I figured these were worth posting here as a central location since there will undoubtedly be comments amongst the various team boards: Rapids @ Burn REF - A. PRUS SAR - R. FEREDAY JAR - S. DAVIDSON 4TH - M. KENNEDY Crew @ Earthquakes REF - R. SALAZAR SAR - S. TAYLOR JAR - C. Reed 4TH - A. SAHELI Wizards @ Galaxy REF - R. HERON SAR - G. GANSER JAR - C. LOWRY 4TH - J. JOHNSON Fire @ Revolution REF - K. STOTT SAR - G. VERGARA JAR - M. TSAPOS 4TH - TBA Stott, Heron, Salazar and Prus get the first matches. The way things have been going of late insofar as performances, that seems reasonable (maybe it's just me, but Heron's stock appears to be rising sharply). Anyway, it's only speculation on my part, but I expect to see Hall, Simmons, Valenzuela and Grady for the 2nd first round matches (or maybe some of the 4th's working here--Kennedy seems to be a lock for a playoff match or two...and I suspect that Terry will also get a match). The most interesting assignment to me (but obviously not to regular MLS fans) is that Lowry is JAR for the Galaxy/Wizards match and not SAR. I can't remember the last time that I recall Lowry serving as JAR in an MLS match.
Interesting. Just curious, but do you really expect to see Hall? Has he even worked any MLS games this season? Prus is actually a bit of a surprise for me, but he's been the 4th at the last 2 or 3 DC United games. Can't argue with the rest. I hope Saheli gets in there. He did some really good matches early in the season and then seemed to disappear.
Thank God Gus St.Silva hasn't recieved any games. By far the worst referee in MLS and A-league this year!
I actually do. I think he's worked three matches since his All-Star assignment (maybe only 2), and the two matches I saw were very good performances. With his WC credentials, his recent performances and, quite frankly, the removal of at least 2 (and what now looks like 3 or 4) referees from the pool, makes me think Hall has to get a match or two in the playoffs. Another interesting question is whether or not younger guys like Johnson, Marrufo, Bazakos, etc. will get playoff matches in what is, in effect, their first year in the league.
I was having a beer this summer after the USSF advanced clinic for our state and the SRA, State Director of Assessment and State Director of Instruction were all in attendance along with Cien Asoera who is a National ref and is working his way into the MLS pool. I asked them who the best referee in the states is right now -- their opinion. They mentioned 3 guys and for the life of me, I can't think of 2 of them because they weren't names I was familiar with, so they didn't stick with me. The 3rd name was Michael Kennedy and after they discussed it some, they decided amongst themselves that Kennedy was the best -- that was in late July. I was curious -- is there somewhere that the list of referees in the "MLS Pool" is actually listed?
Right now, no, because it wasn't updated from last year on MLSnet. I don't have the time now, but I think I can come up with it later in the day for you, though.
Who are the others that you think have been removed? Also - dont forget - the playoffs are difficult for a number of reasons, not least of which is scheduling. A lot of officials have trouble making games that are assigned at short notice - esp true of midweek games.
Funny you should mention Kennedy, because back in the early spring I was talking to a guy who was pretty connected in reffing circles, and I asked him which USA ref he thought was going to get the nod for World Cup. He said it was likely to be Brian Hall, but that Michael Kennedy was unquestionably the best referee in the USA today.
kev, Here's what I can compile for an 'official' 2002 MLS Pool. There may be more officials in the pool who didn't work CRs this year, but there's no way to tell. Gerry Corrie Richard Grady Brian Hall Noel Kenny Michael Kennedy Alex Prus Ali Saheli Kevin Stott Kevin Terry Ricardo Valenzuela Elias Bazakos Richard Heron Peter Kokolski Reggie Rutty Ricardo Salazar Erich Simmons Gus St. Silva Jesse Johnson Jair Marrufo Terry Vaughn Jasen Anno
I don't want to speculate openly with names, in case I'm wrong, but there are two refs (both of whom worked multiple games until late in the year last season) who haven't seen a match since May and early June, respectively. Have they been removed or does it revolve around personal reasons? Also, deep-throat, when Kenny was removed from the pool, MLS said in its press release that he was the second referee let go this season. Why did Kenny's removal become such a public affair if MLS didn't do the same thing with the other referee in question?
