Exiled in Texas

Agreed because that argument is technically flawed. It works on the assumption that the referee saw everything, and therefore made all their decisions based on total knowedge of each and every event. However, we know that referees either only see part of the incident, or at times don't see anything at all. Howard Webb said after the WC Final that had he seen what De Jong really did he would have used Red not Yellow card, but the alignment of the player meant that he only had a partial view, and could only summise what might really have happened. There is a huge difference between a situation where the referee waives off a call because he saw it and said "no foul" and one where he didn't see enough to call a foul. So, the FA and FIFA need to accept that the referee sees one view, in real time only and does not have the luxury of mutiple replays from all angles, and that they need to assist the referees in cleaning up the game and not rely on the referees to do all the work for them. And I would also only limit this to acts of misconduct (dangerous play, Unsporting behavious etc) and not attempt to get into reviews of Penalty claims or missed offside calls as there can be no post-game revision of the scores etc.

why ? they done it with tackles from behind, professional fouls and some hand balls and the rules are already in place for them to do it as many of the refs asked about the incident have said it was a foul. So why aren't there more red card today already? Because, they are game changing events that get's the referee blamed for ruining/changing the game regardless of the fact that they were deserved or not. Assuming that the ref had a clearer view of De Jong tackle and now the game is played with city down a player for 86 minutes. You would have the pundits and media and fans saying that the game was ruined by an card-happy ref. (Think what the WC final would have been like if the Dutch were down 2 player within 20 mins - Webbs fault or Dutch player fault.) Yes, it shoudl happen more often. But there needs to be some push from the FA by dealing with tackles that were missed to show that more tackles should be dealt with.

Asking the referees to step up and call more Red Cards is extremely unlikely to happen. That's like asking referees to call more Penalties (and that includes those against Man Utd at OT). It's hard enough for a referee to determine a clear stonewall penalty case in the first place, let alone call marginal ones that will decide the games. Can you imagine what Fergie would do to a referee that called a PK to "Make a Point". It's tough enough as it is to be a referee and call a fair/honest game (which clearly will not please both sides). The disciplinary reviews should be taken offline and done by a video review panel - one that does not have to go back in the middle of OT in a weeks time. The NFL manages to handle incidents that are missed by the referee but are determined to be dangerous by a review panel, so it about having the will to do something about it, because the way is obvious.

If I'm gonna loose a game.....I want to loose to wonder goals like that one. Amazing.

Did I write that??......Hahaha - should may more attention to my sources when cut/pasting

I really should know more about Tom Hicks, seeing as I live in Texas where he owns the Dallas Stars NHL Franchise (and until just recently the Texas Rangers baseball team. He recently sold the Rangers for over $500M, but the franchise was in Chapter 11 bankruptcy which protects the company from creditors while it attempts to reorganise into a viable entity. The rumors in TX are that Hicks is still relatively broke (probably less than 100 mil ), and would like to sell the Dallas Stars as well.

Won't need to outlaw it as soon a couple of guys are going to be the poster children of what happens when things go wrong. It's like buying a house so you can rent it out and have the rent pay for the mortgage (thereby getting a free house). But when the interest rates go up, and you can't cover the mortgage payments, then you loose the house. H&G are about to find out that the foreclosure signs are out, and that all the bank cares about is getting back they money that they lent.

Rivalries are definately needed in MLS to add some "juice" to games that can be a bit flat. I really enjoyed this season at FC Dallas but a lot was due to seeing Thiery Henry when Red Bulls came to town, or Ljundquist with Chicago. Was not jazzed by any of the opposition as rivals yet. Hopefully that will come, and seeing as FCD are now in the playoffs, a nice series or two should help get some rivalries going to next season.

From a logistics point-of-view (esp season ticket sales), how does a team go from having 150 visitors one game to 2000 the next. That means that you cannot sell season tickets in the space where you will have to put the 2000, and can only sell them as single games or mini-plans. It's unusual that teams are even within driving distance (or that fans care enough to make the drive). The SEA-VAN-POR teams are one set, plus NY-PHI and maybe DAL-HOU, but for the most part, teams only have to worry about their own fans.

US sports are all set up as Franchises - not only do they own the team, but also 1/32 of the league. That's they love expansion and adding new teams, because the new team has to buy their way into the league and the current owners all take their shares. I do like the process of teams flowing up/down the leagues through promotion and relegation. Can you imagine if the Prem League was fixed at the current 20 and there was nothing to stop teams in the bottom like Wolves or Liverpool from dropping, but also no way up for Cardiff or QPR.

Draft Picks work in closed leagues (US Franchise leagues) not open ones with promotion/relegation. Because they assume that only teams in the league draft (32 NFL teams drafting or 20 PL teams) but they don't have the concept of a 92 team league spread across 4 or 5 different levels. They also work because the teams drafting the players does not have any interaction in the young player development area. No school boy or youth teams associated to the big clubs. Players come from High School or College teams (NFL,NBA, MLB) or from Junior Hockey (NHL) and they cannot be drafted to a Major League team until they pass a certain age. No schoolboy contracts or academy contracts allowed.

Well, there are always the Cubs and the Islanders to point to. Although the Cubs seem do very well from being the loveable loosers. And yes, the MLB cycle is much longer than that of the NFL, NBA and NHL - but it is possible to turn your draft picks into a winning team as long as you don't p*** each pick/prospect away for fools gold.

No relegation anywhere in US Sports, and you actually get rewarded for coming last by getting first pick at the most promising youngsters in the draft. 2-3 years in the dumpster (and drafting 2-3 stud players) and suddenly you can catapult to the top of the league.

Don't you love the idea that the owners should just spend whatever it takes regardless of fiscal responsibility. They are basically saying the owners have to do an Abramovich or they are not interested, and they have a basic right to being Top-4 and up with man U and Chelsea The deluded high pressure front seems to have moved away from Tyneside to Merseyside.

Can't believe that no-one has posted the Vinny/Gazza photo yet.

I have his friend too..... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/pmrye/Smilies/Yellowcard.gif

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/pmrye/Smilies/RedCardSmillie.gif

You are a referee, no? What is the situation with touching referee's anyway? Seems to differ by the leagues and the players. I was watching our match on Saturday, and M'Bia actually grabbed the referee's head with both of his hands when pleading for a decision. I thought he might even get sent off, but nothing was made of it. Yes, I referee. You read all sorts of non-verbal things when out there. Pat on the shoulder.... fine, Two handed touch to my face to plead a decision? Not fine, but probably not more than a verbal warning. Would accept that more in a latin environment, than an anglo/african game. It seems more cultural to the latin players. Now striking/pushing/shoving etc .... Bye Bye. It's like the difference between a player saying "I wasn't F****** offside" and "F***** H*** ref, I wasn't offside" You just know whether the expletive was aimed at you directly or was more just descriptive of the situation.

Too funny - probably mean to pat the ref on the shoulder, and ends up doing that.

Actually, I would see "Post Video Review" as adding to a referee's power. Being a referee isn't easy, and anyone who says it is, has never done it. As a Referee you hate to change a game (and you're always the game changer - never the players) and if you're not sure what you saw then you don't want to give something. So your more likely to let something go if you're not sure, than Red Card/award a PK etc when you're not sure. I would love to know that video replay was there - It would be a training tool for me as a referee to get better, and would allow me to rachette up my misconducts knowing that if I was wrong that it would be downgraded etc. It would also allow referees to say, I only got an interupted view, and had I seen on the field (what I saw on the replay) then I would have issued this card etc.

That's like saying it's OK to steal sweets from the corner shop, as it's the shopkeepers job to catch you and stop you. In my opinon, until the league (and the media) starts calling out the cheaters and divers and making as big a deal about it as forums like this do, nothing will change. It has to come from within the player, and I'm not expecting them to become saints because it's the right thing because we know they have no moral core, but that they are afraid of being outed as a cheat. Think about a game of footy with your mates, and someone was always diving, you'd give them grief in the pub about it later. If there was post game replay and player fines/suspensions for items not seen by the referee then the players would be forced to clean up their act. As it is, there is no incentive for them to play with morals. Alas, the league is run by eunocks and the media are afraid of loosing their meal ticket to do something about it.

http://www.toxic-web.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/blog/mcclown-wally-with-brolly.jpg http://cdn.radionetherlands.nl/data/files/imagecache/must_carry/images/lead/FC-Twente-wins-ANP.jpg

How many times must a Tatoo artist be thinking....WTF....are you serious?.....but it's your decision....so I'm happy to take your money.

Because all footbally clubs (and all businesses) think about your career first, and put their own business need second. FFS - If you're crap you're gone - not my problem Sammy.

But we are, are we not?