Sockers’ Goal: Forget Intrigue, Tattoo Sidekicks

Scan the index and flip to the next page, the start of Chapter 12. Chapter 11 was last season.

Forget the bankruptcy, the summer in court and the speculative whispers that the plug is about to be pulled on the Major Indoor Soccer League because of several shaky franchises. The Sockers (27-21) are pondering little more than the best way to wax the tireless Dallas Sidekicks, the opponent at 7:35 tonight in the San Diego Sports Arena. It’s Round 1, Game 1 of the best-of-seven MISL playoffs.

Last year’s pre-postseason problems? A distant memory? Hardly. More of a vivid reminder to players and coaches alike of what happens when the game is threatened by concern over checks and balances.

“It was a difficult series to get through,” Sockers Coach Ron Newman said of last year’s playoffs, which ended with the Sockers sweeping Cleveland. “Everybody was worried about their livelihood. This year we’re much more composed, settled, confident, I would think.”

Too confident?

“I’m a little nervous about the confidence we have,” Newman said.

Which brings us to the fresh pages to be written tonight and to the player who would like to close the book on the Sockers before the championship series. Tatu is his name. Skip the jokes. (“De plane, boss, de plane.”) He’s no fantasy. This guy scores them as he sees them and he sees them often.

A forward, Tatu leads the Sidekicks’ offense with 35 goals and 29 assists. A step or two might be gone after last year’s season-ending knee injury, which he sustained in the first minute of the first game. But he still draws plenty of attention.

“If he gets hot, he can be the hottest player in the league,” Socker defender Kevin Crow said. “The indoor game is kind of made for him. He has got the quickest release in the league. Other players you can almost see wind up.”

Still, Tatu has been relatively quiet this season against the Sockers, scoring just three goals, with no assists.

“We’ve held him very well,” Newman said, “but he’s getting fitter and fitter. A few years ago, before his injury, nobody could handle him.”

The rest of the team isn’t shabby. Maybe not as talented as the Sockers, who took the regular season series, 6-2, but fit and able.

Building on a reputation as a group that runs and keeps running, the Sidekicks (24-24) employ a pesky style based around a steady defense. Krys Sobieski and Joe Papaleo, say some Sockers, are two of the best goalies east of Victor Nogueira. That’s saying a bit, considering Baltimore goalie Scott Manning was chosen the defensive player of the game in five meetings with the Sockers this season.

Mark Karpun, a midfielder, tied Tatu in goals with 35. The Sidekicks have had good success when scoring early and are 14-0 when leading at halftime. On the flip side, the Sidekicks are 3-22 when an opponent leads after three quarters.

Dallas’ season hasn’t exactly been sunny. About the time the organization filed for Chapter 11 under the federal bankruptcy code, the team was in the process of losing nine of 11 games. Playmaking forward Willie Molano went down with a season-ending knee injury in early January, and starters Tatu, Wes McLeod and Marcio Leite have been nagged by minor injuries most of the season. The financial difficulties caused the team to drop their radio and television packages, and attendance dropped to its lowest average since 1986-87.

And the Sockers? Well, they were probably ready to play this series more than two weeks ago, just after the conclusion of the regular season. Momentum was on their side--they had won six of their past eight--but the layoff had its merits.

Branko Segota, who strained his hamstring twice in the final weeks of the season, has had a chance to heal. He is expected to play in a limited capacity tonight, and should be at full strength by the third game in Dallas May 12.

“My concern is I still have to get Branko match fit,” Newman said. “He can be critical for us when we’re in the final game of the series. If we’re able to ease him through a couple of games, it will probably benefit us later.”

Even rusty, Segota makes his presence felt.

“Just by having him out there makes everybody better,” Crow said. “Even if he’s 80%.”

Chris Chueden, a midfielder hampered near season’s end by a groin pull, has been cleared for tonight. Like Segota, Chueden is physically fit but not match fit.

Sockers Steve Zungul and Ralph Black have a score to settle with the Sidekicks. They were members of the Tacoma team that lost the seventh game in the ‘86-’87 championship series, 4-3, in overtime, after leading, 3-1, with 2 minutes to go.

“That was a killer,” Black said. “I still can’t believe it happened. I’ll never believe it happened. I owe Dallas one.”