Restart Opportunity

by Steve De Rose
Published on March 12, 2003 under Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)



After the staggering experience of last year's MISL All-Star Game Weekend in Cleveland, it would have taken some work on the part of the Milwaukee Wave organization to equal it. The unique wrinkle provided was one which no other league city (with the possible exception of Canton, OH., but I can't envision Canton hosting an All-Star Game anytime during this century, that is; if indoor soccer manages to survive) can emulate. The Milwaukee organization brought back those players who have worn the Wave jersey at some time since 1984.

The Wave located eighteen such players, spanning both halves of their history. They were:

To have some fun: You then have them contest a side of Major Indoor Soccer League Legends, whose roster includes the current head coach of the Milwaukee Wave.
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The MISL Legends, with a first-minute penalty kick getting them off with a flash, followed soon afterward by a Batata breakaway goal, rolled out to a 4-0 lead (single-point scoring). It took the reconstitution of the Wave's fabled forward line of Art Kramer and George Pastor to provide the impetus which got the Wave Legends back to 4-3, but that was the final score. Another familiar sight was viewing Wave Legend Tim Tyma, now a regular league referee, mouthing off to this game's officials, and being given a five-minute misconduct penalty.

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The league's increased emphasis on its past, in an epoch when another soccer league is seemingly intent on ensconcing any history prior to 1996, displayed most brilliantly in the functions leading up to the Legends game.

It is not limited only to the current indoor soccer players. For the indoor soccer booster, the All-Star Weekend is the genré's equivalent to a “B”-Movie Convention. Besides those in the Legends game, many other former players will appear at a function during the weekend. To the man, they always enjoy meeting someone who saw them play indoor soccer.

One aspect which is generally beyond anybody's control is the local climate. Having attended indoor soccer games in Milwaukee since 1987, I cannot recall another year when the first full weekend of March brought the quantum of snow which drilled the city. Where this most manifested was in the attendance of the game on Sunday. An exterior temperature of 12° Fahrenheit scythed away whatever walk-up which the Wave front office hoped for.

Those who view or read about other leagues' all-star games, and who have never viewed an indoor soccer game (of any competition), will be jarred by the level of fervor by the participants in the MISL All-Star Game. It was back in 1999 when one player suffered a season-ending injury in that year's All-Star Game. The reason is pragmatic. The players know that they're the best in the League. It is unlike a club situation where there are players of different skills. Take quality players (ingredients), put them under the adroitness of the League's best coaches (chefs), and the output is not going to be baked beans.

The game was mostly controlled by the homestanding West side. But not by the seven Wave players. It was the Kansas City Comets' delegation of Dino Delevski, Nino Da Silva, and Alex Zotinca who accounted for six of the West's eight goals. When the ballots for All-Star Most Valuable Player were requested, there were six minutes left in the fourth quarter, and the West was clinging to a 12-10 lead. Right after, the East's Genoni Martinez of Harrisburg propelled a ball into the West's net from beyond the three-point arc, giving the East their first lead at 12-13. Had this result stood, many media members would have asked to have their ballots back.

The West had to go to the Wave's Troy Dusosky as sixth attacker. The play drawn up in their timeout was not executed exactly as planned, but the ball was played over to the right wing near the yellow line, where Delevski whomped it on the full volley. It soared high into the top right of the East net.

The East would go to John Ball of Cleveland as its sixth attacker, but he was beaten in a two-on-GK foray by Milwaukee's Todd Dusosky, and then, when the East was lackadaisical on the ensuing kick-off, Da Silva got to the ball and lofted it from midfield into a still-vacated net, for the 20-13 final margin.

I had marked my MWP ballot for Dino Delevski. The resultant last two minutes of the game only fortified my selection. Delevski was elected the Game's top player.

I thank Mr. Lou Corletto for his assistance in my covering this match and the weekend.

The game will be shown on FOX Sports World on Friday, March 21 from 8:00 pm - 10:30 pm ET. The telecast will also include the skills contests from Saturday afternoon.

Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from March 12, 2003

• Restart Opportunity - OSC Original by Steve De Rose
• Join TEAM SOCKERS for the 2003 MS Walk - San Diego Sockers

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