Beating up on the little guy in Brazil

SAP, Pfizer-Teva, FIFA, Agilent: Intellectual Property

Trademark
FIFA Says Brazil World Cup Soccer Trademark Abuse More Than 2010

Soccer’s governing body FIFA said it found more cases of intellectual property infringement related to next year’s World Cup in Brazil than it did a year before South Africa hosted sports’ most-watched event in 2010.

Auke-Jan Bossenbroek, FIFA’s legal counsel responsible for protecting the Zurich-based organization’s trademarks, said action has been taken in the past six months against about 100 companies that don’t have permission to use protected words or logos related to the World Cup, which kicks off in Rio de Janeiro June 12, 2014. ...

See the whole article here, courtesy of Bloomberg.

Kicking Back Comments: I don't begrudge FIFA from enforcing their registered trademarks. They are property of FIFA and have every right to do so, and should for the future ability to do so.

Where I got a bit chapped was in the closing comment of the article, which states:

"Many of the cases in Brazil have been the result of local businesses not understanding the rules related to using World Cup logos, Bossenbroek said."

Now, not knowing the law is not an excuse, and I have to believe that most folks (everywhere), don't know the implications of trademark law. It does however smell a little heavy handed with a FIFA lawyer coming down on small shop owners in Brazil.

There are already wide reports of most locals not being bale to afford tickets, and FIFA has responded by providing 50K "free" tickets for use by the local folks (what actually happens, we'll see). 

I can see a similar argument here for "picking on" local shop owners for trademark violations. I'm not arguing that these are not violations, but there has to be a point of diminishing returns for FIFA. Not only is there a cost associated with finding these folks, but I also believe it to be bad form to make the guy wheeling around a trash barrel full of beer for $1 each take the photo of the FIFA World Cup(r) Trophy off his trash barrel.

It is all a bit too sterile for me. The locals are getting robbed blind ... again. Just let it go guys.

Sex was the price to fix a match ... and lose a FIFA badge

Match fixing: ref Ali Sabbagh and assisstants get jailed

Lebanese football referee referee Ali Sabbagh was sentenced with a six months’ improsonment today for match fixing. His assistant referees were sentenced with three months jail time, says Channel News Asia.

The referees all pled guilty on the first day of trial for accepting free sex from a gambling-linked global syndicate. In return they were supposed to rig a match between Asian Football Confederation Cup match (second international level for club teams, like Europa League; JtH) on April 3 between Singapore-based club Tampines Rovers and India’s East Bengal. Right before the match the match officials were pulled out and a new refereeing trio was appointed. ...

See the whole story here, from Dutch Referee.

Kicking Back Comments: How pathetic is this? A good "blow by blow" account is here and details just how awful this was.

Honestly I can't get me head around this. A referee works a lifetime for a FIFA badge to get the opportunity to referee at the highest levels, and yet is willing to breach everything that badge stands for, for a one night stand with a prostitute.

Incredible.

But also an affirmation, referees are only too human.

 

Where in the world is THIS a send off?? (Violent image warning)

So take a look at this video from an Argentine soccer match.

Viewer warning for violent images.



Now my friends ... should this be a send off, an if so, where in the LOTG is it supported?

Operators are taking your calls now.

Sepp playing the joker again

FIFA’s Blatter to Visit Palestine in July

RAMALLAH, June 11, 2013 (WAFA) – Sepp Blatter, president of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), is expected to visit Palestine in July to help alleviate the problems facing Palestinian athletes from the Israeli occupation, Jibril Rjoub, head of the Palestinian Football Association, said Tuesday. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of wafa.ps.

Kicking Back Comments: FIFA is an incredible powerful organization that can do much to unite folks. If accurately reported however, (understanding this is a Palestine news outlet) Sepp's warnings of "Israel's membership to FIFA may be suspended", rings somewhat hollow based on what is going on in the region.

I am all for unification missions under the name of FIFA. There have been a few in the past and they serve as a great example of how people can have different goal, and exist together.

This is a bridge way too far however. FIFA should let the folks of the region determine their own future. Somehow, even a well intentioned trip by FIFA to one and not the other, seems inappropriate given the state of affairs.

Then again, I have sadly come to expect nothing less from our current leader of FIFA.

Peter asks an astute question in his post from June 5 (Kicking Back, When Does Reputation Matter) when he wonders if a player's reputation matters to how the referee handles him.  He says (and I agree) that it does matter, and then goes on to give some great advice about how to deal with it.  Did you catch his suggestion?  I hope so, as he put it in all caps:  TELL THEM!

This may be a difficult concept for some.  As referees, I am sure many of us feel that factoring in a player's reputation is wrong.  After all, we are a society that presumes innocence until proven guilty. 

But Peter is correct.  We must tell them what to expect.  And guess what, we already do!

I am not talking about the largely ineffective blanket warning to the benches before the game starts.  "I will not tolerate any dissent today."  That never really works in the manner intended. 

Nor am I speaking about finding some clever combination of words that the player will accept, although that is certainly a possibility.  (I once introduced myself to a coach known to be a problem to referees by offering, "Good luck today and I hope you are around to watch the whole game."  He must have gotten the right message because I never heard a word from him during the game.)

I am really talking more about OUR reputations, and the subtle messages we send from before the game even starts.  Like it or not, we communicate a heck of a lot more than we think, often without even saying a word.

Example from the State Championship tournament held just last weekend.  I observed two referees handling stressful situations.  One is a very young and relatively inexperienced grade 8 referee, about 5-1/2 feet tall.  The other was a mature grade 7 referee, about six feet tall with over 15 years in the program.  Advantage goes to the older referee, right?

Wrong.  Body language conveyed something different.  The rookie stood strait and appeared confident and assertive.  He looked people in the eye when he spoke to them.  However the veteran was slouched, and averted his eyes when speaking.  He appeared unsure and non-confrontational.  Both of those referees sent messages, and the players (and coaches and spectators) all received the message and acted accordingly. 

Oh yes, the words we choose also matter, as does our tone of voice, gestures, facial expressions, even whistle tone.  As referees, we are constantly sending messages about what we will or will not tolerate.  There is nothing wrong with this, in fact it is the essential tool we have in controlling a match. 

And it applies to everyone we meet in all facets of life.  Do not be afraid to tell people what you expect. 

Soccer is life.

