..make that two. I was refereeing a Major Division match. I'm just going to call them red and green. I anticipated a problem between these two teams but for 40 minutes things seem to be going well. Then at the 41st minute I had a green play after he knew he lost the challenge, tackle a red player from behind, chopping a player from behind (both legs in the air chopping the back of the opponents legs). So I sent him off with the red card. Unfortunately that is where hell broke loose. At half time the green captain came to me and told me how unfair that call was.
Then in the second half, despite the Penalty Kick for the green, which was blown with a great save by the red keeper, the green captain still didn't know when to quit. When he brought up the red card situation, I informed him, he was not to continue about that. He then shouts, "Hey guys, we can't talk to the referee about fairness." At that time, I let him know he well deserved this yellow (without going into the 3 P's of dissent which by then he reached all three).
I thought by then things were calming down, I tightened the calls a bit. Then a red was fouled. My AR had the best view. Flagged it, I whistled it. I went to the AR to ask what he saw. He said, "green fouled, but then #10 on the red retaliated with an elbow. I would give him a caution." I cautioned him a minute earlier for kicking the ball away after being called offside. I gave him his second caution (it could have been a straight red). In 20/20 hindsight, I should have given green his caution for grabbing a jersey. I was just told my AR initially he held the red. Had I known it was a jersey pull at the time, I would have given him a yellow and some justice would have been done.
The Post game wasn't so much fun as he wanted to confront me. After saying "What a fucking horrible call." I replied with, "Can I quote you on that on my send off report so you can get a few more Sundays off?"
Monday, March 26, 2007
Friday, March 23, 2007
When you are friends with the enemy...
...you tend to look in a diffrent perspective, even when you don't agree. Still confused with the title? I'm just mulling over how to make more sense of it. Again I leave names and some details out just because I don't want anyone figuring out who it is.
I was seeing a friend that I hadn't seen since november and we were catching up. His son played on a high school team last winter. I asked how that went? He said he did fine. Then he asked me if I reffed high school. I said "No, I took the high school season off to fully recover from my injuries."
Now here's where a good conversation went bad. He said, "The referees out there sucked. They were terrible." Now I am used to hearing that from one degree to another so usually it doesn't phase me anymore. Then he had to go and say, "I enjoy harrasssing the referee because they suck so much!" My first thought was WTF? This guy actually got off on giving the referees a hard time. Unfortunately I was a captive audience literally so I had to endure this. So I finally said what many referees have said before, "Well then....You should sign up as a referee and then you can show them how it's done." I never seen anyone shut up so fast.
The rest of the conversation was pretty stutter-stepped and well after watching a game and trying some of my indoor photography out I decided my camera sucks on action shots in a gym. Out of 100 shots, I managed to get 4 decent (and I say that too loosely) shots. We were able to talk about how well the team we were watching spank the other team.
Everyone has a natural tendency of wanted to be liked by many people as possible. As a referee, you tend to make that tough, because what you do, if you have any friendships on the sidelines, you tend to put those aside and do your job, no matter how wrong you may seem in the eyes of your friends. I usually, for the close friends, tend not to do their games for I like to still be invited to things. I certainly will not so any relative's games, with the one exception I made with the blessing of the assignor, to referee my nephew's game, well two of them, one on each team. It's still talked about around the family get togethers.
Problem is as a former player, a coach, and a referee, the lines tend to get blurred from time to time. I do have a reputation of being tough, but fair most of the time, so usually the coaches I get are more than supportive of my calls, even when they disagree.
Getting back to the harrassing referees. Last year when I finished the high school season I was having a conversation with a friend of mine (a referee of course) and he was telling me he was done doing high school. He just got his grade 5 as well and his response was he was tired of dealing with the parents on the sidelines. Can't says I blame him. An ex-National referee that same year did the NCS semi-final and was subjected to an angry mob. Now he no longer wants any part of high school soccer. Still think it's okay to harrass the referee for the fun of it? Still think it's part of the game?
I was seeing a friend that I hadn't seen since november and we were catching up. His son played on a high school team last winter. I asked how that went? He said he did fine. Then he asked me if I reffed high school. I said "No, I took the high school season off to fully recover from my injuries."
