Welcome back to The Ref Report. This week we will be trying something a little different. This week MLS gave us rivalry week. I mentioned in an earlier report that we might learn a few things from who got what appointment this week, and I believe we did. So while I will cover the basics of each match, the general point will be assessing what each assignment says about how MLS and Peter Walton sees each ref.
Mark Geiger: New York Redbulls v DC United:
NY: 12 fouls. Cahill, Juninho, Espindola Yellow Cards
DC: 7 fouls.
Contentious Decisions: Goal line decision. Did the ball cross the line? Geiger didn't give it, Hamid claims it didn't cross the line, and an NBC anchor behind the goal (not on the goal line) claimed the ball did not get over the line from his perspective.
Overall Performance: Consistent quality performance we have come to expect from Geiger.
NY v DC is a matchup that can get heated. The match was on the big network NBC, not NBC Sports Network. Though it may not have been the most glamourous assignment in theory, being on the big network made it the marque job to get. I've said many times that if the US is to have a ref take charge in a FIFA World Cup Final during my lifetime, Geiger would be that man. It looks like MLS may agree.
Silviu Petrescu: Sporting Kansas City v Chicago Fire:
KC: 14 fouls. Sinovic, Rosell Yellow Cards
Chicago: 20 fouls. Paladini, Segares, Santos, Rolfe Yellow Cards
Contentious Decisions: None of major note.
Overall Performance: A more heated match than many would have predicted, Petrescu did a fair job. Nothing great, nothing horrible. Sometimes he felt weak, others strong. Overall it was average.
KC v Chicago is not the most heated rivalry for the players or the fans, and not anywhere close to the most wanted assignment. Interesting job to be given to the reigning ref of the year. Perhaps MLS doesn't rate him as highly as that award would suggest.
Baldomero Toledo: Montreal Impact v Toronto FC:
MTL: 13 fouls. Bernier, Iapichino Yellow Cards
TFC: 18 fouls. Hall, Eckersley Yellow Cards
Contentious Decisions: Delay on a clear penalty, Eckersley "foul" which led to yellow for dissent.
Overall Performance: Average to slightly below average. For a few years I have proclaimed Toledo as the best ref in MLS, but he seemed to lose control a few times and his delay on a clear penalty, waiting for a second foul in the box to give the penalty seemed odd and rather weak. The non foul that was called on Eckersley led to his reaction which forced a card from Toledo. Not his best job.
MTL v TFC is a good job to get. Good crowd, heated rivals, that will be getting hotter as each year passes. Toledo didn't do himself any favors with his performance, but getting this assignment shows MLS still believes in him.
Carlos Rivero: Philadelphia Union V New England Revolution:
Philly: 13 fouls. Okugo, Parke Yellow Cards
NE: 15 fouls. Soares, Shuttleworth Yellow Cards
Contentious Decisions: None of major note.
Overall Performance: Average. Rivero kept the action moving, made few mistakes, and didn't let anything get out of control.
Philly v NE is a moderately heated rivalry, but mainly a contest between two "who's that" clubs. Rivero is clearly rated since he got a job on the big rivalry week, but his position in a minor matchup shows that MLS sees him more for the future than a work horse all star for today.
Jorge Gonzalez: Columbus Crew V San Jose Earthquakes:
Columbus: 11 fouls.
SJ: 13 fouls. Bernandez Yellow Card
Contentious Decisions: None of major note, but in a hard fought clash, it was interesting that more fouls and more cards weren't given.
Overall Performance: Average. Not exactly a real rival match. Not exactly heated. Both teams played their typical styles, and SJ was tough as usual. Gonzalez didn't stand out in any bad ways, but he didn't stand out in a horrible way either.
Crew V SJ wasn't a real rival match and wasn't a conference clash. It was possibly the weakest match of rivalry week and wasn't a top job. Gonzalez isn't a top ref, and MLS seems to know it.
David Gantar: Real Salt Lake V Colorado Rapids:
RSL: 9 fouls. Watson-Siriboe Yellow Card
Colorado: 10 fouls. Harris, Thomas Yellow Cards
Contentious Decisions: None of major note, but there was some very rough play that could have been taken charge of better.
Overall Performance: Average to below average. While Gantar made no major mistakes, he didn't add the strength the match may have needed. When Harris kicked Palmer in the face it could have been more than a yellow. When Shuler hip checked Harris it could have also been a card. Player safety should be taken seriously.
RSL v Colorado is a good rivalry in many ways and it is a quality match to be given. MLS showed faith in Gantar with this selection, and while he did not let them down, he also didn't step up to the plate. It will be interesting to see what future selections he gets.
Kevin Stott: Seattle Sounders FC v Portland Timbers:
SS: 19 fouls. Alonso, Hurtado, Johnson Yellow Cards
Timbers: 18 fouls. Baptiste, Johnson Yellow Cards
Contentious Decisions: None of major note in a hard fought battle.
Overall Performance: Average. In a heated battle in front of a large crowd Stott was strong as usual and was not overwhelmed by the moment.
Seattle v Portland was one of the biggest matches of the week. I predicted in an earlier Report that Stott would get one of the bigger matches and was right. While Stott may not be the best ref in MLS, he is consistent and strong. MLS knows Stott can handle the big matches, and this bodes well for his future.
Jair Marrufo: FC Dallas V Houston Dynamo:
FCD: 9 fouls. Cooper Yellow Card
Houston: 15 fouls. Sarkodie Yellow Card
Contentious Decisions: Missed handball on the Cooper winner.
Overall Performance: Average. While Marrufo didn't shine or disgust, the error in the final moments reduced his overall performance.
The Texas Derby while being non conference is still a somewhat heated rivalry. Marrufo is a well respected ref and this assignment shows that. While he isn't the best of the best, he is top 10. The missed Cooper call will not distract MLS from his usual quality, it may add to the perception that he isn't a big time final kind of guy.
