Soccer officials investigating referee, Fire star

[DOMIN8R]

Could not come at a worse time for MLS..............

Soccer officials investigating referee, Fire star

Tuesday, April 28, 2009 2:56 PM
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




A top American soccer referee and one of Major League Soccer's biggest stars are being investigated by the United States Soccer Federation and the league for their conduct during the Crew's 2-2 tie with the Chicago Fire on Saturday.


Multiple witnesses reported seeing Fire star Cuauhtmoc Blanco broach the entrance to the referees' locker room following the game with......

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content...s.html?sid=101

[ensco]

I strongly support whatever position will result in Padula remaining suspended.

[Oldtimer]

Gives support to Carver's contention about MLS refs...

[Darlofletch]

I strongly support whatever position will result in Padula remaining suspended.

and then if Blanco can get suspended for the 16th, that'd be nice.

[Roogsy]

Wow...even the best refs in MLS are scum. What are we left with?

[Beach_Red]

Gives support to Carver's contention about MLS refs...

Has anyone ever disputed that contention? Everyone agrees the refs aren't the best in the world.

[Darlofletch]

Has anyone ever disputed that contention? Everyone agrees the refs aren't the best in the world.

I think everyone agrees they're generally incompetent, has there been allegations/evidence of corruption before?

[DangerRed]

I'm not rolling out my Jump-To-Conclusions mat just yet, but this sure sounds bad. What an embarrasment. I guess the ref can forget about his World Cup officiating hopes, or at least put them on hold for the time being.

[sully]

can't say I'm surprised at all..

and it'll be interesting (and ironic) to see if MLS overturns the one game suspension of Padula so he can play against Toronto after all that's happened over the past few days here..

[nimamalek]

"Marrufo's Mexican father was a former FIFA referee. Blanco is an icon in Mexico, where he starred for the national team and in the country's professional league"

...is that a good thing?

[nimamalek]

I strongly support whatever position will result in Padula remaining suspended.

I dont know about that, he might score some goals for us again

[jloome]

I strongly support whatever position will result in Padula remaining suspended.

But I think the law's clause of positivus helpus competus suggests that Blanco should be suspended for an equally lengthy period.

[Carter]

I'm not rolling out my Jump-To-Conclusions mat just yet, but this sure sounds bad. What an embarrasment. I guess the ref can forget about his World Cup officiating hopes, or at least put them on hold for the time being.

But why you roll it out whenever Carver was involved.

[Chevy]

".....Marrufo is considered one of the best after being named the 2008 MLS referee of the year. He was one of four referees hired full-time by the federation in 2007 in an effort to increase the quality of officiating in the U.S. and is a candidate to referee in the 2010 World Cup....."

Uhhh..not anymore he's not.

[Huginho]

I guess every player who swaps there jersey with an opposing player after the final whistle should be invistigated then. nothing will come of this.

[DangerRed]

But why you roll it out whenever Carver was involved.

Huh? I couldn't care less about Carver. He's history. I care about the team and its future. I have TFC patches on my scarves and shirts, not Carver's face.

[flatpicker]

I'll wait until more is revealed before forming an opinion.
At the moment it all seems pretty inconclusive.

[rocker]

I guess every player who swaps there jersey with an opposing player after the final whistle should be invistigated then. nothing will come of this.

maruffo isn't a player.. he's a ref. i've never seen refs get shirts from players after a game!

[Nuvinho]

Its like having Ronaldo give Howard Webb his jersey after the game on Saturday.....hahaha!!!

[sully]

I just watched the highlights from the Columbus/Chicago game. It really surprised me that when Chicago got their first goal in the 85th minute the referee actually ran to the keeper to get the ball off him to (presumably) get the game started again fast. I've never seen a referee do that before and it seems really inappropriate to me.

[mighty_torontofc_2008]

Gives support to Carver's contention about MLS refs...

Maybe Carvers should have given the Refs signed TFc jerseys!! Another black eye foir MLS officials

[Huginho]

maruffo isn't a player.. he's a ref. i've never seen refs get shirts from players after a game!

I'm aware he's not a player. and you also didn't see Blanco give the ref the jersey this time either but this sort of stuff (autographs, photos, shirts etc.) happens all the time.

[DOMIN8R]

I'm aware he's not a player. and you also didn't see Blanco give the ref the jersey this time either but this sort of stuff (autographs, photos, shirts etc.) happens all the time.

Not with refs it doesn't.

[Huginho]

Not with refs it doesn't.

lol, fine it dosen't

[bene89]

This is a shame because Marrufo was actually a decent ref.

[sulfur]

Not with refs it doesn't.

lol, fine it dosen't

It isn't supposed to. As a referee, you're not allowed to receive any gifts from teams, players, or anyone else involved in the match at hand.

Period.

Some refs do. When those refs are caught, they tend to have their accreditation removed pretty quickly.

[jloome]

This is a shame because Marrufo was actually a decent ref.

LOL, he's generally regarded as one of the worst refs in the league and has been for several seasons.

[TFCREDNWHITE]

I just watched the highlights from the Columbus/Chicago game. It really surprised me that when Chicago got their first goal in the 85th minute the referee actually ran to the keeper to get the ball off him to (presumably) get the game started again fast. I've never seen a referee do that before and it seems really inappropriate to me.

And not only does the ref run after the ball, but once he gets the ball he hustles it to BLANCO! WTF!??

Also the red card was against BLANCO!? This ref is a complete waste of space if he single handedly changed the game in the Fire's favour!!

[ensco]

I do think Padula earned the red card. Padula came straight at him with his leg up at a 90 degree angle, studs exposed.

As for the rest of it....it seems incredible. Best to wait and see.

[scooter]

this may be a coincidense but he will be hung out to dry anyways---the powers that be have no choice
just goes to show the ends the yellow PAINTERS will go to win or whine while diving