The untimely passing of Rogerio Barbara

Soccer Friends,

We have just learned of the passing of one of our colleagues, Rogerio Barbara, after a brief struggle with throat cancer.  Rogerio was 59.  

Rogerio had been a referee since 1984 and hung up his cleats in 2010 after 25 years.  He was a State Assessor and had been assessing for over twenty years.

Funeral services will be on Wednesday morning in Taunton, MA.  Details can be found here:  http://www.currentobituary.com/Memory.aspx?Memory_ObitdID=127302

I personally have had the opportunity to work with Rogerio as a referee, assessor, and peer and found him to be a gentle soul always with a kind word ready.

I will miss him, as will The Game.

FIFA 14 ... Best Ever?

FIFA 14: Harder, Faster, Stronger, Maybe Better

Let’s just get this out of the way up front - FIFA 14 on the current-generation of consoles feels very different. I know there’s always a great deal of cynicism surrounding annualised games and how different things really are, but this year’s FIFA really has made some noticeable changes. If you’re set in your ways – you know, one of those people who sprint whenever they receive the ball – you’ll undoubtedly find FIFA 14 a shock to the system. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of IGN.

Kicking Back Comments: Gimmie, gimmie, gimmie!!!!

Madam X? I know what I want for Christmas!!!

Kudos to FIFA ... on some good words

Fifa racism measures could see teams expelled or relegated

Teams could be relegated or expelled from competitions for serious incidents of racism after tough new powers were voted in by Fifa.

First or minor offences will result in either a warning, fine or order for a match to be played behind closed doors.

Serious or repeat offences can now be punished by a points deduction, expulsion or relegation.

Jeffrey Webb, head of Fifa's anti-racism task force, said the decision was "a defining moment". ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of BBC Sport.

Kicking Back Comments: This of course is a good first step by FIFA. There are (2) concerns I have right out of the gate. One immediate, one short term.

My immediate concern is not everyone voted for these measures. I would be interested to know why not. While I am interested in whom, I recognize that secret ballots are needed to quell the chilling effect voting publicly on such topics would have.

My short term concern is when this all starts. As I wrote yesterday, there was an incident involving the WNT in Canada ... and documented evidence via Twitter, and likely the referee of racism.

Why not start right now.

I will see when FIFA decides to jump in, as in my head they are already critically late to doing anything except complaining about something they should be working to stop.

Defending her caution?

U.S. soccer player says Canadian fans chanted racial slurs at her

U.S. women's soccer forward Sydney Leroux tweeted Monday that she was subjected to racial slurs and taunts during her team's 3-0 win Sunday over Canada in Toronto.

Leroux, born outside Vancouver to a Canadian mother and American father, is a controversial figure in Canada because she switched national soccer allegiances. She played on Canada's 2004 Under-19 World Cup team before helping lead the U.S. to the Under-20 World Cup title in 2008. She has played for the U.S. ever since. ...

See the whole story here, from CBS Sports.

Kicking Back Comments: I am going to leave the whole racial side out for this, other than to say I'm sure there is a blue ribbon panel somewhere in FIFA occurring about this ... or not, because it's women's football. By the way, the CSA reported no such racial incidents, despite truly vile comments on Twitter, and collected by US Soccer.

My angle on this one is the celebration after Leroux's goal, even with the backdrop of the despicable comments strewn at her.

Let's go to some FIFA interpretations found here. Take a look at slide 50, 2nd bullet, which states the following should be cautioned when:

"In the opinion of the referee, a player makes gestures that are provocative, derisory or inflammatory when celebrating a goal."

Leroux's immigration to the US aside, her gesture with the crest of her jersey after scoring her goal certainly qualifies as provocative, derisory, and inflammatory. If this was done in the US and not Canada, I would not caution her, as in such a case her gesture would have been to an American crowd, and likely interpreted as an appropriate celebration. If gestured to an opposing player, not so much.

Context means a bunch in such celebrations.

Image if a US player scored a goal in Mexico City, and did the same thing. There would be genuine safety concerns, and a referee would do well to send off such an offender or "grave disorder" may soon follow.

Her teammates defending her while understandable, shows a clear lack of understanding the LOTG. I also don't think they cared as they were coming to the defense of a team mate. 

I appreciate the vile comment hurled at her, and the team, US Soccer, CSA, and FIFA's reaction to them ... should they ever come from anyone other than her team ... but Leroux is responsible for her actions inside the field and made her point, and was cautioned for it.

Let me me clear, the comments and actions to demean Leroux are outrageous and someone, anyone, needs to show some leadership in this regard. For the referee's part however, she did exactly the right thing and booker her.

To her credit, Leroux accepted it without further incident.

Congrats to Japan!!

Japan becomes 1st team to reach 2014 World Cup

SAITAMA, Japan (AP) — Keisuke Honda made sure Japan became the first team to qualify for the 2014 World Cup by calmly converting a stoppage-time penalty kick Tuesday for a 1-1 draw against Australia.

Tommy Oar had given Australia a 1-0 lead in the 82nd minute with a lob over Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawasahima. But a handball by Matthew McKay in the last minute of regulation set up the penalty for Honda, who beat Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer with a left-footed shot into the top of the net.

Japan needed at least a point to clinch a spot in next year's World Cup in Brazil from Group B in Asian qualifying. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Yahoo! Sports.

Kicking Back Comments: Ok folks, we have (3) teams qualified now ... strap in ... the best is coming.

When does reputation matter?

To start, lets take a look here at Matt Cooke's hit on Adan McQuaid in Game 1 of the Eastern Finals.



Now, in a bottle, Cooke got exactly what he deserved. He received a game misconduct (send off) and took no further suspension from the NHL. This was widely accepted by most knowledgeable on all sides of the issue.

But now let's start taking it out of the bottle with some of Matt Cooke's history:



My question to this audience is, what is a referee to do? Do they act proactively and "eagle eye" a player like Cooke until he does something, then send him off, or even get a bit more heavy handed?

Or, do you take each match as a "clean slate" and let it build up until something happens?

Where does the league come in ... and what if there is no league per se to administer punishments. A good example may be a youth league when there are so many participants that only the most egregious are dealt with.

For me, a referee has to do their homework and first understand the key match ups, stars, and villains.

Cooke is clearly a villain based on his behavior. This also go beyond a typical "goon" employed in hockey that is there to drop the gloves in tactical situations to make a point, he seemingly tries, and has succeeded to injure other players.

