09/30/22 Toronto FC vs Inter Miami BMO Field (7:30PM ET) REF: Silviu Petrescu AR1: Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho AR2: Gianni Facchini 4TH: Drew Fischer VAR: Geoff Gamble AVAR: Robert Schaap 10/01/22 New England Revolution vs Atlanta United Gillette Stadium (1:30PM ET) REF: Armando Villarreal AR1: Ian Anderson AR2: Jeffrey Greeson 4TH: Tori Penso VAR: Fotis Bazakos AVAR: Robert Schaap Colorado Rapids vs FC Dallas Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (3:30PM ET) REF: Chris Penso AR1: Jeremy Hanson AR2: Jeff Hosking 4TH: Malik Badawi VAR: Rosendo Mendoza AVAR: Mike Kampmeinert Charlotte vs Philadelphia Union Bank of America Stadium (5:30PM ET) REF: Jon Freemon AR1: Logan Brown AR2: Chris Elliott 4TH: Rubiel Vazquez VAR: Alex Chilowicz AVAR: TJ Zablocki FC Cincinnati vs Chicago Fire TQL Stadium (7:30PM ET) REF: Lukasz Szpala AR1: Jason White AR2: Walt Heatherly 4TH: Adam Kilpatrick VAR: Geoff Gamble AVAR: Robert Schaap Columbus Crew vs New York Red Bulls Lower.com Field (7:30PM ET) REF: Marcos DeOliveira AR1: Cory Richardson AR2: Corey Parker 4TH: Chris Ruska VAR: Drew Fischer AVAR: Eric Weisbrod CF Montréal vs D.C. United Stade Saputo (7:30PM ET) REF: Ramy Touchan AR1: Micheal Barwegen AR2: Chantal Boudreau 4TH: Pierre-Luc Lauziere VAR: Ismir Pekmic AVAR: Jonathan Johnson San Jose Earthquakes vs Minnesota United PayPal Park (10PM ET) REF: Nima Saghafi AR1: Andrew Bigelow AR2: Diego Blas 4TH: Elijio Arreguin VAR: Edvin Jurisevic AVAR: Fabio Tovar Vancouver Whitecaps vs Austin FC BC Place (10PM ET) REF: Timothy Ford AR1: Lyes Arfa AR2: Ian McKay 4TH: Michael Radchuk VAR: Fotis Bazakos AVAR: Mike Kampmeinert LA Galaxy vs Real Salt Lake Dignity Health Sports Park (10:30PM ET) REF: Kevin Stott AR1: Brian Poeschel AR2: Frank Anderson 4TH: Victor Rivas VAR: Jorge Gonzalez AVAR: Craig Lowry 10/02/22 New York City FC vs Orlando City Red Bull Arena (1PM ET) REF: Joe Dickerson AR1: Cameron Blanchard AR2: Chris Wattam 4TH: Luis Arroyo VAR: Rosendo Mendoza AVAR: Mike Kampmeinert Portland Timbers vs Los Angeles FC Providence Park (3PM ET) REF: Ismail Elfath AR1: Kathryn Nesbitt AR2: Kyle Atkins 4TH: Allen Chapman VAR: Drew Fischer AVAR: Jonathan Johnson Sporting Kansas City vs Seattle Sounders Children’s Mercy Park (5PM ET) REF: Ted Unkel AR1: Corey Rockwell AR2: Ryan Graves 4TH: Calin Radosav VAR: Ismir Pekmic AVAR: Craig Lowry Nashville vs Houston Dynamo GEODIS Park (8:30PM ET) REF: Guido Gonzales Jr AR1: Nick Uranga AR2: Jeremy Kieso 4TH: Jeremy Scheer VAR: Alex Chilowicz AVAR: TJ Zablocki
I would watch that LA Galaxy v RSL match if you can. Tomorrow's match in Canada might also be of interest.
MLS just announced the nominees for year-end awards: Referee of the Year Nominees Chapman, Allen Elfath, Ismail Villarreal, Armando (also nominated last year) Assistant Referee of the Year Nominees Anderson, Ian (also nominated last year) Elliott, Chris Rockwell, Corey Do PRO put forward the nominations for these awards?
Allatin, broadley, Conger and one Canadian. I don’t think badawi did a game but that makes up the entire top tier of pro2
To be completely fair, I wouldn't call Conger a trialist. That was such an unusual situation where he grew up in the US and was able to leverage his "citizen" status to come back and work matches since New Zealand's Covid restrictions have been so rigid. It was a lot easier for him to return to the US for both his AFC work and to continue doing matches here as he prepares for the World Cup.
I believe "trialist" has a very specific definition per the CBA, so it's not really a matter of opinion. That said, I didn't keep up on whether or not Conger counted toward the trialist spots.
