MLS Cup Officiating [R]

[MassachusettsRef]

Figure there will be a post-match thread on this, so might as well start one now...

Reminder of the officials:

Referee: Toledo
Senior AR: Quisenberry
Junior AR: Barkey
4th: Geiger

[MassachusettsRef]

And just as I finish typing, strong start and a great card that will hopefully set the tone. Exactly what Toledo's done all year and exactly, it seems, what MLS wants.

[soccerman8067]

i thought Toledo did what he needed to do, and had a good match.

[MassachusettsRef]

I don't think anyone can have any real complaints. I thought he got all the major decisions right throughout the game and managed the match well. He earned this game and he performed as he had all season.

The only blemish, I feel, happened right at the full-time whistle. You could see the Crew player get stamped on after the ball went over the goal line. It was pretty clear-cut VC. Either it was a case of them not seeing it (Toledo was preparing to blow for full-time and sometimes those things are the toughest for the AR--Quisenberry--to see because it happens so fast and is so close) OR Toledo saw it and decided not to give a red with literally no time on the clock in the final match of the season. Knowing Toledo and his reputation, I think it's the former. I wonder if USSF will still do a weekly review and whether or not it will weigh in on the play.

[david58]

Did he smile, once?

And, if the players he was telling to shake hands refused to, what recourse would he have had under the Laws?

[jester007]

I thought he had an ok game definatly not a good game by any means he didnt deal with anything and missed some important calls. If i were FIFA I'd take his badge for the hand shake stunt. I'm sure I'm in the minority here and thats ok. Have fun ripping me apart.

[Ref Flunkie]

He did fine. Didn't see the stomp at the end, but I really wasn't paying attention either. Handshake thing was fine....not much he could have done if they didn't shake hands, but it is a common referee ploy that has been discussed previously. I can't say I ever saw him smile, but I rarely remember him smiling when I see him, and I really don't think it is a requirement of the job.

Seriously though, can those players whine any more? Seemed like everytime the camera zoomed in, Toledo was dealing with more b*tching.

[Alberto]

Did he smile, once?

And, if the players he was telling to shake hands refused to, what recourse would he have had under the Laws?

When two players blow up like that and I ask them to chill out and shake hands, if they refuse I warn them that I will card them.

[Alberto]

The stomp in the back was a clear send off for violent conduct. Too bad the AR who clearly saw it decided to avoid the controversy and ignore it so close to the final whistle.

[MassachusettsRef]

The stomp in the back was a clear send off for violent conduct. Agreed.

Too bad the AR who clearly saw it decided to avoid the controversy and ignore it so close to the final whistle.Whoah!!! You want to make any more presumptions and assign more nefarious motives to what looks to be our #1 rated international AR right now?

I doubt you can prove he clearly saw it.

Even if you can or even if he did, you can't prove that he decided to avoid controversy and/or ignore it because of the timing of the incident--he may have beeped Toledo (who was in the process of ending the match).

Discussing calls in a match--what occurred and how we might have handled it--is one thing. Impugning the courage of our top officials is quite another.

[Ref Flunkie]

The stomp in the back was a clear send off for violent conduct. Too bad the AR who clearly saw it decided to avoid the controversy and ignore it so close to the final whistle.

What would the controversy have been? I would think in this situation, if he had seen it, it would have been one of the easiest/least controversial calls to make (end of the season and game). Perhaps the AR felt that it was after the final whistle and that he would simply report it to the league. Or again, perhaps more likely, he didn't see it.

[Alberto]

Agreed.

Whoah!!! You want to make any more presumptions and assign more nefarious motives to what looks to be our #1 rated international AR right now?

I doubt you can prove he clearly saw it.

Even if you can or even if he did, you can't prove that he decided to avoid controversy and/or ignore it because of the timing of the incident--he may have beeped Toledo (who was in the process of ending the match).

Discussing calls in a match--what occurred and how we might have handled it--is one thing. Impugning the courage of our top officials is quite another.

He saw it. If I recall correctly one of the crew players complained and he dismissed him. I don't have the match on my DVR as I erased it last night, but I will look for it on line.

[Welpe]

Hey folks, quick question that I've been wondering for a while. What does the [R] in the subject mean?

Thanks!

[hradilv]

The [R] indicates that the thread may contain Results - that is the score of the game. In case someone dvred it and doesn't want to know the result.

[Welpe]

That makes sense, thank you!

[jester007]

I never agree with alberto, except on this one, the game wasnt over and he saw it, if he didn't see it shame on him for ball watching. Thats his responsibility to watch for things behind the centers back, and a player laying on the ground in his area of control he did/should have saw it and dealt with it even if the match was over.