With this in mind, a referee can't prejudge what is going to happen, it has to happen before a referee can act. That said, a referee can certainly make a player like Cooke feel uncomfortable by putting them, and TELLING THEM, there are under extra scrutiny, in an artful way.

From there, if such a player strays from "the line", they should receive the absolute maximum allowed under the LOTG.

Some may say this is biasing a result based on a  players history, and that is true. Think about a couple of things however.

First, is a similar tact taken with players who simulate? They are generally the same players, and they flop, match, after match, after match. Referees see the pattern, and are less inclined bite the more this happens, especially if they have been suckered for a goal or two. A referee waits for the event, and then makes a determination ... with an eye toward history.

Second, is match management. What would happen if a player was allowed time and time again to come back and take shots to injure another?

Mayhem.

Players would take matters into their own hands, and indeed may if Cooke tries something like this again in this series.

A referee will do well to protect the game from ANY who try to damage it.

On a final note, the league and team have responsibility here too, and I believe in equal parts. There has to come a point that these guys take a look at the cumulative effect of Cooke's hits, and make the courageous decision that he is there is injure, not play The Game.

Referees do not have that ability, and have to rely on incidents they witness to take action ... even severe action to protect the game.

I expect more from the league, and the team who employs such a troubled player.

U.S. Soccer Beats Germany (2nd Team)

U.S. Soccer Beats Germany 4-3: Clint Dempsey, Jozy Altidore Score Goals

WASHINGTON — The United States can head into a key stretch with some added confidence.

Clint Dempsey scored twice in a five-minute span of the second half and moved into second place on the U.S. career scoring list, helping the Americans edge a second-string Germany team 4-3 in an exhibition game Sunday.

Preparing for three World Cup qualifiers in a 12-day span beginning Friday, U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann watched the Americans take a 4-1 lead and hang on to beat the team he helped win the 1990 World Cup as a player and coached to the 2006 semifinals. ...

See the whole story here, from the HuffPo

Kicking Back Comments: A good day in the park in fron of 47000+ to be sure for the MNT. This puts Dempsey within (14) of LD (seen here in his recent Cambodia walk about).

Before we go crazy about the result though (wink wink media outlets), lets see this one for what it is ... a confidence builder before going into a very tough road stretch.

Do you think the referee knew this before walking out yesterday? Should they?

How much does the type of match influence your approach (youth, amateur, professional, friendly)?

Should it?

My answer is "yes" to all of these.

 

Richard Nieuwenhuizen Trail Update

Dead Dutch linesman trial: suspects speak in court

The dead Dutch linesman trial started today in court. Suspects could speak in court today. Some did, but their stories didn’t always match. ...

A full recap if the trail can be found here, courtesy of Dutch Referee.

Kicking Back Comments: Sentence demanded was for 6 years ... when this first broke I commented about "Restorative Justice" and my concerns for it ... I hope I was wrong in my thinking.

It's HOT Out There

Playing Matches in the Heat: Dehydration and Performance

Often matches are played in hot, humid conditions. In this environment, the body attempts to cool itself by increasing the sweat rate. Unfortunately, the fluid lost through sweat can lead to dehydration. Laboratory research has shown that even mild dehydration can impact physical performance, reducing strength, power and endurance. Researchers from the United Kingdom and Denmark approached the question of heat, dehydration and performance in a different manner. They took their experiment to the pitch and asked if competing in the heat influences post-match physical performance. Their results show that playing elite, competitive matches in a hot environment adversely affect explosive performance and that the change in performance may be linked to dehydration. ...

See the whole story here, from The Science of Soccer Online.

Kicking Back Comments: As we in the North East US have recently experienced, we have gone from winter to full blown summer with temperatures and humidity in the 90's the last few days.

I can not stress enough in how a referee is an active participant in a match as too should consider themselves an endurance athlete.

As such this requires exercice, diet, and hydration concerns to be successful.

While this particular article details the concerns and dangers of dehydration, particular attention should be paid as well to caloric intake and exertion level during a match.

An additional wrinkle in this, is a referee should also be aware of the signs of dehydration, as the referee is not only responsible for themselves and their crew, but for levels that do not have a trainer or medical staff available, a referee can certainly point out to the competent authority (e.g. coach) if they feel a player is in distress.

You always want to finish with 11 a side folks. A good referee, at all levels, works to keep it that way.

Somehow this has to be the referees fault. No?

Kicking Back Comments: Ouch. Take a look at the number of related videos too.

Here's one for you all however on a serious note. Does a referee use this later in the match if that player, or others, give a referee grief about a decision?

Fair game?

Sepp's Sexism On Full Display

Sepp Blatter calls female Fifa candidate 'good and good-looking'

In the week Fifa said it was to expand the number of women-only positions on the world body's executive committee from one to three,Sepp Blatter, its gaffe-prone president, has described one of the candidates for the elected role, Australia's Moya Dodd, as "good, and good-looking".

Blatter made the comment in an address to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) delegates at Fifa's conference in Mauritiuson Wednesday. Dodd, vice-president of the AFC, diplomatically side-stepped the issue, saying she was, "mainly focused on hearing [Blatter's] comments about me being a good candidate … If he said anything more, then thanks for that, too". ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of The Guardian.

Kicking Back Comments: Oh Sepp. You just won't change will you?

Boy in looking back, it has been a banner week for FIFA. Gotta love when the FIFA Congress gets together.

FIFA Ethics ... Still A Joke

Blatter Says FIFA Congress Must Enact Changes to Prevent Crimes

FIFA President Sepp Blatter said soccer’s governing body must enact changes to allow the sport to continue the fight against corruption even as some former advisers question the group’s reform plans.

The ruling body’s 209 members will vote on proposed changes this week at FIFA’s annual meeting on the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius this week. Blatter said the process follows an “extensive consultation process” that started in 2011, the year when the Zurich-based body was forced by stakeholders including sponsors of its $5 billion World Cup to reform following graft allegations.

“We have a democratic process in place, we follow it,” Blatter said in an interview with FIFA.com. “Between 2011 and 2013, I made a lot of effort to take this reform process as far as I could, but it is now up to the FIFA Congress to decide on these measures.”

Former advisers have criticized FIFA, which Blatter has headed since 1998, for not doing enough to crack down on corruption. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Bloomberg.

Kicking Back Comments: It is well summarized in this quote:

"Alexandra Wrage, president of Trace International, a non-profit organization in Canada that provides anti-bribery compliance advice to multinational companies, left the advisory group created by Blatter to suggest reforms. She claimed the work was the “least productive project” of her career."