Now here's where a good conversation went bad. He said, "The referees out there sucked. They were terrible." Now I am used to hearing that from one degree to another so usually it doesn't phase me anymore. Then he had to go and say, "I enjoy harrasssing the referee because they suck so much!" My first thought was WTF? This guy actually got off on giving the referees a hard time. Unfortunately I was a captive audience literally so I had to endure this. So I finally said what many referees have said before, "Well then....You should sign up as a referee and then you can show them how it's done." I never seen anyone shut up so fast.
The rest of the conversation was pretty stutter-stepped and well after watching a game and trying some of my indoor photography out I decided my camera sucks on action shots in a gym. Out of 100 shots, I managed to get 4 decent (and I say that too loosely) shots. We were able to talk about how well the team we were watching spank the other team.
Everyone has a natural tendency of wanted to be liked by many people as possible. As a referee, you tend to make that tough, because what you do, if you have any friendships on the sidelines, you tend to put those aside and do your job, no matter how wrong you may seem in the eyes of your friends. I usually, for the close friends, tend not to do their games for I like to still be invited to things. I certainly will not so any relative's games, with the one exception I made with the blessing of the assignor, to referee my nephew's game, well two of them, one on each team. It's still talked about around the family get togethers.
Problem is as a former player, a coach, and a referee, the lines tend to get blurred from time to time. I do have a reputation of being tough, but fair most of the time, so usually the coaches I get are more than supportive of my calls, even when they disagree.
Getting back to the harrassing referees. Last year when I finished the high school season I was having a conversation with a friend of mine (a referee of course) and he was telling me he was done doing high school. He just got his grade 5 as well and his response was he was tired of dealing with the parents on the sidelines. Can't says I blame him. An ex-National referee that same year did the NCS semi-final and was subjected to an angry mob. Now he no longer wants any part of high school soccer. Still think it's okay to harrass the referee for the fun of it? Still think it's part of the game?
Thursday, March 22, 2007
And Justice for all.
You may have remembered my post regarding "Referee with sailors mouth". Well turns out the coach who accused the referee got a 2 match suspension for his part.
My thoughts? My use of harsh language is reserved for those cases where I would feel I would get through to a guy vs. carding him. Of course you won't hear it from me in a youth match because....well it's youth.
However, if you have to use harsh language, then you would be hyppocritical for carding someone for nearly the same thing. Something to think about. I hope the big wigs in the MLS have read the article.
My thoughts? My use of harsh language is reserved for those cases where I would feel I would get through to a guy vs. carding him. Of course you won't hear it from me in a youth match because....well it's youth.
However, if you have to use harsh language, then you would be hyppocritical for carding someone for nearly the same thing. Something to think about. I hope the big wigs in the MLS have read the article.
Monday, March 19, 2007
It was a happy St. Patties
Saturday was fun as my daughter was in the Dublin Parade for her school. I have really grown to like getting involved in my kids activities. Before it was just going through the motions for her sake because I didn't have that support growing up, but these days I tend to make it interesting enough to not count the minutes that it's over. Perhaps it could be my daughter takes great pride that both her parents are involved. Of course anything I do, my wife does 10 times better...well most of the time. I make a great weenie.
After the parade, we hit the fair and I had my fair share of Guinness. Marlena got to go on the bundgy ride which was cool to watch. My friend's daughter made the most of her time on it and did even some forward flips.
Sunday the family decided to go back, but I was sunned out due to Saturday and then refereeing on Sunday. I ran line both my games where it was a miracle I didn't get lynched.
Game 1: The center I ran line with showed up less then 30 minutes prior to the game. I was tempted to take the center from him, but I was not mentally prepared to run the middle. Prior to the game we were checking the teams in and the center was demanding they tuck their shirts in and jewelry. Mind you I have no problem with what he wanted, but I had a problem with the way he demanded. It was like, "Let's piss off two Latin teams before we kick off." I'm just going to call them Red vs. Blue. So we're about to kick off, he decides to do the pre-game. He wants to talk about throw ins. WTF? I had to look at my game card to make sure we were doing Major Division and not U12 girls. Then he wanted to change me from AR2 to AR1. I said no because I had an AR1 assignment next game. That was translated to: No I am not going to stand close to the benches of two teams you pissed off before kick off. When that torture was over I went to my line. It took 3 minutes to get them pissed at the center. That was one foul per minute. The comment was, 'You do a great job checking our jewelry and making sure our shirts are tucked in but you can't call worth Sh--!" Basically was having trouble controlling the game. Surprising that hardly anyone tried anything in front of me. Could it be my rep is growing in this league. I have been noticing.
