The 18 second gap...

[wjarrettc]

I realize that there are already two other threads here related to the DC v. Chivas game on Saturday but this question is completely different from those topics.

Early in the second half, Chivas USA had a goal disallowed for offside. The players were incensed and could not figure out who in the world had been offside. I was in the stands at RFK and when I looked up, I noticed the AR was nowhere near where the play was happening but about 40 yards from goal. Clearly, he had held his position from an earlier play that had been offside, not the actual goal scoring action.

When I got back home I rewound TiVo and there it was, a pass to the left wing in the offside position. The play then proceeded for 18 seconds until Chivas USA scored a goal, the CR looked to the AR to see if the goal should count and realized he was 40 yards upfield waving the offside flag. Aaargh!

First question -- don't MLS refs use buzzers? Second question - Shouldn't the center ref glance towards his linesman more often than once every 18 seconds when there were several dynamic plays in the Chivas end in between the actual offside play and the disallowed goal?

To the AR's credit, he was dead right on the offside and held his position until acknowledged.

[IASocFan]

I noticed the same play, and wonder about the offside. Thanks for the update, and yes they should have had/used beeper flags.

[MassachusettsRef]

It seemed pretty obvious to me, watching the match, that at some point, the beeper flags failed. If you recall, there was another offside on the other end where Yonan didn't notice the flag for an extra second or two. I guess it's a good lesson that, even with beeper flags, we have to take that second glance over our right shoulders. That being said, the calls were correct and the right decisions were eventually made.

[GlennAA11]

It seemed pretty obvious to me, watching the match, that at some point, the beeper flags failed. If you recall, there was another offside on the other end where Yonan didn't notice the flag for an extra second or two. I guess it's a good lesson that, even with beeper flags, we have to take that second glance over our right shoulders. That being said, the calls were correct and the right decisions were eventually made.

He actually missed the flags several times. I suppose if you are used to using the beepers and are conditioned for it that when they fail you are just not ready for it. However after it happens once you would think he would have tuned back into the fact that he needed to take a look. There was confusion late in the game when he called a foul in DC's favor and all of the Chivas guys were claiming offside and pointing at the AR. Yonan looked confused-ly at the AR asking for some sort of sign that he didn't seem to get.

Overall I thought the crew had a very good match, but those missed flags caused some trouble. And of course the goal/no-goal call was a tough one. But unless they could tell for sure it was a goal there was really no option. The dude taking the kick was just a little too fine in hitting the post and the crossbar. An inch lower and to the right and it would have been in.

[bluedevils]

There's no excuse for missing flags, but I would say if you are accustomed to using beepers, it could be tough to adjust mentally mid-match once they fail. That said, I don't know if the majority of this referee's matches involve beepers or not.

For me, this is another reason why I don't like beeper flags. They can become a crutch.