Sounds about right.

FIFA Finally Does Something on Racism

Fifa ready to introduce five-game bans for players guilty of racism

Fifa is set to follow England's lead and bring in a mandatory five-match ban for players found guilty of racism, while also introducing points deductions for clubs where fans are serial offenders.

The five-match ban is being proposed by Fifa's new task force on racism and, if agreed by the governing body of world football's congress next week, all 209 member countries will have to adopt the rule. ...

See the whole story here, from the Guardian.

Kicking Back Comments: (5) Matches is not enough ... but it is a start, and better than nothing.

It does pale in comparison to what UEFA has already done in this regard, with a minimum (10) match ban.

Best and worst comments on the topic:

First from Jeffery Webb who chairs this committee for FIFA: 
"Finally, we're having some action on this. This is something that's long overdue."

Uh Jeff ... you chair the committee ... and have the ability to make things happen, right? Any delay, would seem to be of your own, and your boss' (FIFA) making. No whining about delays please.

Next from Michel Platini, president of UEFA:

"This is a great moment in our struggle against racism."

It most certainly is not Michel. It is a pathetic testament to the fact we have the problem in the first place. We should not be celebrating that we are dealing with such a social issue. We should just deal with it. To give it any due serves to celebrate our own barbarism. I for one am willing to acknowledge the fact, work for change, and solve the issue, not pat ourselves on the back for thinking a (5) match ban for racial epitaphs is "doing the right thing" and is a giant step forward.

It is not.

A Happy Memorial Day to All ... Let Us Not Forget ...

America's oldest veteran to spend quiet Memorial Day at Texas home

For his 107th Memorial Day, Richard Arvine Overton, who saw many of his fellow soldiers fall in the line of duty in World War II and even more die over the following decades, is planning a quiet day at the Texas home he built after returning home from World War II.

He wouldn’t want it any other way. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Fox News.

Kicking Back Comments: We should all be so lucky to serve our (respective) country with distinction, and live such a long and healthy life.

Here's to 108 Mr. Overton.

Sad, and True

Which Calls (or Non-Calls) Create the Most Disagreements Between Football/Soccer Players, Fans & Coaches and Referees

Offside, Handling & "I was Going for the Ball"

Football (or in the U.S., soccer) players, coaches, and fans suffer from a number of misconceptions about laws or interpretations that cause unnecessary dissent, delay or distraction to ongoing play in matches. ...

See the whole article here, from Yahoo!

Kicking Back Comments: I have to agree with the author here. At the youth level, I would say these are the top 3.

A Bit More Color

Bundesliga CEO rips FIFA over Qatar's World Cup

LONDON (AP) — The head of the Bundesliga criticized FIFA on Wednesday for awarding the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, saying the decision "is not for the good of the game." ...

See the whole story here, from USA Today.

Kicking Back Comments: I shared this story just yesterday on the topic but found the USA Today story that much better. It does bring up the spectre of a revote of the timing of the tournament changes.

I wonder in such a case if we would "cross swords" with the UK to host?

Bundesliga CEO slam FIFA

Bundesliga CEO slam FIFA

The head of the German Bundesliga has slammed FIFA's decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, saying the decision "is not for the good of the game."

Christian Seifert, speaking in London ahead of the all-German Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, said staging the tournament in the tiny desert nation's summer heat could endanger the health of players and fans.

"The priority is always first the health of the players and this is what makes me most upset that the decision was done that ignores probably the health of the players and that ignores what is real in the game," Seifert said. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of ninemsn.com.au

Kicking Back Comments: Best line in the article was:

""We are really happy that FIFA recognises it's warm in the summer in Qatar. This is a great, great finding," said Seifert, who is also vice president of the German Football Association."

I laughed out loud at the audible of the head of the Bundesliga saying this with as much sarcasm as possible. Just beautiful.

There is mounting pressure to revisit this .... with even Sepp saying last week it seems hard to imagine the tournament being played in the dead of summer ... in a desert.

Clearly they thought the details all the way through ....

"The Don's" Latest (really good) Move

Yanks, Manchester City awarded MLS expansion team

In partnership of sports' biggest names, New York City Football Club to play in 2015

Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber announced today that a partnership of global sports powers, Manchester City Football Club and the New York Yankees, has acquired the League's 20th expansion club. The new team will be named New York City Football Club (NYCFC) and expects to begin play in 2015.

"We proudly welcome two of the most prestigious professional global sports organizations to Major League Soccer," said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. "This is a transformational development that will elevate the league to new heights in this country. The New York area is home to more than 19 million people, and we look forward to an intense crosstown rivalry between New York City Football Club and the New York Red Bulls that will captivate this great city." ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of MLB.com.

Kicking Back Comments: Say what you will about MLS and "The Don" (I for one have not always been positive) ... this is a shrewd move by MLS and it makes me happy to see growth in the league ... still.

Other than California, I agree with the point that the New York area should be able to sustain a 2nd MLS team.

Personally I would also love to see an expansion team in the New Bedford (MA), Northern Rhode Island area as well, as I have to believe a team may do well there too.

2018 expansion? 

120' Toss

So take a peek at this clip generously provided by MLB. There is quite a bit going on.



So we have Bryce Harper (stats) in the 1st inning of the Nationals v. Pirates the other week. A check swing that was appealed by the Pirates catcher, and was called a 3rd strike by 3rd base umpire, and crew chief, John Hirschbeck (bio).

Based on the account here, Harper gave him the "stink eye" and dropped his bat. From the video Hirschbeck obviously reacted, in an ... unorthodox manner.

It was actually quite clever as it gave Harper the opportunity for pause and just walk away as (in Hirschbeck's words) "... he was trying to show me up."

From there, there were (2) subtle management pieces going on. First was at :12 of the video when the home plate umpire engages Harper from reacting any more than he did already by dropping his bat, it would seem in protest.

Also, at :16, you can see Hirschbeck walk toward home plate, and stop for the 3rd base coach and send him to talk to his player.

From there Harper throws his helment (for the 2nd time this year) and was ejected.

A staggering analysis can be found here at the Umpire Ejection Fantasy League.

So there was good and bad for me in this one from all sides.

Harper was wrong to "show up" Hirschbeck through his actions, and was properly ejected for it, full stop.

