No, I'm sure the decision was made right after the game, and he was notified right away too. Or at least, he was notified before the Minnesota game - in one of the pre-game interviews he said something about doing something "stupid" last week, and it's clear to me now that's what he was referring to. They just sat on the news for a week to boost ticket sales.
Simple. When Mike Amman got kicked and stepped on accidental or on purposeby Diallo in 2000 there was no suspension. Even if Ammann got to the ball first a good 5 to 7 steps away Diallo still could have turned to his left or right to avoid him. So When Landon got Jonny with his right elbow half way landing from leaping for the ball and no card was issued and no fine or suspension was handed out to him from the league. I haven't seen Pat Onstad getting ran over, or elbowed into the chops by any other club in MLS. So basically out of all the accidental or non accidental attacks that happen to keepers in MLS the only ones that happen to is my club. Granted it wasn't as nasty and horrifying as what Diallo did to Mike Ammann, but it's still not right. That's how I feel.
Wayne, you do not need to respect a referee's integrity or competence, but you must respect the fact that s/he does have an influence on the game. I could care less about somebody cussing, particularly on the field. However when you are trying to make a point, especially as a player to a referee in the middle of a match, it would be wise to conduct yourself in a professional manner. Cussing at the referee will certainly not help your case and would likely antagonize the referee, to a point where a 50/50 would not be called in your favor at a minimum. As incompetent as some of the referees are in this league, I am continually disgusted by the behavior of a majority of the players toward them.
So, he'll miss this weekend's game against DC (8/7). I assume he'll play against Chicago on Wednesday (8/11 @Chi) though - right? Then he'll probably be gone for the Saturday (8/14) game at KC (the weekend before Jamaica). Then, he'll be back after Jamaica to play against Dallas (8/21 - home), and I assume he'll play in the Open Cup against KC (8/24 - @KC). He should be available for the (8/28 - home) game against Colorado. Then, he'll be gone for New England (9/4 - @NE - wait.... was this the NE game we just played?) and Columbus (9/8 - home). He'll return for the LA game down south (9/11)... So... including tomorrow and going to the Columbus game, he'll miss 4 of the next 8 games - 4 of the next 7 league games. I think this really is the make or break stretch for us. Come on you Quakes!
I think he deserved and hopefully he learns. BUT, I think yet again this shows so much inconsistency by the league. How many other times have we seen refs abused this Season? There have been times were the refs have been bumped, shoved, cursed at etc... If the refs had the courage to act at the time this will stop. Bumping the ref is an automatic red. I have yet to see it this year. In some countries cursing at a ref is considered violent conduct and a red. I like this as it will add more control to games that are getting more and more out of control , mainly because the refs arn't strong enough and arn't good enough. The players know this. Conspiracy theory? The only time this Season there has been any major action against a team is San Jose (for dissent). Agoos red carded (rightly) and Donovan suspended (rightly). There have been hundreds of other cases of cheating, abuse to refs and violent conduct that have been over looked (for example a Ruiz elbow one week got nothing after Jacque got a two week suspension for the same thing). I could go on with examples. Richard
After reading this thread and thinking about this more, I've got a few observations. I repeat, Donovan got what he deserved. I don't think it had anything to do with the language - it was the gesture at the end of the game. And as much as it pains me (as y'all know, he's my fav player), you just don't do that to a ref. I firmly believe this is a lesson he'll take to heart and it ain't gonna happen again. And judging by the passion he has for his team, I'm sure he feels sick about it. What just kills me, though, is that this Saturday, Troy will be sitting out on a red, Landon will be sitting out on a suspension - and Joey Franchino is playing for his team. Think about it. I went back and watched the tape of the game yesterday - and the ref was even worse than I remembered. Absolutely pathetic. As someone said, as a ref he is the figure of authority and must be respected. Well, I say MLS needs to respect their players as well. It is an absolute joke to have refs like that, along with that incompetent AR, out there on the field. Would EPL, Bundesliga, etc. players be subjected to such incompetence? As far as MLS withholding the news until after the All-Star game - well, of course they did. They had to have Landon smiling ever so sweetly for the cameras at the NYSE and on Cold Pizza and on ESPN News, etc. But now that they've released the news - it almost seems like they're doing it with glee. I might be wrong, but I don't remember another player who had been suspended having his picture pasted all over the MLS web site, first with the suspension story and now with the story about the Donovan-less Quakes taking on DC. Must be that special "Poster Boy" star treatment he gets. I wonder, in light of Alexi Lalas' comments in the Mercury News - basically called the ref a moron - will he also get fined? I think the Quakes will come out and put a whooping on DC. They are still going to be fighting mad, they're going to pull it all together in kind of an "us against the world" type of thing. It reminds me of last year's MLS Cup. I remember reading how the Quakes felt they'd been diss'ed at the banquet the night before, how it was a Fire love-fest, thought they got no respect - and came out with the best team play in the league and won it all. So if I were DC, I wouldn't be counting those points just yet. The Quakes will not roll over and die. I am so looking forward to this game. The Quakes are going to show some heart; they're not gonna let down their fans or themselves. Go Quakes!!
You should go back and review the tape of that game, and view it with honest, unbiased, wide-open eyes. You'll see that Donovan barely touched Jonny. I doubt Jonny could even feel it. He got no card and no fine because it was a non-issue. As I recall, this year after a game between the two teams - Landon and Jonny exchanged jerseys with each other. Jonny seems to have forgiven and forgotten - why can't you? You claim you're not here to flame and troll - but obviously you are. So stop it, please.
