Based on the number of dubious red/yellow cards and PK calls, I think some MLS officials and referees do read this board. They are WAY over reacting because of fan complaint. Anyways, MLS doesn't need to listen to whiny, ignorant (dallas) fans. People do get injuried from tackles in soccer, and the amount of injuries from bad tackles in MLs are pretty rare compare to everywhere else in my opinion. MLS needs to realize most players are decent human beings with a conscience. Not too many players are out there to injure other people. The referees should let them play. Being card happy doesn't punish dirty players but I think it punishes clean players. MLS refs need to do what John Harkes said in MLS wrap. Calm the players down and give verbal warnings before doing anything drastic to change the game. The best way to punish dirty players is to suspend and fine them. In EPL, red cards due to violent conduct is at least a 3 match ban, and some are even extended to 8 matches. If you spit on someone, the fine is 6 digits in EPL. Pulling out cards is not the solution.
How does the referee and then MLS punish without the use of cards? I find the logic here a little circular. Until this past weekend, there were TWO send offs all season. Both of those were to Revs players. Even now, only two of the send offs this year were straight reds. The rest were second cautions. If the idea is to use video to punish after the fact, then that presents problems as well. Are referees supposed to ignore what happens on the field and let people in NY deal with everything? You'd think referees never caution or send players off in other leagues around the world. Just think about all of the cautions and send offs we see at the World Cup every four years. Ask yourself this as a fan. If your team's star is savaged throughout the game, do you want the referee to man-manage the situtation or do you want the referee to punish the offending player?
Fah que YOU say that now wait until Landon or Jeff get butchered and then you will be complaining just like eveyone else. The difference in the EPL and the MLS is simple. If Landon receives a hard tackle from Josue Silva and he thinks it was cheap he retailates. If he receives it from Demarcus Beasley, he is cool with it. In the EPL they play either way or from whom ever it is. NO CHEAP SHOTS. THERE IS ONE THING THAT A LOT OF THESES PLAYER LACK THAT THE OTHER COUNTRIES DO NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT IS CALLED RESPECT EACH OTHER. If they fined a player 6 digits here he would be unemployed And as far as Mr. Harkes he has forgotten that yes he listened in tHE EPL but if a referee talked or tried to talk to him in the MLS he walked away or continued to run his mouth.
If you saw both of the red cards to Joe Max-Moore and Ryan Nelsen, neither warranted a red. I think that's what he's talking about. They were awful calls IMO. Definately yellows, but red was not necessary.
The ignorant people are the ones who think that Kovalenko should've skated because he didn't MEAN to injure anyone. Kovalenko should've received red right on the spot because his challenge was reckless. I have no doubt that he was just trying to block O'Brien's cross, but his challenge was reckless. He went in with two feet and with studs showing. That's a challenge that should see red every time. Even if O'Brien hadn't been injured, Kovalenko should've seen red for that challenge. MLS, in doling out the suspension to Kovalenko, said as much. Reckless, dangerous challenges, even without a hint of malice in the player's intent, should see red.
Re: Re: Yellow/Red cards in MLS Per the Laws of the Game, a caution is the prescribed punishment for a "reckless" challenge. An ejection is appropriate for a "violent" play.
yellow/red cards How can someone say they are talking about the Joe Max-moore and the Ryan Neilson send off's where you all know if it was a broken leg or that was Clint Mathis he would have gotten up and wanted to fight or if that was Mastroni he would have tried to break the guys leg, Just because it is done by players one that are well know and the later by someone going for the ball it is acceptable. Oh Dema Stated he was going for the ball. but it was already released... YOU are correct Mellon that those might should ahve been red cards. But we are all forgetting it is a game of angles and who had the best view on that play. or who saw it the same way players saw it. Or did we forget that Convey get kidney punched because he slide legally into meloa and Meatball made a meal out of it.
Re: Re: Re: Yellow/Red cards in MLS Actually, according to the Laws of the Game, So there's nothing in either list that mentions reckless challenges per se. But I would argue that the sort of two-footed, studs-up challenge that Kovalenko executed falls under the category of "serious foul play." And "The Additional Instructions for Referees, Assistant Referees, and Fourth Officials" on page 65 would agree with me: The Laws of the Game disagree with me only in the use of terminology.
I thought Nelson deserved a red too. That was a horribly rash tackle (all because he doesn't know how to dribble and had to chase his own ineptitude). Thought Harkes (and his stoogy, Wheelock) got that one totally wrong on MLS Wrap.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Yellow/Red cards in MLS He's talking about the "Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game". In section 12.3 on page 31 (and I'm not going to re-type the entire section) it defines careless (no caution) vs reckless (caution) vs excessive force or violent (sending off). They use the terms often enough in the referee forum that I knew what he meant, but I doubt that you were using their "standard meaning" of reckless (as opposed to violent) in your post.
yellow?red card just to all of you all that think it was BS to issue those cards... YOu need to walk a mile in there shoes... as a player and as a Referee... Those Referee are Rippped if they do not issue a card when it should have been, And ripped if they issue a card and they should not have issued the card.. My coach used to tell me it is a game of angles ,,,,,,, who has ot had the best view.