Hirschbeck was unorthodox, some say inflammatory, in his actions by raising his hands, and may have done better to just yell and point (being 120' away makes some of this tough), and his action may have been a way to try and bridge that distance. It may have also been an attempted technique that went wrong. (These guys don't get AAA games to try new tactics out remember)

Hirschbeck was still justified to send Harper for his conduct, that was even after being spoken to by the home plate umpire, and 3rd base coach.

Closing comments go to Harper as in looking at the interview here, I though Harper came off a lot better personally ... and in the big leagues folks (future MLS and FIFA guys take note), this stuff matters a bunch.

We Promise!

FIFA guarantees that Sao Paulo World Cup stadium will be ready on time

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke has guaranteed Sao Paulo's World Cup football stadium will be ready on time, one day after claiming the venue could be taken off the tournament schedule due to construction delay

Valcke met with Itaquerao stadium officials on Wednesday and said he was confident the December 2013 deadline would be met, according to the Brazilian media. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of MercoPress.

Kicking Back Comments: Bets, anyone? Anyone? FIFA Guarantees .... funny.

No Wii for U

FIFA 14 not coming to Wii U due to poor FIFA 13 sales

With this morning's revelation that EA does not have any Wii U games in development comes the outright confirmation that FIFA 14 will not be appearing on the system as well.

"Although FIFA 13 on Wii U featured our award-winning HD gameplay and innovative new ways to play, the commercial results were disappointing," an EA representative told Joystiq. "We have decided not to develop FIFA 14 on Wii U. We have a strong partnership with Nintendo and will continue to evaluate opportunities for developing FIFA for Nintendo fans in the future." ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of joystiq.

Kicking Back Comments: I'm not surprised frankly. While I am a fan of the Wii, the Wii U I can do without. I doubt EA is the only one halting development for that platform.

Refereeing Happens Before, During, and After a Match

Take a look at this 2005 clip form Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira.



Even before the match, the referee was right there and rightly involved himself in the discussion to make sure things did not get any further out of hand.

You may wonder too why referees warm up inside the field, and at times chat with players. This is a good reason.

Refereeing is less about "controlling" the match at this level and more about managing the people involved. This clip is an excellent example of the latter.

Soccer violence: Referees under siege

(CNN) -- In the U.S., a referee is punched and later dies. Meanwhile In Europe, a Dutch volunteer linesman is beaten to death, a teenage Spanish referee is violently assaulted, and in Germany a match official is hospitalized.

They are almost as essential to the functioning of the game as the ball they bring onto the pitch for kickoff, but soccer referees across the world are feeling under siege.

Subjected to vulgar insults, threatened, chased off the field, attacked, hospitalized and, tragically, killed.

Read: Referee punched in face by teen player dies

In the most recent incident, 46-year old Ricardo Portillo -- refereeing an amateur game in the Salt Lake City suburb of Taylorsville -- was punched on April 27 after booking a player. He died from his injuries on Saturday. ...

See the whole article here, courtesy of CNN.

Kicking Back Comments: A very worthy read. The author is right on many level in this piece. While I am not a fan of Zero Tolerance as defined in many youth leagues around here, such referee abuse is the largest reason for it to stop it before it even starts.

My earlier question still stands in how far we as referees can go to (physically) stop such an incident before it turns deadly?

"That is not acceptable ..." - Sepp Blatter

Italian Federation incurs Blatter wrath over Roma racism sanction

(CNN) -- The head of world football's global governing body has criticized Italian soccer for not cracking down hard enough on a team whose fans racially abused an opposition player.

Sunday's goalless draw between AC Milan and Roma at the San Siro stadium was brought to a halt for several minutes after visiting fans directed abuse at home striker Mario Balotelli.

The Italian Federation fined Roma $65,000, which prompted a forthright response from Blatter.

"What is surprising and is not understandable for me, is that the disciplinary committee of the Italian Football Federation has taken a decision, not even 24 hours after the event, by just imposing a fine," Blatter told FIFA's official website.

"They have not made any investigation of what happened. And just to give a pecuniary sanction is not valid, that is not acceptable. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of CNN.

Kicking Back Comments: The more I read Sepp's reactions, the more I equate him to a male version of Dolores Umbridge. Here is a brief clip from YouTube to illustrate:

I think it's his feigned outrage about the Italian Federation taking swift (>24h) action that gets me. I do agree with him that a mere $65K is nothing even close to a necessary penalty, but kudos for the FIGC for taking such quick action at all.

As we have learned from FIFA, there is a committee, but no action from it at all, and something is still better than nothing, even if that something is woefully inadequate.

Where FIFA is going to get into trouble is that each federation is coming up with its own set of rules on how to deal with such situations. (Where is the US on this one?) It looks also like no one federation is like another, no one is talking, and FIFA has no control ... 

All that aside, guess who had to make the decision to stop the match in this case?

You guessed it ... the referee.

No blue ribbon pannel, no FIFA representative at the stadium, no team official ... the referee.

Yes folks, we are going to be right on the front like of having to deal with this nonsense because no one else seems to have the courage to stop this vile behavior.

Former FIFA President resigns in disgrace

Joao Havelange, Fifa's honorary president, resigns over bribes

Joao Havelange, 96, has resigned as Fifa's honorary president after a report ruled he had taken bribes.

The Brazilian was described as "morally and ethically reproachable" for taking kickbacks from a World Cup rights marketing agency.

The report by Fifa's ethics chairman Hans-Joachim Eckert also claimed Nicolas Leoz had received bribes.

Leoz, 84, resigned from the governing body's executive committee last week, citing health and personal reasons.

The Paraguayan was accused in the report of being "not fully candid" in his explanations over the affair.

However, while the report says that payments made in the 1990s to Havelange, who was Fifa president from 1974 to 1988, Leoz and former Fifa executive Ricardo Teixeira, Havelange's son-in-law, qualified as bribes, they were not crimes at the time. ...

See the whole story here, from the BBC.

Kicking Back Comments: This both saddens and angers me all at the same time. 

It saddens me as Dr. Havelange was a hero of mine for some time when I was a pup forming the idea I wanted to spend a significant portion of my life chasing a FIFA badge.

It angers me because I question why these resources are investigating a 96 year old man, and former President of FIFA ... why not the man who is there now likely acting in much the same way.

Let's focus on the present actors to set the example for the future ones.

