Dallas Sidekicks play at Philadelphia Sat. Oct. 19 at 6:05 p.m.
Published on October 16, 2002 under Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
Dallas Sidekicks News Release
The Dallas Sidekicks make their first trip ever to Philadelphia for a game at the Philadelphia Kixx Saturday October 19. The game at the First Union Spectrum starts at 6:05 p.m. CT. This is the second meeting of the defending champions. Dallas won the first game 14-13 at Reunion Arena in the season opener for both teams. The game was as close as expected with Tatu scoring the game-winning goal with 0.8 seconds left. This time Philadelphia has the home field as the Sidekicks play in the First Union Spectrum for the first time. It is also a match-up of the two player coaches, Tatu of Dallas and Omid Namazi of Philadelphia. It also matches two of the MISL best goalkeepers as Sagu (Dallas) and Peter Pappas (Philadelphia) face each other for the second time. Neither GK earned the decision in the opener as David Doyle got credit for the Dallas win since he was in as a sixth attacker when Tatu scored the game-winner.
NEXT GAME: The Sidekicks host Milwaukee Sunday, October 27 at 6:05pm. This will be the first time the Sidekicks have faced the Milwaukee Wave. It will be the first meeting between the two oldest indoor soccer franchises in operation.
RADIO: All Sidekicks games are on Fox Sports 1190 AM. They are also available on the internet at www.foxsports1190.com. All broadcasts begin five minutes prior to listed kickoff and will last three hours. Pete Stein calls the action and John Clemens hosts the halftime and post-game shows. There are two games that will be tape delayed on Fox Sports 1190 AM: November 6 (game starts at 10:45 a.m. and comes on 1190 AM at 6 p.m.) and December 31 (game starts at 1 p.m. and comes on 1190 AM at 6 p.m.).
PLAYER/HEAD COACH TATU: Tatu begins his 18th season as a player for the Dallas Sidekicks, his fifth as head coach. Tatu has led the Sidekicks to the World Indoor Soccer League finals all four years as head coach, winning the 1998 and 2001 Championships. In 1998, Tatu replaced Gordon Jago, who retired, as head coach. He has a 56-28 (.667) regular season record, and 7-3 (.700) postseason record. Tatu's .667 winning percentage is the best in indoor soccer history for anyone with more than 50 games as a head coach. PLAYER: Tatu is in his 21st season in indoor soccer, his 18th with the Sidekicks. Tatu enters the season near the top of the career list in several categories. He is ninth with 604 games played (Ralph Black is eighth at 608), second for goals with 841 (Hector Marinaro - 1191), second in assists with 702 (Zoran Karic - 821), third in points with 1543 (Marinaro - 1859, Karic - 1573), third in game-winning goals with 76 (Marinaro - 98, Steve Zungul - 77), and first with 111 power play goals. He has been part of all four Sidekicks' championship teams, winning titles in 1987, 1993, 1998, and 2001. Tatu is a six-time MVP, 11-time scoring champion, 10-time all-star, and three-time championship series MVP. He also hold Sidekicks franchise records for games - 528, goals - 720, assists - 646, points - 1366, shots - 4071, power play goals - 96, game-winning goals - 67, and overtime goals - 7.
SERIES HISTORY vs. PHILADELPHIA: This is the second meeting of the season, the first in Philadelphia. The Sidekicks won the season opener 14-13. Game 1 - September 28, 2002 vs. Philadelphia: The Dallas Sidekicks defeated the Philadelphia Kixx 14-13 on a Tatu goal with 8-tenths of a second remaining. The Sidekicks win was the first in the new Major Indoor Soccer League and made a statement about the competition of the former World Indoor Soccer League teams. The game was a "Battle of Champions" since each won their respective league title last season. Tatu's game-winner gave him a hat trick with three two-point goals. He also had an assist, which was the 700th of his career. He is only the second player to reach the 700 assist plateau (Zoran Karic 821). The Sidekicks trailed 13-12 with 15 seconds left as Tatu took the ball off the boards in the corner. Tatu spun to the middle and deflected a shot off a Philadelphia defender and into the net for the victory. The Sidekicks also had goals from Leo Pernia, Frank Filo, Antonio Sutton, and Armando Valdivia. The Sidekicks took their first lead of the game, 12-11, on a Tatu goal 3:27 into the fourth quarter. The win was the sixth consecutive home-opening win for Dallas. Special teams played a vital role for both teams as each scored a restart. Philadelphia was two of three on power plays and Dallas went one for two with a man advantage. Sidekicks goalkeeper, Sagu, continued to be the Sidekicks best defender as he made 17 saves, including five in the fourth quarter. David Doyle gets the win for the keepers since he was on as a sixth attacker when the winning goal was scored.