I've been politely informed that this might be more theoretical than practical. Effectively--again, I've been told--PRO chooses the winners here now.
Honestly I’m happy to hear that. A referee’s primary job is not to make players, clubs, or media happy, and often their responsibilities run contrary to that. So I’m glad if their big rewards for the year rest with the people who know what they’re talking about when it comes to referees. That said, don’t PRO usually release the voting statistics for each referee and each category? They wouldn’t make those numbers up, would they?
The Toronto assignment definitely caught my eye… last non-decision-day game of the season, full Canadian crew, in Silviu’s “hometown”… idk if you have further confirmation, but it has a lot of the makings of a farewell game. You think the same for Stott? Do you expect this to be just his last regular season game (perhaps similar to Alan Kelly’s final regular season game being in New England before finishing off with a playoff run? Though I can’t say how intentional that was.)? Or are you expecting our first-ever MLS Cup Playoffs, after 26 years, to not feature a Kevin Stott whistle?
I have the same suspicions (and no confirmed knowledge), so happy to reiterate yours. Rather than just suspicions, I have actual knowledge here and don't want to get ahead of anything formal, but expect some sort of announcement that answers all your questions pre-match tomorrow.
I get your point, and I don’t disagree, but I would think at this level there are some “soft” skills that could make one ref stand out from another involving relationships with teams and players that are important, and that the clubs would be best positioned to give feedback on. Just because two refs north get all the technicalities correct doesn’t mean they are equal. If one is easier to work with that is a bonus in their favor.
Now that the announcement is public, I would answer that yes, there's no way Stott has a whistle in the playoffs this year. Even if he hadn't chosen to retire from the field, this is only his 7th whistle of the year, and even someone of his status can't just be handed a playoff whistle for old-time's sake in this current environment after being VAR only for two-thirds of the season. That doesn't mean he won't be there as a VAR. That I can't say with any certainty.
Correct. This match was targeted as a last on-field assignment so it could be at home for him. And he could--more or less--pick his crew. I think everyone (outside Stott) would have liked for it to be less consequential, so there maybe could be a bit more fanfare. But having it be a home Galaxy match was the priority. Right. In case some miss it (or that component isn't public yet) he has confirmed he intends to stay on in the league as a VAR. So this is "just" the on-field retirement, though obviously it's an understatement to say that's a huge thing. So all that means he could, theoretically, get a VAR assignment in the playoffs. But tomorrow night will be the last MLS match he ever referees.
He definitely did. The precedent of allowing foreign officials to come over and ref in the league is a dangerous one. Conger showed good faith by joining psra and counted against PROs allotment of non-BU official spots. PRO of course may offer anyone a contract should they choose. I do not know if he wishes to stay in the US now or not
Really good SFP red card from C. Penso today. Just way too late, way too far from the ball, and way too high.
Freemon with an interesting one. Penalty and second caution for handling a shot on goal. It’s definitely one of those where the edict is hurtful and the definition is hazy. It was 100% an attempted shot on goal. And absolutely a punishable handball. But the shot was scuffed, had no power behind it and was never going in the net (it might not have even made it on goal). If Freemon doesn’t go yellow, it’s opening up wiggle room in other matches where there shouldn’t be any. But by going yellow, it just seems overly harsh and not commiserate with reality. One of those situations where more discretion would be a good thing, I feel. Of course, I’m England there isn’t a chance in hell it would be cautioned so another good reminder we have different rules applied in different competitions. For what it’s worth, exact same situation I’d do what Freemon did. I just wouldn’t feel great about it.
It’s a very interesting one. I actually think, at least from a non-technical perspective, the stronger case for SPA is that the ball was going to wide-open #18 rather than that it was a shot towards the net, that’s how bad it was shanked.
Lollll Stott was almost gonna let Chicharito get away with that dive. There was maybe a little bit of contact so I don’t know if PRO will actually like the simulation call here, but I’m certainly happy with it. He’s obviously embellishing the contact and trying to fool the referee into calling it.
PRO’s opinion is, in this instance, completely irrelevant! I also think it’s a brilliant decision. Stott recognized Chicarito was going to stay down. That’s what made him pull the trigger. That’s what made it simulation (because it confirmed the attempt to deceive). Stott realized he was going to have to return to a prone Chicarito in 20 seconds after a no-call, which then undermines his authority and cast doubts on his judgment. Better just to basically say “**** you, here’s your yellow. We’ll wait for you to get up.” Also he didn’t just embellish. He walked into contact to create it.
Really unfortunate timing for the screen to malfunction. I think it says a lot about Stott’s character that he’s willing to change his decision based on the advice of the VAR without even seeing the video for himself.