Massachusetts selections to the 2013 Region I Championship Tournament

** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FROM THE MSRC ***

With special thanks to the Massachusetts State Referee Committee, and SYRA Brian Treanor, I am pleased to relay the last of three announcements appointing referees to the 2013 series of Regional tournaments for Massachusetts!

The final tournament to be announced is the preeminent event for teams and referees in Region I. The Region I Championships bring together the winners of the State Cup tournaments held throughout the 15 state region consisting of state associations from Maine to Virginia. The teams at this tournament are vying for the title of Region I Champion which earns them the right to compete at the US Youth Soccer National Championships in Overland Park, Kansas. Referees attending the regional tournaments must be at the top of the youth soccer ranks. This 5 day tournament is a demanding journey that tests a referee's fitness, endurance, refereeing ability, and the ability to acquit themselves well off the field. Referees who do well at "Regionals" may be selected to work as a Referee or Assistant Referee at the 2013 US Youth Soccer National Championships.

Without further delay, here are the members of this year's delegation:

Referees:
Thomas Belanger 

Anthony Brossi
Erin Cappellucci
Jordan Cavaco
Nikolas Coelho
Nathanael Dewhurst
Nicholas Grimard
Scott McGrail
Ian McKay
Max Perkins
Eric Schreiber
Igor Senic
Kristin Sundberg 

Assessors:
William Carey 

Elie Nassif
Ed Rae 

Alternates:
Alex White 
Karl Sundberg
Alex Fusco

Brian Treanor will be leading the delegation once again this year as the head of delegation without a role as referee or assessor.

FIFA: Yes, You Get No Maracas

FIFA 'reevaluating' Brazilian version of vuvuzela

SAO PAULO (AP)

The days of the caxirola, Brazil's version of the vuvuzela, may be over even before the Confederations Cup begins in June.

FIFA and the local 2014 World Cup organizing committee said Friday they are reconsidering whether to allow fans to use the maraca-like instrument during the warm-up tournament. The decision came after police in northeastern Brazil banned the instruments from football stadiums because of security concerns.

It is the second World Cup in a row there has been a controversy involving local instruments used by fan. Throughout the 2010 event in South Africa there was debate about the use of vuvuzelas - plastic horns which created a din that drowned out all other crowd noise. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Fox News.

Kicking Back Comments: Take a peek at a video from The Guardian here to see the instrument in action.

No beer, no local cuisine, specially educated prostitutes, no noise makers, stadiums that are half built ... and we are still a year away from the actual World Cup.

Can't wait to see what happens next.

Think review is flawless eh ...

Former WMU baseball player Adam Rosales' apparent home run in Wednesday's Athletics vs. Indians game sparks heated controversy

Former Western Michigan University baseball playerAdam Rosales thought he had hit a game-tying home run for the Oakland Athletics in Wednesday's game against the Cleveland Indians, but a ruling by umpires left players, coaches and fans of both teams stunned.

Rosales hit a high, deep ball in the top of the ninth inning with two outs and Oakland trailing 4-3. Umpires initially ruled the hit, which saw the ball appear to ricochet off a railing above the yellow home run line on the outfield wall, was a double. 

See the whole story here, courtesy of MLive.com.

Kicking Back Comments: FIFA take note, this is your future.

Honestly this was a fascinating result (watch the video to show just how clear this was), and I have to believe that will spark further controversy regarding review (in place since 2008), or particular review of this umpires performance.

This is the future however. A goal may or may not have crossed the line ... let's consult the technology.

Nah, we don't believe that, we're staying with what we think it should be.

Get warmed up to this one FIFA, you may see just this case in 2014 as a referee is empowered to overrule the technology if they feel it is incorrect. Folks are already clanging for a revamp of the replay system here, and provide some evidence that such systems are far from infallible.

Are we ready for a pixel by pixel review of every goal ... and is FIFA ready to see its great GLT experiment fail on the world's stage?

Stay Tuned.

Alright Travis, Now Tackle Baseball

David Ortiz rejects talk of steroid use

“How do you think he does it? I don’t know! What makes him so good?’’

Pete Townshend, “Pinball Wizard”

Hitting is not this easy. Athletes do not get better as they mature into their late 30s. Baseball has been peppered with performance-enhancing drugs for the last 20 years. The cheaters are always ahead of the testers. A number of players from the Dominican Republic have tested positive for steroids. Injuries to the Achilles’ tendon are consistent with steroid use. It is not natural for a guy to hit .426 out of the gate without the benefit of any spring training. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of The Boston Globe.

Kicking Back Comments: You would think that all the crowing that Travis Tygart, the head of the USADA, has done about doping, and spouting all about how he wants to make things fair and safe for young athletes, he would focus on America's Pastime ... baseball.

It would seem that in this case there is actual evidence in the form of tests that were failed, not coerced testimony from peers, doctors or trainers (and I'm talking about baseball in this case guys). Ortiz himself tested positive in 2003.

Why the hold up Travis? If you want to make a name for yourself and clean up a sport, why not start at home?

I certainly have some suspicions why he is not ...

Another youth soccer player commits homicide on a referee

Back in December of 2012, Richard Nieuwenhuizen was a volunteer linesman for his son's match in the Netherlands when he was beaten to death by a group of 16 year old thugs at the conclusion of the match.

I gave my opinion here in how these criminals should be treated.

For Richard, there were moments of silence, tears, armbands, and platitudes from FIFA on respect.

It has now happened again, where a U-18 thug from Utah has caused the death of Utah soccer referee Ricardo Portillo by reportedly punching him in the head and neck area. One account of the incident and detail about the Mr. Portillo can be found here, courtesy of CBS. Take a look at the video, it is well worth it.

My question here is not what should happen to this animal who (in the daughter's account) sucker punched Portillo. My question is ... to what limit should the referee go to defend themselves?

Assuming the referee was able to see the strike coming, can they strike first? Should they strike first if they feel they are in imminent mortal danger?

Should it make a difference (as in the 2 cases here) they are youth players? Is there any less danger here?

Here is where folks in the international and professional levels are spoiled, as generally speaking, everyone know they have to get up for "work" the next morning, even if that work is playing soccer. That alone, keeps these surreal things from happening, as well as strong measures from the respective leagues in what would happen should these players batter a referee.

Amateur leagues, youth inclusive, are another matter completely, and are akin to the wild wild west at times. I have been lucky in my career and only hit or spit on a few times by players. While I have been lucky to have others, and generally sympathetic players, come to my aide, if that was not the case, what do you do?

