MLS/PRO Lockout of PSRA

The match referenced has been discussed at length. A missed call or two doesn't change the fact that Grajeda is one of the top referees in the country. No one wants the PSRA to be forced to strike, but a strike would certainly go a long way to showing the semi-informed public that PSRA officials are, in fact, the best in the country. For all the complaining NFL fans do about their officials, no one wants to go back to the debacle that was the first three weeks of the 2012 season.

 

What would the timeline be for PRO and MLS to recruit "replacement" referees? If we are close to March 9 and negotiations don't seem to have a resolution coming up, when would the league have to reach out to 3s, 4s, and 5s so they have enough time to prepare them for opening day (crash courses in MLS directive I suppose)?

 

The biggest problem in the NFL was the NFL rulesbook. These guys were trying to learn rules that had many variations both slight and subtle from what they were used to dealing with.

Here though, we are using the same Laws as the big boys whenever we go out there (except of course for HS games). That's one less big thing new refs have to deal with.

I also suspect MLS will have a better group to choose from since there isn't a lucrative college scene that the refs would have to give up to work. The NFL replacements were arguably 3rd and/or 4th tier guys. MLS should be able to get 2nd tier guys.

No doubt, some of the new refs would flame out, perhaps spectacularly, but I wouldn't expect a debacle. (I also think there's a good argument to be made the NFL replacements weren't as bad as they were made out to be, particularly in light of this season's refereeing issues.)

 

I think it depends on the replacements. There is a pretty clear separation between the very top referees and the rest on the PRO list. The rest of the group can be a bit uneven, green, or both. If you compare the replacements to Geiger, then there's a huge gulf. Compare them to a newer guy or someone who struggles and maybe, depending on the replacement, there isn't much of a difference. I would prefer we don't get to that point.

Let's say there is a combination of guys pushing towards PRO or who were passed over, recently retired referees, and a group of fairly experienced foreign referees who can be brought in, I think that could change the calculus quite a bit.

 

What reason would they have to be hesitant to issue a red card?

 

Red cards completely change the game?

lol

 

You must be joking. There are a few college referees that could probably make it in the MLS, I've worked with a couple that could. There are way more that shouldn't be in the NCAA yet are getting huge games. The NCAA is overly physical, overly controlled by the coaches to champion a style of soccer that should've gone out the window 30 years ago. There's a reason that Pro referees are Pro, and NCAA referees are there. It isn't just politics it's about proving what you can handle.

 

Basically this, let's give a veteran NCAA referee an MLS game and watch him huff and puff up and down the field because he can't even pass the physical to be there.

 

True of any game. Replacement MLS refs would be 3s, 4s, and 5s - not inexperienced. All have presumably sent players off and know when it's required. If anything they would know this is their only time in the pros and would have no reason to be less likely to pull the trigger, imho.

 

3s are your strikers, my friend. Sure, the "experienced" replacements will have sent off players before, but never in the top professional league with by far the highest level of play they've experienced in front of thousands of partisan fans.

 

This biggest problem in the NFL was that obvious incompetence on a big national game, on a game-changing call that altered the betting line and caused millions of dollars to change hands. And a thousand stills of one referee calling it an interception as the other called it a touchdown. And taking time to go to replay and still getting it what seemed to the average fan to be "wrong".

To me, the question isn't whether or not the "never gonna make it" 4s and 5s that would actually take the assignments will screw up games. They will. But will anyone outside our insular community notice? Maybe if the 4-letter gets tape they think is suitable for a blooper reel. "Hey, guys, look at how far away from play the ref is as he huffs and puffs around the field. Isn't that hysterical? Oo, oo, and look at this obvious dive from 4 slo-mo angles that the ref called a PK, since he was too far away. Haw, haw, cooter."

 

That's wrong...very very wrong.

(And I'm kinda hoping to see it too)

 

It's called gambling, it's their fault they put their money on the line. Also I love it when Fans who have never reffed a day in their lives wanna tell referees that they're incompetent. You don't know anything, and you would crap your pants if you were reffing the game. That's not directed necessarily at you but at the numerous idiot fans who think they're experts.

 

I kinda want to be called up so I can demonstrate how terrible a referee can be. Would that help the MLS referees negotiating? Maybe that's what the 4s should do, take the games and absolutely TANK them.

 

I don't think that would help anyone, particularly 4s who'd like to be 3s.

 

How about sitting down on the field in protest? Why would showing solidarity with your fellow referees stop you from becoming a 3?

 

Because it doesn't serve the game. Just decline the assignment to show solidarity.

 

It's your opinion that it doesn't serve the game, my opinion is it serves the game in the long run.

 

Agreed in principle, but in this particular case, you've got two referees right on the play calling it in opposite directions. They can't both be right.

And, as we discussed here regarding the NFL strike, it takes a certain amount of self-delusion to think that even though you're a 5, you're good enough to take a whistle in the MLS. Can I think of anyone that narcissistic and self-delusional? Um, yeah, I could probably come up with a name or two. And those are exactly the guys that they will need to dip down to to cover the games. Because the 4s that have a legitimate shot aren't going to commit career suicide.

 

Lol...it would be interesting that's for sure!! The problem may be that the scab refs may not get enough cracks at it to show how much they could improve. Also, the players may not give the refs much respect. However, it's not like they give much as it is now anyways. Further, the scab refs would be at a disadvantage because they would have little to zero training and would most likely not have worked with each other much or at all. That said....it would be fun to see what happens if it came down like that.

 

Correct, that should be an indication though that it's tougher than it looks.

 

My guess is that most 4's will not accept assignments out of respect.

I would hope that no 5's would even think about accepting an assignment. The MLS game is way above the Grade 5 skill set. Yes, there may an exception that proves the rule, but...

So, who does that leave. Disgruntled 4's?

Good Luck with that !!!

 

Definitely not joking. Many of the same MLS refs are also NCAA refs. Note the example I cited. This happens all season long, especially in the MLS post season. Where do you think the MLS refs come from? They definitely don't jump from the pansy DA and other youth games to the pros. They don't come from the amateur and over-30 divisions either. MLS is physical, controlled by the MLS coaches, and champions a style of play that dates back to the 90's - just like the NCAA. College coaches become MLS coaches: see Bruce Arena and Caleb Porter.

The reality is that there are about 250 pretty good refs in the U.S. The top 76 are in the MLS, but numbers 77-140 would do a good job in the MLS as well, or at least nearly as well as any other rookie MLS ref. I want to see it.