Question Number: 13534

Character, Attitude and Control 8/21/2006

RE: Rec or Select Adult

Chris M. of Albuquerque, NM United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 13515

Following up with Sam of Louisville, Kentucky. I just read his post in question #13515. I'm the guy that wrote the original rant/bitch/question #13200, where he followed up with question 13515.

When I wrote post 13200, I was, as stated in the question, "monumentally pissed off" at Sepp Blatter concering his criticism of Larrionda. I remember reading it on Sports Illustrated (www dot cnnsi dot com) and just seething. I could have been a cartoon character that day for how much it pissed me off. I probably had smoke coming out of my ears and my face was probably as red as the red card in my bag (and just so we're clear, my red card is bright freaking red, it's not one of those happy "orange" ones that Official Sports calls a red card, I like it red, dammit!)

Anyway, I'm not here to tell the world what an idiot Sam is. I don't believe that at all. He has a different opinion, and he phrased it in such a way as to sound compelling and intelligent. He has reffed (by his own "testimony") and he has coached. I respect him for that. I disagree that the refs ruined the World Cup. I disagree that the World Cup was ruined at all, actually. Don't tell me every other WC in history hasn't had one or more referee decisions during a game that made at least half of the viewing audience go bonkers. It's part of the beauty of the game.

Having said that, it is pure folly to tell a group of what is in theory the world's finest group of soccer officials that things should be done "this way" and then criticize them for doing so "this way." And let's be straight, folks, the World Cup Referees are the best. I honestly don't think that, in terms of our officiating abilities here, that many of us at this forum are of a level where we can carry a FIFA Referee's athletic supporter/undergarment for him/her. I think that's the crux of our objections here.

The group of the best of the best officials gets a set of instructions from "on high," and then the mouthpiece from "on high" comes out and says, in essence, "for doing exactly what we told you to do, you deserve a yellow card." "Excuse me?? That's like a boss telling his employee "go clean the restroom" and then the boss walks in, the head is so clean he can see his reflection, and then he tells that same employee "what the hell did you make this latrine so clean for? You're fired!!" What the .... ??

That, I think, was the problem with Mr. Blather/Blatter's comments as far as we of the thankless group who are charged with refereeing mommy's little angel are concerned. And because these God awful assertions were made by those in a seat to speak their opinions uninterrupted, we all of us who have tournaments coming up are going to hear this from parents who can produce facsimiles of the sewage that was spouted in commentary land.

But I renew my assertion: I have no problem with Sam here, none at all. I just wanted to add my own addendum.

As Mr. Carosi says in his newsletter: a happy whistling to you, wherever you are, or something like that.

--Chris

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Hi Chris, still don't have an opinion do you?

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Chris. Good to hear from you again. You can see our responses to Sam. I hold no ill will towards him but he started off antagonistic and we all responded. His opinion is his and he's welcome to it. I'm with you. Had FIFA NOT told the referees to crack down on foul play then Blatter coming out would be justified, at least at some level. But to order referees to proceed in a certain manner and then criticize them for doing it simply sucks but is typical of what comes out of his mouth.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Some good comments and analysis here Chris. I agree with you that the referees did not ruin the world cup and the world cup was not ruined.