Ricardo Salazar: Los Angeles Galaxy V Chivas USA:
LA: 8 fouls. Franklin, Sarvas, Keane Yellow Cards
Chivas: 22 fouls. Iraheta Yellow Card, Velazquez Red Card
Contentious Decisions: The Velazquez red card, and lack of many more cards for Chivas based on the massive disparity in fouls.
Overall Performance: Average to slightly above average. The Velazquez yellow turned red was correct based on the reaction from the player. Overall it was a quality performance, though I never understand when a ref blows for foul after foul but doesn't back it up with the strength of a card.
The California Classico was the marque match of Sunday and Salazar was a worthy choice. Salazar is known for his consistency and level head and MLS surely sees him as a top official. I personally don't rate him as top 5, but I believe MLS does.
Overall it was a good week for MLS refs with few major errors, but few standout performances. I find it interesting that Chris Penso wasn't given a top clash since he is one of the strongest refs in the league. If he isn't given a top clash next week I will start to wonder if he is carrying an injury. The correct (in my opinion) call on the possible Redbulls goal and the Cooper handball will be talking points, but when you consider it is rivalry week with some of the most heated match-ups in the league, the overall performance of the men with the whistle was admirable.
I expect the refs we saw the past weekend will be given a break or given 4th official jobs this weekend which will make this weekends clashes interesting. Some refs rise when given the chance, others shrink. Who has a good match on the "off week" after the rivalry clashes could see their stock rise above the likes of Gonzalez, Rivero, and possibly Gantar when other big chance clashes come up.
Thank you for reading, and until next time, this was the Ref Report.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Monday, March 4, 2013
Opening Weekend 3-4-13
For those of you new to the Ref Report, welcome. For those of you familiar with us, welcome back. The point of the report is to keep tabs on the refs in MLS and spread the word as to which are the quality refs, and which ones leave something to be desired. Comments are always appreciated, enjoy.
Baldomero Toledo: Houston Dynamo v DC United
Contentious Decisions: Woolard Yellow, Korb penalty, Pontius handball, Houston corner, Barnes penalty shout.
Discipline: Houston: 16 fouls. DC: Woolard Yellow, Korb Yellow, 16 fouls.
Overall Performance: Below Average. It was a rather dodgy performance for one of the best refs in all of CONCACAF. It started with the Woolard yellow. The right call in the end as the keeper was coming out and there was no sure fire shot at goal. The penalty on Korb when he pulled down Clark outside the box was soon to follow. No matter what position the ref was in, it had to be clear the foul occurred outside the box. Yes it was close, but it was a blown call for sure. Hamid saved the PK, saving Toledo some blushes, but DC has a right to be upset. If the foul had been committed in the box, it should have been a red in my opinion. So Toledo again made a curious decision. Then came a handball by Pontius which neither Toledo or his assistants saw. In the second half Houston was given a corner when the ball clearly went out on Houston's Garcia, again a blown call by Toledo and his assistant. Finally came a penalty shout for Houston when Riley tugged Barnes to the ground. In the end Toledo made the right call here. While there was contact, Barnes got the shot off. It would have been very harsh to give a penalty when it had little impact on Barnes attempt.
Kevin Stott: LA Galaxy v Chicago Fire
Contentious Decisions: None of real note.
Discipline: LA: 13 fouls. Chicago: 14 fouls.
Overall Performance: Average. While Stott didn't blow any major calls, he did break up the flow of play quite often with foul calls when play could have resumed and advantage could have been played. Based on match day one results, MLS seems to be averaging a few extra fouls per match this season, meaning a stricter interpretation of the laws may be in effect. Or, the early season form of the players could be still a little off, making a few more rash challenges. Either way, Stott likes to be the man in charge, and it appears this season will be no different, but the lack of cards says he realized the match was played in a good spirit and didn't find it necessary to throw out cards to calm a match down that wasn't hot.
Jair Marrufo: Portland Timbers v New York Redbulls
Contentious Decisions: Handball shout against Olave, penalty shout Baptiste.
Discipline: Portland: 8 fouls. NY: 17 fouls.
Overall Performance: Average at best. I've never been a fan of a ref blowing up for foul after foul after foul, in particular for the road team, without handing out at least one card to stem the tide or to discipline the club. 17 fouls without a card is pushing the limit for me. On the bright side, he got the call on Olave correct, it hit his rib cage and not his hand. The penalty shout when Baptiste was clearly pulled down inside the box was a massive blunder. There was no way Marrufo or his assistant didn't see the foul. It very well could have cost Portland the match.
As we head toward MLS rivalry week (the closest MLS can get to a derby week) it will be very interesting to see what refs get what matches. Opening weekend Mark Geiger took Philadelphia v Sporting Kansas City and reigning MLS Ref of the Year Silviu Petrescu took Seattle Sounders FC v Montreal Impact. The refs to watch will be Mark Geiger, Baldomero Toledo, Silviu Petrescu, Chris Penso, Jair Marrufo, and Kevin Stott. Based on what matches they are given we will know how MLS rates them. For my money, Geiger and Penso are the refs best equipped for the heated rivalries. We shall see if MLS agrees.
Until next time, that was the Ref Report.
Baldomero Toledo: Houston Dynamo v DC United
Contentious Decisions: Woolard Yellow, Korb penalty, Pontius handball, Houston corner, Barnes penalty shout.
Discipline: Houston: 16 fouls. DC: Woolard Yellow, Korb Yellow, 16 fouls.
Overall Performance: Below Average. It was a rather dodgy performance for one of the best refs in all of CONCACAF. It started with the Woolard yellow. The right call in the end as the keeper was coming out and there was no sure fire shot at goal. The penalty on Korb when he pulled down Clark outside the box was soon to follow. No matter what position the ref was in, it had to be clear the foul occurred outside the box. Yes it was close, but it was a blown call for sure. Hamid saved the PK, saving Toledo some blushes, but DC has a right to be upset. If the foul had been committed in the box, it should have been a red in my opinion. So Toledo again made a curious decision. Then came a handball by Pontius which neither Toledo or his assistants saw. In the second half Houston was given a corner when the ball clearly went out on Houston's Garcia, again a blown call by Toledo and his assistant. Finally came a penalty shout for Houston when Riley tugged Barnes to the ground. In the end Toledo made the right call here. While there was contact, Barnes got the shot off. It would have been very harsh to give a penalty when it had little impact on Barnes attempt.