The title "Could This Happen to You?", from the other day was no accident. It is something visceral we as referees need to prepare for.

This could happen to you ... How are you preparing ... and what would you do?

Please also see Paul Levys' piece, In memoriam: Ricardo Portillo, who gives a far more eloquent analysis. I'll be honest, I am just livid and so disheartened at the loss of life over a youth soccer game. While I am clearly not espousing violence of any kind, I do believe that this scenario is one referees must consider.

Grand Tour Season Begins ... NOW!

For all interested, here are previews of the route as well.



Strap in for some cycling commentary over the next few months folks!

1.21 Giga Watts?

Brazil promises speedy internet for fans at 2014 FIFA World Cup

Soccer fans attending next year's World Cup in Brazil will have no problem going online from stadiums, but they might want to use a local cellphone chip to keep their charges low, Brazilian Communications Minister Paulo Bernardo said yesterday.

Each of the 12 stadiums hosting the 32-nation soccer tournament will have two separate 50-gigabyte networks connected to Brazil's fiber optic backbone, he told reporters. "I doubt that the stadiums will use one third of the capacity that we are installing," Bernardo said.

"Not even Mr Jerome Valcke will use up all that capacity, though he could if he makes a lot of explosive statements," the minister said in reference to the general secretary of FIFA, the governing body of global soccer. ...

See the full story here, courtesy of Tech2.

Kicking Back Comments: "Doubt that the stadiums will use one third of the (bandwidth)" eh ....
We'll see ... who's betting with me that there will be bandwidth issue?

For those who were wondering about the title, it is from the 1985 movie Back to the Future, and is a classic.

Kenyan referee claims sex life ruined by attack

Remember Could this happen to you, from the other day, where a referee was attacked by a youth player?

Well here we have something more extreme by way of damages. Take a look at, Referee sues after coach squeezes his testicles during pitch invasion, courtesy of The Guardian, where a referee was attacked by a youth coach in a particularly gruesome way.

Interestingly, but not surprisingly, the refereeing association is saying they have no responsibility whatsoever in this case.

It is an interesting point, and one that may hold water in many US jurisdictions. While US Soccer does govern our activities, are we employees, or independent contractors?

What type of protections, if any, do we receive as part of being part of the federation?

What is that yellow slip of paper we get with our registration every year that talks about "insurance?"

These are important questions to think about, as if you find yourself the victim of a battery courtesy of a participant in a match, it is unlikely you will find US Soccer or a local association coming to your aide with the exception of sanctioning the player or club with a suspension or possibly a fine if defined in their bylaws.

Everything else, you are likely on your own for, and is between local law enforcement, the courts, and you.

Something to consider next time you go out?

How can you prepare for something like this?

Stay tuned, and I'll toss some ideas out there for thought.

Massachusetts selections to the 2013 Region I ODP Tournament

** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FROM THE MSRC ***

With special thanks to the Massachusetts State Referee Committee, and SYRA Brian Treanor, I am pleased to relay the second of three announcements appointing referees to the 2013 series of Regional tournaments for Massachusetts!

The tournament to be announced today will be the Region I ODP Tournament. The Region I ODP Tournament is part one of a two part competition that will lead to the crowning of the Region I ODP champions. The tournament will take place from June 7 through June 9. The Region I champions will advance to take part in the National ODP Championships. Referees attending the Region I ODP Tournament may be selected to work at the Region I ODP Finals which take place shortly after the round robin leg on June 7-9. A referee appointed to the Region I ODP Finals may be selected to advance to the ODP National Championships.

I am pleased to announce that this year's Massachusetts referee/assessor delegation to the 2013 Region I ODP Tournament will be:

Referees:
Anthony Brossi
Joseph Welsby
Erin Cappellucci
Emma Saporito
Jordan Cavaco
Nikolas Coelho
Nicholas Grimard
Karl Sundberg
Brad Weitzel
Fouad Madkour
Zachary Mintz 

Assessors:
Lukengu Jean-Pierre Musanda
One assessor TBA 

Alternates:
David Rodriguez
Mello Barros
Alex Fusco 

The head of delegation for the Region I ODP Tournament will be Anthony Brossi!

Congratulations to all on this significant milestone in your refereeing and assessing career!

Could This Happen To You?

Special thanks to Ken M., and JAFO for bring this one forward.

Soccer ref critically injured after attack by teen player, Utah police say

A soccer referee in Utah was critically injured after being attacked by a 17-year-old player angry about a call made during the game, police said.

Fox13Now.com reports that the 46-year-old ref was injured Saturday morning while officiating a game being played in the fields behind Eisenhower Jr. High School, which is just south of Salt Lake City. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Fox News.

Kicking Back Comments: As we will see tomorrow, this referee is likely on their own regarding any medical bills. 

Refereeing Legend: Angelo Bratis

U.S. Soccer Centennial Referee Interview: Angelo Bratsis

In the 100-year history of U.S. Soccer, few people have had as much of an influence on the Federation's referee program as Angelo Bratsis. In nearly 50 years of involvement in the program, Bratsis started officiating on the amateur fields of New England and worked his way all the way up to the FIFA international panel. ...

See the full story here, courtesy of US Soccer.

Kicking Back Comments: A worthy read and associated video. I have the pleasure to know Angelo and have worked with him and for him and have learned more from him than I could ever teach another. I can safely say, to this day, he is one of the very best at his craft, and has limitless passion for The Game.

He is one of US Soccer's treasures, and is only fitting they honor him in such a way, and more.

The question is ... what would you do after seeing this?

Caution?

Send off?

Throw in?

What's the next step a referee should take?

Tipsy Coachman Theory: Don Garber Version

To understand the theory, takea look at Lee v. Porter, 63 Ga 345, 346 (1879), or Wikipedia for a good summary.

This doctrine is a rule of law that upholds, in a higher court, a correct conclusion despite flawed reasoning by the judge in a lower court. In other words, the lower judgment was right, but for the wrong reason.

We are not talking about law per se here folks, but about GLT.

As most know I have railed about my dislike for the the use of GLT on the pitch, as I believe it is an erosion of the referees authority to control a match that has been replaced by automatons. I also do believe that there is no sure fire solution to detecting when a ball crosses the line as even the very expensive technology being put in place, has significant flaws.

For all my foot stomping, FIFA went ahead and implemented it anyway, and we will see it very, very soon.

Enter MLS ...

