Seeing as two of the four referees in questions are from Alberta, yes. And it's been posted elsewhere by others, so I'm happy posting it here now. Vancouver Whitecaps – Toronto FC Referee: Drew Fischer (AB) Assistant Referee 1: Darren Clark (BC) Assistant Referee 2: Daniel Belleau (QC) Fourth Official: David Gantar (AB)
Wednesday, May 16 DC United : Colorado - FOERSTER/WIENCKOWSKI/PARKER/GONZALEZ Our fifth rookie whistle of the season. There were only four last year. Can't imagine there's a sixth coming now, right? EDIT: There were actually five last year. Forgot about Gamble. Other four were Guzman, Penso, Kadlecik, and Bratsis. As an aside, Bratsis hasn't shown up at all this year on MLS assignments. Same with Landis Wiley, who (IIRC) got one MLS center in 2010 and did all fourths last year. Those two and Alex Prus are the only people on the referee/4th side of things that had assignments last year but not this year. We know Prus retired. Anyone know what happened with Wiley and Bratsis?
I would think there's at least one more coming. I have a pretty good idea on both, but I think there are people here that could probably say with 100% certainty, so I'll leave it to others. But neither situation--unless I'm totally off-base--is performance-based.
If you saw him do the USA/Brasil U17s last December, you wouldn't be too surprised. Keep in mind everyone that's anyone was at that game. He killed it.
For all matches played through May 13. Code: Referee Matches Yellow Y/Game Reds R/Game Anno, Jasen 1 4 4.00 0 0.00 BAZAKOS, ELIAS 3 14 4.67 2 0.67 Bazakos, Fotis 1 5 5.00 0 0.00 Chapman, Allen 1 3 3.00 0 0.00 Gamble, Geoff (CAN) 3 6 2.00 0 0.00 GANTAR, DAVID (CAN) 1 3 3.00 2 2.00 GEIGER, MARK 7 24 3.43 4 0.57 Gonzalez, Jorge 8 22 2.75 1 0.13 Grajeda, Hilario 8 29 3.63 2 0.25 Guzman, Juan 4 16 4.00 2 0.50 Hernandez, Ramon 3 13 4.33 0 0.00 JURISEVIC, EDVIN 4 12 3.00 0 0.00 Kadlecik, Mark 4 16 4.00 0 0.00 Kennedy, Michael 3 13 4.33 1 0.33 MARRUFO, JAIR 6 17 2.83 0 0.00 Okulaja, Abiodun 1 4 4.00 0 0.00 Penso, Chris 5 14 2.80 0 0.00 PETRESCU, SILVIU (CAN) 6 17 2.83 1 0.17 Rivero, Jose Carlos 1 6 6.00 1 1.00 SALAZAR, RICARDO 9 27 3.00 0 0.00 Stoica, Sorin 1 3 3.00 0 0.00 Stott, Kevin 7 21 3.00 0 0.00 TOLEDO, BALDOMERO 8 23 2.88 1 0.13 VAUGHN, TERRY 1 5 5.00 0 0.00 ALL REFEREES 96 314 3.27 17 0.18
This is the high-and-mighty road that I just don't understand. Telling them to worry more about "the game" and less about referees doesn't make any sense - referees are part of the game. Increased knowledge on the part of commentators would be fantastic, but it doesn't change the fact that statistics are relevant. How a referee has performed in the past is at least some indication of how he will perform in the future.
I think Vermes comments are more along the lines of a "veteran" coach trying to get in the head of "rookie" referees and maybe trying to influence future performance. Professional sports are a sausage fest, everyone trying to show how big their own is..........the old "one notch higher on the totem pole" concept. Except that in THIS case Vermes has made a total jackass of himself. If THAT wasn't a red I don't know what is. The ref was in PERFECT position and had a PERFECT angle to see it.
I have to agree with this 100%. There are few fans and media who have experience as high level players or coaches, yet we have no problem with the second guessing a criticism directed their way. Perpetuating idea that referees are some sort of protected class and above the scrutiny of others with a stake in the game doesn't help. For better or worse, a referee affects the game. His level of experience and history factor into his performance, just as they would a player or manager.
Your guess is probably as good as mine, but given assignments over this year and last, I think you might see Fitzgerald. And depending on how much the need to rotate in a new Canadian matters, you might see Fischer, too. Or I could be wrong and there could be no one new... or someone completely different.
Except that referencing a refs "experience", or lack thereof, solely for "gaming" purposes when the proponent is clearly wrong (as Vermes is here) is cowardly and despicable. If you want to say the ref missed the call, fine, have at it. But to reference his lack of experience is chickenshit, at best. That's a red card in ANY league in the world.
From everything I've heard, Fischer is set to get an MLS middle. He did a preseason match earlier this year in front of 12,000 (I can't remember which teams right now but it was is the US) and apparently did an excellent job. He is very well liked by both the CSA and the MLS.
So what? I don't understand why people get offended by that. Vermes thinks he'll gain from that. Maybe he will. I think that sort of statement hurts way more than it helps. He's also taking the focus off his player. As a man manager that helps him in the locker room. If he wants to use a piece of information as a crutch, and he would have known if this was the guy's first MLS match, published or not, it's on him. As a referee, if you want to work at that level you need to be able to handle that and not care. How many times have you been criticized for things you're confident you got right? Why care? It's over. You did the best you can and you move on.
Actually Foerster had a mass confrontation on his recent NASL match as well, I believe it was San Antonio vs Ft Lauderdale. It was not a pretty ending
Oh yeah. Forgot about that. Well Rivero had a solid MLS debut after his NASL debacle, so maybe that's a sign Foerster will have a good game.
I haven't seen this posted in our forum yet (apologies if I missed it) but I feel like I'd be remiss if I didn't share. Hope everyone gets a laugh and realize it's good-natured. Also a reminder that--even with only one game under your belt--you are definitely a public figure once you blow the whistle in MLS: http://www.prostamerika.com/2012/05/11/borat-appears-undercover-in-usa-again/63294
ManiacalClown will undoubtedly be the authority here, but I seem to remember that Hunt, Lay and Seitz were the only ones who got a shot at MLS. It was too late for Hepburn and too early for Wheeler, who were our top FIFA ARs around that time. That said, I think Lay worked as an AR before she got her FIFA badge. Or maybe Hepburn did after she gave up her badge. In short, I think you're right that it happened a long time ago.