Kevin Stott: LA Galaxy v Chicago Fire
Contentious Decisions: None of real note.
Discipline: LA: 13 fouls. Chicago: 14 fouls.
Overall Performance: Average. While Stott didn't blow any major calls, he did break up the flow of play quite often with foul calls when play could have resumed and advantage could have been played. Based on match day one results, MLS seems to be averaging a few extra fouls per match this season, meaning a stricter interpretation of the laws may be in effect. Or, the early season form of the players could be still a little off, making a few more rash challenges. Either way, Stott likes to be the man in charge, and it appears this season will be no different, but the lack of cards says he realized the match was played in a good spirit and didn't find it necessary to throw out cards to calm a match down that wasn't hot.
Jair Marrufo: Portland Timbers v New York Redbulls
Contentious Decisions: Handball shout against Olave, penalty shout Baptiste.
Discipline: Portland: 8 fouls. NY: 17 fouls.
Overall Performance: Average at best. I've never been a fan of a ref blowing up for foul after foul after foul, in particular for the road team, without handing out at least one card to stem the tide or to discipline the club. 17 fouls without a card is pushing the limit for me. On the bright side, he got the call on Olave correct, it hit his rib cage and not his hand. The penalty shout when Baptiste was clearly pulled down inside the box was a massive blunder. There was no way Marrufo or his assistant didn't see the foul. It very well could have cost Portland the match.
As we head toward MLS rivalry week (the closest MLS can get to a derby week) it will be very interesting to see what refs get what matches. Opening weekend Mark Geiger took Philadelphia v Sporting Kansas City and reigning MLS Ref of the Year Silviu Petrescu took Seattle Sounders FC v Montreal Impact. The refs to watch will be Mark Geiger, Baldomero Toledo, Silviu Petrescu, Chris Penso, Jair Marrufo, and Kevin Stott. Based on what matches they are given we will know how MLS rates them. For my money, Geiger and Penso are the refs best equipped for the heated rivalries. We shall see if MLS agrees.
Until next time, that was the Ref Report.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
The Ref Report: 11-24-12
Welcome to the latest edition of the Ref Report, a hotly awaited edition if you have been watching the MLS Playoffs. With only 1 match remaining in the season, its never too late to get stuck in.
Ricrdo Salazar: Houston Dynamo v DC United (1st Leg Eastern Conference Final)
Contentious Decision(s): Missed obvious red card call on Hainault which changed the game.
Discipline: 9 fouls by Houston, 1 Yellow Card: Kandji. 13 fouls by DC.
Overall Performance: Average, turned horribly bad after an obvious blown call. The main bone of contention during this match was clearly the non-call on Hainault, which changed the match. If Hainault had been sent off, Houston would have had to battle for half the match with 10 men, and Hainault would never have been on the pitch to score Houston's first goal of the series. Almost immediately after the blown call, head of professional referees Peter Walton came out with a statement backing Salazar stating that the call was correct due to other Houston players in the vicinity, and if it had been wrong, it should have been a foul call or a yellow card and not a red card. The defense by Walton itself tells you how wrong the call was. Claiming it was right, but then saying even if it was wrong it was not as wrong as people think is a complete and total disgrace. I get that Walton needs to back his officials, which he explained on Extra Time Radio as is his priority, but how can we have faith in our ref when the head of refs won't even give us the truth. First, there were Houston players in the vicinity, trailing the action and in no position to catch up to Augusto until he was down on the ground from the Hainault challenge. Second, it was a clear attempt to stop Augusto from having a one-on-one with the keeper. Third, the biggest Houston Dynamo backer on the planet even saw the reality of the situation. In response to the non-call Houston manager Dominic Kinnear said "If it was called a foul and a red card, I wouldn't have complained one bit." What Salazer was thinking we may never know, but it changed the course of the series and may have cost DC a trip to MLS Cup, and the chance to host the match at RFK. Salazar shouldn't get another top job this season, and should start next season with the desire to make the right and obvious calls correctly.
Jair Marrufo: Los Angeles Galaxy v Seattle Sounders FC (1st Leg Western Conference Final)
Contentious Decision(s): Missed a likely handball call on Sean Franklin in the 14th minute, possible game changer.
Discipline: 12 fouls by Los Angeles, 7 fouls by Seattle, 1 Yellow Card: Hurtado.
Overall Performance: Average to below average. While Marrufo did a passable job, 12 fouls without a card is a rare occurrence, and the Franklin handball while a judgement decision could have been bad judgement. Marrufo seems to struggle in the big matches and seems to bow to pressure from home crowds. If he can't become a stronger ref in these elements next season, his reputation as one of the better MLS refs really needs to go away. I'd be stunned if he gets another top job this season.
Baldomero Toledo: DC United v Houston Dynamo (2nd Leg Eastern Conference Final)
Contentious Decision(s): Nothing of major note. A rather clean game between two teams not afraid to get stuck in, foul, and break up opposition tempo play.
Discipline: 9 fouls by Houston, 1 Yellow Card: Kandji. 13 fouls by DC.
Overall Performance: Consistent and slightly above average. Letting DC accumulate fouls without attempting to stem the tide with a yellow was really the only blip for a man recognized as one of CONCACAF's best referees. He let the match flow and only handed out one card in what wasn't a mean spirited or dirty match, that card being for dissent. I expect Toledo to be on the short list for the MLS Cup Final, and to see him this offseason when there are any friendlies of note in the region.
Mark Geiger: Seattle Sounders FC v Los Angeles Galaxy (2nd Leg Western Conference Final)
Contentious Decision(s): Handball call on Johansson, Alonso second yellow for dissent.
Discipline: 14 fouls by Seattle, 3 Cards: Yellow: Johnson, Yellow: Alonso, Yellow/Red: Alonso. 14 fouls by Los Angeles.
