The Letter? I am wondering if anyone else on this list has received a copy of a letter written by a former USSF Referee Offical about the state of refereeing in Major League Soccer. It is dated Sept 24, 2002. I was forwarded this letter and asked not to show it publicly, but I know that many others in my area have also seen it and been alarmed by its content and charges against MLS. If the letter is real, what it claims scares the hell out of me. I will not go into its content in case it is a scam, spoof, goof or false in any way. I won't also name the person that wrote it. But if it has filtered its way down to someone like me, I would assume that people on this list - far more entrenched in the reffing community than I - have some more information about its veracity. Thanks, and if you do know about it, please feel free to email me privately about it. peter@lexandterry.com thanks peet dallasburn radio
Ya know, it's really not fair to post somehting like this and then not give us any details about what you're talking about!
I understand, but due to the content and the seriousness of the charges I don't want to bring to light things that may not be true. Again, all I am attempting to do by asking the orginal question is to find out if this letter has made its way around to others. Trust me, if is this is for real, in good time you will be hearing all about it. Again, sorry for the criptic, vague answers.. peet
letter My understanding is that the letter is real. It was published on the Socref-1 site last week, reportedly with the permission of the author. See this site: http://pete.uri.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A1=ind0210a&L=socref-l#6
Really shocking if MLS is indeed doing these things. I thought the federation, rather than the league, had oversight of the officials. No?
Given these observations, is it any wonder now that Brian Hall didn't referee any MLS games leading up to the World Cup? He'd have been jeopardizing his assignment to quality matches. Do you suppose if we started sending emails and letters to MLS support Mr. Evans' observations that it would push the point to MLS a little further? I'd be willing to do so. By the way, here's the link directly to the paper in PDF format http://soccer-ref.quietfire.com/BobEvansProposal.pdf and in HTML format http://soccer-ref.quietfire.com/BobEvansPaper.html. The link posted by Stan was to the site and you had to surmise a couple jumps.
The link is format http://soccer-ref.quietfire.com/BobEvansPaper.html (without the period at the end, which might have confused some browsers) I couldn't agree with what was written more. It's nice to someone has the balls to say the Emperor has no clothes.
Kevin, I updated the thread title as per your suggestion. I was trying to find the letter, when I received your pm. Thanks for the links. I agree. How can we look up to the MLS when they don't let the referees enforce the LOTG. Part of my pre-game is that you leave the ball alone and give 10 yards when the other team has a free kick. I see a lot more jewelry - it all comes off before the game than I did 10 to 20 years ago.
I think it's legit and all true. The article or paper points out the foolishness and inconsistencies that exist in the MLS.
This is not new. A fellow referee I know left MLS, at it's inception exactly because of this type of nonsense. He got into a lot of trouble for sending off a bunch of players and when asked said he would do it again. You can't have a system that serves two masters. The reality is in every other country the national association or federation controls referees including training. That is how FIFA wants it and it makes perfect sense. It eliminates the possibility for a conflict of interest between the league and the referees. MLS's involvment with the decisions made by referees is a conflict of interest. I agree completely with Dr. Bob's article.
Well it was leaked on purpose, that much is clear. Had it not been leaked, nothing publicly would be done about it. I am greatly relieved to know this, actually. It means that the refs are not actually blind and dumb, and genetically incapable of calling a consistent game. It means I do not suffer from paranoia or bad vision. Now if MLS gets out of this mess, the refs can go back to being, well, mildly incompetent but at least predictable. We know that the other pro leagues have similar relationships with their referees, notably the NBA. But unlike the NBA, USSF is an international organization accredited with certified refs. They don't dare endanger that certification. Hey, if this results in MLS staying out of the referee issue, that's good NOW. Four years ago when refs were demonstrably inexperienced and naive, MLS intervention was wrong, but understandable. And the Burn have the biggest gripe here. On the one hand Suarez and Broome were sent off by the only referee that had the guts to call it. And a few games later they were screwed by no-calls on Mastroeni and Valderrama by someone who obviously understood his precarious position.
IF true, wow. That bit about changing the offside rule depending on the score is nuts. Does seem to me, as a MLS fan, that referees get rushed and abused too often. I've watched some EPL games and the players seem more respectful.
Interesting that a couple of things that I specifically have criticised MLS reff for doing so poorly on seem to be dictated from the league.......Would anyone on this board work for a league that dictated this kind of crap? I wouldnt and I dont!
I agree, but I'm 41 and have no intention whatsoever of getting my National badge let alone a FIFA badge. However, I know of 2 guys from our referee association who are in their late 20's and have their National badge and their primary objective is to rise to the level of being a FIFA referee. If you want to get up to FIFA level, you're stuck between a rock and a hard place. You either do what MLS says in order to continue getting assignments -- and then get roundly criticized and probably get some unfair negative assessments from the FIFA folks. Or you don't work MLS and wind up not getting the opportunity to upgrade beyond your National badge. Kind of sucks for our D1 league to be pulling this crap. I sure hope FIFA and/or USSF get it straightened out.
follow up I have been able to verify this letter as "real". Meaning that the name on it belongs to a real person who now claims ownership to its contents. Dont think this is big news, but it at least clears up my orginal question. Mr Evans makes some mighty strong charges in it, and I for one would love to hear answers to them from MLS. peet
This attitude that "My team has the biggest gripe" is part of the problem, not the solution. Players who feel this way are the ones most likely to profanely berate the refs.
It might be, but if so, it's probably a small part, as it's a universal belief held by fans around the globe. And while it's not a solution, it's also not going to go away. the real problem, of course, is the allegations in the letter, and if true, they are far worse than fan attitudes.
It's a fine line to tow for these referees. They have to play politics to do MLS matches and then they have to remember to "unlearn" the wrong lessons from MLS when doing international appointments. Remember that the nominations for the international panel come fom the USSF referee committee, not MLS.
As a fellow Burn fan, Viking you are dead wrong on this... EVERYONE and ANYONE who loves the sport of soccer and cares for the well being of MLS are the ones that have the "biggest gripe" about this... I really hope you dont think that Dallas is the only team to have suffered from such questionable calls. For you to try and make this a Burn-issue really waters down the importance and seriousness of these charges brought forth by Mr Evans. Please try to not make this into a "we got screwed the worst!" issue. peet dallasburn radio
Kev, remember these referees for nomination to the panel are nominated by the USSF. The MLS has nothing to do with the nomination. Now might it influence the USSF if a referee has never worked the top professional league in the US? I think yes, but the decision goes well beyond that. Remember by the time you have the experience to be a candidate for the panel, you are a know entity to the referee committee and the assessors. Everyone has seen you work numerous times. Joe M. has no say about FIFA. He can screw you out of assigments for MLS, but has no voice in matters regarding FIFA.
I'm glad Dr. Evans has taken this strong stance. For somebody with his experience I could only imagine what it is like to watch the highest level of competition in the USA deteriorate into the sad state it currently is at. What I find even more disturbing is the referees of MLS do not make a stronger stance, as Hall did. Is there no association for MLS referees that operates seperately from MLS itself? If not then it is well past the time for this union of sorts to be formed. As far as promotion is concerned, USSF would have to be "in" on this with MLS, as MLS is an affiliated league. Either USSF needs to make a strong stance, or FIFA needs to come in and make a strong stance against USSF. Either way the referees are in a bit of a bind.