Game #2 I thought I was going to work with my buddy Norm. I was disappointed where he was replaced by another guy where I would rather have a root canal. As usual he was unorganized. Late checking teams in. I checked Black in and ran into their captain who remembered me. Asked me if I was doing the center. I said, nope, I'm a line. He was disappointed. He was complaining that the good referees are getting lines while the centers are not good. I took this as a complement for 1 of 2 things. One, it's the 3rd straight week I have received such a complement. Two, the guy who paid me the complement was a guy I sent off last year for head butting another player, ironically from the team they were playing in this game.
As the game went on here's where it "jumped the shark" (hi honey). I saw a push from behind. I flagged it. It was 2 feet in front of me. I pointed one way. The center pointed another way. He was 25 yards away. He accused the "fouled" player of diving. He added more insult to the player by saying, "You're lucky I don't give you a yellow card." My thoughts: If he dove and "fooled" me, but was caught by the center, I think it warrants a yellow card. What sucked was at half time, I wasn't even going to talk about it. He came to me and said, "I saw that he was pushed but he embellished the fall." I'm thinking hmmm....he was pushed. Isn't pushing a foul? I just responded by saying if you felt he was diving, he sure fooled me and he should have gotten a card for it. I walked away disgusted. The other AR who befriended me first thing since he was new, said my call was correct.
Well second half it wasn't too bad until the center called a PK. I can't say it was a good call or bad call. According to AR2 it was a good call. Before the PK the White was beating the Black 3-1. Black took the PK and made it 3-2. Then the forward and GK were fighting over getting the ball out of the net. If it were me I would have been the first one to the ball to prevent anything.
So while the center was now taking care of that, I had to deal with the White coach who said, "Why you give Penalty?" I told him to get back to his side and that I didn't even want to have a conversation with him. He said, after slumping like a kid who grabbed his toys and went him, "Neither do I!"
Was still bitching even after they won.
After the parade, we hit the fair and I had my fair share of Guinness. Marlena got to go on the bundgy ride which was cool to watch. My friend's daughter made the most of her time on it and did even some forward flips.
Sunday the family decided to go back, but I was sunned out due to Saturday and then refereeing on Sunday. I ran line both my games where it was a miracle I didn't get lynched.
Game 1: The center I ran line with showed up less then 30 minutes prior to the game. I was tempted to take the center from him, but I was not mentally prepared to run the middle. Prior to the game we were checking the teams in and the center was demanding they tuck their shirts in and jewelry. Mind you I have no problem with what he wanted, but I had a problem with the way he demanded. It was like, "Let's piss off two Latin teams before we kick off." I'm just going to call them Red vs. Blue. So we're about to kick off, he decides to do the pre-game. He wants to talk about throw ins. WTF? I had to look at my game card to make sure we were doing Major Division and not U12 girls. Then he wanted to change me from AR2 to AR1. I said no because I had an AR1 assignment next game. That was translated to: No I am not going to stand close to the benches of two teams you pissed off before kick off. When that torture was over I went to my line. It took 3 minutes to get them pissed at the center. That was one foul per minute. The comment was, 'You do a great job checking our jewelry and making sure our shirts are tucked in but you can't call worth Sh--!" Basically was having trouble controlling the game. Surprising that hardly anyone tried anything in front of me. Could it be my rep is growing in this league. I have been noticing.
Game #2 I thought I was going to work with my buddy Norm. I was disappointed where he was replaced by another guy where I would rather have a root canal. As usual he was unorganized. Late checking teams in. I checked Black in and ran into their captain who remembered me. Asked me if I was doing the center. I said, nope, I'm a line. He was disappointed. He was complaining that the good referees are getting lines while the centers are not good. I took this as a complement for 1 of 2 things. One, it's the 3rd straight week I have received such a complement. Two, the guy who paid me the complement was a guy I sent off last year for head butting another player, ironically from the team they were playing in this game.
As the game went on here's where it "jumped the shark" (hi honey). I saw a push from behind. I flagged it. It was 2 feet in front of me. I pointed one way. The center pointed another way. He was 25 yards away. He accused the "fouled" player of diving. He added more insult to the player by saying, "You're lucky I don't give you a yellow card." My thoughts: If he dove and "fooled" me, but was caught by the center, I think it warrants a yellow card. What sucked was at half time, I wasn't even going to talk about it. He came to me and said, "I saw that he was pushed but he embellished the fall." I'm thinking hmmm....he was pushed. Isn't pushing a foul? I just responded by saying if you felt he was diving, he sure fooled me and he should have gotten a card for it. I walked away disgusted. The other AR who befriended me first thing since he was new, said my call was correct.
