win. I can have the satisfaction of being champion.”

* Juli Veee says he doesn’t feel any “peppiness, desire or enthusiasm” on the team.

“I wish there would be an intensity,” Veee said. I don’t see the temperature rising. There is lethargy. Too many things going on, I guess.”

* Brian Quinn says the team definitely needs to increase its intensity now that it is in the playoffs.

“Every play is critical in playoff games,” Quinn said. “Every tackle, every blocked shot. We have to get that mentality. We have to realize there are no more easy games.”

And these were the things said on the record.

Some players also wondered why Ladouceur was benched Saturday after he played in 51 regular-season games and in all four playoff games against Tacoma.

With the return of Segota, Hugo Perez and Zoran Karic from injuries Saturday, Newman said he had to sit someone down to reach the 15-player per game roster but he also needed a runner in the midfield who could compensate for three players who were not 100% fit.

“It was a close call,” Newman said. “I wanted a striker, and it came down to between Raffe (Ruotolo) and Jacques. I thought Raffe had played just a little better in recent games.”

Ladouceur said Newman’s decision was the latest in an ongoing battle.

“I said to Ron before, I think what he has with me is something personal,” Ladouceur said. “I don’t know what it is. It’s a personal thing. Ron will never tell what it is. But you play all season, then in the playoffs, you don’t play. Of course, it’s shocking to me.”

Countered Newman: “Certainly there is nothing personal. Jacques had a spell in the middle of the season where he was playing exceptionally well, but he wasn’t able to maintain it.”

After practice Tuesday, Ladouceur said Newman did not tell him whether he is going to play tonight. Newman said he’ll decide today.

Socker Notes

Tonight’s game will be broadcast live at 7:25 on XTRA (AM 690) and XEXX (AM 1420). . . . Jim Gorsek will start in goal for the Sockers and Alan Mayer for the Comets tonight.