Quote Originally Posted by ensco View Post
I think the odds of additional punishment, for both teams, is very high. More for the Red Bulls than us, but still, likely for us too.

If you think there is a constituency out there that feels sorry for us here over this, think again.

Go to big soccer, or listen to things like the MLS Extra Time podcast, you will discover that the reaction of a lot of neutrals to this is either that (i) both teams were jackasses, and it is amusing, or (ii) TFC had it coming to them, and good for the Red Bulls, someone finally took on these whining assholes.

We having a league wide rep for diving and whining, mostly thanks to Gio (we love him, but we know it's true) and now everyone hates Bradley and Altidore, too. The clips that everyone sees of this is the Jozy flop, of Gio losing his shit, of Bradley getting carded for whining... not the 2-3 years of getting chopped that led to all that.

Without absolutely compelling video evidence, that can be released, that Altidore was truly jumped, and that his retaliation was reasonable, the league will not rescind Altidore's red card.

I think it's likely that they add to the punishment by adding regular season suspensions or something. Both Marsch and Vanney may get suspensions to send a message about inability to control their teams. Marsch's should be longer, based on what we know.
The people who are happy we are getting comeuppance are just as biased as our drunkest, most ardent supporter. Pundits think we deserved it? Whooooooooooooooo cares?

We are actually allowed to whine. We are allowed to dive. We got punished accordingly for both. But anyone who implies we deserved to get jumped in the tunnel for whining or diving have lost the plot. Moreover, the league knows the officiating was poor if not bordering on incompetent. They know it's entirely their fault better measures aren't in place to prevent such incidents from happening and blaming Marsh and Vanney too harshly would essentially be passing the buck. They are also in a spot that it has to be a next year penalty as the punishments are unequal give both teams' playoff status.

This doesn't look good on the league either. But ultimately, they will want the appearance they made the correct call originally. (On an evening where they got little right)