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OgtheDim
04-13-2016, 09:53 AM
Really interesting read

https://sports.vice.com/en_us/article/behind-the-scenes-of-mlss-efforts-to-improve-officiating

Oblio2
04-13-2016, 11:09 AM
I hate Toledo

jloome
04-13-2016, 11:16 AM
Really interesting read

https://sports.vice.com/en_us/article/behind-the-scenes-of-mlss-efforts-to-improve-officiating

So basically they're admitting the league let reffing fall far behind, that two thirds of the refs aren't competent, and one third is basically completely incompetent. Wow. That's honest. I certainly don't blame PRO and understand how this article helps them, but once again it makes MLS look like a cheap, Mickey Mouse league for not just hiring pro refs from overseas until everyone was up to competency. Doesn't show much respect for the game from franchises that have gone up 500% in value in a decade.

spark
04-13-2016, 12:09 PM
With this article in mind - how many can say there has been a noticeable improvement in refs over the last 3-4 years?

If I never read this article I would not have guessed there was a massive movement (or huge change in procedures) behind the scenes to get things up to par. I would be willing to accept that it could take another generation of refs to REALLY make a marked difference though.

Beach_Red
04-13-2016, 12:31 PM
So basically they're admitting the league let reffing fall far behind, that two thirds of the refs aren't competent, and one third is basically completely incompetent. Wow. That's honest. I certainly don't blame PRO and understand how this article helps them, but once again it makes MLS look like a cheap, Mickey Mouse league for not just hiring pro refs from overseas until everyone was up to competency. Doesn't show much respect for the game from franchises that have gone up 500% in value in a decade.

Yes, not much respect for the fans. By the way, when was the last time a franchise sold?

molenshtain
04-13-2016, 12:35 PM
Yes, not much respect for the fans. By the way, when was the last time a franchise sold?

We're probably the last instance of a pre-existing franchise being sold to a new owner. Houston might have been bought by somoene new this off season but I could be wrong.

But Franchises are bought every time a team comes into the league. That's what people talk about when they talk about Franchise value going up. Compare the cost the Teachers union paid to get us into the league and what LAFC had to pay for the same thing almost a decade later and it's night and day in terms of market value.

Yohan
04-13-2016, 12:59 PM
Yes, not much respect for the fans. By the way, when was the last time a franchise sold?
Columbus was sold in 2014 IIRC

Onyx
04-13-2016, 02:16 PM
FYI -- allan chapman removed from scheduled game


Allen Chapman, referee for LA v Portland last Sunday, has been removed as referee from RSL v Vancouver this week.

OgtheDim
04-13-2016, 02:41 PM
Yup, that's a punishment. PRO has said they draw up the rosters weeks in advance but can change if something happened that warrants a sit down. Chapman has been poor.

notthesun
04-13-2016, 03:55 PM
This is hilarious.


"Armando?"

Villarreal didn't hesitate with his response. "Penalty," he announced to a room full of his colleagues and supervisors. Indeed, the Laws of the Game state, "A player must be sent off if he denies an obvious goalscoring opportunity by holding an opponent." With a clear path to goal, only the keeper to beat, the jersey pull, and the attacker going down, it was a clear penalty.

The referees often argued during the film sessions, but on this particular play, no one disputed Villarreal's confession. "I couldn't see the hold, to be honest."

Followed by



During the entire discussion about Villarreal's call, not a single person in the room brought up the possibility that Villarreal inadvertently got the call right; that it wasn't actually a foul, a penalty, and red card. To every referee in MLS, this was a foul.

But when the play was analyzed by MLS's own website, former player Brian Dunseth concluded, "I see a tug and at the very end in real time Gilberto [the Chicago attacker] locks his legs up in the hopes of referee Armando Villarreal pointing to the spot. Good no call from the referee."

Uhhhhhhhhh, right. If the league website is so set on continuing this segment, why not get an ex-referee to provide the opinions? You know, someone that actually knows what they're talking about.

OgtheDim
04-13-2016, 04:24 PM
Dunseth has made Borg look good.

It should be noted this article was written from a meeting before all those red cards a couple of games ago. It was already planned, so its not like PRO was in overdrive on damage control - that was the phone press conference last Friday.

ag futbol
04-13-2016, 08:15 PM
I was going to write the same thing. Does MLS think having an amateur review blown calls on their website somehow adds to their credibility?

Their goal should be to make that segment obsolete.

molenshtain
04-13-2016, 08:58 PM
It's content. It drives traffic. They have no incentive not to keep it going.

WestStandGeoff
04-13-2016, 11:04 PM
Like that they included a picture of Creavalle getting a red card after hacking down a Chicago player. Oh the memories!

Auzzy
04-14-2016, 12:12 AM
I actually think Toledo has gotten better in the past few years. (Still not great, but...) Seems to me he's showing less crazy cards. In the TFC game he recently ref'd, he wasn't calling much at all, he really let them play. (Not that this is always good for us; if Seba gets hacked I would rather they call it.) Maybe the better fitness really helped Toledo be more calm about his decision making.

Shakes McQueen
04-14-2016, 12:29 AM
I actually think Toledo has gotten better in the past few years. (Still not great, but...) Seems to me he's showing less crazy cards. In the TFC game he recently ref'd, he wasn't calling much at all, he really let them play. (Not that this is always good for us; if Seba gets hacked I would rather they call it.) Maybe the better fitness really helped Toledo be more calm about his decision making.

I still remember going to a TFC game vs Dallas (in year two I think?), where Toledo's officiating was so atrocious that I thought there might be a riot.

...and some drunken idiot behind me chanting "Cunny is a d-bag!" the entire game.

ag futbol
04-14-2016, 11:05 AM
It's content. It drives traffic. They have no incentive not to keep it going.
So no traffic is bad traffic I suppose?

How does this contribute to the image of the product? That's the question they should be asking here. Click bait is short sighted.

molenshtain
04-14-2016, 02:18 PM
So no traffic is bad traffic I suppose?

How does this contribute to the image of the product? That's the question they should be asking here. Click bait is short sighted.

There's no such thing as bad traffic if you're a website. That's why people like Billy Haisley have jobs.

It's an inconsequential puff piece. They're run by the league so they have no incentive to criticize themselves. It's not their job. If you want proper pieces on the merits and ability's of MLS refs, there are other places you can go for that.

I highly doubt it's turning away viewership and engagement. You have to be a certain kind of invested fan to be regularly going on the MLS website for video analysis of close calls. Those kinds of people aren't going away because of some stupid weekly piece they do.

ag futbol
04-14-2016, 08:27 PM
All of the revenues attached to Bill Haisley's product come via online content. The more stupid / outrageous he is, the more people click and the more money comes in. Now imagine Bill Haisley primarily trying to earn money from sales of his book. Him reviewing that book on his website on a weekly basis in a way that suggests a high frequency of potential errors which generally leaves you with the impression his writing is a pile of crap. Is this going to help his ultimate goal of selling his book?

I agree, largely inconsequential but still not favorably contributing to anyone's impression of the product.

Onyx
06-24-2016, 01:38 AM
Red card for farting

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/soccer-fc-yahoo/swedish-soccer-player-gets-red-card-for-farting-202705537.html (https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/soccer-fc-yahoo/swedish-soccer-player-gets-red-card-for-farting-202705537.html)