Agreed. Great weather, decent opponent with some "names", a Union team with a not-awful record. And Dollar Dogs. At first I thought they were directed at the team, but realized it was for the officials.
It surely seemed like at one point there were a cascade of boos after one of Carroll's worst passes I've seen. But, I was not in the stadium--was my impression wrong?
It was right before half and Carroll go the ball to start the counter, but instead of attacking hard he slowed up tried to switch field but was way off target and I think the whole stadium booed him.
I certainly was booing Carroll for the dead horse that I have been beating here for weeks: he never is looking to move forward. After the game, Hack acknowledged that issue and inferred that it was the main reason why he subbed Carroll in the second half: "We were thinking we had to get back into the game and move Mo (Edu) back and have two attackers." Carroll is not an attacker and cannot be one. Edu can cover for Carroll and the Union can replace Carroll with a more attack-minded player. http://www.phillysoccerpage.net/2014/04/13/postgame-video-and-quote-sheet-union-2-2-rsl/
For some reason this match had a lot of over-the-top (even by TRE standards) booing/screaming. It gets really embarrassing when people are booing the refs when it was obvious the right call was made. Don't even get me started on the guys who think that they have a better view of a ball going out of bounds from 100+ yards away, versus the linesman who is 2 feet away. I get that the refs aren't always the best, but every call against the Union isn't a bad call.
I went to the game with my son, my father-in-law and his wife who is a huge sports fan. While my stepmother-in-law had fun, she commented that she found the SOBs to be "highly inappropriate." While it seems that YSA has disappeared, "Hey Ref, SOMB" and "Hey Casey, F Someone Up" appear to be gaining popularity. I guess that I have gotten used to those cheers, but it was surprising to an outsider and she's a Jets season ticket who has heard it all. Are those cheers condoned (tolerated?) by the SOB leaders (meaning the guys who lead the cheers)? What do the capos (or whatever they're called) do while half of TRE is screaming SOMB or F Someone Up?
Well, they don't start them, but it seems the drummers change the beat up to either chant if the crowd starts it up.
It's all part of the mob mentality. Someone feels they can scream obscenities when they're just one face in the crowd. I haven't seen nor heard these guys before, but it was borderline embarrassing to hear some of this stuff. Not quite make-a-sailor-blush level, but definitely over the top, especially towards a player on the team you're there to support. I definitely expressed my displeasure a few times, yelling "come on, Brian!" and the like. I wasn't calling him a "fcuking bum" and telling him to go find a new home because "we" (I guess the guy had a mouse in his pocket) don't want him here anymore.
Mine was more along the lines of "Get UP!" but nothing overly offensive or belittling of a player on the team I support. Although I wanted to yell at Williams when rather than press forward at the end, he came back to shove the player who dove. I had visions of an off the ball foul spoiling the afternoon...
That incident reminded me of the scrap between him and Lamar Neagle last year that ended with both being tossed.
Agree 100%. It happened in the box and not far from the referee. I think Okugo's dressing down of the player was the more appropriate response. And why he could/should be captain material someday. Assuming he stays.
I walked to the front of 136 at the final whistle, and stood next to @jess370 with our backs to the field, waiting for someone to throw a bottle or dollar dog as the refs were coming oft the field. I was almost positive it was going to happen, thankfully it didnt.
The real irony of the day was that the Union, in an effort to "protect" the refs barricaded the exit tunnels again (after having them open on Opening Day), underneath TRE. The irony comes as they put these barricades up on the day they decided to honor the Hillsborough Disaster geniuses.
Yeah there was some discussion about that on Facebook. I wonder if that's standard operating procedure or if they felt something was likely to happen. Doesn't make sense for it to happen occasionally.
About 2 seasons ago it was standard operating procedure, but lately it has not been consistent. Sometimes it is open, sometimes it is not. I've written to the team on multiple occasions, especially in regards to fan safety. However they feel it is in the team's best interest with the league HQ to put more emphasis on the refs' safety. I say come up with an alternate plan for the refs to leave the field.