Suspension & Fines Confirmed

Anyone want to start some sort of fund to pay the fines or anything?

 

Its ok. I think we can just "punish" Dema by making him polish our huge fvcking trophy case during the first game.

--In the meantime we'll just hope that maybe one day the MLS refs and league office will raise to the same level as the play on the field. They are still a bunch of minor league wankers.

 

I think that's B.S.!! Cards and fouls that happened in the lst season should end there. They should not carry into the new season.

 

I'm sure you would have felt the same way if someone took a free shot at Freddy with time winding down because they knew all they'd get is a red card in the end of a 2-0 loss.

I know this makes me some sort of freak for not wanting to kill referees at all points, but I have absolutely no problem with there being repercussions for what happens in the final. I don't wear a martyr complex very well.

 

I will be VERY surprised if Dema serves that susupension as part of DCU.

 

Huh?

 

My point was that given Dema's salary, ineffectiveness and undisciplined play that often leaves DCU playing a man short, I think he will be moved in the offseason. I don't think Peter likes undisciplined (stupid) players.

 

I would agree that Dema should serve a suspension for doing something like breaking a leg.

But I think there is a qualitative difference between denying a goal-scoring opportunity--for which he was properly punished--and serious foul play.

I disagree with the suspension, but am not surprised by it.

The fines on the other hand, are perfectly legitimate. You accumulate that many caution points, you pay the price. It'd be nice if there was some consistency among referees--hell, I'd settle for one referee calling one game consistently--but that isn't what we've got. So you just have to recognize the conditions under which you work, and adjust your play accordingly.

 

I too think Dema is a mixed blessing at best.... players who are off the pitch for cards..are worthless, no matter their potential...
I dont think we will trade him though...I think he will be tough to move...for the very reasons outlined above..

 

Maybe Dallas would want him.

 

Agreed, except for the fact that Dema is a fan favorite. He would probably be something of a good box office draw for a team that's looking to rebuild. I also have mixed feelings about Dema -- love him for his team spirit & gutty determination -- hate him for his all too frequent unthinking recklessness. The man could probably benefit from anger management therapy.

 

He's only a fan favorite of whatever team happens to have him. Otherwise, he's pretty widely despised.

 

If Peter disliked Dema, or if he were a for sure gonner, why would DCU protect him in the expansion draft?

I think a game suspension for a handball in the championship, where the team was penalized by playing a man down for half an hour, is over the top.

 

Well, yeah. I meant "fan favorite" in the sense that he'd be a "at home" favorite for whatever team that has him. I suppose that's probably going to be us again in 2005. Too bad that we have to talk about him like this because there's so much about his game that I like a lot -- aside from the extreme rough stuff, that is.

 

He's one of the few players we have who has trade value and who isn't absolutely essential. You don't throw that away in a get'em for free expansion draft.

And that's right. He's hardly a universal fan favorite. But there's a tendency amongst fans to rally around their own thug. So he becomes a fan favorite of whatever team he's on even as he's despised elsewhere. You may recall there was no small amount of hostility when Kovalenko was signed here. And he's still by no means universally beloved amongst DC United supporters.

 

The penalty for a red card includes having your team play a man down and automatic suspension for the next game, whether the card was given in a championship game or not. Why should it be different in this case?

 

He may not like them, but doesn't Peter's loyalty to Dema go back to their Fire days?

I'm just glad Dema isn't on my team - and I'm hoping it stays that way. It's hard to imagine reconsidering team loyalty based on one player, but Dema, well, he's special that way.

 

How many times did Dema leave the team playing short?

Also, how can you call Dema ineffective? He has shown that he has great talent and has the ability to play great soccer, is a good assist man, will do the dirty work and scares the crap out of opponents with his reputation. Look what he did to Ronnie O'Brien in the home game against Dallas...a hard tackle and a few harsh words in the opening minutes and suddenly Dallas's most important and dangerous player's head is out of the game. While Dema can be traded, I think Nowak believes he can control Dema, make him channel his rage in a far more effective way.

 

Seven for starters: ... this season Kovalenko has been ejected or suspended from SEVEN matches, and two of those matches were absolutely critical.

Assists, yes. The rest, I'm skeptical. Kovalenko was often quite invisible this year. And he often didn't do the midfield dirty work - that was more clearly Olsen, Namoff and Carroll as the season progressed. And opponents now try to bait him into getting yellow and red cards. That doesn't indicate to me that they're scared of him. Other than the exceptional case of the Dallas game I'm hard pressed to recall any time when Kovalenko seemed to scare anybody.

I actually think his backers would have a better argument if they suggested he had an off-year in 2004. He had a few good games but quite often you'd hardly know he was on the field. And as I noted above, there were a too many times when he actually wasn't on the field at all. 2003 was a better year for Kovalenko, and I suspect that's the year when he gained some fans on this board via his play.

The thing is, I don't think 2004 was an off-year. Kovalenko changed positions this year, his role was different and the team was different. This was Nowak's team, and that team won MLS Cup. On that team Kovalenko was not the impact player that he often was on Hudson's team. I doubt Nowak will ever use Kovalenko any differently than he did this year.

That just doesn't bode well for him on this team.

 

I hated Dema when he was with the Fire but I was glad that we signed him. He has a highly competative nature and a willingness to give his all for the club. Soccer is more than technical ability. It is about heart and determination. I for one think we're lucky to have Dema and I don't think he'll be traded unless he wants to go.

As for the foul and the red card, I think Dema did the right thing. Remember Germany v USA? I know I'll get flamed but after watching the game again it was clear that the center official saw nothing. How the linesman saw the hand ball is beyond me. Dema took a gamble that almost payed off. If it had we'd all be here gloating guiltily about how we had a real gamer in Dema. And what if Nicky had saved the PK. That would've killed KC right there. They just didn't have the heart to win and DC did and that's why players like Dema are invaluable to a club.

 

First of all, I just think Dema was a victim of circumstance in regards to his ejection in MLS Cup.. It could have just as easily been Brian Carroll or Bryan Namoff.. The ball happened to get shot directly at Dema..

Obviously Dema has a history of suspension on this team and during his time with Chicago as well, but one thing doesn't necessarily have to do with the other, as evident in this case..

Dema got a red card, he should be suspended for the opener next season.. Why is there even an argument about this? As far as I know, red cards in league play always carry over.. Carlos Llamosa got sent off on his United farewell in that dreadful 6-2 pasting against Miami in 2000 in the last game of the season and then he was subsequently traded during the off-season to Miami and had to sit out their opener..

 

That's just BS. He stuck his arm out, intentionally and made the save. He wasn't a victim of anythying other than his own stupidity as a player. Maybe you think every player would have done the same, but I don't believe that's true. Most of them have some sense of respect for the team and the opponents.

The fact that Dema doesn't is exactly why many of us think he's 100% expendable.

 

Well said, and my point exactly.