Noel Kenny Suspended

It should be pointed out that Bob Gansler was just as adamant about the penalty being called to begin with as United was about it being called back. I have a hunch that Kenney was suspended not just for botching Marco's PK but because of the questionable call that awarded the penalty.

 

Damn right. I am currently enjoying my power trip.

 

You realize of course that Kenny was not the referee for KC's next game. It's a shame that referee didn't mind cautioning Meola, but Kenny was afraid to.

And I wouldn't take too much credit for having him ousted. According to the link it was his second"failing assessment" that did him in, not angry letters from us.

 

We killed Kenny! But we're not bastards. Good riddance to a crap ref. Pop a cerveza my Barra brothers.

 

Re: Re: Noel Kenny Suspended

Actually, Meola was sent off. Among the many simple pleasures in life, watching Meola give up four goals and get sent off in the same match is certainly one of them.

 

Re: Re: Noel Kenny Suspended

Right. And the Supreme Court always rules on the merits of the cases it hears, with nary a thought about the political effects of the decisions it makes. Keep the emails flowing!!!

 

Re: Re: Re: Noel Kenny Suspended

My dumb luck, I fell asleep in the 85th minute!
I'm so upset I missed all the fun stuff.

 

Re: Re: Noel Kenny Suspended

You are not me. I take full credit.

 

Damn shame that the result stands.
Mark

 

Yeah it's not like we can appeal it either. You know how it goes when we try to appeal 0-0 draws with KC at RFK.

 

Justice reigns!!! Now we just have to send him back to school. See and my Mom still is not qualified to be a match referee either.

 

I bet his Mom would have made the PK, though.

 

Because she knows better.

I don't know about that. She would have tried.

 

First, its a sad commentary on the season that we're taking solice from Kenney's removal. Yes, it's justice of a sorts but I"d have much preferred the 3 points instead of 1.

Second, true, the original call for the PK was dubious. But I think that doesn't get someone suspended--otherwise about 15 refs would no longer be in MLS b/c of the PKs Diego Serna earned with his dives. I think the larger issue is this (and one that MLS can't openly acknowledge).
--Kenney has a poor reputation (even in a league where to openly complain about refs is to pay up--in a league where most of the players pay $500 and that is 20% of a month's paycheck--that's enough to keep players like Kamler and Talley and Convey and Villegas silent);
--some elements of the game control were attrocious (Burns on Convey for instance, the elbow/body slam exchange) that are beyond interpretation, they have to do with unconsciousness, being clueless of what is going on in the game;
--then calling something that just isn't called. Especially when (as Convey pointed out), everyone was encroaching.

I don't think the encroachment call by itself got him the demerit for this match. But my take is that it was the last straw. This isn't like someone blew an offsides call in a key game (regretable but it happens and mistaken calls do decide some key games--just talk to the Italian National Team from this summer). But the encroachment call was the equivalent, well, I can't come up with a comparable example. In all my years of playing, coaching, watching soccer, I've never seen it called in a pro match. I saw it called in a youth (U8 boys) match once b/c players were actually standing (not moving into but standing) in the penalty area during the kick. If you're going to make that call, it had not only be really extreme but it had better be right. If the tapes showed it was not only close but that KC was in the area first, COMBINED with the other stuff going on in the match, that just shows you've got a ref who has no judgment and perception of what is going on.

I disagree with refs all the time but I respect differences in perspective or interpretation. For instance, I think the handball on the line in the US-Germany quarterfinal was a PK. I agree with Beckenbauer on that call--doesn't matter if it was intentional, a handball on the line prevents a goal so you always call a PK regardless of intent. But I can respect Hugh Dallas' interpretation--it wasn't intentional and was in the run of play so no call. But when a ref is utterly blind to a continuing series of violations (the Burns behavior) and then injects a bizarre call out of nowhere that is game changing, probably wrong, and never called, that's the last straw. And that (in cumulation) is why I think Kenny got the exit pass.

Last point--I cut Marco some slack for the feeble second attempt. Etcheverry plays with a lot of emotion. That call on his first attempt (encroachment) is the emotional equivalent of a kick in the nuts. Frankly, I"m a bit surprised he didn't lose it then and there and storm Kenny--or tear off his jersey and walk off the field. You've got to figure he'd be incredibly stunned (as I would be).

 

I agree with you on all points.

 

JoeW, I agree that Mr. (and I use that term loosely) Kenny was let go for ignoring the blatant "persistant foul conduct" by both teams throughout the match. I'm happy that no one was 'seriously' injured although Convey's separated shoulder is a bit worrisome.

What is more worrisome is that this was not an untypical game in MLS. Unfortunately I believe that the thugs on the pitch are winning. Hacks are able to foul with impunity and don't have to worry about fines or other disciplinary action. How ridiculous is it that Richie gets $1000 fine for dissent et al, while Burns and Garcia got nothing for their persistant bad tackles and off the ball shenanigans. While I am not a big fan of the EPL's system of punishing players based on video evidence for non-called fouls, I think that MLS could learn from that type of action. Fining players for all the off the ball hacking and the really dirty ankle kicking from behind et al...

 

This (where the thread is going) may belong in another forum (refereeing?) but I've always been a big believer that besides the ejection for some fouls, any professional (ie: deliberate foul) that results in injury, the fouling player must sit out as long as the fouled player is injured. Thus, if a McKinley or Dayak or Garcia or Pierce injures a Moreno or Donovan or Convey for a month while committing a professional foul, then they sit out until the injured player returns. Extreme yes, but something that is needed I think at the professional levels where teams may make calculated decisions to foul/injure players b/c to take out a Ronaldo or Owen can be the difference not only in a match, but winning a league or cup. My 2 cents anyway.

 

That's an amazingly radical idea, but I like it a great deal.

 

This may push the whole thread into the Referee Forum, but...

I second BroonAle's reaction to the idea re: fouls resulting in injury. I'd like to see them add something else that has been discussed: a 10 yard penalty for persistant encroachment. If a free kick is awarded and the wall sets up five yards away and takes a minute to move back to eight yards, pick up the ball and advance ten yards toward goal and start over.

It would end a lot of shrugging on the part of defenders

Back on topic: Noel Kenny has not been controlling games or protecting players. He deserves to sit down.

dadman

 

I guess this throws the whole popularity theory out the window.

 

Sounds like something Paul "Defense is the work of Satan" Gardner would write. While the idea is interesting, there's a bit too much gray area for that to truly work. You'd have to prove intent, which is something that only Roy Keane will admit, and then only when paid a hefty book advance.

Do you suggest leaving it up to the judgement of the referee? Or, if the ruling body chooses to investigate, will the player be called upon to account for his actions, or can he take the Fifth?

Dave