Dallas Sidekicks Players

#9 Tatu

How He Got Here

Tatu's Tampa Bay Rowdies contract was purchased on September 17, 1984.

Tatu Through The Years

2000	2001	Tatu carrying the Olympic Torch through Dallas, 2001	2002-03

See You In Court

The Cleveland Force sued the Dallas Sidekicks over the rights to Tatu. It seems they beleived that they had an agreement with the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Tatu's then-agent, Francisco Marcos, to purchase his contract. The suit was settled out of court with the Sidekicks giving up their 2nd round draft choice in the 1985 MISL Draft as compensation for signing Tatu.

Honor Roll

Tatu is the single most honored player in Sidekicks history. His awards as a player are listed below:

1984-85

• Second Team, All-MISL
• Western Division All-Star
• MISL Player of the Week for week ending March 10, 1985
• Budweiser/Sidekicks Most Valuable Player
• Offensive Player of the Game 5 times

1985-86

• Second Team, All-MISL
• Eastern Division All-Star
• Offensive Player of the Week twice
  1. December 3, 1985
  2. December 10, 1985
• Offensive Player of the Game 16 times

1986-87

• MISL Most Valuable Player
• Championship Series Most Valuable Player
• First Team, All-MISL
• MISL Scoring Champion
• Goal Scoring Champion
• Offensive Player of the Month, January 1987
• Offensive Player of the Week twice
  1. February 15, 1987
  2. March 16, 1987
• Budweiser/Sidekicks MVP

1987-88

• Dallas All-Sports Association's "Big D" award.

1988-89

• Honorable Mention, All-MISL
• All Star recognition (all Sidekicks players credited with All-Star appearance this season)
• MISL Player of the Month for November 1988
• Offensive Player of the Week twice
  1. November 21, 1988
  2. March 20, 1989

   

1989-90

• MISL Most Valuable Player
• MISL Scoring Champion
• Goal Scoring Champion
• First Team, All-MISL
• Western Division All-Star
• MISL Player of the Month for February 1990
• Offensive Player of the Week three times
1. October 30, 1989
2. January 8, 1990
3. February 5, 1990
• Sidekicks Most Valuable Player
• Met Life/Sidekicks Player of the Month three times
  1. November 1989
  2. January 1990
  3. February 1990

1990-91

• MISL Tripple Crown Winner
1. MISL Scoring Champion
2. Goal Scoring Champion
3. Pass Master

• First Team, All-MISL
• Western Division All-Star
• Offensive Player of the Month for November

• Offensive Player of the Week 4 times
  1. November 12, 1990
  2. November 26
  3. February 25, 1991
  4. March 4

   

1991-92

• MISL All-Star recognition
• Offensive Player of the Game:
  1. November 1, 1991 <click here to see the box score of the game>
  2. November 8, 1991 <click here to see the box score of the game>

1993

• CISL Most Valuable Player
• CISL Championship Series Most Valuable Player
• CISL Scoring Champion
• First Team, All-CISL
• CISL Player of the Week 3 times
  1. June 27
  2. August 1
  3. August 8

   

1994

• CISL Most Valuable Player
• CISL Scoring Champion
• First Team, All-CISL
• Incredible Universe/Sidekicks Player of the Month for June
• CISL Player of the Week 3 times
  1. June 19
  2. August 14

1995

• CISL Scoring Champion
• First Team, All-CISL
• Eastern Division All-Star
• CISL Player of the Week for September 5

1996

• CISL Most Valuable Player
• CISL Scoring Champion
• First Team, All-CISL
• Eastern Division All-Star
• CISL Player of the Week 3 times
  1. June 23
  2. August 1
  3. September 22

   

1997

• CISL Scoring Champion
• First Team All-CISL
• CISL Player of the Week for Week 4

1998

• Most Valuable Player
• Scoring Champion
• Goal Scoring Champion
• First Team, All-PSA
• PSA Player of the Week twice
  1. August 2
  2. August 16
• Offensive Player of the Game 4 times.

1999

• Scoring Champion
• First Team, All-WISL
• WISL Player of the Week for August 9

2000

• Co-Scoring Champion
• First Team, All-WISL
• Offensive Player of the Game 3 times

2001-2002

• Named to new-MISL Eastern Division All-Star Team by Commisioner Steve Ryan.

2001-02

• Named new-MISL Player of the Week on September 30, 2002.

There Can Be Only One

Tatu was the last member of the 1984-85 Charter Season to retire as a player.

Giving the Shirt Off His Back

Tatu's custom of throwing his jersey after scoring a goal began when he played for Tampa Bay in the NASL. His dedication to the sucess of the Sidekicks is that he was once quoted in the Dallas Times Herald as saying "If it would bring more fans to the game, I'd throw my shorts in the stands after every goal."

Times He Didn't...

• At the 1985 MISL All Star Game in Cleveland, Tatu had to be reminded that he was only issued the one Western Division All-Star jersey.

• February 15, 1987 (ran out of jerseys on the bench after scoring 4 goals)

Tatu's pages continued at the following links: