Reviews

Now for a Nice Clean Sport With No Reffing Controversies

2/5/2013

Move Over, You Goofy-Looking Ball.

Feeling smug on Sunday evening, I worked on a project that was due. (Retirement is hell.) I came down at 10 PM and, doggone, the Super Bowl was still on. What did I miss?

Thanks to the blackout, I got to see most of the last quarter, and came to this conclusion: the officials were quite right not to call pass interference on the last desperate play.

Not that any sport wants situational officiating, but interference would have to be blatant to be called on the last fling downfield – arms being yanked out of their sockets, a kung-fu kick to the ankle, stuff like that.

Of course, the receiver and defender are going to be getting physical with each other in that spot, but that was no time to over-react.

All day Sunday, I was looking forward, as I always do around the Super Bowl, to an outbreak of pitchers and catchers to make me feel warm all over. This week there is something even more immediate – the U.S.-Honduras World Cup qualifying match in San Pedro Sula on Wednesday at 4 PM, eastern time.

The match is being carried on something called BeIN which is not included by my carrier. Looks like I am going to have to find a pub that carries this BeIN.

Some friends are upset because the U.S. looked so miserable in that 0-0 draw with Canada in Houston last week. I can only say that match had nothing to do with World Cup qualifying. It was the equivalent of a baseball spring training game, when the regulars don’t quite make the bus ride. In other words, it was a scam on paying customers. Michael Bradley is in Honduras. One Keano glare from him, and intensity will rise.

In the meantime, there are reports of hundreds of matches being influenced in recent years by a gambling ring out of Singapore.

Soccer is a tricky sport to fix, in that scoring is so random. If you want to get to a player, try the keeper – there have been a few with a gambling jones over the years.

But the person you really want is the ref, that solitary figure running around in the midst of 22 players.

The prominent clubs in Italy were penalized after the 2006 World Cup for a long pattern of influencing matches. Juve spent a year in Serie B. Officials from the richest clubs were able to request friendly refs for their matches. What did friendly mean? Unclear. But all it takes is one friendly call.

Talk about situational refereeing. When I first started to follow Serie A back in the late ‘80’s, lesser teams would play their hearts out for 70 or 80 minutes against Juventus or AC Milan or Inter Milan, but near the end of the match something would happen. A Juve player would become entangled with an opponent in the penalty area. The two would go down, both writhing. The ref would come a-running, suddenly energized, point to the little disk 12 yards from the goal. Rigore! Penalty kick!

It happened so often that I accepted it as a fact of life in Serie A. I’m looking forward to Wednesday’s match. Officiating in the Caribbean can get pretty situational, too.

Your comments always welcome. GV

Gary Drake

2/5/2013 04:50:20 am

George, greetings from Castellammare del golfo. I'm a friend of Pino's and former L'angolo NYC customer. Great piece on calcio. As I tweeted yesterday: "MLB has its problems, but no match-fixing since 1919". By the way, I'm new to tweeter. I'll be tweeting my (others say) wry MLB baseball commentary from my Sicilian terrace. Check me out of you want. Tweeter handle is: Forza Gemelli. In any event, keep out the good work and I'll see you when you are here on the island!!!
gary

George Vecsey

2/5/2013 05:35:22 am

Ciao, Gary. I know your name through Pino. Where is L'Angolo now that we need it Wed for a match? I hope to get to Castellamare one of these days. GV

Brian Savin

2/6/2013 01:28:41 am

Sure is an interesting exercise...ranking suspicious judging/reffing in order. Here's mine:

Summer Olympics (more recently in danger of losing my top spot)
Professional boxing
International soccer
NBA basketball
Olympic figure skating

NFL football goes into a unique category: lousy reffing, not suspicious, because nobody understands all the stupid rules.

Professional cycling also goes into it's own category: Officials' dishonest complaining about condoned cheating.

The category of "as clean as we can expect from humans":
1. Baseball
2. Hockey
3. Rugby

John McDermott

2/6/2013 01:07:07 pm

Apparently in soccer it's easier to fix the awarding of the hosting of the World Cup than it is to fix and individual match.

The ref in San Pedro Sula today was impeccable, This time it was the US team which stunk up the joint. Sure the long flights, lack of time to train together and the heat and humidity were factors. But we saw little of the aggressive attacking soccer which the coach has been promising since he got here and a defense-traditionally a strong point with US teams-that was a shambles. I can't imagine Marcelo Balboa letting that second Honduras goal happen. And maybe not the first one either. If Jürgen wanted to blood Gonzales in this game-a questionable idea to begin with-then he should have given him some cover and paired him with an experienced partner like Bocanegra, not with Cameron who never plays central defense in his club team in England.

George Vecsey

2/7/2013 01:32:50 am

John, I missed the match because this mysterious BeIN could not deliver the match. Otis Livingston on the local CBS last night showed a snippet of that 2-1 goal. You could have driven the cable car through that hole. The US defense has been fading for years. Cherundolo was/is their best. Boca is a great guy, not a straw boss, but still a leader by example and persona. First match in the Hex is no time for experiments. Not impressive, at all. GV

John McDermott

2/7/2013 10:15:48 am

Next two games are v. Costa Rica in Denver and v. Mexico at the Azteca. I can easily see the US ending up with a total of one point...or none. I bet that would provoke some panic, but it's more than possible. If I'm completely honest, part of me would not be unhappy if it went that way because I think US Soccer needs a serious jolt and the realistic possibility of failing to qualify for Brazil, or qualifying in an embarrassing and unconvincing fashion, might provide such a stimulus.

Gene Palumbo

2/6/2013 04:24:43 pm

George: You say “Not that any sport wants situational officiating,” but then, it appears to me, you immediately say that situational officiating WAS called for on that play. But why? Why raise the bar simply because, as you put it, it’s “the last fling downfield?” What does that have to do with anything?

Why say that, on that play, “interference would have to be blatant to be called.” Why not measure by the same standard used in the rest of the game?

“That was no time to over-react,” you say. But why would calling a holding penalty have been an over-reaction? Crabtree was being held. You can see it on youtube. I’m told that someone commented, “No need to call interference because the pass was overthrown.” It LOOKED overthrown because Crabtree, being held, was unable to get to it. But had he not been held, he would have been there to haul it in when it came floating down.

Brian Savin

2/7/2013 12:18:45 am

Actually, Gene, Crabtree pretty much admitted the ball was overthrown. He said if he had had a play, he thinks the penalty call would have been made. I think Crabtree is exactly right. So the question, to me, is this: If the purpose of the rules is to prevent unfair interference with plays that could be made, would calling the penalty on a play that very likely couldn't be made at the determinative point of the game be just as wrong and even contrary to the purpose of having rules? Refs call penalties on plays that can't be made earlier in games for a lot of reasons, because of the severity of the infraction, or to ensure the game doesn't get out of control. Indeed, even on that play in question, if Crabtree had been assaulted, I think it would have been called. But the actuality was that both players were pushing and shoving each other, as the TV commentators noted. For me, I think the purpose of having rules was honored on that call. I think Crabtree had it right in not faulting the refs there.

Gene Palumbo

2/7/2013 06:52:27 pm

Thanks for your reply, Brian. Here’s what’s not clear to me: is Crabtree saying that after being held, and thus slowed down, he didn’t have a play? Or is he saying that he wouldn’t have had a play even if he hadn’t been held? If it’s the second, then I’d agree with you. If it’s the first, I wouldn’t agree. When I look at the film and the still pictures, and see how little he missed it by even after being held, it seems clear to me that, had he not been held, and thus not lost the time that was eaten up while he was being held, he would have been able to get in position to catch it or, at the very least, to have a very good shot at catching it.

Brian Savin

2/8/2013 02:43:52 am

My reading of Crabtree is the second. He said something like, "if the ball had been thrown lower...." he thought they would have thrown the flag. He also said he was pushed and shoved but in the final analysis had no gripe with the refs. So, he seems to be right in line with your analysis and our bottom line conclusion.

George Vecsey

2/7/2013 01:19:11 am

Gene, I think my point is that refs shouldn't over-ref just because the game is on the line. They shouldn't raise their game to see things they wouldn't see earlier, even within the gray area.

pjt

2/7/2013 12:37:56 am

It's not just the judges, because the teams themselves and the governing organization factor in too, but pro cycling is the biggest boat race ever.

George Vecsey

2/7/2013 01:22:35 am

Cycling is a strange sport, with the code of the peloton often hard to decipher -- like Hamilton chasing down Ulrich to tell him to stop when Lance went off the course. And rivals drafting for each other, just because....GV

Brian Savin

2/7/2013 05:38:04 am

Here's a trivia question of distant "relation" to the NFL: Roger Goodell's father was possibly more controversial in a place than Roger is in New Orleans. Can you name his father, or the state in which he was involved? Hint: I just read an ESPN Grantland story about him and remember Roger's father very well.

George Vecsey

2/7/2013 09:20:18 am

Is it cheating if I wrote a column about it two years ago?