Overall Performance: Above Average. While many were up in arms about the handball call on Johansson, (Seattle fans and LA haters) the call was indeed the correct one, even if difficult to make in front of nearly 45,000 rabid fans. One thing Geiger doesn't lack is confidence in his decisions. Johansson had one arm in a Nazi salute, and the other trailing and wide, making himself bigger in an attempt to block anything Robbie Keane was intending to do. If not made, the call would have been shockingly bad. Head of Referees Peter Walton backed the Geiger call, admitting though that the laws of the game were rather ambiguous and it was purely a ref decision. "Soccer Jesus" Alexi Lalas went on the air for ESPN to say that he agreed with the call (as did everyone who worked as on air talent for ESPN, it was that easy of a call) but said in the future all balls in the box that make contact with a hand should be called fouls, no matter body shape or position. Thankfully Peter Walton was not a fan of this idea, and claimed that the referee being in charge of body position and if the move was deliberate is what makes the game beautiful and gives every fan an opinion. Once again uproar happened with a Geiger playoff call, and once again Geiger was right. Another decision that was right was the very late sending off of Alonso for dissent on a second yellow. Geiger is in charge, and everyone needs to respect that. Alonso didn't, and he needed to go. The only problem I have with any of Geiger's performance was the accumulation of LA fouls never went anywhere. 14 fouls with no card is usually a sign of weakness. While no tackle was malicious, I've always been a fan of the early tone setting card to let both teams know the score, in particular a card for a rash challenge made by a forward, someone who has less chance of a second yellow through dangerous play than a midfielder or defender. Overall Geiger has had an impressive season following his coming out party last season as MLS Ref of the Year. If the US has a hope of an American ever taking charge of the World Cup Final, it may very well be Mark Geiger. While he is on the short list for the MLS Cup Final according to Peter Walton, the reality is he will not be the main man in charge for the Final. Even when correct, you can only cause so many uproars during a post-season before you are put on the back burner.
So there we have the Report for both legs of the Conference Finals. I shall return for the MLS Cup Final, a year end MLS Ref Power Ranking Report, and for any friendlies this off season involving notable MLS referees or CONCACAF teams. Until next time, that's The Ref Report.
BREAKING NEWS: As I type this the news wire has sprung to life with news of the MLS Cup Final referee assignments. Silviu Petrescu, recently awarded with MLS Ref of the Year, the first Canadian to ever win the award, will take charge of the final.
While Toledo would have been a safe choice, congrats to Petrescu. After receiving the Ref of the Year Award, getting the MLS Cup Final is just reward. May he have a good and consistent match where we don't even notice he is there.
Interestingly enough, Petrescu has seen action only once in these playoffs. He took charge of the Galaxy v Whitecaps match to see who made the final 4 of their conference. In a tight match, he handed out 4 yellow cards and awarded a late penalty to LA which secured the victory. I personally was not bowled over by the performance, but his seasons work clearly won him the position. 37% of players and 50% of the media voted for him in the ref of the year awards.
Daniel Belleau and Darren Clark will assist Petrescu, while Hilario Grajeda gets the 4th official's job.
Ricrdo Salazar: Houston Dynamo v DC United (1st Leg Eastern Conference Final)
Contentious Decision(s): Missed obvious red card call on Hainault which changed the game.
Discipline: 9 fouls by Houston, 1 Yellow Card: Kandji. 13 fouls by DC.
Overall Performance: Average, turned horribly bad after an obvious blown call. The main bone of contention during this match was clearly the non-call on Hainault, which changed the match. If Hainault had been sent off, Houston would have had to battle for half the match with 10 men, and Hainault would never have been on the pitch to score Houston's first goal of the series. Almost immediately after the blown call, head of professional referees Peter Walton came out with a statement backing Salazar stating that the call was correct due to other Houston players in the vicinity, and if it had been wrong, it should have been a foul call or a yellow card and not a red card. The defense by Walton itself tells you how wrong the call was. Claiming it was right, but then saying even if it was wrong it was not as wrong as people think is a complete and total disgrace. I get that Walton needs to back his officials, which he explained on Extra Time Radio as is his priority, but how can we have faith in our ref when the head of refs won't even give us the truth. First, there were Houston players in the vicinity, trailing the action and in no position to catch up to Augusto until he was down on the ground from the Hainault challenge. Second, it was a clear attempt to stop Augusto from having a one-on-one with the keeper. Third, the biggest Houston Dynamo backer on the planet even saw the reality of the situation. In response to the non-call Houston manager Dominic Kinnear said "If it was called a foul and a red card, I wouldn't have complained one bit." What Salazer was thinking we may never know, but it changed the course of the series and may have cost DC a trip to MLS Cup, and the chance to host the match at RFK. Salazar shouldn't get another top job this season, and should start next season with the desire to make the right and obvious calls correctly.
Jair Marrufo: Los Angeles Galaxy v Seattle Sounders FC (1st Leg Western Conference Final)
Contentious Decision(s): Missed a likely handball call on Sean Franklin in the 14th minute, possible game changer.
Discipline: 12 fouls by Los Angeles, 7 fouls by Seattle, 1 Yellow Card: Hurtado.
Overall Performance: Average to below average. While Marrufo did a passable job, 12 fouls without a card is a rare occurrence, and the Franklin handball while a judgement decision could have been bad judgement. Marrufo seems to struggle in the big matches and seems to bow to pressure from home crowds. If he can't become a stronger ref in these elements next season, his reputation as one of the better MLS refs really needs to go away. I'd be stunned if he gets another top job this season.
Baldomero Toledo: DC United v Houston Dynamo (2nd Leg Eastern Conference Final)
Contentious Decision(s): Nothing of major note. A rather clean game between two teams not afraid to get stuck in, foul, and break up opposition tempo play.
Discipline: 9 fouls by Houston, 1 Yellow Card: Kandji. 13 fouls by DC.
