Kenny Cooper

A group headed by former Spirit president and coach Kenny Cooper has narrowed its search for a 1995-96 National Professional Soccer League expansion franchise to Greensboro, N.C., and Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla."We'll zero in on those two," said Cooper, who also was considering Orlando and Jacksonville, Fla., San Antonio, Houston and Fairfax, Va.Cooper and partners Bill Collins and Tony Agnone have just returned from the Tampa Bay area. Cooper and Agnone will present their case to Greensboro officials on Monday.

A group spearheaded by Kenny Cooper says it expects this week to be awarded a National Professional Soccer League expansion franchise for the 1995-96 season.Cooper, who stepped down after last season as Spirit coach and then as president and general manager, is backed by Bill Collins, a telecommunications executive in northern Virginia who owns several minor-league baseball teams.Cooper did not identify the city where the expansion franchise would be located, mentioning Greensboro, N.C.; Tampa, Jacksonville and Orlando in Florida; Houston and Austin, Texas; and Fairfax, Va., as possibilities.

The problem with the way we Americans view soccer and the World Cup is that we think of it as an all-or-nothing thing.We know that soccer is the most popular sport in the world.We understand that World Cup competition, which begins at the end of this week, is the biggest sports event in the world -- bigger than our World Series or Super Bowl.So we ask when soccer will be as prominent here as football, baseball and basketball.We wonder when soccer will have a league of professional franchises, stretching from coast to coast, drawing crowds of 60,000-70,000.

Kenny Cooper and Keith Van Eron will confer tomorrow to determine if they can function as a team with the Spirit.Van Eron, a goalie for the now defunct Blast, has met twice with owner Bill Stealey about the Spirit coaching job that Cooper relinquished after the season. Cooper and Van Eron -- who have had several recent phone conversations -- will meet at Stealey's request."Kenny and I need to know if we can work together," Van Eron said. "Can we make it work? That's the key point for both of us."

Kenny Cooper sits at his desk, answering phones, booking charity dates and constantly inquiring about available players. He has been reading this book, "The Corporate Coach."During the past month, Cooper has negotiated a new four-year )) lease with the Baltimore Arena, which he plans to discuss and hopes to have signed by Baltimore Spirit owner Bill Stealey this week.Kenny Cooper always has run this franchise from top to bottom.But can he relinquish some of the power now?"Kenny has always let you know who is in charge and that it's going to be done his way," said Scott Manning, a goalkeeper for the Baltimore Blast under Cooper.

Kenny Cooper, as one of his players said, is Mr. Soccer in Baltimore. Fans will miss the intense coach on the sidelines. He stepped down from 14 exciting years coaching the Baltimore Spirit and its predecessor team, the Blast, in indoor soccer here.Mr. Cooper, staying on in front-office management, may be more visible than ever in the community, still fanatically dedicated to getting youngsters to play and watch the game. Soccer can only grow here. It has gone a long way toward replacing football as the autumn participant sport of Baltimore and American youth.

No sooner had the game ended than Spirit coach Kenny Cooper strode onto the field and grabbed a microphone."I apologize for our performance tonight," Cooper said to the fans. "Thanks for coming out."The rare act by a coach was triggered by the Spirit's uninspired play in a 15-5 loss to the Harrisburg Heat last night at the Baltimore Arena before 9,122, the third-largest crowd of the season and fourth-largest in club history."It was fan appreciation night, and our fans deserved an apology," Cooper said later.

Whether Wichita Wings coach Roy Turner is Kenny Cooper's best man or worst man depends on the outcome of the event.L In 1979 Turner was indeed Cooper's best man, at his wedding."

Mike Stankovic may make yet another comeback with the Spirit.Last season, his first as a full-time assistant under coach Kenny Cooper, Stankovic played four games, collecting a goal and three assists, in March when injuries struck the team. He had come back from major knee surgery the year before.Now, at 37, the former six-time Major Soccer League All-Star may play following Tim Wittman's season-ending knee injury."We're looking to add somebody without giving up a player," Cooper said. "We haven't decided yet. Mike's not sure he wants to do it. If he does, it would be on a short-term basis."

The Spirit's touch at the Baltimore Arena suddenly vanished.In the place where it was 18-2 during the regular season, where it had won its past eight, the Spirit bowed to the Harrisburg Heat, 16-3, in an NPSL playoff opener last night before 5,417.The Spirit's last loss at the Arena was Jan. 23 to the Wichita Wings, and it had won 13 of its past 14. The other regular-season loss at home was to the Cleveland Crunch on Dec. 29."They came to play and we didn't," said defender Steve Boardman.