Brian Hall :: DC United vs. New England Revolution :: Referee Thread [R] [N&A]

[JayRockers!]

REFEREE: Brian Hall. MLS Career: 93 games; FC/gm: 29.7; Y/gm: 3.3; R: 25; pens: 30
Games involving United: P21 W9 L9 T3; FC/gm: 32.2; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 6; pens: 5
Games involving Revolution: P17 W9 L4 T4; FC/gm: 29.8; Y/gm: 3.0; R: 5; pens: 5
SAR (bench): Craig Lowry; JAR (opposite): Jose Corro; 4th: Ben Jones

SUSPENDED: none
YELLOW PERIL: DC: MF Ben Olsen (17 CP) ... NE: DF Avery John (10 CP in 2 gms)

It's been a while since we had Mr. Hall. So long, in fact, he's nowhere on our ref thread catalogue. Interesting note on Mr. Corro. Seems he botched the DeRo goal against Chivas and is still working the sidelines. I guess this means you have to completely screw the pooch like Mr. Marrufo did to get suspended as a ref (and it probably means Mr. Toledo will face no suspension for his shenanigans last week).

Benny has 2 games to go for the good behaviour bonus.

Thx,

Jay!

[JayRockers!]

(Edit that last post above to say Olsen has 1 game to go...)

And another thing, if MLS can get Mike Kennedy out to the East Coast to ref the NY/NJ-Crew (http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20050617&content_id=33539&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp) game, they could at least give him a game with us before MLSCup 2005 this season. It ain't right that one of the top refs in the league never centered a DC United match last season before the Final.

GIANTS STADIUM
E. RUTHERFORD, N.J.
7:30 pm ET (MSG)

The MetroStars and Columbus Crew reprise their rivalry in a second meeting this season, both starting to show signs of turning around early-season difficulties. The MetroStars haven't lost in four games and while they come off a draw at home, they have taken five points from their last three games at Giants Stadium. The Crew have lost just once in their last four matches after a four-game losing streak, a long goalless drought ended in a victory against the Colorado Rapids last time out.

REFEREE: Michael Kennedy. SAR (bench): Jorge de la Bandera; JAR (opposite): C.J.Morgante; 4th: Roni Canales

Thx,

Jay!

[Bootsy Collins]

We've ragged on so many officials so many times, so it seems only fair to give props to Mr. Hall for calling the New England match much, much better than I'm used to seeing in MLS.

[Atouk]

Agreed. Haven't watched the tape, but "live" my impression was that it was the best job I've seen this season.

[GlennAA11]

...other than letting Heaps jump on Jaime's head Aussie Rules style and then calling Jaime for the foul.

He did let us get away with some pretty obvious fouls, one of which almost led to a goal had Jaime been able to finish instead of hitting Reis with the ball. And Stokes was getting away with murder. I was shocked there was no PK called with all of the holding he was doing.

I'd say his performance was basically average. It's interesting how an official's reputation can get him good marks. If that had beena rookie ref people would be up in arms. But young guys who are in their first few games don't get the benefit of any doubt. I wish we'd gotten to see Ben Jones who was the 4th instead of Hall. He's a good up and coming ref.

[Section106]

I thought Hall was horrible. The Heaps "Aussie rules" tackle on Jaime's head was the start of many puzzling one-sided calls. I expected much better from Mr. Hall.

[Bootsy Collins]

I dunno. From 135 my view of the field isn't always so great. But nevertheless, I found myself wanting to yell "Fsck you ref!" a heck of a lot less in this match; and I can remember twice when the fans near me were going off on him that it actually looked like a fair call he'd just made.

[Sundevil9]

So we all agree that we've got a problem with this:
http://www.ibiblio.org/footy/2005d/0618_dc_ne_sab/web_04_sab.jpg


I thought Hall did OK in the first half, but didn't totally keep up with the game in the second half.

[geordienation]

I think looking at the video, Hall will be pretty upset that he didn't call Stokes manhandling of Noonan.

Other than that, I thought he called a pretty even game.

[Bootsy Collins]

So we all agree that we've got a problem with this:

Yikes!

Uh, yeah, don't remember seeing *that*.

[gocaps]

So we all agree that we've got a problem with this:
All of you know my opinion on the dirty Dookie Coach-K-soul-training thug bastard Jay Heaps...so this is painful...

