Splash Has Place Saved for Shue : ‘Melrose’ Series Star to Play Soccer at Pond

The interview is 52 minutes old and Andrew Shue says he has to run.

“To be honest, I’ve really got to get going,” he says. “This is the longest interview I’ve done in a year.”

Oh. Well, hey, I just wanted to ask you one more thing: What’s better--being a celebrity or being an athlete?

He doesn’t take any time to answer because he has been both. Andrew Shue was an Ivy League soccer standout at Dartmouth, played professionally in Zimbabwe, competed for the indoor soccer L.A. United last year and will likely play outdoors when Major League Soccer begins next year.

He is also a star on the Fox series “Melrose Place,” has dated co-star Courtney Thorne-Smith and is chatty with Heather Locklear.

“Definitely, being an athlete,” he says. “There’s nothing inherently good in being famous. . . . “

There are those who will look at Shue’s appearance in a Splash uniform tonight against Washington and Thursday against Arizona and figure it is nothing more than a marketing tool. The franchise is averaging 3,932 fans through seven home dates at The Pond of Anaheim, and if every Orange County twentysomething addicted to “Melrose Place” attends the game, the Shue gimmick could be a bonanza.

“A year ago, you would have looked at it as a p.r. stunt,” said Ron Weinstein, the league commissioner, “but he performed quite admirably last year--to the point that (the) San Diego (Sockers) contacted him illegally.”

Shue’s appearance here is two-fold. He can raise money for his personal cause, Do Something, which he co-founded in 1993, and he can help a sport styled for the Fox TV crowd gain some much-needed exposure.

“He would not have done it if he felt he was going to be used in a circus-type publicity stunt,” said Tim Orchard, Splash co-governor/director of player personnel. “He was very adamant that he be positioned as a professional-caliber soccer player. He didn’t want us calling him Billy from Melrose Place. He’s Andrew Shue--college star and possible future outdoor player in the United States.

“We’re hoping for a bigger awareness of indoor soccer, sure. Andrew Shue has the ability to draw from outside your typical soccer fans. We hope to get them here and hope the game hooks them.”

Even though his indoor career consists of one game, Shue did gain the respect of those who competed alongside him on last year’s United team.

“He can play,” Splash defender Doug Neely said. “He takes his soccer pretty seriously.”

Shue was a World Cup spokesman and hopes to do a documentary about soccer in Africa, where his former team, the Bulawayo Highlanders, regularly played in front of crowds of 30,000 and won the national championship in front of 70,000.

“You have to live life and every now and then take chances,” Shue said. “(But) I wouldn’t do this if I thought I was going to embarrass myself.”

Said Weinstein: “Since Neil Diamond and James Caan supported the Lazers in the mid-’80s, I haven’t met anyone so much in the public eye who’s shown this kind of support to indoor soccer. He’s coming out here for the love of the game.”

Shue can’t stress enough that his primary reason for playing is to benefit Do Something and the secondary reason is to expose indoor soccer to new fans. Two sellouts would generate in excess of $100,000 for his nonprofit organization, which is getting a percentage of the proceeds. He is shy about making public appearances, and playing two soccer games is much easier than spending two months talking up a gala benefit.

“I think Do Something is a great idea, a pro-active idea,” Splash General Manager Tim Ryan said. “It’s a way to energize people to actually become involved in an organization as opposed to something that’s a little less tangible. It’s a win-win situation for the Splash, Do Something and Andrew Shue.”

Do Something is designed to inspire and help the 13-30 crowd, the so-called Generation X , to take problem-solving action in their communities.

“If you see a problem, try to fix it,” Shue says, “because if you can think of it, you can do it.”

Applications for grants of up to $500 are available at Blockbuster Video, participating Guess? merchants and Boys and Girls Clubs. With the grant, these “social artists” as Shue calls them, are entrusted to enact change in a community much like Shue did while attending Columbia High School in South Orange, N.J. He began a program called Students Serving Seniors to aid local senior citizens; it is still in place, and he’s in the process of launching the program on a national level.

Do Something’s first three local chapters were in Newark, N.J., Boston and Selma, Ala.

“I felt this was my opportunity to do my part,” Shue says. “There was a lot of press about how this generation was a bunch of slackers. (President) Clinton said roll up your sleeves and start changing things. It’s a campaign to popularize social participation by young people.

“We want leadership training courses and small grants available in every county in America. We have a campaign to inspire the action, and then have a real structure to facilitate that action. We had 60 people go through the leadership course in Newark, and these people believe they’re going to change Newark.”

It isn’t altogether surprising Shue feels the need to aid society--his father ran for Congress, his mother worked for United Way and both brothers were Eagle Scouts.

“It’s another one of the efforts being made to try to reverse the damage being done out there that has every young person saying the problems will be worse in five years,” Shue says. “They have to start somewhere. Young people do need something to latch on to, to say yes to.

“It’s important for people coming out of high school or college to find something that’s meaningful. So (the program is) trying to clean up the mess, society, and trying to change human beings into those who are giving people and who are community-oriented people.”

Shue has played only one indoor game, and at best, will have only one indoor practice before tonight’s game. He admits his strength--passing--could get lost in the indoor environment, and his weakness--emotional control--is exaggerated by the close quarters.

“I definitely believe the game should be played outdoors,” he says.

He also understands the nature of the game and the dynamics of the situation. His is not a Mr. Big-Shot TV Star attitude.

“Their first obligation is to win, their second obligation is to play me,” Shue said. “I come out with a serious attitude about playing the game. I know a couple of guys on the team and they know I’m serious about it, and that’s the most important thing. But I’m aware there could be some resentment. I have to handle it the best way possible; if they want me to play, I’ll play. If they want me to take a shift now and then, fine. I’ll do what they tell me.”

Splash Coach George Fernandez is committed to getting Shue into the game, though he doesn’t know exactly what he’s getting.

“The fans are coming to see him play,” Fernandez said. “We’ve agreed to do this so we have to think positive. He’s comin’ in cold and going out hot.”

Dartmouth won an Ivy League championship with Shue in midfield; he scored eight goals and had 17 assists during his four-year varsity career. And while teaching math at an African government school in Zimbabwe, he played on that national championship team.

“Skill-wise, there’s no question he can play,” said Splash midfielder Raffaele Ruotolo, one of the league’s top scorers. “I don’t think he’s going to lose the game for us. I would be more than comfortable to have him on the field with me. I trust him.”

Now Shue has to run. He’s in the middle of that question about celebrity.

“I think it tends to play on people’s minds and you lose a lot of privacy,” he continues. “Unless somehow you can put it to good use, it’s not as good as everybody thinks. People always say, ‘If I could only be rich and famous. . . .’ Simpler things in life are what it’s all about.”