25 Years Ago Today...

Discussion in 'Pro Indoor Soccer' started by HollandsComet, Feb 20, 2012.

  1. HollandsComet

    HollandsComet Member

    Oct 21, 2010
    Raytown, MO
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    3/31/88: In one of the most memorable games in Comets history--which turned out to be the beginning of the end for the Chicago Sting soccer franchise--Kansas City roared back from a 7-2 3rd quarter deficit to beat the Sting 8-7 in OT before 3,364 stunned fans and one disgusted owner at Rosemont Horizon. It was the biggest comeback in Comets history, as they scored 5 unanswered goals in the 4th quarter and OT, culminating in the late Barry Wallace's game-winner just 43 seconds into OT. "The Boomer" completed his hat trick with the game-winner on a restart near the penalty area, which former Comet Clive Griffiths accurately predicted on the TV broadcast just seconds earlier, leading play-by-play man Chuck Heinz to proclaim, "You are a PROPHET!" KC also scored two shorthanded goals on the night, including Dale Mitchell's game-tying goal with just :59 left in regulation. Kia scored twice and Jan Goossens had 3 assists in the Comets' final game ever vs. Team Capone, whom they had a record of 8-10 against (3-6 @ Chicago). Ben Collins and Oscar Albuquerque each scored twice for Chicago, who had lost five straight games. Sting owner Lee Stern was apoplectic after the match: "It was the most disgraceful exhibition I have ever seen. Somebody doesn't have any guts or brains. I've lost enough money here in Chicago. Anybody who wants to buy this team can have it for a nickel, including the players." No one took Stern up on his offer, and the Sting folded a couple months later...
     
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  2. CaptainKick

    CaptainKick Member

    Nov 3, 2005
    Wow, that was a pretty harsh quote Stern made. I'm sure he was at his wits end as the Sting finished in an uncharacteristic last place in '87-'88 and that loss was the last straw, but really, can one imagine an owner of a any team sport saying something like that publicly now?
     
  3. NSL2004

    NSL2004 Member+

    Jul 23, 2002
    What did he mean, "including the players"?
     
  4. HollandsComet

    HollandsComet Member

    Oct 21, 2010
    Raytown, MO
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    My guess is he was offering to sell the team to one or more of them.
     
  5. HollandsComet

    HollandsComet Member

    Oct 21, 2010
    Raytown, MO
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    4/2/88: The Comets' road roll continued as they won for only the third time ever at Baltimore Arena, 5-3 over the Blast in front of 7,308. Jan Goossens had two assists and goalie Ed Gettemeier added an assist while he was busy stopping 43 Baltimore shots on goal (KC only had 25). The game was played the same night as the NCAA Final Four was being contested at Kemper Arena (eventually won by Kansas over Oklahoma two nights later).
     
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  6. HollandsComet

    HollandsComet Member

    Oct 21, 2010
    Raytown, MO
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    4/5/88: In their final game ever at St. Louis Arena vs. the Steamers, the Comets were victorious 9-5, clinching a playoff berth in the process. The match was tied 5-5 after three quarters before the Comets blew it open with 4 goals in the 4th. Damir Haramina scored his 6th and final hat trick as a Comet, and became the second player ever to score 100 regular season goals in a KC uniform (Dale Mitchell was the first). Jan Goossens also had a natural hat trick and tied the MISL record for fastest two goals in succession by one player in league history, just five seconds apart in the 4th quarter. Gerry Gray and Poli Garcia each scored twice for St. Louis in a game that was played in front of the 4th-smallest road crowd in Comets history and smallest regular season Comets-Steamers crowd ever, a sad and paltry 2,615 at The Old Barn on Oakland Avenue--how the mighty had fallen. The match was also played under a cloud of uncertainty, as MISL owners threatened to fold the entire league before the playoffs if the players union didn't accept their salary cap reduction offer.
     