Overall Performance: Consistent and slightly above average. Letting DC accumulate fouls without attempting to stem the tide with a yellow was really the only blip for a man recognized as one of CONCACAF's best referees. He let the match flow and only handed out one card in what wasn't a mean spirited or dirty match, that card being for dissent. I expect Toledo to be on the short list for the MLS Cup Final, and to see him this offseason when there are any friendlies of note in the region.
Mark Geiger: Seattle Sounders FC v Los Angeles Galaxy (2nd Leg Western Conference Final)
Contentious Decision(s): Handball call on Johansson, Alonso second yellow for dissent.
Discipline: 14 fouls by Seattle, 3 Cards: Yellow: Johnson, Yellow: Alonso, Yellow/Red: Alonso. 14 fouls by Los Angeles.
Overall Performance: Above Average. While many were up in arms about the handball call on Johansson, (Seattle fans and LA haters) the call was indeed the correct one, even if difficult to make in front of nearly 45,000 rabid fans. One thing Geiger doesn't lack is confidence in his decisions. Johansson had one arm in a Nazi salute, and the other trailing and wide, making himself bigger in an attempt to block anything Robbie Keane was intending to do. If not made, the call would have been shockingly bad. Head of Referees Peter Walton backed the Geiger call, admitting though that the laws of the game were rather ambiguous and it was purely a ref decision. "Soccer Jesus" Alexi Lalas went on the air for ESPN to say that he agreed with the call (as did everyone who worked as on air talent for ESPN, it was that easy of a call) but said in the future all balls in the box that make contact with a hand should be called fouls, no matter body shape or position. Thankfully Peter Walton was not a fan of this idea, and claimed that the referee being in charge of body position and if the move was deliberate is what makes the game beautiful and gives every fan an opinion. Once again uproar happened with a Geiger playoff call, and once again Geiger was right. Another decision that was right was the very late sending off of Alonso for dissent on a second yellow. Geiger is in charge, and everyone needs to respect that. Alonso didn't, and he needed to go. The only problem I have with any of Geiger's performance was the accumulation of LA fouls never went anywhere. 14 fouls with no card is usually a sign of weakness. While no tackle was malicious, I've always been a fan of the early tone setting card to let both teams know the score, in particular a card for a rash challenge made by a forward, someone who has less chance of a second yellow through dangerous play than a midfielder or defender. Overall Geiger has had an impressive season following his coming out party last season as MLS Ref of the Year. If the US has a hope of an American ever taking charge of the World Cup Final, it may very well be Mark Geiger. While he is on the short list for the MLS Cup Final according to Peter Walton, the reality is he will not be the main man in charge for the Final. Even when correct, you can only cause so many uproars during a post-season before you are put on the back burner.
So there we have the Report for both legs of the Conference Finals. I shall return for the MLS Cup Final, a year end MLS Ref Power Ranking Report, and for any friendlies this off season involving notable MLS referees or CONCACAF teams. Until next time, that's The Ref Report.
BREAKING NEWS: As I type this the news wire has sprung to life with news of the MLS Cup Final referee assignments. Silviu Petrescu, recently awarded with MLS Ref of the Year, the first Canadian to ever win the award, will take charge of the final.
While Toledo would have been a safe choice, congrats to Petrescu. After receiving the Ref of the Year Award, getting the MLS Cup Final is just reward. May he have a good and consistent match where we don't even notice he is there.
Interestingly enough, Petrescu has seen action only once in these playoffs. He took charge of the Galaxy v Whitecaps match to see who made the final 4 of their conference. In a tight match, he handed out 4 yellow cards and awarded a late penalty to LA which secured the victory. I personally was not bowled over by the performance, but his seasons work clearly won him the position. 37% of players and 50% of the media voted for him in the ref of the year awards.
Daniel Belleau and Darren Clark will assist Petrescu, while Hilario Grajeda gets the 4th official's job.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
The Ref Report: 11-11-12
A funny thing happened shortly after the first "The Ref Report", the man with the whistle became a very important part of the very next match, in front of a live TV audience. While I am no prophet, I believe fans of MLS may finally be realizing the importance of the man in the middle. Prior to the match, I commented that in "The Ref Report Power Rankings", Mark Geiger would be solidly in the #2 position. My thoughts were put to the test over the next 90 minutes...
Mark Geiger: New York Red Bulls v DC United (Eastern Conference Semi-Final Second Leg)
Contentious Decision(s): 2 shouts for handball, one straight red card, one second yellow red card, one penalty, and one retaken penalty.
Discipline: 14 fouls by New York, 2 yellows: Marquez, Marquez. 12 fouls by DC, 1 yellow: Pajoy. 1 red: Hamid
Overall Performance: Superb As we all know, the ref has to make split second decisions based solely on what he (or in some cases his assistants) has seen in real time. No replays. No slow motion. The two handball shouts are a perfect example. With the crowd baying for blood, or the players vehemently protesting, or the commentators criticizing your choice, the ref has a lonely position. In this case, though criticized on both handball calls, replay showed in both instances that Geiger got the calls right. His positioning for both was superb. Immediate reactions, mine included, were wrong, and Geiger's were correct. At this point, a friend made a comment that the ref had lost control, while I stated I believed he had been doing a superb job. Again my thoughts were soon to be tested. With the red card, Geiger was given no choice. Bill Hamid lost his mind, and he had to go. Again, Geiger made the right call. Then Kenny Cooper stepped up to take the penalty. After several minutes and a substitution for a new keeper, Cooper stepped up and slotted the penalty home. The problem being (as he did once before, that time not in DC's favor) Thierry Henry, Rafa Marquez, and Dax McCarty had all entered the box during the stutter step of Cooper's kick, all breaking the laws of the game, and Henry worst of all, doing it right in front of the ref. So much so that as the ball entered the goal, Henry looked back over his shoulder at the ref to see if he noticed the obvious. Geiger, who is known for being a stickler for the laws of the game ordered a penalty retake. Again, the correct decision. Quickly after, Marquez made a reckless challenge feet from the ref. Geiger noted the foul, played advantage, made a motion to DC United manager Ben Olsen who was going crazy on the touchline that he had seen the foul, and the play continued. Here, Geiger got it right on every level. Marquez earned a second yellow and he had to be sent off. Advantage was played, and the manager was shown respect. (It also saved the 4th official an extra ear full.)