Wasnt disagreeing about the one prior to Kenney - someone from your neighborhood of course I thought when you referred to "one or two others" that you meant after Kenneys expulsion, which I realise now was my misinterpretation. My other point is still valid - in early round of playoffs, you should not read TOO much into assignments. There are many other factors at work.
MassRef, I am 90% sure that Cien Asoera is in the pool, but I believe this is his first year in the pool and he only worked games as 4th official. I know that he worked a few Fire games as the 4th, but since MLS doesn't show who the 4th was in their game reports, I can't confirm it. If they showed who the 4th official was, that would give us more info on who some of the up and coming officials are like Cien. Thanks.
kev, If you go to www.ussoccer-data.com and click on "Game Schedule", you can search through all assigned USSF pro matches. If you narrow your search to MLS games, you can look through the MLS matches for this season rather quickly (they are shown about 30 per page). There, you can see everyone, including the ISO and the Assessor (note the assessors for tonight are Silva, Baharmast and Alvarez). This information isn't posted publicly until the day of the match, so if you ever want to know the 4th, you can look there (instead of MLSnet) on any given matchday. Two things related to this. First, the guy you refer to, Cien Asoera, appears to have worked one MLS match as a 4th, and it was a Fire game (maybe he worked USOC or other matches involving MLS teams if you've seen him before). That, however, does not mean he's in the MLS pool. The referees in the MLS pool make up 100% of the centers and (I'm estimating) about 60-70% of the fourth official assignments in MLS. When a 4th official is travelling, he's from the MLS pool. However, many times, especially during weekdays, the 4th official will be a local referee who's not in the pool. He's still a national, of course, but just because he works a 4th doesn't mean he's in the MLS pool. In fact, it doesn't even mean he's being slotted as a CR over an AR yet. Anyway, the second thing that I just noticed is that Hall and Valenzuela are working the two Mexican league friendly matches being played in LA tonight. I'm sure those assignments were made ahead of time, so that precluded them from consideration for tonight's MLS matches.
MassRef, thanks for the info about the officials. If Cien isn't in the pool, then hopefully, he will be. He'd be the first one form our referee association here in north-central Indiana.
Brian Hall is working the Cruz Azul x Morelia game in the Pre-Pre double-header at the LA Coliseum (on FSWE live 9/25 9 pm ET) on the same night as three MLS playoff games. Just FYI.
I noted that above. Just in case you're thinking it's a slap at Hall, it's not. Remember, these games had to be assigned before the MLS matches and, for all intents and purposes, they have to have a FIFA CR. So that limits the pool for the two matches to about 7 guys. Two of our FIFA refs had to be assigned these matches. Hall and Valenzuela (as they both live in Calif.) got them. I expect to see both later in the 1st round of MLS playoffs.
Sorry if my tone was unclear - I wasn't trying to imply anything about Hall or whatnot. Just pointing out his whereabouts on a busy MLS playoff night in case people weren't watching FSWE. IIRC, Stott did a few of those pre-WC friendlies that Mexico played in the US. One of the commentators on one of those matches even joked that Stott was the official official of Mexico in the US.
The reason Hall and Valenzuela are on those Mex-Pre Libertadores games is that the promoters pay squat. Thus they have to bring in a FIFA ref from as close as possible. The only other one would have been Stott who is working in Boston tonight. Too far to travel for a MLS game. They will probably use local linesman and pay them with pocket change. Financially, all three referees would do better at a DIV 3 college game. Of course, that issue could be a whole different thread.