Major Soccer League

The Spirit has activated assistant coach Mike Stankovic and placed Doug Neely on the 15-day disabled list.Stankovic, 37, who hasn't played since Dec. 21, 1991, when he suffered a severe knee injury and underwent major surgery, will be in uniform for Friday's road game against the Harrisburg Heat. Stankovic, who played nine years for the Blast, has been practicing with the Spirit all season, except for a few weeks after the staples were removed from his knee.Neely has been hampered by a sprained ankle.

Blast at Missouri Comets What: MISL championship Game 1 When: Thursday, 8:35 p.m. Site: Independence (Mo.) Events Center Video: mislnation.com Outlook: Surprise! Most people expected to see the two-time defending league champion Milwaukee Wave playing against the Blast for the Major Indoor Soccer League title, but the Comets upset Milwaukee in the semifinals. After dropping the first game in overtime last Thursday, Missouri came back to stun the Wave on Sunday in the second game, 9-8, and then advanced to the championship series with a 5-4 win in the deciding mini game.

Baltimore Blast owner Ed Hale called nine-year veteran Toros Kibritjian "the worst referee in the league" yesterday, and said Kibritjian shouldn't be allowed to work any more Baltimore games."

The Blast has the ideal primer for the upcoming Major Indoor Soccer League playoffs as the team closes out its regular season at 1st Mariner Arena on Saturday - a game against the two-time defending league champion Milwaukee Wave. The rivalry is far and away the best and most intense in the MISL, with all the other franchises too new to have developed any on the same level. And this game - set for 7:35 p.m. - has plenty on the line with the teams tied for first place in the league.

The Major Soccer League, which has been inching toward expansion, may be about to grow by leaps and bounds.Last night Blast owner Ed Hale, speaking at the team's Fan Club Appreciation Dinner, finally made public a merger plan between the Major Soccer League and the National Professional Soccer League that has been in the works for more than three weeks.Hale, who is handling the negotiations for the MSL, said if the merger is going to happen, he would like it to be done by May 1."We've talked to them," Hale said.

Major Soccer League commissioner Earl Foreman announced Blast general manager John Borozzi will become deputy commissioner of the MSL Monday."I'm excited and looking forward to this," said Borozzi, a graduate of Towson State who has been with the Blast organization eight years. "I think I'm going to enjoy working with Earl and I think with me there, it will free him up to do the things he does best. His top priorities will be expansion, television and, eventually, obtaining major sponsorships."

The National Basketball Association, the Major Soccer League, the American Hockey League and most other sports organizations weighed their options and arrived at the same conclusion yesterday.Despite war in the Persian Gulf, the games should go on."We have been in touch with various officials in Washington, and, on the basis of their reaction and advice, feel the appropriate conduct . . . is to continue to play all games as scheduled," the NBA announced in a statement.The Major Soccer League said that players would wear patches of American flags on their uniforms, and, starting tonight, a moment of silence would be observed before all league games.

NEW YORK -- Officials of the U.S. Soccer Federation are convinced that the formation of a truly professional outdoor league is imperative if the United States is to be successful in the 1994 World Cup.But there are strong indications that the resources for such a league are limited.Several owners from the Major Soccer League, which recently dropped the word indoor from its name, have expressed interest in the outdoor league the federation wants to put into effect in 1992, but Earl Foreman, the league's commissioner, has made it abundantly clear that his league "will not become an outdoor league."

Until yesterday, Tiffany Chisholm had never played with a soccer ball, but the 11-year-old from Northwood Recreation Center seemed to be catching on fast."

Baltimore Blast owner Ed Hale said last week that he will propose scheduling changes in the Major Soccer League that would have the most far-reaching effects in the 13-year history of the league.Hale said his proposals will come Tuesday at the league meetings in Kansas City, Mo., and would result in "37 changes that will make the product less diluted and more action-packed."Hale would not be specific about the changes except to say they would "affect every aspect of league operations."Hale is chairman of the MSL player relations committee and a member of the league expansion committee.

California Cougars Coach -- Bernie Lilavois Last season -- 7-23, 11 games behind Outlook -- The Cougars were a mess, beset by front-office turmoil and the most grueling travel schedule, which led to a 1-14 road record. They surrendered 482 goals, by far the most in the league, and will need to vastly improve their defense. Already, misfortune struck when F Vicente Figueroa, a former rookie of the year, tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the preseason. Sanaldo will handle the goalkeeping.

The Spirit has activated assistant coach Mike Stankovic and placed Doug Neely on the 15-day disabled list.Stankovic, 37, who hasn't played since Dec. 21, 1991, when he suffered a severe knee injury and underwent major surgery, will be in uniform for Friday's road game against the Harrisburg Heat. Stankovic, who played nine years for the Blast, has been practicing with the Spirit all season, except for a few weeks after the staples were removed from his knee.Neely has been hampered by a sprained ankle.

The Major Soccer League, of which the Blast is a member, should know by tomorrow whether it will continue to operate in the coming season. If the St. Louis Storm stays in, the season is on.By now Blast owner Ed Hale is frustrated not only from losing money but from dealing with the league's life-and-death crisis that seems to come up every summer.Coach Kenny Cooper and others in the organization hope Hale will stick with it. Drew Forrester, the Blast's director of soccer operations, said at a clinic the team held at Lutheran High yesterday:"Earl Foreman [MSL commissioner]

In three days, the Major Soccer League will hold an afternoon conference, and commissioner Earl Foreman said he believes league owners will make a final decision about the coming season. Whether that decision will be to continue the league or to close shop is unclear even to the men who will make the decision.Darrell Rolph, managing partner of the Wichita Wings, said stoically: "We're in business until we're not. All I can do is wait and see. In the meantime, we're selling season tickets [3,300 so far]

In three days, the Major Soccer League will hold an afternoon conference, and commissioner Earl Foreman says he believes league owners will make a final decision about the coming season. Whether that decision will be to continue the league or to close shop is unclear even to the men who will make the decision.Darrell Rolph, managing partner of the Wichita Wings, said stoically: "We're in business until we're not. All I can do is wait and see. In the meantime, we're selling season tickets [3,300 so far]

Major Soccer League commissioner Earl Foreman announced Blast general manager John Borozzi will become deputy commissioner of the MSL Monday."I'm excited and looking forward to this," said Borozzi, a graduate of Towson State who has been with the Blast organization eight years. "I think I'm going to enjoy working with Earl and I think with me there, it will free him up to do the things he does best. His top priorities will be expansion, television and, eventually, obtaining major sponsorships."

The teetering Major Soccer League will remain in operation for at least this weekend. Commissioner Earl Foreman today said he will call a meeting of the league's board of directors on Monday to review the current crisis.Last night, MSL directors said they would cease operations today if the Major Soccer League Players Association did not accept an ultimatum for a new wage scale. Directors added that there was no room for negotiations.But Foreman said in today's statement that he will present the MSLPA's counter-proposal received last night.

In three days, the Major Soccer League will hold an afternoon conference, and commissioner Earl Foreman said he believes league owners will make a final decision about the coming season. Whether that decision will be to continue the league or to close shop is unclear even to the men who will make the decision.Darrell Rolph, managing partner of the Wichita Wings, said stoically: "We're in business until we're not. All I can do is wait and see. In the meantime, we're selling season tickets [3,300 so far]

Until yesterday, Tiffany Chisholm had never played with a soccer ball, but the 11-year-old from Northwood Recreation Center seemed to be catching on fast."