...but it sure looks like Jaime is undercutting Heaps there...

[Jerlon]

So we all agree that we've got a problem with this:
http://www.ibiblio.org/footy/2005d/0618_dc_ne_sab/web_04_sab.jpg


I thought Hall did OK in the first half, but didn't totally keep up with the game in the second half.


That picture shows nothing in terms of which player is being fouled. Based purely on the picture, the NE player could be going straight up while the DC player backed into him. A picture is worth no words in this case.

[ignatz]

I wasn't impressed with the yellow card Hall gave Rimando for his objecting to Khano Smith's dragging a foot over him when he was down stopping a shot. Smith should have gotten the card.

[Winoman]

That picture shows nothing in terms of which player is being fouled. Based purely on the picture, the NE player could be going straight up while the DC player backed into him. A picture is worth no words in this case.

Although Jaime was standing there, waiting for the ball to drop, it didn't matter. Whether the DC player was undercut or the undercutter, the DC player ALWAYS was called for the foul. And, yes, he did also make some bad calls against NE. Over all, I thought Brian Hall was pretty miserable.

PS: Some of the throw-in calls, by the ARs, were laughable, too.

[Liverpool_SC]

I wasn't impressed with the yellow card Hall gave Rimando for his objecting to Khano Smith's dragging a foot over him when he was down stopping a shot. Smith should have gotten the card.

Especially since that was the second kick/stomp by a New England player early in the game (Marshall's offense was even more egregious).

And I honestly think that Reis could have been called for the play on Esky. Esky was slowing down, ducking down and not even challenging for the ball when Reis flew out and slobberknocked him a split second before the ball bounced off of Reis' knee as he was flying through the air. He was way out of control.

There was all kinds of one-sided crap in the second half. Andy Dorman stomped Ben Olsen, then Olsen made a legal if full-blooded challenge on Dorman a few moments later only to get blown for a whistle and given a warning.

Hall whistled Prideaux for two fouls on perfectly clean tackles along the left side. If John Wilson had made his textbook tackles in the second half, I have no doubt he would have been whistled for them since there was a slight "appearance of evil" in those plays.

It is like Hall lost the ability to concentrate in the second half. I have seen plenty of incompetent moments in MLS officiating - but Hall can do better and mailed in a terrible performance for so experienced a ref.

When you are cheering for defending champions with a two goal lead, putting in a dominating performance over a good team, it is easy to be a bit more copasetic about a lousy ref. He was still a lousy ref.

[gunner_21]

He carded Shalrie Joseph for dissent them awarded a free kick to NE after Joseph was "tackled" 10 seconds later. Bad performance I thought.

[GlennAA11]

On the Heaps/Moreno play Jaime was standing still waiting for the ball to drop. Nick had punted the ball about 90 yards straight up so it took it a while to come down. This gave Heaps the chance to sprint about 20 yards and launch himself onto Jaime's back and shoulders. The reason why Jaime is bending downwards in the picture is because Heaps jumped on top of him.

I'm not sure what he was calling on the play where he carded Rimando. He hadn't called a foul on the NE punk who kicked Nick, but he stopped play to caution Nick. Should have been an indirect kick for NE since he only stopped the game for the alleged misconduct. Yet we got a freekick. That's why Nicol was going crazy on the sideline. He knew the rules.

[Section106]

...I'm not sure what he was calling on the play where he carded Rimando. He hadn't called a foul on the NE punk who kicked Nick, but he stopped play to caution Nick. Should have been an indirect kick for NE since he only stopped the game for the alleged misconduct. Yet we got a freekick. That's why Nicol was going crazy on the sideline. He knew the rules...

I thought for a split second that Hall had awarded a PK to NE. There was no other reason to stop play and show Rimando a card unless Nick fouled Smith.

[Godalfree]

FWIW, Nick did get up, scream at Smith and push him. Is a push yellow-card worthy?

[Publius]

On the broadcast, Comcast was interviewing Kevin Payne at the moment Rimando got carded. Evidently, DC had already complained to the league about New England's practice of taking free shots on Nicky in prior matches so Nicky's reaction was understandable when he'd just been deliberately kicked and Hall didn't do anything about it.

I've seen worse matches from MLS refs, but I really did expect better from Hall, given his reputation as America's best ref. He was so-so.

I think that Reis was playing the ball. The collision was unfortunate but I don't see that as a penalty.