MLB players have a union which gives them certain rights including appealing decisions by MLB. Yes, the appeals process could get silly but allowing LD the right of appeal would have possibly allowed him to play against DC (which is important for marketing if anything else!) It would allow a player to be heard and perhaps have his fine or suspension reduced or eliminated. Darn. Player's rights. That's another thread for another day. And has anyone heard if the ref was taken to the carpet by the league for that horrible call?
Landon's "chop" to the ribs was an attempt to dislodge the ball. Walker ate up the scenery on that acting job. Walker's act was as bad as Landon going down with the shot to the head in the playoffs against LA on shoulder contact.
Any attendance predictions. I'm planning to attend with a group of 12 or so folks, but have been battling a flu.
i think that is up to BA... he has allowed players to stay with their club for the WEdnesday night tilt, but since this is WCQ, he might want the full compliment of players.... i would imagine players will be called in on Monday prior.....
How do you suspend one of your league's marquee players (landon) for a game against the league's marquee player (Adu)? MLS does it again. How about letting him appeal the suspension so he can play in the game then suspend him the week after. So the match up that everyone should be watching won't happen, because MLS had to enforce some rules that they always seem to be bending anyway!
As a Quake fan, I must say that the league got this one right. Donovan deserves to be suspended. Donovan took expressing his displeasure with the officiating WAY too far. I hope other players take note: reign in the dissent or you will be suspended. What is the MLS world coming too: a Galaxy fan is complaining that Donovan should not be suspended and a Quakes fan saying it is justified. Bizarro world indeed.
That's b/c this isn't baseball. Just have him sit out his deserved suspension and get back after this weekend.
Not the fault of the Quakes front office or the MLS. He did the crime, do the time. Blame the person who deserves the blame, Landon, and hope he grows up.
I doesn't bother you that the league let 20,000 tickets be sold (and 7,000 Landon vs. Adu posters be printed) before coming to the stunning realzation that LD flipped the AR the bird two weeks ago?
This is nothing new. Major League Soccer's Disciplinary Committee typically meets on the Wednesday or Thursday before the weekend games to determine fines and/or suspensions, after reviewing game tapes and if neccessary, interviewing appropriate parties. If there is a mid-week game, the Displinary Committee will meet earlier in the week, Monday or Tuesday. Fines and suspensions are announced only after the disciplinary meeting. Past examples: Colorado Rapids Forward John Spencer Suspended, announced Wednesday 7/10/2002 MetroStar Wolyniec suspended, fined, announced Friday 6/6/2003 Whitfield Suspended And Fined By MLS, announced Friday 10/10/2003 The Disciplinary Committer probably did not meet during the All-star break so it MAY just seem like the league was waiting for strong ticket sales before announcing the fine and suspension. I personally do not like to imagine conspiracies at work when there is probably none. I hate to admit it but most of the newbies in the stands on Saturday will be there to see Freddy play. I hope they come back to the stadium later in the year to see Landon play.
I agree it was probably a case of how soon the disciplinary committee could get together. Which is probably a minor stick in the ribs to SJ since I imagine that y'all practiced with LD all week assuming he might or would start. And, his suspension is justified. Bad ref or not--flip one off and you'll get suspended. There are just some things MLS is consistent on (not many) and one of them is flipping off the ref. FWIW, likely lineup for DCU is: Perkins, Hendrickson, Namoff, Prideaux, Carroll, Stewart, Kovalenko, Adu, Gros, Moreno and Eskandarian. Petke did not travel and Nelsen is also out (besides the other long-term or season ending injuries to other players). Olsen is probably available but nicked. DCU will bring one of the leagues "rent-a-keeper" (someone from Stanford I believe). Adu is going to start (unless Olsen ends up starting) and would likely be A-mid I think. Hendrickson would likely play in central defense.
Agree. And so does Donovan. From the Mercury-News: "• Donovan did not complain about being suspended for tonight's game, saying he was to blame for making an inappropriate gesture at an official after the Earthquakes' 2-2 draw with New England on July 24. ``It stinks,'' Donovan said. ``But that's what I get for being stupid. No matter how bad the refs are, that's inexcusable.''" Now on to more important matters. The season starts today for the Quakes. I think they know that too. Time to forget all the ups and downs and inconsistencies, dig deep and play like they're capable of playing. If they do that, I am convinced there is no team that can stop them. I still say we can win the MLS Cup again. Never give up! Looking forward to the game. Hope everyone is in full voice. Time to make another "memorable moment at Spartan Stadium!" Go Quakes!!
What you are saying is not that far from what I was. I was not talking about respect for the individual. You can see many offices that should have respect, but don't receive it because of the individual that occupies them. The way to earn that respect is to show consistency. If they are going to hand out cards for dissent, do it. If they're going to hand out cards for an egregious foul, do it, but don't let something go in the 5th minute and then punish in the 85th. That's not the way to earn respect.
I was talking about the F-bomb period right after that called-back goal, I wasn't talking about giving the ref the finger. I didn't see that, I only found out about it after reading this thread.
I looked at my PVR recording last night with particular attention given to the end of the game, and I just wanted to tell you all how disgusted I am with Landon's giving the finger ("flipping the bird," or "flipping off" to you youngsters) to the officials. For God's sake, Landon, when you give someone the finger, have the right forearm almost horizontal and your wrist at eye level, the same level as the person it is directed. The top of the index finger just above the top of your head. Give it with force and stop that damned wimpy off the waist casual flip. That will never do. When you give the F.O. signal to a ref, do it properly.