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  7. The Stever

    The Stever Member

    Dec 4, 2003
    The wheels had completely fallen off the Sting's wagon by this time. The move to Rosemont was an utter failure, and despite valiant efforts to re-invent the reinvention in its second of two ill-fated seasons in the 'burbs (a wider field closer to the permanent seats, lower plexiglass so players didn't appear to be in a giant fishbowl, a $1 million hydraulic system that raised/lowered the arena floor to improve sightlines, etc.), nothing seemed to help reverse the Sting's misfortunes by the Airport.

    And the NY Express-like roster didn't help, either...
     
  8. HollandsComet

    HollandsComet Member

    Oct 21, 2010
    Raytown, MO
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    4/6/88: The Comets won their 5th-straight and set a new team record with 273 goals in one season as they thumped the San Diego Sockers 8-4 in front of 9,814 at Kemper Arena. Jan Goossens scored twice, including his 200th MISL career goal and broke his own personal single-season best with his 98th point of the year. Damir Haramina and Barry Wallace also scored 2 goals each, and Kia added a goal and 3 assists. Zoran Karic scored 2 goals for San Diego, the first of many career goals vs. Kansas City in both the MISL and later in the NPSL vs. the Attack. Paul Dougherty also had two goals for SD, and the game was noteworthy for being Zoltan Toth's first regular season loss in goal ever vs. the Comets.
     
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  9. HollandsComet

    HollandsComet Member

    Oct 21, 2010
    Raytown, MO
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    4/8/88: The Comets snagged their 6th victory in a row, in yet another 1-goal match vs. the Dallas Sidekicks, a 3-2 win at Kemper Arena in front of 14.415. Kia scored 2 goals as KC set new team records for regular season wins (29) and home wins (19) in their final regular season win as members of the MISL's Western Division.
     
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  10. HollandsComet

    HollandsComet Member

    Oct 21, 2010
    Raytown, MO
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    4/10/88: In their 1987-88 home finale, the Comets lost to the Los Angeles Lazers 8-5 before 13,788 at Kemper. In spite of the loss, there were highlights for the Comets, including Ed Gettemeier's block of an LA penalty shot attempt in the 3rd quarter, as well as Kia and David Doyle scoring 2 goals each, while Damir Haramina also added a goal and 3 assists. Thompson Usiyan, Paul Child and Chris Chueden scored two goals each, while teammate Chico Borja received a red card ejection in the 2nd quarter, causing his eyes to bulge out very similar to Ren's on "Ren & Stimpy". Meanwhile, Chico's brother Romero scored his first and only MISL career goal in the game. The Comets finished 1987-88 2nd in average attendance in the MISL with 11,211 fans per game.
     
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  11. HollandsComet

    HollandsComet Member

    Oct 21, 2010
    Raytown, MO
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    4/13/88: The Comets led 3-2 at halftime, only to lose to the Lazers 8-4 at the Forum in front of the usual 4,872 suspects. Thompson Usiyan and Jim Gabarra recorded their first hat tricks ever vs. the Comets, and two of Gabarra's goals came shorthanded, while former Comet Mark Frederickson had 2 assists. Dale Mitchell had two goals for KC, and Jan Goossens had two assists. The game marked yet another telecast joined in progress by KCTV Channel 5 when the game was almost half over at 10:30, Kansas City time.
     
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  12. Joey Tee

    Joey Tee Member

    Newcastle United
    United States
    Apr 12, 2010
    Dallas
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Those Lazers seemed to have their number eh? played them tough...
     
  13. HollandsComet

    HollandsComet Member

    Oct 21, 2010
    Raytown, MO
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    They did, Joey, up until the postseason, as you'll read in a couple weeks...
     
  14. HollandsComet

    HollandsComet Member

    Oct 21, 2010
    Raytown, MO
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    4/15/88: Hugo Perez had 2 goals and an assist as the San Diego Sockers knocked off the Comets 6-3 at the Sports Arena before 8,409. Duncan MacEwan scored his final MISL career goal for KC.
     