Never in all my years of watching the sport had I seen six contentious decisions during one match, all of which the referee had made correctly. That alone was quite a feet, but Geiger easily could have lost control of the match after any one of them. He stayed steady, stayed strong, and remained in control. What easily could have been the worst referee display I had ever seen turned out to be one of the best. If not for replay, we may never have known just how good a job he had really done.
Chris Penzo: Real Salt Lake v Seattle Sounders FC (Western Conference Semi-Final Second Leg)
Contentious Decision(s): None of major note.
Discipline: 10 fouls by RSL, 13 fouls by Seattle, 1 yellow card: Alonso.
Overall Performance: Average In an overly tactical match where the ref made very few big decisions, Penzo did an adequate job. One interesting side factor though was that Penzo had taken charge of 4 Seattle Sounders matches during the season, while taking charge of no RSL matches. It showed. Penzo's interactions with Freddy Montero had to be rather disturbing if you were a RSL fan. Before the match we saw him all smiles as he patted Montero on the stomach. Later in the match when Montero made a questionable challenge, again Penzo was buddy buddy with Montero. After another questionable challenge which could have easily earned Montero a yellow card, Penzo called Montero over, took his time in waiting for the other players in the area to disperse to a point where it seemed Montero wouldn't even be talked to. Then as Montero went to put an arm around Penzo, he put on a show for the crowd pointing to both areas of the pitch Montero committed offenses and telling him several times "No more". Montero's reaction was to stand there with a stunned look on his face. As a neutral, it left a bad taste in my mouth. While he made no major mistakes, Penzo did himself no favors in my eyes for during this match.
(On a side note, for those of you who followed professional wrestling in the late 90's and early naughts, Penzo may look familiar to you. My initial reaction to seeing Penzo pre-match was to ask myself, "When did Lance Storm become a ref?".)
Thank you for reading the latest "The Ref Report". With only 5 matches left to the MLS season, the decisions made by the men in the middle will be even more important and under even more scrutiny, and who MLS chooses to take charge of those final matches will be of great interest.
Until next time, that's The Ref Report.
Mark Geiger: New York Red Bulls v DC United (Eastern Conference Semi-Final Second Leg)
Contentious Decision(s): 2 shouts for handball, one straight red card, one second yellow red card, one penalty, and one retaken penalty.
Discipline: 14 fouls by New York, 2 yellows: Marquez, Marquez. 12 fouls by DC, 1 yellow: Pajoy. 1 red: Hamid
Overall Performance: Superb As we all know, the ref has to make split second decisions based solely on what he (or in some cases his assistants) has seen in real time. No replays. No slow motion. The two handball shouts are a perfect example. With the crowd baying for blood, or the players vehemently protesting, or the commentators criticizing your choice, the ref has a lonely position. In this case, though criticized on both handball calls, replay showed in both instances that Geiger got the calls right. His positioning for both was superb. Immediate reactions, mine included, were wrong, and Geiger's were correct. At this point, a friend made a comment that the ref had lost control, while I stated I believed he had been doing a superb job. Again my thoughts were soon to be tested. With the red card, Geiger was given no choice. Bill Hamid lost his mind, and he had to go. Again, Geiger made the right call. Then Kenny Cooper stepped up to take the penalty. After several minutes and a substitution for a new keeper, Cooper stepped up and slotted the penalty home. The problem being (as he did once before, that time not in DC's favor) Thierry Henry, Rafa Marquez, and Dax McCarty had all entered the box during the stutter step of Cooper's kick, all breaking the laws of the game, and Henry worst of all, doing it right in front of the ref. So much so that as the ball entered the goal, Henry looked back over his shoulder at the ref to see if he noticed the obvious. Geiger, who is known for being a stickler for the laws of the game ordered a penalty retake. Again, the correct decision. Quickly after, Marquez made a reckless challenge feet from the ref. Geiger noted the foul, played advantage, made a motion to DC United manager Ben Olsen who was going crazy on the touchline that he had seen the foul, and the play continued. Here, Geiger got it right on every level. Marquez earned a second yellow and he had to be sent off. Advantage was played, and the manager was shown respect. (It also saved the 4th official an extra ear full.)
Never in all my years of watching the sport had I seen six contentious decisions during one match, all of which the referee had made correctly. That alone was quite a feet, but Geiger easily could have lost control of the match after any one of them. He stayed steady, stayed strong, and remained in control. What easily could have been the worst referee display I had ever seen turned out to be one of the best. If not for replay, we may never have known just how good a job he had really done.
Chris Penzo: Real Salt Lake v Seattle Sounders FC (Western Conference Semi-Final Second Leg)
Contentious Decision(s): None of major note.
Discipline: 10 fouls by RSL, 13 fouls by Seattle, 1 yellow card: Alonso.
Overall Performance: Average In an overly tactical match where the ref made very few big decisions, Penzo did an adequate job. One interesting side factor though was that Penzo had taken charge of 4 Seattle Sounders matches during the season, while taking charge of no RSL matches. It showed. Penzo's interactions with Freddy Montero had to be rather disturbing if you were a RSL fan. Before the match we saw him all smiles as he patted Montero on the stomach. Later in the match when Montero made a questionable challenge, again Penzo was buddy buddy with Montero. After another questionable challenge which could have easily earned Montero a yellow card, Penzo called Montero over, took his time in waiting for the other players in the area to disperse to a point where it seemed Montero wouldn't even be talked to. Then as Montero went to put an arm around Penzo, he put on a show for the crowd pointing to both areas of the pitch Montero committed offenses and telling him several times "No more". Montero's reaction was to stand there with a stunned look on his face. As a neutral, it left a bad taste in my mouth. While he made no major mistakes, Penzo did himself no favors in my eyes for during this match.
(On a side note, for those of you who followed professional wrestling in the late 90's and early naughts, Penzo may look familiar to you. My initial reaction to seeing Penzo pre-match was to ask myself, "When did Lance Storm become a ref?".)