I have a friend who worked for R. Goodell's father, and has great respect for him.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/23/sports/23vecsey.html?_r=0

Brian Savin

2/7/2013 02:10:12 pm

Not in the least. I'm sorry I missed your 2010 because until I read this latest I hadn't realized the family connection. I remember the old man well, and the 1970 Senate race, including the NYT endorsement that had made me deliriously happy but didn't make a difference. A friend of mine said Charlie would have made Honest Abe proud. I agree. Ottinger never should have run; a thin reed in comparison.

Alan Rubin link

2/10/2013 04:48:49 am

I agree with George that an interference call on the last play of the game would have been a penalty that did not fit the crime.

Soccer, as is so often the case, has it right in that referees are continually cautioned in their training “not to call a game-changing foul”. I learned this from a professional soccer referee who taught a 1-1/2 hour class in my adult education course, Understanding Soccer, last spring.

One example was that a yellow card should not be given to a player who already has one as it is effectively a red card. It must be a severe foul to be called. I keep this, and much of what he said, in mind as I watch games. It explains why there are many “no calls” in obvious foul situations.

Maybe football and hockey could benefit by a yellow-red card system. If a player is out after a number of dangerous fouls, maybe some sanity could be achieved.

All the criticism of the US performance against Honduras is on target. The US goal was a classic, but they went downhill from there. After a while you can get a sense of a game and I was not surprised by the two Honduras goals. It was lucky that there were not more as the US defense was sloppy all to often.

On the tying goal, it took three seconds after the cross went into the corner before the US player began to move towards the ball. Another two seconds elapsed before he accelerated to challenge. He was about six yards away when the winning cross was struck.

My initial thought on the winning goal was that the Honduras player was too far out for Howard to make contact with the ball. Goalies have a fraction of a second to evaluate the danger of a situation and to decide what to do. Doing nothing is usually the worst option, so Howard had to decide whether to advance part way or to go for the ball.

Howard’ slide missed making contact with the ball leaving him vulnerable to the attacker going around him. If he had advanced to within a few arms lengths, which is what is recommended when not going for the ball, he would have been able to pursue the attacker. Of course, the result may have been the same.

There may have been a last minute communications mix up between the defenders, including Howard, but goalies have to try to make the best of it.

It may be obvious to the spectator what should have been done, but not to the player who is reacting by instinct without the luxury of time.

The Miracle of Castel di Sangro: A Tale of Passion and Folly in the Heart of Italy by Joe McGinniss is a fun read that has an element of game fixing in it.

Referees and goalies are in the best position to fix a game. It can be done in subtle ways, but over time their behavior should be picked up. When the money involved is so huge, it always remains a possibility.

My friend from Manchester City insists that Manchester United always gets extra stoppage time at home if they are behind or tied.

Jugen Klinsmann had recently stated that the press and fans were too lenient on the US team. He believed that it was important that they criticize the team, as well as his, performance. He certainly got his wish after the US-Honduras game. Maybe US soccer is beginning to come of age as more people take note and voice their displeasure when necessary.

George Vecsey

2/11/2013 02:22:26 am

Alan, I did not know that about caution for second yellows.
Broadcasters are always saying that a first yellow will slow down a nasty defender. Ha! Gentile got one in the first minute against Maradona in 1982. I was there. Didn't stop him.
Italian fans say Totti should never have gotten a yellow for diving against South Korea in 2002. But he did a two-and-a-half gainer. On sheer brutta figura, he deserved it. Thanks for your expertise on reffing. Welcome back. GV

Brian Savin

2/10/2013 06:18:30 am

Has anyone ever seen a Metropolitan Collegiate Hockey Conference game around the NYC area? I haven't but I think I might like to go to one next year. Fordham, Hofstra and Columbia are among the members. Enough local connection to warrant NY media coverage (which doesn't exist). No NCAA, no semi-pro "students," no bribed refs, no win-at-all-cost coaches. Sounds kind of pure and fun.

Mike Patlin

2/11/2013 09:49:35 am

Brian-

The "Metro" league has been around for quite some time. I played for the Quinnipiac hockey club back in the early 70's against clubs like Iona, Fairfield, Wagner, etc. This was ultimately absorbed into NCAA. The league you refer to now probably consists of the same type of "clubs" and yes, they are student athletes not recruited athlete "students' which seems to be the predominant way college sports operates.

Brian Savin

2/11/2013 01:12:36 pm

Mike
Congratulations on your old team achieving the #1 national ranking today! I guess this modern edition speaks Canuck, eh?
Brian

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