NOT SO SPECIAL TEAMS: The Sidekicks are 2-6 (33.3%) on the power play, seventh in the MISL. The Sidekicks are also seventh on the penalty kill at 3-8 (37.5%) with one shorthanded goal. The Sidekicks were a 3-4 on power plays and a perfect 6-6 on penalty kills with a shorthanded goal in the 2001 playoffs.
THIS DATE IN SIDEKICKS HISTORY - OCTOBER 19: This is the third time the Sidekicks have played October 19, all have been on the road. The Sidekicks are 1-1 on October 19. Both games were the season opener for their season. Dallas lost the 1990-91 season opener 3-2 at Tacoma. The Sidekicks won the 1991-92 season opener 7-3 at Baltimore. David Doyle had the game-winning goal.
Season Opponent Result SK-opp Attendance SK Record GK of Record GWG (GWA)
1990-91 at Tacoma L 2-3 8,566 0-1 Sobieski
1991-92 at Baltimore W 7-3 11,154 1-0 Papaleo Doyle (Smith)
HEAD ABOVE WATER: The Sidekicks have been at or above .500 for 51 straight regular season games. That is the fourth longest streak in club history. The last time the Sidekicks dropped below .500 was an 0-1 start to the 2000 season. The Sidekicks need to win at Philadelphia to extend the streak.
2-0 FOR SUTTON & SHAMU: The Sidekicks are 2-0 when Antonio Sutton and Patrick Shamu find the net.
SHAMU NAMED PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Sidekicks forward Patrick Shamu was been named MISL Offensive Player of the Week for the seven-day period ending October 13. Shamu receives the award after posting a 3-point goal, a pair of 2-point goals, and two assists for nine points last week. He produced all nine of his points in Dallas' 16-10 victory over Harrisburg on October 12. Shamu played a part in five of the Sidekicks' seven total goals in the game, including notching the assist on Nick Stavrou's fourth-quarter game-winning score.
PUTTING HIS TIME IN: Sidekicks goalkeeper Sagu needs just 52:05 in goal to become the 68th player in indoor soccer history with 4,000 minutes in net.
AMONG THE BEST: Sidekicks goalkeeper Sagu is 39-25 (.609) as a goalkeeper. That is eighth-best winning percentage among goalkeepers with 50 or more decisions.
FIVE ALIVE: The Sidekicks have five of their top-eight all-time goal scoring leaders on the roster. Patrick Shamu is eighth, needing two goals to tie Beto for seventh in team history.
YOUR ASSISTANCE PLEASE: Patrick Shamu and Giampaulo Pedroso are 11th and 13th in team history for assists. Shamu has 55 and need seven to tie Uremovich for 10th. Pedroso has 53 and need one to tie Rusty Troy for 12th in team history.
FRANCHISE PLAYER: Only 33 of 102 teams/franchises have more goals than Tatu's 841. The Portland Pride (CISL 1993-97) are 33rd all-time with 887 goals.
SIX PACK: When Tatu entered game one against Philadelphia (9/28/02), it was his first in the new MISL. He is the only player to play in all six modern top-tier professional indoor soccer leagues: Continental indoor Soccer League (CISL), original MISL, new MISL, North American Soccer League (NASL), National Professional Soccer League (NPSL), and the World Indoor Soccer League (WISL).
GOALKEEPER OF THE YEARS: Sagu won the 2000 and 2001 WISL Goalkeeper of the Year awards. Those are the only two full seasons he has played since joining the Sidekicks in the middle of the 1999 campaign.
