It feels like the type of caution that falls under the supreme court's idea of "I know it when I see it".
I gave one once where the keeper was trying to catch a pop fly and the attacker ran to within a yard and yelled at the keeper who misplayed the ball leaving it to the attacker who would have scored on an essentially empty net.
As I posted, I agree there is no must to stopping the game, I think that if you do stop the game for verbally distracting then the LOTG say you must, not should, give a YC. Otherwise we are redefining words which is not good. With all apologies to @Law5, who I believe to be far more skilled and knowledgeable than I am, I understand exactly what you are saying and in fact @socal lurker said what I was trying to say in that we are not required to stop the game (judgement) but I do not agree with stopping the game for this behavior then going with we should or ought to give a caution - we must - IF we stop the game.
Pick me!! Pick me!! 2 years ago at a state qualifier. U15B (the do no wrong age group). Kid had already fallen over like a leaf in the PA trying to get a foul call. Ball coming to a opposing player at midfield, kid from behind yell's "HEY" right before player receives ball. *tweet*. Kid didn't know he couldn't do that. Coach didn't know he couldn't do that. Both complained. Oh well. A lot of times I will do a fly by if a kid does something like that but the player doesn't fall for it and I tell them that it is a cautionable offence. If it does effect the player or is an obnoxious yell of gibberish it is a well earned card and a valuable life lesson to the kids.
With a minor caveat: we can, after blowing the whistle, decide that we should not have stopped to give the caution, in which case we would restart with a DB--we can always change a decision until a restart. (This would only make sense (1) in a low level game [YMMV on where that line is] where we decide we are being too harsh, or (2) in the case we realize after blowing the whistle that the call was not, in fact, USB (e.g., it was a legitimate call to a teammate that we momentarily misinterpreted).)
Okay, so I haven't given a card for this but I should have received one! When I was playing in the men's league, I usually played left back. The guy I was marking that day would just stand with his back to me, waiting for the ball to be passed to him. I started just running past him to intercept the passes. I did this at least three times. But eventually I got caught too far back of him to get past him before the ball got there. So, as I was running forward at top speed, I yelled "BALL!!!! I GOT BALL!!!" The guy, suddenly hearing this real close behind him and very loud, shanked the ball over the touchline for my throw-in. Confession is good for the soul.
Had a spazzy kid on ym rec team who had a "battle cry" when he got posession, he would pause and let out this blood-curdling scream, then start dribbling, it was cute once, but got annoying, so I'd always tell the refs (always some confused kid) to always caution him. I did everything I could, but every single match he'd get a warning or YC. Silly little nipper.,
B16. Ninety degrees. On turf. Team down 3-0 in the second half, with nothing to suggest it will get better. From under a shaded umbrella in the stands comes a mom voice: "C'mon, don't get tired!"
Varsity Girls. Not a lot of skill which means only one thing, a very high line combined with a trap. It never works. Numerous breakaways later, a parent calls out to his daughter: “ He’s not calling it today. Drop back.” Not that I had any TO call.
I had a conference tournament game last week where the lesser team trapped for the first 60 minutes, and then got 2 lucky goals to tie. They continued to play the trap (instead of playing for the tie and penalties) and gave up 5 in 10 minutes.
"Better soccer, please!" This from a buddy who was CR in my O-40 game Saturday. Crap field, soft where it wasn't clumpy, footing ephemeral, guys could not help clattering into each other. I shouted back, "We're trying!"
After my 2nd to last match this weekend (14 down, 1 to go), walking to the ref area for a snack. "Nice work, ref!" From a random mom. I walk back eating my treat and stop and ask "I did ok?" She said "Yes, you were really great with the boys (U10), explaining everything, you're really patient with them, we appreciate that." ME: Thanks, that's nice to hear, we don't get a lot of "attaboys", so it's nice to hear, thank you. Mom: You're welcome, we can agree with your calls or not, but working well with the boys is huge. I walked away somewhat confused. So, I did a good job explaining to the boys why I made poor calls? I'll take it!
U15B today, getting a little late in 2-1 game. Team down is pressing and their offensive player gets a shot off but goes down awkwardly. GK gets ball but stumbles to the ground. Both players stay down and I blow the whistle to check on each. I go to GK as he's closest. He has two buddies around him and one says "he's bleeding". I know better and reply right back "well if that's the case he's going to have to come out." Buddy smiles at me and decides that his GK isn't bleeding after all. I opine that's it's a miracle and tell him to get his butt up.
U10B rec. Fourth game of the day, but only the first was close, fast paced and end to end. After the coin toss, I tell the boys "Have a good game, guys." One of the players said "You too."
I worked with an old hat State Emeritus referee. While the other AR and I were checking in the teams I heard him introduce himself to the coaches, "Hello, I'm Sh!t For Brains. I'll be your referee today."
Oh, I agree. I would never dream of trying something like that, at least not until I had his 30+ years of experience...
College midfielder runs over to the crowd side of the field and tosses off one of his shinguards towards a supporter (who I know to be a teammate from last year who graduated) who promptly states loudly "I'm pretty sure that's illegal" in a loud but humorous voice. Next min or so AR is flagging down the CR and the shinguard throwing player promptly runs over and puts it back in before the CR reacts to the standing at attention AR. Was actually quite funny, even though it doesn't sound it now.
Not sure if this topic might even deserve its own thread, but I heard two "Best Straight Lines You Can't Use" in an adult coed match last week... both from the same player. Player's team is losing and she's taking her frustration out on me. At one point she says to me, "You aren't reffing two year olds, you know." Oy. I stayed silent, but the comebacks are obvious. "Every time I step on the field I'm reffing two year olds," or "Then stop acting like one." After the match, she walks by and says, "Have a good night. I hope your next game goes better than this one." Again, oy. Could have said, "Well, even this one went better for me than it did for you," or "That won't be difficult, now that you're leaving."
"Get out of the way, Ref!" "I've got a bright yellow shirt on." "Get out of the Way, Ref!!!" U15B defender tries to clear the ball and it hits me pretty solid, deflects toward the sideline and a teammate kicks it out. After the second, re-emphasized exhortation, I showed him a YC. Then the coach shows his colors, as we have to have a 50 yard conversation. "What was it for, Ref?" I give the dissent hand signal. "What did he say?" "Get out of the way, Ref!" "Well, you gotta admit he has a point." I thought he was being facetious, apparently not. "He said it twice." "He has a point. You were in the way. The clearance was blocked..." "He only get to say it once." Half-joking, thought that would end it. The coach carries on.... So, I decide to ignore and return to the game. I am thinking to myself, "Are you kidding me. Since when it is it OK for a 14 year-old kid to yell at the referee. Since when is it OK for anyone to yell at the referee. What kind of coach defends this behavior? Man, it pissed me off. The rest of the game was the same. Him saying stupid things, and his players crying about nothing. I expected less whining because the game card said U-15, but checking now, both teams were 03. Maybe that was it. I even got the "You are the worst ref ever" from the keeper at the end of the game. I really wanted to say "Sorry about scoring those 4 goals. Oh wait. That was the other team." Or maybe give him a lecture about growing up and taking responsibility. Instead I just thanked him for his opinion, as I walked off, trying to shake off the moral slime...
I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it. - George Bernard Shaw Do your best not to get into these conversations, and if your good faith attempt to convey information backfires this way, extract yourself immediately. Also, ask, tell, dismiss are your friends...