David Richardson and his younger brother, Michael, can`t be arguing much about who has been the bigger contributor for the Power so far this season. In the team`s first game, in Ft. Wayne, Ind., each brother was credited with an assist. In the Power`s second game, in Milwaukee, Michael upped the ante when he scored the opening goal. David matched him with a goal in the second half. Their father, Peter, is the Power`s director of player personnel. Undoubtedly, he`s proud and pleased with his sons` play so far. ”They`ve played well,” Richardson said. ”One thing that was very clear when I took this position was that it was my job to put players in front of Karl (head coach Karl-Heinz Granitza) and Derek (assistant coach Derek Spalding), and then let them decide who makes the team.” Not that anyone is accusing Richardson of nepotism; the Power probably wishes he had a few more sons.
The Richardsons came to the U.S. from England in 1974. The brothers attended Lake Park High School in Roselle, but went their separate ways in college: David to Northern Illinois University, and Michael to Illinois State. David, 22, played varsity all four years at NIU and is making his professional debut in the American Indoor Soccer Association. Michael, who is only 20, played for the Sting during the 1987-88 season and was among the first players signed by the Power.
– It`s very early, but the AISA`s new three-point goal is getting mixed reviews. This season, any goal scored from the area between the center line and the yellow line (in other words, from 50 feet out or more) is now a three- pointer. Natural goals and penalty kicks are worth two points, power-play and shootout goals are one point each.
The addition of a three-pointer was intended to keep teams-and fans-in the game longer. In reality, however, it may backfire and lead to more blowouts. Goals from 50 feet out are fairly unlikely, unless one team is playing without its goalkeeper.
In the Power`s victory in Milwaukee last Sunday, the Wave trailed 8-4 and elected to pull their goalie in favor of a sixth attacker. The move resulted in a quick goal that cut the Power`s lead to two-just a natural goal away-with about two minutes to play. But the Power`s Oscar Albuquerque gained control of a loose ball at midfield and let a shot fly from the faceoff circle that bounced into the Wave net and made the score 11-6. That`s blowout time, folks, because it would have taken three natural goals for the Wave to overcome the deficit.
”In that game, the three-pointer was the killer,” Granitza said. ”Now coaches will have to be more careful about pulling the goalkeeper because a three-pointer can put the game out of reach so easily.”
Peter Richardson says he`s keeping an open mind on the long-shot bonus.
”When I first heard of the rule, I thought it was silly because I like to think of myself as a soccer purist. But teams will start to develop strategies to attempt three-point goals. It may add to the game.”
AISA Commissioner Steve Paxos: ”What we have done is open up the game to encourage more scoring. We need to put more people in the seats, and this is one way to accomplish that: by altering the scoring and making changes that will reward players for scoring from different areas of the field. Personally, I am anxious to see how the three-point goal comes into play.”
– The starting front line against Canton Friday night had Batata and Michael Richardson at forward with Albuquerque in the middle. Granitza placed himself on the second line with forward Zoltan Meszaros and midfielder Manny Rojas. Each line produced two goals before being broken up by Granitza in the second half. In a late attempt to make up a five-goal deficit, Granitza used Batata and himself to flank the sharp-passing Rojas on one line. The second reshuffled line had Albuquerque between Meszaros and Richardson. Once again, each line came through with a goal.
– After three games, Batata and Meszaros are tied for the Power lead in goals with four. Each has three two-point goals and a one-pointer. Meszaros registered the first hat trick in team history with his three-goal game against Canton. Rojas, the team captain, leads the Power with four assists.
– Batata was disciplined by Granitza during the Power`s victory in Milwaukee. The 5-foot-6 forward was benched for extended stretches in the second and third periods.
”Batata is very emotional,” Granitza said after the game. ”Sometimes he just needs to be reminded who the coach is.” At one point in the game, Batata could be seen chastising goalie Jay McCutcheon for an errant outlet pass that went into the stands.
The one-name wonder also got into a small scuffle with one of the Invaders during the Friday night game at Canton. Defender Oscar Pisano was assigned the task of shadowing Batata, one of the league`s most feared scorers. Pisano`s close checking was a bit too close for Batata`s liking and the two engaged in some lively grabbing and shoving before the referees intervened.
– Last Sunday`s game in Milwaukee not only broke the AISA attendance record, it blew it to smithereens. Milwaukee welcomed soccer to the new Bradley Center with a turnout of 14,027 vocal fans. The previous AISA record, 8,946, was set last March 18, also in Milwaukee, when a sellout crowd in the neighboring Mecca arena saw the Wave defeat the Jacksonville Generals (no longer in the league) and move into a tie for first with the Ft. Wayne Flames. The Bradley Center can seat 17,500 for soccer. A first-class sports and entertainment facility, it stands as a memorial to Harry Lynde Bradley, a Milwaukee industrialist and father of Jane Pettit, who is the wife of former Chicago sports announcer Lloyd Pettit. The Pettits donated the $71 million arena to the city.