Well second half it wasn't too bad until the center called a PK. I can't say it was a good call or bad call. According to AR2 it was a good call. Before the PK the White was beating the Black 3-1. Black took the PK and made it 3-2. Then the forward and GK were fighting over getting the ball out of the net. If it were me I would have been the first one to the ball to prevent anything.
So while the center was now taking care of that, I had to deal with the White coach who said, "Why you give Penalty?" I told him to get back to his side and that I didn't even want to have a conversation with him. He said, after slumping like a kid who grabbed his toys and went him, "Neither do I!"
Was still bitching even after they won.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Sunday's game
Had a good AR assignment at Boxer Stadium this weekend. Two good San Francisco teams played each other to a 2-2 tie. The center, Mauricio was good as he always is. Every time I work with him, it's always a pleasure. Could be we're both Italians too. :-) While on weekend #2 of a 4 month layoff Maurico had better comments on my line then I did for myself. I still felt like I was shaking the rust off. He said I was flying up and down the line. I know my knowledge kept me a float. I felt good in the end. Game was in control for most occasion as I did watch Mauricio's back on at least 3 occasions. One was cautioning a player for leaving the field. Only my 2nd one in my long career.
I was comfortable as I knew players on both sides. One of the players who used to play for the A league Seals, was wondering when I was going to get a center at Boxer. I told him it was hinted I would get an assignment this season. He was hoping it would be sooner then later. I thought that was a nice complement. On the other team, I recognized a player who was a strong youth referee up a Sacramento. Took him a while to remember me because I had less facial hair the last time he saw me. It wasn't until I reminded him of a center he did for an U17 boys game where a fight broke out and he got physical with the players when separating him. I gave him a pep talk on how that could have went against him, but was entertaining to watch (yes I can be a sadist).
The third and final thing that made it interesting, the other AR is from Southern California. He has done Amateurs there and told me he would be doing 3 games a Sunday, whereas up here people are happy to get one AR assignment. My lesson for those who are complaining about the AR assignments. If you are bored with the AR assignments you are getting, then you are not challenged enough in the AR level and should do whatever it take to get to a level where you feel challenged, unless you're a National doing MLS, and then well...there's little hope for you.
I was comfortable as I knew players on both sides. One of the players who used to play for the A league Seals, was wondering when I was going to get a center at Boxer. I told him it was hinted I would get an assignment this season. He was hoping it would be sooner then later. I thought that was a nice complement. On the other team, I recognized a player who was a strong youth referee up a Sacramento. Took him a while to remember me because I had less facial hair the last time he saw me. It wasn't until I reminded him of a center he did for an U17 boys game where a fight broke out and he got physical with the players when separating him. I gave him a pep talk on how that could have went against him, but was entertaining to watch (yes I can be a sadist).
The third and final thing that made it interesting, the other AR is from Southern California. He has done Amateurs there and told me he would be doing 3 games a Sunday, whereas up here people are happy to get one AR assignment. My lesson for those who are complaining about the AR assignments. If you are bored with the AR assignments you are getting, then you are not challenged enough in the AR level and should do whatever it take to get to a level where you feel challenged, unless you're a National doing MLS, and then well...there's little hope for you.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Dealing with Dissent
I read a nice blog regarding dealing with dissent. It's NISOA, so just so we're clear: In USSF/FIFA you do not show the coach a card. Here is the article.
Monday, March 05, 2007
GP is back on the pitch...
...and I haven't missed a beat since I was gone. Okay that is not entirely true but as far as game management and control, I gave myself an A. For covering the field, I gave myself a C. Obviously I need to get back in the full swing of things but I was off for 4 months which is the longest I have taken off from soccer.
The game was a Major Division and I knew both teams pretty well since I have done both since they were in First Division. I took control of the match early, calling the hard and getting unfair advantage. I had great assistants, Brian S. and Craig S. which bailed me out a few times. Unfortunately I had to pull my first caution in the 41st minute for a tactical foul. Any closer to the goal and it would have warranted a send off, but in my opinion, he wasn't close enough to the goal. Had that been the case, I would have sent him off. Red had no problem when I explained my logic for just a yellow.