Thank you for reading the latest "The Ref Report". With only 5 matches left to the MLS season, the decisions made by the men in the middle will be even more important and under even more scrutiny, and who MLS chooses to take charge of those final matches will be of great interest.
Until next time, that's The Ref Report.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
The Ref Report: 11-8-12
THE REF REPORT: 11-8-12
Welcome to the inaugural "The Ref Report". Before I get down to business, a little explanation for the new blog...
For months I have been saying that Major League Soccer will never truly arrive until we know our refs, until we know which refs are good/bad/indifferent, and until we have better quality refs. So, to help the cause, who better than me and my big mouth to give reviews of MLS ref performances and the occasional big moment in the world game. I'm not a ref myself, but I have watched enough of the game to know when a ref is quality and when he/she isn't. I have also read books by former referees which gives added insight into why some decisions are made and why some are not, as well as the need for context when judging a contentious decision as it relates to the match itself. A ref may call something a penalty in one match that he/she wouldn't even flinch at in another.
I hope for this blog to evolve with time, and any suggestions you may have to help improve the experience will be greatly appreciated. So, without any further ado, here is my first attempt...
Jair Marrufo: DC United v New York Red Bulls (First Leg Eastern Conference Semi-Final)
Contentious Decision(s): Andy Najar second yellow/sending off, and the Conor Lade handball penalty. In the case of Najar, he showed imprudence and immaturity, disagreeing with a foul that was not only called, but judged to be a yellow card by referee Marrufo. Najar then showed an act of petulance where he threw the ball back/at the ref with minor venom from close distance. In the case of the penalty, Bronko Boskovic sent a ball into the area, with Lade being judged to have raised an arm into an unnatural position.
Discipline: 8 fouls for DC, 2 yellow cards equaling red: Najar, Najar. 8 fouls for New York, 2 yellow cards: Lade, Pearce.
Overall Performance: Below Average It appeared that the match may have been too much for Marrufo. Even without the penalty and sending off, Marrufo was in the way more often than he was a facilitator. After the sending off, he clearly lost control of the game. Overall, only a lack of depth with the MLS officials could lead to Marrufo handling another playoff match this season. Poor.
Hilario Grajeda: Seattle Sounders v Real Salt Lake (First Leg Western Conference Semi-Final)
Contentious Decision(s): No major issues of note.
Discipline: 13 fouls for Seattle, 2 yellow cards: Parke, Evans. 13 fouls for RSL, 2 yellow cards: Beckerman, Morales.
Overall Performance: Good One of the more consistent refs in MLS, Grajeda allowed the game to flow when he could, and stopped play for a variety of fouls when he had no other choice. The match was very evenly called. Expect Grajeda to get a conference Final.
Edvin Jurisevic: Houston Dynamo v Sporting KC (First Leg Eatern Conference Semi-Final)
Contentious Decision(s): No major bone of contention for either set of fans to hang their hat on.
Discipline: 15 fouls for Houston, 2 yellow cards: Carr, Sarkodie. 11 fouls KC, 1 yellow card: Kamara.
Overall Performance: Steady Jurisevic did a consistent job with the players, though some may complain about the lack of cards following the spate of fouls. Ricardo Clark had 4 fouls, easily the most by any player, yet he never saw a card. A semi-final may be the ceiling for Jurisevic this season, but I look forward to watching him again in the next.
Allen Chapman: Sporting KC v Houston Dynamo (Second Leg Eastern Conference Semi-Final)
Contentious Decision(s): None of real note due to ref consistency toward both teams.
Discipline: 14 fouls for KC, 2 yellow cards: Zusi, Myers. 14 fouls for Houston, 2 yellow cards: Garcia, Ashe.
Overall Performance: Above Average While Chapman was very steady and extremely consistent in his calling of the match, some fans may object to the lieniancy he showed, even though it went both ways. Each team had a complaint about fouls that were not given, but again, it went both ways. He tried to let the men play on as best as he could. Zusi's 5 fouls earning only 1 card could be a Houston complaint, but in the end, no harm no foul. Chapman is probably done for this post-season, but his consistency could see him rising up the MLS ladder.
Kevin Stott: San Jose Earthquakes v Los Angeles Galaxy (Second Leg Western Conference Semi-Final)
Contentious Decision(s): 2 clearly intentional elbows by Bernandez in the first 5 minutes which only garnered 1 yellow card. Anything involving that C-U-Next-Tuesday Lenhart and his battles with Gonzalez.
Discipline: 9 fouls for SJ, 2 yellow cards: Bernandez, Lenhart. 8 fouls for LA, 2 yellow cards: Beckham and Gonzalez.
Overall Performance: Slightly Below Average The match was called pretty evenly by Stott, but both sets of fans surely have a few complaints. Bernandez could have/should have been sent off for 2 intentional elbows to the back of the neck/head in the first 5 minutes of the match. His yellow card actually came from the lesser of the two offenses. Both sides saw potential fouls/corners go by without a mention from the ref. The one minor bright spot for Stott may have been his handling of a corner Chris Wondolowski wanted but never received. He began cussing at the ref on an open mic. An overly weak or overly strong ref may have given him a warning or a card, while Stott turned his back and continued in his duties. There were no major incidents, the game flowed for the most part, and neither team was more hard done by than the other, but yet the performance was still below the best of what we need to see from our refs. The Beckham and Gonzalez cards in particular were given on flimsy challenges that were far from their worst of the evening. The same can be said of Lenhart. I'm hoping it was just an off night for Stott, but I would be surprised if he gets another assignment before the playoffs end. The line between what he did right/wrong and what Chapman did right/wrong in the KC v Houston match is a thin line, but that thin line is the difference between a solid ref performance and one that leaves both sets of fans wanting better.
Well, there it is, the first Ref Report. With only 5 matches to go in the season, I know I'm coming to the ball late, but better late than never right? If anyone has any questions, comments, or critiques, feel free to leave me a message. Hopefully this is just the first step in the US fan becoming more involved and aware about their refs in the MLS. I hope that by next season I will be able to have my own MLS ref ranking system, helping you to know what you can expect from any ref taking charge of your favorite MLS clubs match.
