UNREAL!!!!! Just returned from RFK and not only did DCU pull out a late win over the Mutts, but BOTH Mathis (35') AND Tim Howard (90'+) got RED CARDED! Mathis fully deserved his red, he raked his cleat across Olsen's face while Ben was down. Howard's was questionable. He knicked Lassiter on a breakaway (which would have missed anyway), but from my admittedly limited vantage point amidst the flying nachos, beer and confetti it really looked like Rocket Roy ran straight into him, although it could have been Roy's version of trying to get around him. Somehow Paul Grafer and Mark Lisi next Saturday night don't strike the same fear that Mathis and Howard would have...
Considering your boy Atch can't even get the players right, I won't give credence to the rest of what he said. First of all, the Howard red is the one that was no question. Howard was the last defender and he fouled Lassiter. That's a textbook red. The Mathis red is the bullcrap call. For starters, it wasn't Olsen, it was Alegria. It also wasn't his face, it was the center of his back, and finally, it wasn't Mathis raking his cleats, it was Mathis putting his foot down (without force) to regain his balance after Alegria tackled him from behind. Alegria then went on to roll around holding his face (which was never touched) which is what probably led to Atch thinking it was his face that was touched. There are links to the red card calls on the Metro forum. I was at the game, right near the play, and Stott had his red out before anything even happened. I thought at first he was carding Alegria for the tackle from behind, and was shocked when he showed it to Clint. My guess is Mathis ran his mouth early in the match (like he always does with the refs) and Stott was looking for any reason to toss him. JMac PS: Atch, if you want to toss around vitriolic game reports, try to get the actions and the players involved right next time. Raked his cleats over Olsen's face indeed.
Hey now! As my post stated, my view was certainly obscured by all the delirious DCU fans jumping around watching the Metros implode. I really did think it was Olsen who Mathis stepped on, but considering that every match report says it was Alegria I'm willing to conceded that one. I still don't think Howard really initiated contact with Lassister, but I guess if a keeper makes any contact with an opponent on a breakaway it's a Red. OF COURSE my match report is going to be vitriolic and completely biased, I've been a Revs Fan since Day 1!!! I hope Diallo sees Red before the match even starts for sneezing on the ref and you have to call that Smurf out of retirement to play in attack. Why the he(( is it my fault that NY players can't keep their sh## together when it matters most? Keep off this board if you can't take a biased match report from one insanely happy Revs fan who's been stuck in DC during our AMAZING late season run.
Wow. Someone's been drinking the red and black Kool Aid. Now that I've seen the replay, I don't even think it was a tackle from behind. It was a 50/50 ball that Alegria got to first. The only reason it appears as if it's from behind is that Mathis turned his back to Alegria at the last second trying to shield him from the ball. And Mathis put his foot down without force? Watch the replay again and tell me he was trying to regain his balance. I thought both reds were pretty well justified. And to be fair, Steve Ralston's yellow was justified, and his offense was at least as dumb as Mathis'.
Mike, I don't disagree that Ralston should have controlled himself, as should Mathis but at this point in the season, with the pressure on and time dwindling, tempers crack. That is part of what is so amazing about football as opposed to other sports. You have to be in control at ALL times, almost impossible to do and still be involved. JIM DOW
Re: Hey now! Fair enough. Most people around here know I'm not usually as harsh as my last post, it was one of those "I'm ticked off after seeing my team implode" type moments. I've been a Metro fan since 96, so believe me, I've suffered! As to the Mathis call, I have seen the replay, and it hasn't convinced me that that should have been a red. At worst, that's a yellow for incidental contact (Remember, I was at the game and saw the incident unobstructed). Stott bought Alegria's acting job and did what Stott does best: send someone off. JMac
"I've been a Metro fan since 96, so believe me, I've suffered..." Preaching to the choir boy...preaching to the choir. The Magpie