More Shame on MLS... maybe

Interesting that I wrote that last Blog entry on the referees' inability to control a game... now it's beginning to appear as though they're not being given the chance to control a game.

Please read this article by Robert Evans, reportedly a long-time FIFA Referee and Referee Instructor. The name "Bob Evans" gives me pause, though there's not any reason in the world that a person couldn't actually have that name.

Read it yet? Good. I'll continue.

A sport is nothing without its rules, and more specifically the un-biased and fair interpretation and execution of those rules. And if this is true, MLS has been bending the rules to benefit the bottom line, supposedly.

Here's a quote:

Major League Soccer is encouraging and instructing referees to violate the Laws of the Game. The motivation for this appears to be an attempt to eliminate controversial decisions, and to protect star players from disciplinary action that would normally be taken by a referee fulfilling his/her duty to the game.

First of all... how do not calling back-tackles, denial of goal-scoring opportunities, modification of the offside rule to benefit the defenders, removal of key extra time, not handing out cards for dissent, allowing play to continue when the ball strikes an official, and not handing out second yellow cards even when deserved eliminate controversial decisions?

Newsflash for MLS: The fans know this game. You're not pulling in many non-soccer fans, what you're doing is you're attracting soccer fans who up till now haven't been paying attention to the domestic league. These folks are watching the English or other European/South American leagues and only occasionally coming to an MLS game. And the fans who have watched it all along also watched foreign and international play before watching MLS. They KNOW what a call is and they KNOW how it should be called. You're creating more controversy by having your refs not call penalties and distribute cards like they're supposed to do.

And protecting star players? Why are these players protected more than anyone else? How did they become star players in the first place? By coming up through the ranks and making a name for themselves in the league. So as soon as MLS deems them a star player, suddenly they're immune to the rules of the game? What about that other player who got a penalty because of his actions against a star player, or as usually happens DIDN'T get a call because they were fouled by a "star" player? He might be a star of the future... but if you keep holding the current stars up to a different standard than the players who are up-and-coming, you eliminate the future stars.

And you also push fans away from the game. We're not dumb, MLS. We know how this game is supposed to be played.