At This Rate, Hartman Has to Be Ready for Everything

By PAUL GUTIERREZ

Sept. 19, 2000 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

As Kevin Hartman limped off the Rose Bowl field after practice Monday, the Galaxy goalkeeper proclaimed himself sound enough to return to the lineup Wednesday night, though his left foot was wrapped in ice.

Hartman, who was kicked in the head Thursday during the Galaxy’s 1-0 playoff-opening victory over the Tampa Bay Mutiny and suffered his second concussion in nine months, tweaked his foot during practice. The Galaxy can advance to the Major League Soccer semifinals by beating the Mutiny in Game 2 Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. A tie or a Mutiny victory sends the best-of-three series back to Tampa for a deciding match Saturday.

“My head’s ready to go, but we’ll see,” Hartman said. “Maybe I’ll get hit by lightning or something on the way out of here.”

In addition to his concussions and tweaked foot, Hartman also sat out three games this season after having arthroscopic surgery to remove torn cartilage in his left knee on July 25.

Hartman joked that he was going to consult with forward Sebastien Vorbe, a native of Haiti, about his season-long run of bad luck.

“I’ve got to talk to Sebastien a little bit about some of that voodoo stuff,” Hartman said. “Somebody’s got my voodoo doll somewhere, messing around with it.”

Hartman also brought back a souvenir from Tampa.

“When I got the CAT scan,” he said, “I went ahead and kept a copy so that I could prove to everybody that I actually do have a brain.”

Jokes aside, Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid said that Hartman was smart to pull himself out of the game after experiencing blurred vision from the blow to the head.

“Some guys might have tried to stick it out and force through it and give up a goal and then afterward say, ‘Well I couldn’t see it, my head was blurry,’ ” Schmid said. “I think he made a very mature and professional decision. I was very proud of him.”

Galaxy midfielder Danny Pena, one of the team’s more vocal and emotional leaders, will be in uniform Wednesday after undergoing what was thought to be season-ending surgery on his right knee on June 28.

“My leg is strong enough to where I can push it now,” said Pena, who is recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. “I’ve been out and training four times now and every day I’ve done just a little bit more and it feels good. It’s just good to be back out.”

Pena has been more than a cheerleader since being sidelined. He has taken on a role akin to an assistant coach’s, though his next goal is to get into a game.

Said Schmid: “Obviously, I don’t think it’s very realistic for him to play this week. But I know Danny has a burning desire to come back. He’s a very important emotional part of the team and just having him out there [working out] is positive for us.”

Schmid took the high road when asked if he was rooting for the U.S. Olympic soccer team in Australia.

If the U.S. fails to advance, the Galaxy regains the three players it lost to Olympic duty, perhaps as early as a potential Game 3 against the Mutiny. But who wouldn’t want to wish the best for their players?

“Obviously, I want to see the U.S. do well,” Schmid said. “So far our guys that have played--Danny Califf has had a very good tournament. . . . Peter Vagenas scored a goal, so he’s doing well and Sasha [Victorine] is getting a lot of rest. So it’s been good.

“I’m not going to say I want this to happen or I want that to happen because it never happens when I predict it anyway,” Schmid added. “So I’m just going to see what happens and if they win and move on, then we’ll deal with it. And if they lose and come back then we’ll deal with that.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

MLS Playoffs

Quarterfinal playoff round in best-of-three format, all times Pacific:

GALAXY VS. TAMPA BAY

* Galaxy 1, Tampa Bay 0

* Wednesday--At Galaxy, 7:30 p.m.

* Saturday--xAt Tampa Bay, TBA

COLORADO VS. KANSAS CITY

* Kansas City 1, Colorado 0

* Wednesday--At Colorado, 6:30 p.m.

* Sunday--xAt Kansas City, 5:30 p.m.

NEW ENGLAND VS. CHICAGO