The past 6 years MLS Cup referees: 2006 Jair Marrufo2007 Alex Prus 2008 Baldomero Toledo 2009 Kevin Stott 2010 Baldomero Toledo -2011 Ricardo Salazar I was really hoping Geiger will get it but with all the media attention from last night's match I don't see it happening.
I went over my reasons in the larger MLS assignment thread. Stott this year with Geiger a preemptive mortal lock for next year, barring injury or something else major and unforeseen. I really don't see an option aside from Stott that makes sense (outside arguments, as I conceded, for Petrescu or Grajeda--but both seem too far-fetched to me). Of course, the information is out there somewhere, so I'll find out soon enough if I'm wrong.
Doesn't have to be a FIFA right? Any chance Villareal could get the nod or is he still too new to the league? Was part of the crew last year. Edit: forgot he is technically still a rookie so no.
Like with anything else, there's no written rule. But it's always been a FIFA, an ex-FIFA (Stott in 09), someone nominated and rising to FIFA (Marrufo in 06) or someone who had a FIFA AR badge but did MLS middles (Tamberino in 00). So, thus far, it's always been someone who has held a FIFA badge or was a month away from holding one. He hasn't even had a playoff whistle, so I think it's zero shot. Also, he wasn't part of the crew last year unless he went as some sort of additional reserve. The historical crews are: 11: Salazar/Lowry/Manikowski/Grajeda 10: Toledo/Morgante/Lowry/Petrescu 09: Stott/Morgante/Fereday/Toledo 08: Toledo/Barkey/Quisenberry/Geiger 07: Prus/Fereday/Wienckowski/Hall 06: Marrufo/Lowry/Clement/Stott 05: Stott/Strickland/Barkey/Valenzuela 04: Kennedy/Clement/Quisenberry/Okulaja 03: Hall/Lowry/Fereday/Kenny 02: Terry/Barkey/Eddy/Kennedy 01: Stott/Itaya/Wilson/Tamberino 00: Tamberino/Lowry/Vergara/Stott 99: Weyland/Clement/Lowry/Hall 98: Terry/Reed/Nagy/Tamberino 97: Hall/Olson/Barkey/??? 96: Baharmast/Tamberino/Olson/Hall
I'll register my full guess as: STOTT/STRICKLAND/ROCKWELL/PENSO Unrelated (or I guess somewhat possibly related)... anyone know why four of our active FIFA ARs have gotten no playoff assignments? Seems odd that Boria, Hurd, Gansnser and Vasoli have all not worked, unless I'm missing something. A work commitment here or an injury there is understandable, but when 40% of the corps is left unused, I wonder if there's something else.
Probably correct, but I hope not. He's already done it three times. The decision makers should be looking to give someone else the opportunity. There are certainly some deserving people.
I think it's a bit weird Geiger hasn't had it yet. Stott makes the most sense. All of the semi whistles are out I'd think.
I think last year it was just impossible (or felt impossible) given how little he worked the league (two international trips). By the time you reached this year, maybe there was a conscious decision to hold him until next year, before the World Cup. Or a decision to give Stott a final assignment. Or some other deliberate decision that slots Geiger in for 2013. I've got to say, though, prior to last year, it wasn't that weird that Geiger hadn't gotten the final. It seems along time ago, given what he's done on the international stage since, but two years ago, post-MLS Cup, we didn't have a real sense here about who our top FIFA was or where Geiger stood on the pecking order: https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/who-is-our-1-fifa.1595990/#post-22279128
Wow. Walton really likes Petrescu. I guess that shouldn't come as too much of a shock, as I see some similarity in styles between their officiating. Thought there was a very outside shot at this, but really did not expect it. With it being a PRO, rather than USSF assignment, I guess it's much easier to appoint a Canadian now. Probably should have taken that into consideration. Very surprised that Stott didn't feature in any of the final 5 matches at all.
Not surprised at all that he got the Final. MLS really likes the way he referees. He doesn't give many cards and hardly, if ever, shows a red card. That's what MLS wants and likes. He did the Houston LA game earlier and it was one of the worst refereed games of the season. He probably missed about 4 red cuards in that game. Beckham, McGee, and Stephens all should have been tossed with Stephens deserving to be sent off twice. Unless someone gets stabbed or there is bone showing don't expeect a red card. Question. Why is Chico the 4th again? He was on it last year. Why not give it to a local guy Stott, or Penso or why not have the entire crew be Canadian and give to Paul Ward or Gantar or Gamble?
I like this line up. With Strickland being from Missouri, I've had the opportunity to see him 5x this year and about the same number last year at Livestrong. Solid AR.
Not really. We've had a lot of great ARs and there are only two spots a year. Plus, it's been very clear USSF (up to now) has never been shy about giving the assignment to the same person multiple times. So options have been limited Rockwell was a FIFA rookie in 2007, so that's the first year he was "eligible." Since 2007, one AR from the older guard, that had been in the league since the start, was on the match (Fereday/Lowry/Barkey). That leaves one slot a year. The only real surprises were that Morgante went back-to-back and then maybe Manikowski over Rockwell last year. But Manikowski had an extremely good year and had worked with Salazar often. It will come.
Now that I look at it... I think this is the first MLS Cup where one of the assistants wasn't working the inaugural season. I don't think that was deliberate by any means, but it's an interesting bit of trivia, if true.
For A NUMBER OF REASONS -- and this is no slight to Grajeda -- SALAZAR should have been the Fourth for this match. He has good rapport with both coaches, he did EXTREMELY WELL in last year's final (same teams, same venue). I can't believe this was overlooked (on second thought, yes I can, but I remain FLABBERGASTED).
Interesting assignment! No way would the game have been given to Canadians if the assignments came out of Chicago. Back in the NASL days several of the Soccer Bowl Championship matches were refereed by Canadians, but again the assignments came from the League office, not USSF. I guess this shows that PRO is independent. PH