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  15. HollandsComet

    HollandsComet Member

    Oct 21, 2010
    Raytown, MO
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    4/16/88: The Comets completed the 1987-88 regular season with a 9-7 loss to the Stars at the Tacoma Dome in front of 14,357 in their final game as members of the MISL Western Division. The Stars scored 4 goals in the 2nd quarter, and were led by Peter Ward's 4 goals and 2 assists. Ricky "Captain America" Davis and Charlie Falzon each scored twice for Tacoma, and Preki had 3 assists. Chris Hundelt (Kevin's cousin) scored twice, and Dave Boncek set a Comets record by playing in all 56 regular season games, while Tasso Koutsoukos scored his final goal in his final regular season MISL career game. It was also the final regular season game in a Comets uniform for Armando Betancourt, Duncan MacEwan and Tonnie Wareman. KC finished the season 29-27, good for 3rd place in the MISL West, 13 games back.
     
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  16. HollandsComet

    HollandsComet Member

    Oct 21, 2010
    Raytown, MO
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    4/22/88: Game 1, 1988 MISL Western Division Semi-Final series. The Comets won a wild one, 9-6 over the Los Angeles Lazers before 5,112 at the Forum, tying the team record for most goals in a playoff game. Jan Goossens and the late Barry Wallace each scored hat tricks and Dale Mitchell had 2 goals and 2 assists for the Comets, who scored 5 goals in the 4th quarter. KC also scored FIVE times on the power play in a heavily-penalized game caused by a new ill-timed and somewhat misguided league directive issued by Commissioner Bill Kentling which urged the game officials to crack down on rough play as the postseason commenced. Power plays: KC 5-for-8, LA, 1-for-7. Ed Gettemeier recorded his first playoff win in goal as a Comet. Chico Borja had a hat trick for LA, which included two penalty kicks.
     
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  17. HollandsComet

    HollandsComet Member

    Oct 21, 2010
    Raytown, MO
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    4/23/88: Game 2, 1988 MISL Western Division Semifinal series. The Comets got a stranglehold on the best-of-5 series with a 4-3 win over the Lazers before 5,055 at the Forum. The game was a rough one though, as goalie Ed Gettemeier suffered a bruised jaw after being kicked by the Lazers' Mike Windischmann, Barry Wallace experienced blurred vision following a collision, and Iain Fraser sprained his left wrist. The Lazers outshot KC 47-23.
     
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  18. HollandsComet

    HollandsComet Member

    Oct 21, 2010
    Raytown, MO
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    4/27/88: Game 3, 1988 MISL Western Division Semi-Final series. The Comets overcame a 4-0 2nd quarter deficit en route to a series sweep of the LA Lazers, winning 7-5 before a crowd of 8,134 at Kemper Arena. Jan Goossens led the way with 2 goals and 2 assists and David Doyle scored the game-winning goal with 1:39 left in the 4th. Alan Mayer got the win in goal in relief of Ed Gettemeier who left in the 1st half with a finger injury on his left hand. Jim Gabarra had 2 goals for LA in what was the final postseason game in Lazers history. Because of arena availability, the Comets' next series with San Diego didn't begin for 10 days after this. See you again on May 7th...
     
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  19. HollandsComet

    HollandsComet Member

    Oct 21, 2010
    Raytown, MO
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    5/7/88: Game 1, 1988 MISL Western Division Final series. Following a 10-day layoff between playoff series, Barry "The Boomer" Wallace gave the Comets their team record 4th-straight postseason win with just 10 seconds left in regulation, stunning the San Diego Sockers 5-4 in front of 9,634 at the Sports Arena. Damir Haramina had a goal and 2 assists for KC, while Hugo Perez scored twice for SD. Shots on goal were pretty lopsided (SD 41, KC 23), but the Comets prevailed.
     
