Reffing Update

Right sooo, I think one of the last posts before our hiatus, Mike was talking about us going out and reffing that spring and this fall. Well good game, cuz after the first tournament I was fed up with it. So take a knee, cuz here comes a nice rant.

Back when I was reffing about 4 years ago, before I went to grad school, I remember it being a challenge but being fun at the same time. Sure you would have the occasional uppity player or coach or parent, but not too bad and not too often. Nowdays, it's like you are supposed to be omnipotent out there. Know everything that's happening at all times. If you make a mistake, you're blasted for it. I mean hey, we're human, we're gonna make mistakes or not see fouls. But according to the spectators (especially parents) that's not good enough.

Then there are the players... most of them are good. Don't say a word, play hard, and play right; just like they should, like I did back in the day. If I got fouled, I didn't say squat whether I got the call or not. I just got up and kept playing. Now you have a few prima donnas out there who just can't have anything go against them. And once they start, it becomes contagious...

Lastly coaches. When I coached, unless it was a clearly blatant wrong call, I didn't say anything. I wanted to set a good example for my team. Now, every coach thinks they are "Sir Alex" out there and will question every call you make. I was yelled at by a coach from the other sideline, while I was an AR, not even the center for making a correct offside call, twice, on his team. It's enough to make you want to stop because even for the money, it's just not worth the abuse.

Now I know what you're thinking. You're saying, "A.J., you just have to grow thicker skin, mate." Wrong, no matter how thick your skin is (and I'll tell you, mine is pretty thick and my fuse is quite long) the comments get to you on some level. In the end, I am all in favor of the quiet games that are implemented in some areas where there are no spectators and the coaches can only give instruction to their players.

Anyway, rants like this should not deter anyone from giving reffing a shot. Mike does it still and enjoys it. He can forget easier than I. And in fact, I don't mind being an AR, but I don't know if I'll ever center again, unless it's an emergency. But something needs to be done about the lack of sportsmanship directed at the officials. Most of these kids are younger than I am by 10 years and if I am sick of it, imaging what they are going through. Players, coaches, and especially spectators need to chill out and realize what I did so long ago. This is a game. No one is going to die if they lose, no one will be making six figures if they win. The coaches aren't going to be selected to the US Men's National Team. It is supposed to be fun for everyone involved. But at the moment, I don't know if it's fun for anyone.

Holy Crap! It's Been A While!

Hey folks! I know it's been a while since either one of us has written anything on our blog and you all probably considered it dead. But fear not! We are back, ready to bring you more on the beautiful game!

Tonight, I am reacting to a couple articles I have read on the ESPNSoccernet. The first is an article that broke the news that some "foreign owners" want to end relegation. I say foreign owners because I believe there are undoubtedly some English owners who want their investments safe (even if they won't openly admit it). The second was an article which talked about what we all thought, which is WTF?

Mike and I discussed that relegation is what brings so much appeal to some us Americans about English soccer. The thought that a team in a division 10 leagues below the Premier league could, someday, be playing on the Premier stage. That the teams we like to follow could be relegated if they have a poor season (Newcastle for example which was in the Championship 2 years ago). It brings some excitement because all teams have something to play for. Either it winning the regular season crown or avoiding being humiliated and dropped down a league. What do our losers have to look forward to here in America? The #1 draft pick? Oh boy. In which case, fans actually root for their team to lose.

Wouldn't it be cool to have our soccer system set up like the English system? Here is a breakdown of the American soccer pyramid. Of course as another blog points out, it's missing one key item about being a pyramid. There is no upward or downward movement. So all the teams are bookmarked into their divisions with no chance of moving up or down.

Imagine how much fun it would be to be a fan of, for example, the Harrisburg City Islanders if there were relegation and promotion. They are a team that plays in the USL Professional Division (formerly USL-1). They are quite competitive, having won their respective league (USL-2) in 2007, came in second this year in the new USL Pro, and have beat 3 different MLS teams when they have gotten the chance during the U.S. Gold Cup. Heck, even the former Milwaukee Rampage beat the Chicago Fire.

Point is, these teams can play with the big boys, given the chance. But it will never happen. American professional sports teams are franchises where investors don't want to have anything unpredictable happen and therefore, lose money. It's unfortunate but it shows what really drives American sports. Money.

That's it tonight. Stay tuned for a review of the game Mike and I had pre-ordered and are currently obsessing over currently, FIFA 12. Oh and check out the new poll!