Etch fined

Neat-o. But dont they all go to FIFA school? I thought they all were from the same training but the better leagues just pick the better officials.

 

F____ the Disciplinary Committee!
F____ the Disciplinary Committee!

(this is a joke for all you on the anti f-the-ref bandwagon)
In all seriousness, I think one ought to be fined for not disparaging the officiating in MLS.

MLS has improved measurably in virtually every category except officiating. The play, the coaching, the business side, etc. all continue to improve and if viewed historically show tremendous year-to-year progress. But the acutally calling of games remains absurdly poor. I just don't see the committment from either MLS or US Soccer (there's a shock) at addressing the situation at a proper level.

 

These committees that are being set up to review plays/comments about refs (Etcheverry) or the plays they miss (Ruiz) are great... But, in all seriousness, is someone looking at the refs who miss some of these calls?

If Kovalenko deserved a suspension for his late tackle, then why wasn't a red card issued in the game. One could make the argument that DC gained an advantage in the situation because we were able to play with 11 men, even though, the League determined he should have been (essentially) ejected. The same goes for Ruiz, assuming the league determines his action worthy of suspension.

Sure, fining or suspending a player after the game is one thing, but the driving issue is "why are these refs failing to make these calls?" In some instances where the foul takes place away from the ball, the ref clearly won't see the play, but for Ruiz and Kovalenko they had no excuse.

I know these two situations appear different. I don't believe Kovalenko "intended" to cause harm, while from the reports or Ruiz, his elbow to the face, was intended to cause harm. But for the sake of the Disciplinary Committee, at what point are the refs held responsible for missing such calls?

 

Jesse Johnson, the ref from the Dallas game, was originally slated to do the return match in Dallas, but was removed from the list after his failure to control the first game.

According to SoccerAmericaConfidential, the Disciplinary Committee is looking at it and an answer is expected soon.

 

i just don't understand how US Soccer can't get off its collective butt build a program that produces proper 1st division referring. its not like there aren't a number of successful models to emulate. of course they probably send a dentist and plumber who are influential parents or something to study it instead of professionals. what a consistently slip-shod organization.

 

So far it appears that the league has been selectively choosing and picking whom it fines.

Unfortunately, DC United has been getting most of the fines.

 

Unfortunate? Are you kidding!? Its great we are getting fines. Maybe it will shut marco and hristo up. We yell at the ref's WAY too much. And it gets us in trouble

 

Who hasn't been fined that deserved one?

Also, who has been fined that didn't deserved one?

They've also been getting into the most trouble.

Here's the list of players and coaches who have been fined and/or suspended without having received cards:

Etch (criticizing the refs)
Hudson (mooning)
Wolyniec (elbowing McCarty)
Garcia (simulation of injury)
Kovalenko (O'Brien)
Cunningham (entering the Referee Secure Area)
Schmid (entering the Referee Secure Area)

 

I heard it was more like a full frontal ...... uhh....

 

I knew you were going to correct me!

I stand corrected.

I was not aware of all of the other non-DC United people fined (only Wolniec).

I must admit that Ruiz on more than one ocassion should have been fined (I do not recall the specifics).

Also, as much as I like Clint Mathis (he is one of my favorite USA players), every time I see him play on MLS shootout he is berating and critizing refs. He has yet to be given a yellow for his actions. Needless to say he has not been fined.

 

Ruiz was fined and suspended for the red card he received for throwing an elbow at Garcia.

Mathis has received two yellows this season (eight caution points). At least one of those has been for dissent (against KC). If he receives thirteen more points, he will be fined and suspended. By comparison, Marco has received three yellows for dissent.

 

But the fine is for berating the refs to the media, not on the field. Seems like they can say what they want on the field and maybe get a yellow but if they say something after the game, they get fined.

 

Thanks for the additional information, it keeps things in proper perspective

And thanks for the additional info.

It all makes more sense now.

I hope they are consistent throughout the league.

 

Right, and Marco has repeatedly berated the refs on and off the field throughout his career, and yet has never learned that doing so is detrimental to both his leadership and his wallet.

What's even stranger is that he is being fined for comments made during the week of May 26, and we didn't even have a game the previous Saturday. Usually he complains during the postgame interviews, but here he waited a week to do so.

 

That's a pretty common thing in most sports in this country. In Basketball, you can berate the refs and get a technical (usually costs 1-2 points), but if you criticize the refs post game, you get fined. Same with the other sports. I don't know how many times I've seen coaches criticize the refs and preface it with "I know I'll get fined for saying this, but............"

 

How many times have we seen bad calls get under his skin and affect his game? A true leader is supposed to rise above bad calls and carry his team through adversity. Over the past 3.5 years, Marco has not done that.

Also, opposing teams have learned that you can take Marco out of the game by using his own tricks against him. How many times over the last few years have we seen this scenario:

Marco is lining up to take a free kick in a dangerous position. Just as he starts his run-up, the wall rushes towards him. Marco stops, points to the encroahcers and yells at the ref to do his job. The reset everything, and Marco's attempt is nowhere near the target.

 

And how, may I ask, is this on topic?

ps-I love your avatar and caption!

 

The quality of the "refs" in the MLS is so bad that whatever Marco did he should be congratulated rather than fined! I have seen too many bad calls lately that I am unable to simply overlook the occasional "bad" call; bad referees and officials on the pitch are now the norm rather than occasional! What needs to be done needs to be done on the national level to correct the quality of the officials and refs for soccer; I have often thought that an occasional challenge, by the players and the fans, against the "refs" might be in order!

IntheNet

 

That strategy has not worked in the six years Marco has been captain.

 

I agree to an extent. I have seen at least one (probably more) instances this season where he has gotten a card for really overdoing it when yelling at the official. (The 0-0 Dallas game). The official clearly didn't want to give him a card, but Marco kept at it for several minutes. (I think he got the card AFTER the restart, because he as still yelling)


What I'm trying to say is, some dissent is fine, especially if you're the captain, but Marco clearly goes over the line.