Vice article on MLS referee meetings

Before I read this, it better not be screaming "the refs are the sole reason we lost" by the end...

EDIT: After reading, I'm silently applauding the writers. They actually went to the PRO training camp and observed the debates. Well done taking insight into the minds of PRO referees. I also think this sums up the profession of officiating in 2 sentences:

 

Yes it does. And so does this, very aptly in my opinion:

Which is, I believe, and strangely enough, why I like doing it so much.

 

Excellent article and I think this sums it up perfectly:

"As I listened to the referees argue amongst themselves about whether or not this was a penalty, I realized the referee is a tragic figure. They're the only person on the field who can't win."

 

And then, Pro posts the video of the winning "goal" off the free kick with 3...three...THREE players in OSP in violation of recent directives. How does something like THAT actually occur? To me, all the nice things in the Vice article are completely wiped out by that play. And they have a system where the referee can talk to his AR! Where they on different channels?

 

There's a lot of great nuggets from this one:

1) Shocking that at the MLS level, Villarreal wouldn't discuss in his pre-game how he wants a Match Critical Incident like that handled. It's something most of us would go over, especially when working with someone for the first time.

I agree with the AR in the article on why he didn't raise his flag and his reasons were solid. If my AR is yelling "holding, holding", I'm pointing to the spot. His comments about "raise your flag next time" is lame since he's not accepting responsibility. Even in the meeting, he initially hesitates to accept it.

Geiger's comments are spot-on, but possibly AR's might be more comfortable to do so in this same situation with him than perhaps Villarreal.

2) Walton comes across poorly in TV interviews, but when was the last time you heard from any of your instructors that you "have as much right to be on the field as the players"? It's drilled in our head from day 1 to be out of the passing lanes. How many times have we been out of position on a penalty/no penalty decision since we were subconsciously afraid of getting in the way of a player?

3) Rejer comes across in this just like he does in his rants in the weekly Plays of the Week. He says there's no way to know if the guy goes down in the penalty area easily. Is this guy for real? I'd side with Alan Kelly in a debate over him on any play any day.

 

You should realize that there is a difference between passing lanes and running lanes on a fast counterattack. The point of this discussion was to say that there are times when the referee's need for position supersedes that of the players'.

He is for real. Rejer's officiating resume (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Rejer) greatly exceeds that of Kelly, (as well as almost everyone who reads and writes on this board), so most times you would lose. I would take his side over most people, and certainly over Kelly.

PH

 

I can't wait for the first time a ref runs over/pushes through a player on a counter attack!
That'll be fun for everyone involved. Hope Walton is vocal defending him, because the ref involved will need it.

 

if you know the play they are speaking about and have seen the zones of responsibility then you know why the Assistant Referee did not raise his flag after he says on the radio holding holding holding. Those AR are instructed to says something 3 times is they are 150% sure and raise the flag unless they are saying something and the Referee says no. This foul happened on the 2nd post of the AR and if he not getting confirmation from Referee he is not going to raise his flag. As for who to listen to PR or AK I go with PR every Freaking time.