Commissioner Looking at Controversy Over Segota
SAN DIEGO — The commissioner of the Major Indoor Soccer League Wednesday expressed concern that Tacoma forward Steve Zungul may have influenced a last-minute decision by Soccer midfielder Branko Segota to reject a six-year, $1.25-million contract.
“It is tampering for a member of one team to influence a member of another team to not sign a contract and wait for a better offer from that team, “ Bill Kentling said when asked about the situation.
Although he has not received an official complaint about tampering from the Sockers, Kentling said: “The league is like a policeman. When a policeman sees something extraordinary in progress and perceives it to be a crime, you don’t need a complaint to be filed.
“Without fueling any fire, one of the things that does exist when guys are from the same hometown--like Wichita--or country--like Yugoslavia--is that you have a tendency to talk more to the home boys. It is possible for a coach to sidle up to that home boy. To me, that’s tampering if you influence someone. Clever coaches and general managers take advantage of that situation.”
Zungul and Segota, both of whom were born in Yugoslavia and who were teammates on the Sockers, New York Arrows and Golden Bay Earthquakes, have admitted they discussed Segota’s recent contract negotiations in telephone conversations. Segota, 25, Tuesday turned down the longest and most lucrative contract in league history, saying he instead plans to play out his option year.
“I don’t want to be paranoid about this,” Socker general managing partner Bob Bell said Wednesday, “but there seems to be a history of them ending up together. Something is fishy somewhere. . . .
“I just think he (Segota) has been misled. Whether it is purposeful tampering or can be characterized as something else, I’m not ready to comment on at this time.”
On Tuesday, after he had announced he was turning down the Socker contract offer, Segota said he had talked with Zungul.
“Steve said: ‘You’d be foolish to tie yourself down.’ He said, ‘You should ask for money up front.’ That’s what Stevie told me. That was his advice as a friend. But it’s my decision,” Segota said.
Zungul, who negotiates his own contract and helped negotiate teammate Preki’s contract earlier this year, has been a mentor to Segota.
“I’m willing to give Branko advice as a friend, but I had nothing to do with his decision,” Zungul said. “I’m not his agent. I’m just his best friend. Like a brother.”
Socker Coach Ron Newman said Wednesday he believes “It would be very difficult for Steve not to give his opinion, whether it is innocently or maliciously. And I think it was probably innocently.”
Newman said he told Segota: “You have to realize there are people out there, coaches and players, that would love to break this franchise up. They may not be always telling you the truth.”
Kentling said he has very strong feelings about tampering.
“I believe that everyone in this league knows my strong feelings about tampering. I’m slightly to the right of (Heinrich) Himmler on tampering. It’s the most unconscionable act business partners in sports can enter into.
“There are several teams that have been formally accused of tampering that I am in some process of pursuing,” Kentling said. “I am investigating now and will have conclusions within 30 to 45 days . . . I will not comment whether Tacoma is one of those teams.”
Tacoma Star coach Alan Hinton didn’t hesitate to comment on Zungul’s having been brought into the Segota contract controversy.
“You’re not telling me that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar can’t talk to Larry Bird,” Hinton said. “My concern is that I don’t want Steve Zungul upset. I see Steve Zungul being upset right now. . . .
“I don’t think Steve Zungul or the Tacoma Stars have anything to do with Branko Segota not signing his contract. I can assure you we don’t. The bottom line is that Branko and the Sockers have a hiccup. And please leave the Tacoma Stars out of it.
“I do feel someone in the San Diego organization is saying something. Ron Newman and I don’t get on. Ron Newman would blame me in a second for anything.”
Said Newman: “The man is paranoid. He must have nightmares about me.”
Socker Notes
Socker general managing partner Bob Bell said that while speaking with Lazer owner Jerry Buss Tuesday about another matter, Buss expressed interest in acquiring Branko Segota. “I told him, as well as I’ll tell anyone else, until I sit down with Branko, all bets are off,” Bell said.