Until next time, that's the Ref Report!
Welcome to the inaugural "The Ref Report". Before I get down to business, a little explanation for the new blog...
For months I have been saying that Major League Soccer will never truly arrive until we know our refs, until we know which refs are good/bad/indifferent, and until we have better quality refs. So, to help the cause, who better than me and my big mouth to give reviews of MLS ref performances and the occasional big moment in the world game. I'm not a ref myself, but I have watched enough of the game to know when a ref is quality and when he/she isn't. I have also read books by former referees which gives added insight into why some decisions are made and why some are not, as well as the need for context when judging a contentious decision as it relates to the match itself. A ref may call something a penalty in one match that he/she wouldn't even flinch at in another.
I hope for this blog to evolve with time, and any suggestions you may have to help improve the experience will be greatly appreciated. So, without any further ado, here is my first attempt...
Jair Marrufo: DC United v New York Red Bulls (First Leg Eastern Conference Semi-Final)
Contentious Decision(s): Andy Najar second yellow/sending off, and the Conor Lade handball penalty. In the case of Najar, he showed imprudence and immaturity, disagreeing with a foul that was not only called, but judged to be a yellow card by referee Marrufo. Najar then showed an act of petulance where he threw the ball back/at the ref with minor venom from close distance. In the case of the penalty, Bronko Boskovic sent a ball into the area, with Lade being judged to have raised an arm into an unnatural position.
Discipline: 8 fouls for DC, 2 yellow cards equaling red: Najar, Najar. 8 fouls for New York, 2 yellow cards: Lade, Pearce.
Overall Performance: Below Average It appeared that the match may have been too much for Marrufo. Even without the penalty and sending off, Marrufo was in the way more often than he was a facilitator. After the sending off, he clearly lost control of the game. Overall, only a lack of depth with the MLS officials could lead to Marrufo handling another playoff match this season. Poor.
Hilario Grajeda: Seattle Sounders v Real Salt Lake (First Leg Western Conference Semi-Final)
Contentious Decision(s): No major issues of note.
Discipline: 13 fouls for Seattle, 2 yellow cards: Parke, Evans. 13 fouls for RSL, 2 yellow cards: Beckerman, Morales.
Overall Performance: Good One of the more consistent refs in MLS, Grajeda allowed the game to flow when he could, and stopped play for a variety of fouls when he had no other choice. The match was very evenly called. Expect Grajeda to get a conference Final.
Edvin Jurisevic: Houston Dynamo v Sporting KC (First Leg Eatern Conference Semi-Final)
Contentious Decision(s): No major bone of contention for either set of fans to hang their hat on.
Discipline: 15 fouls for Houston, 2 yellow cards: Carr, Sarkodie. 11 fouls KC, 1 yellow card: Kamara.
Overall Performance: Steady Jurisevic did a consistent job with the players, though some may complain about the lack of cards following the spate of fouls. Ricardo Clark had 4 fouls, easily the most by any player, yet he never saw a card. A semi-final may be the ceiling for Jurisevic this season, but I look forward to watching him again in the next.
Allen Chapman: Sporting KC v Houston Dynamo (Second Leg Eastern Conference Semi-Final)
Contentious Decision(s): None of real note due to ref consistency toward both teams.
Discipline: 14 fouls for KC, 2 yellow cards: Zusi, Myers. 14 fouls for Houston, 2 yellow cards: Garcia, Ashe.
Overall Performance: Above Average While Chapman was very steady and extremely consistent in his calling of the match, some fans may object to the lieniancy he showed, even though it went both ways. Each team had a complaint about fouls that were not given, but again, it went both ways. He tried to let the men play on as best as he could. Zusi's 5 fouls earning only 1 card could be a Houston complaint, but in the end, no harm no foul. Chapman is probably done for this post-season, but his consistency could see him rising up the MLS ladder.
Kevin Stott: San Jose Earthquakes v Los Angeles Galaxy (Second Leg Western Conference Semi-Final)
Contentious Decision(s): 2 clearly intentional elbows by Bernandez in the first 5 minutes which only garnered 1 yellow card. Anything involving that C-U-Next-Tuesday Lenhart and his battles with Gonzalez.
Discipline: 9 fouls for SJ, 2 yellow cards: Bernandez, Lenhart. 8 fouls for LA, 2 yellow cards: Beckham and Gonzalez.
Overall Performance: Slightly Below Average The match was called pretty evenly by Stott, but both sets of fans surely have a few complaints. Bernandez could have/should have been sent off for 2 intentional elbows to the back of the neck/head in the first 5 minutes of the match. His yellow card actually came from the lesser of the two offenses. Both sides saw potential fouls/corners go by without a mention from the ref. The one minor bright spot for Stott may have been his handling of a corner Chris Wondolowski wanted but never received. He began cussing at the ref on an open mic. An overly weak or overly strong ref may have given him a warning or a card, while Stott turned his back and continued in his duties. There were no major incidents, the game flowed for the most part, and neither team was more hard done by than the other, but yet the performance was still below the best of what we need to see from our refs. The Beckham and Gonzalez cards in particular were given on flimsy challenges that were far from their worst of the evening. The same can be said of Lenhart. I'm hoping it was just an off night for Stott, but I would be surprised if he gets another assignment before the playoffs end. The line between what he did right/wrong and what Chapman did right/wrong in the KC v Houston match is a thin line, but that thin line is the difference between a solid ref performance and one that leaves both sets of fans wanting better.
Well, there it is, the first Ref Report. With only 5 matches to go in the season, I know I'm coming to the ball late, but better late than never right? If anyone has any questions, comments, or critiques, feel free to leave me a message. Hopefully this is just the first step in the US fan becoming more involved and aware about their refs in the MLS. I hope that by next season I will be able to have my own MLS ref ranking system, helping you to know what you can expect from any ref taking charge of your favorite MLS clubs match.
Until next time, that's the Ref Report!
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