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  20. HollandsComet

    HollandsComet Member

    Oct 21, 2010
    Raytown, MO
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    5/11/88: Game 2, MISL Western Division Finals--Same score, different result from Game 1, as the San Diego Sockers even the series with a 5-4 win in front of 6,469 at the Sports Arena in SD. Jan Goossens notched his 3rd postseason hat trick as a Comet, but it wasn't enough. Kevin Crow had three assists for San Diego.
     
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  21. HollandsComet

    HollandsComet Member

    Oct 21, 2010
    Raytown, MO
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    5/13/88: Game 3, MISL Western Division Final series. One of the all-time classic matches in Comets history, in which KC spotted San Diego two different 4-goal leads (5-1 and 6-2) and mounted the 2nd-greatest postseason comeback in MISL history, scoring five unanswered goals in beating the Sockers 7-6 in overtime in front of 9,069 at Kemper Arena to take a 2-1 series lead. Dale Mitchell scored twice, including the game-winner at 13:57 of OT, making this the second-longest postseason game in Comets history. Barry Wallace sent the game into overtime with his second goal of the night with 4:51 left in regulation, and KC's comeback was second only to the Steamers' legendary 5-goal deficit vs. Wichita in the 1981 playoffs at St. Louis. Waaaaaaaaaaad Hirmez had a hat trick for San Diego, while Branko Segota added 2 goals and an assist.

    I'm guessing there were 9,068 in the house at game's end, because unfortunately yours truly was unable to see Mitchell's game-winner, as I was due at my new graveyard shift radio gig in St. Joseph, MO at Midnight (which I had just started the week before), an hour's drive from Kemper, so I had to make a run for it at 11PM. If only I'd stuck around five more minutes!
     
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  22. The Stever

    The Stever Member

    Dec 4, 2003
    PLEASE tell me that you had the game on the radio in your car... and that you safely pulled over before screaming out the window when Mitchell buried the game-winner!
     
  23. HollandsComet

    HollandsComet Member

    Oct 21, 2010
    Raytown, MO
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I would love to be able to tell you that, but unfortunately, the Comets radio broadcast was tape-delayed following the Royals game that night on their flagship station, so all I got to hear was the first half all over again. I didn't even find out the final result until I reached the radio station in St. Joseph and found it on the AP wire. That's when I screamed...
     
  24. HollandsComet

    HollandsComet Member

    Oct 21, 2010
    Raytown, MO
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    5/15/88: Game 4, MISL Western Division Final series. For the second straight game, the Comets scored 5 unanswered 2nd half goals (two of them shorthanded), but this time they only had to overcome a 1-goal deficit en route to a 7-3 win over the San Diego Sockers in front of 8,075 at Kemper Arena. Kim Roentved and Damir Haramina scored two goals each for KC, and Alan Mayer recorded his final postseason win in goal as a Comet. Brian Quinn scored a goal just five seconds into the match for the Sockers in what was Jim Gorsek's final playoff start/loss in goal vs. KC (3-2, all-time), as he would become a Comet in 1989-90. KC took a commanding 3-1 series lead, and everything was looking rosy for the Comets to finally slay the SD dragon and advance to the MISL Finals, but a momentum-killing 6-day layoff ensued because Kemper Arena was previously booked before they could play Game 5...
     
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  25. HollandsComet

    HollandsComet Member

    Oct 21, 2010
    Raytown, MO
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sorry I'm a day late with this, but thanks to Mother Nature, I'm currently without electricity at home until further notice. 25 years ago yesterday, 5/21/88: Game 5, 1988 MISL Western Division Final series. The six-day layoff caused by lack of arena availability was the worst thing that could've happened to the Comets--it gave San Diego a chance to regroup, as they thumped KC 7-1 in front of 14,054 in the Sockers' final postseason appearance ever at Kemper Arena. The score wasn't quite as lopsided as it appears--three of San Diego's goals were empty-netters in desperation time in the 4th quarter. Branko Segota and Juli Veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee scored two goals each for SD. Dale Mitchell had the lone tally for KC, assisted by Tasso Koutsoukos in his final home match as a Comet.
     
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