HONORS & AWARDS: 9-30-2002 Tatu MISL Offensive Player of the Week 3 goals, 1 assist, 7 points in 14-13 win over Philadelphia 10-14-2002 Patrick Shamu MISL Offensive Player of the Week 3 goals
JOSE ALVARADO: Had one block vs. Harrisburg (10/12)... Had six blocks and one shot at San Diego (10/05).
DANNY BARBER: Had three blocks vs. Baltimore (10/13).
ERIC DADE: Had two shots and one block vs. Baltimore (10/13)...Had two assists vs. Harrisburg (10/12).
DAVID DOYLE: Had one three point goal and one two point goal for five multi-points vs. Baltimore (10/13)...Had one goal from nine shots for two points at San Diego (10/05).
FRANK FILO: Assisted Brad Flanagan vs. Baltimore (10/13)...Blocked three shots vs. Harrisburg (10/12)...Had one goal, one assist and two blocks in opener vs. Philadelphia (9/28). BRAD FLANAGAN: Had his first goal of the season vs. Baltimore (10/13)...Had four blocks vs. Harrisburg (10/12)...Had one assist and took four shots at San Diego (10/05).
GIAMPAULO PEDROSO: Assisted Tatu on a power-play goal vs. Baltimore (10/13)...Had one goal for two points and one block at San Diego (10/05).
LEO PERNIA: Had one goal and one assist for three points vs. Philadelphia (9/28).
SAGU: Faced 26 shots, had 10 saves, and allowed 6 goals vs. Baltimore (10/13)...Faced 35 shots and had 14 saves vs. Harrisburg (10/12)...Faced 32 shots and had 17 saves against Philadelphia (9/28).
PATRICK SHAMU: Scored Dallas' first three-point goal for the season and ended the night with a hat trick and two assists for nine multi-points vs. Harrisburg (10/12)...Had two assists in the opener vs. Philadelphia (9/28).
NICK STAVROU: Had two blocks vs. Baltimore (10/13)...Scored his first goal of the season (3PG) and had one assist for four multi-points vs. Harrisburg (10/12).
ANTONIO SUTTON: Scored a hat trick, including one shorthanded goal, the first for the team since 9/17/00 vs. Monterrey, and made one assist for seven multi-points vs. Harrisburg (10/12)...Had one goal for two points and three shots vs. Philadelphia (9/28).
TATU: Scored one power-play goal and had one assist for three multi-points vs. Baltimore (10/13)...Had one assist and seven shots at San Diego (10/05)...Named MISL Player of the week (week 1 9/30) for three goals, including game-winner, and one assist against Philadelphia (9/28). At 10:52 into the third quarter of Game 1 vs. Philadelphia (9/28/02), Tatu assisted Leo Pernia's goal, his 700th career assist joining Zoran Karic (821) as the only men to reach 700 assists.
ARMANDO VALDIVIA: Assisted Sutton's SHG vs. Harrisburg (10/12)...Had one goal for two points and two shots vs. Philadelphia (9/28).
TRANSACTIONS: September 9: Sidekicks trade rights of midfielder Marco Coria, goalkeeper Raul Salas, and defender Genoni Martinez to Harrisburg for the rights to forward Justin Labrum, midfielder Danny Barber, and financial considerations. September 23: sign Patrick Shamu, Brad Flanagan, and Danny Barber to active roster. September 27: Sidekicks acquire rights to Beau Brown from Cleveland in three-way trade with Harrisburg. Dallas gets rights to forward Beau Brown from Cleveland; Harrisburg gets rights to Marco "Chikis" Lopez from Dallas; Cleveland gets first round pick in 2002 MISL college draft from Dallas and rights to midfielder Steve Klein, defender Eric Kvello, and forward Bernie Lilavois from Harrisburg. October 3: Sidekicks sign defender Michael Curtis, forward Juan Sastoque, and midfielder Ben Waldrum.
APPROACHING 2.5 MILLION: The Sidekicks have attracted 2,464,098 fans at home through 17 regular seasons.
MILLION FAN MARCH: The Sidekicks have drawn 950,166 home fans to regular season games since Jim Tolbert took over the sales department prior to the 1993 season.
Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from October 16, 2002
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