In the second half Red and Blue decided to play a little more physical but clean for the most part and when I had to step in, it was accepted by most. Then by the 72nd minute I whistled a guy for taking a player down with both hands. While debating on cautioning him, he took the ball and spiked it away (just think of your typical kicking the ball away in frustration). I told him, his last action made my card issued an easy decision.
Just when I thought that was all the cards i was going to get at the 86th minute, my ball spiking friend decided that if he loses a challenge when he fights for the ball, he's going to kick the player. I didn't see it, but I heard the very familliar thud. My AR, Brian saw it and was giving me the high sign to caution. It was an easy red. Craig saw it and asked me why I just didn't do a straight red. I spent the next 10 seconds pondering, but found it was just easier to give the yellow, then red. He was gone none the less and both sides accepted that.
In the end, I felt good, but I know I left room for improvement. According to my wife, I got out of there in record time dispite having to write a send off report.
In other news, Gabriel is doing fine. In the past week I could have sworn he did is first word. I was helping him up the stairs and by the time I got him to the top he said, "Heeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyy!!" Then he started crying. I wonder where he got that from (hi honey).
Marlena in the last week has made me proud. Her homework was done in record time and I think she for the first time discovered that if she does her homework for the week early, she can enjoy the weekend better. She also had Destination Imagination. She's been at this since almost the beginning of school. I have to confess, in the middle of it, I hated it. I hated the time it was taking, not for us parents to take her and back, but how much it was taking from her schoolwork. However watching her perform with the skit, I couldn't have been more proud. I was also told by the DI advisor for her group that Marlena went from an "easy going with the crowd" person to insisting to everyone a way something should be done. She didn't win the crowd over, but she stood her ground and that I told her is the makings of a good referee. Never the less I was proud to hear that story about her. It was a good saturday.
The game was a Major Division and I knew both teams pretty well since I have done both since they were in First Division. I took control of the match early, calling the hard and getting unfair advantage. I had great assistants, Brian S. and Craig S. which bailed me out a few times. Unfortunately I had to pull my first caution in the 41st minute for a tactical foul. Any closer to the goal and it would have warranted a send off, but in my opinion, he wasn't close enough to the goal. Had that been the case, I would have sent him off. Red had no problem when I explained my logic for just a yellow.
In the second half Red and Blue decided to play a little more physical but clean for the most part and when I had to step in, it was accepted by most. Then by the 72nd minute I whistled a guy for taking a player down with both hands. While debating on cautioning him, he took the ball and spiked it away (just think of your typical kicking the ball away in frustration). I told him, his last action made my card issued an easy decision.
Just when I thought that was all the cards i was going to get at the 86th minute, my ball spiking friend decided that if he loses a challenge when he fights for the ball, he's going to kick the player. I didn't see it, but I heard the very familliar thud. My AR, Brian saw it and was giving me the high sign to caution. It was an easy red. Craig saw it and asked me why I just didn't do a straight red. I spent the next 10 seconds pondering, but found it was just easier to give the yellow, then red. He was gone none the less and both sides accepted that.
In the end, I felt good, but I know I left room for improvement. According to my wife, I got out of there in record time dispite having to write a send off report.
In other news, Gabriel is doing fine. In the past week I could have sworn he did is first word. I was helping him up the stairs and by the time I got him to the top he said, "Heeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyy!!" Then he started crying. I wonder where he got that from (hi honey).
Marlena in the last week has made me proud. Her homework was done in record time and I think she for the first time discovered that if she does her homework for the week early, she can enjoy the weekend better. She also had Destination Imagination. She's been at this since almost the beginning of school. I have to confess, in the middle of it, I hated it. I hated the time it was taking, not for us parents to take her and back, but how much it was taking from her schoolwork. However watching her perform with the skit, I couldn't have been more proud. I was also told by the DI advisor for her group that Marlena went from an "easy going with the crowd" person to insisting to everyone a way something should be done. She didn't win the crowd over, but she stood her ground and that I told her is the makings of a good referee. Never the less I was proud to hear that story about her. It was a good saturday.
Friday, March 02, 2007
Vista sucks
Message to anyone considering upgrading to Vista. Don't... Wait until at least a year for them to get rid of bugs and for your peripheral manufacturers to update the drivers. You'll be glad you waited. If you decide not to wait because you are one of those dudes that has to have the latest and greatest of everything, you heard it here first
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