Take a look at MLS rules out goal-line technology from Fox Sports.

I was thrilled when I saw the headline. After all the Commish is standing up and saying that MLS is not going to march with FIFA on this one. I was thrilled ...

... until I read his reasoning.

He said it was a matter of ''prioritizing how we spend our money.''

Ugh ... It was like that moment that Lucy pulls the football away from Charlie Brown and he falls on his back.

It's too expensive ....

While an absolutely reasonable answer for a financially struggling league, he could have said more .... he SHOULD have said more.

He comes closer with ''... our view has been that we're going to wait and see how it works out. We certainly don't need to be the first league that has it.''

Which was better ... BUT ... why not say something like:

I believe in our referees to get this right and see them working hard in doing so. We can defer a decision based on cost, and not be an early adopter, and a desire to evaluate the need based on the circumstances, MLS stands behind its referees and their decisions.

His silence was deafening, as on the business end, they are happy for the "good" decisions, and quietly look for blood on the "bad" ones.

Managing professional referees in any league is not easy as these folks have to carefully balance the need for development at that level, with the "product" that is being sold.

Fortunately, the MLS refereeing management has some spectacular folks talented in this regard.

So yeah, MLS got it right ... but for the absolutely wrong reason IMHO.

Very dark scary stuff ...

Asian football candidate denies player persecution

A leading candidate to become Asia's next football boss has made a fresh denial that players were persecuted under his direction in Bahrain after a rights group urged delegates to vote against him.

Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, a Bahraini royal and head of the country's football association, made the comments after the US-based group said players were tortured and abused during a crackdown on pro-democracy protests. ...

See the whole article here, courtesy of football.co.uk.

Kicking Back Comments: Accusations of bribery, match fixing, and torture. FIFA, where are you?

Who said gaming does not pay

Your essential guide to the FIWC

From 6 to 8 May, 21 of the world’s best EA SPORTS™ FIFA 13 gamers will gather in Madrid for the FIFA Interactive World Cup 2013 Grand Final. At the Grand Final this elite group of finalists will play one another at EA SPORTS™ FIFA 13 on the Sony PlayStation®3 in the hopes of being crowned the next interactive world champion. Do you think you have what it takes to challenge for the title of the world's finest FIFA 13 player? ...

See the whole article here, from FIFA.com

Kicking Back Comments: 20K and a trip to Switzerland to see the Ballon d’Or Gala?!?

I should start training now!

Oh what a day for Twitter!!

... and here I was thinking that my day could not get any better with disgraced NY Representative Anthony Weiner returning to Twitter after a two year hiatus after photographing his private parts and Tweeting them across the globe ...

I was wrong.

Sepp had his Twitter account hacked, and during that time, Tweeted things like:

"It was decided that the president Sepp Blatter is to step down due to corruption charges."

and

"So what if I took money from Qatari prince? I am the family's bread earner"

Classic stuff indeed.

While Sepp was the victim of a genuine hack, and Mr. Weiner was the victim of his own stupidity, the end result is the same in that I will be waiting to see what spews from their respective accounts next.

For the record, it was not me who hacked Sepp, the Syrian Electronic Army has taken responsibility for the incident.

Massachusetts selections to the 2013 President's Cup

** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FROM THE MSRC ***

With special thanks to the Massachusetts State Referee Committee, and SYRA Brian Treanor, I am pleased to relay the first of three announcements appointing referees to the 2013 series of Regional tournaments for Massachusetts!  

The first tournament to be announced will be the Region I President's Cup Championships.  The President's Cup is a national tournament which allows teams from all across the country to compete for a national title.  All 50 states have President's Cup play in games.   Those play in games then lead to Regional President's Cup competitions and the regional winners all meet at the US Youth Soccer President's Cup National Championships.  It is a high honor for a referee to be selected to represent his or her state at these prestigious Regional events.

I am pleased to announce that this year's Massachusetts referee/assessor delegation to the 2013 Region I President's Cup Championships will be:

Erin Cappellucci

Nikolas Coelho

Nicholas Grimard

Nicholas Karnovsky

Max Perkins

Corey Samuelson

Karl Sundberg

Joseph Welsby

Alternates:

Bradley Weitzel

Fouad Madkour

Mello Barros

The Massachusetts assessor for this year's event will be Boris Senic Sr.

Congratulations to all on this significant milestone in your refereeing and assessing career!

Knock knock ... Who's there? Jack Warner ... Again

Former Fifa vice president Jack Warner's football legacy goes on

Jack Warner's association with football officially came to an end when he resigned from Fifa, football's world governing body, in June 2011.

But after spending decades as one of the most powerful men in the game, his legacy continues to cast a long shadow across the sport. ...

See the whole article here, from the BBC.

Kicking Back Comments: Honestly, at this point if people are willing to take Jack into their affairs, I don't feel bad for them if things go horribly wrong.

At this point the world should be on notice regarding how he choses to conduct his affairs. One may even say they are tainting themselves in the process should they choose to engage with him.

I would hope any who which to remain "above the fray" do not.

A message from Bruce Hamilton, President of Boston Area Youth Soccer

Please Observe a Moment of Silence this Weekend

In case you weren't aware, Martin Richard, the 8-year old victim of the Boston Marathon bombings was a member of Dorchester Youth Soccer. In response to this senseless violence and the impact it has had on our soccer community, BAYS suggests that a moment of silence occur before every game this weekend in observance and out of respect for Martin and all of the victims of this tragedy.

Sincerely,

Bruce Hamilton, BAYS President

Kicking Back Comments: While I currently do not have teams or players in BAYS, you can bet I will honor this request during my matches this weekend. I invite all others to do the same, regardless of sport, regardless of affiliation, regardless of anything, please take a moment and reflect.

10 Matches is not enough

UEFA finally clamp down on racism by proposing 10-match ban for guilty players
UEFA have finally woken up to the ‘scourge’ of racism and will introduce 10-game bans and stadium closures from next season.

Stung by widespread condemnation of a perceived kid glove approach, UEFA bosses have drawn up a range of new measures for European matches and are even urging member associations to adopt them.

General secretary Gianni Infantino revealed that discussions had already taken place with member associations and that all countries, including England, had indicated a willingness to adopt the same sanctions at domestic level next season. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Mail Online.

Kicking Back Comments: IMHO something is better than nothing, but this is closer to nothing than something. Ten match bans for a player don't even scratch the surface for this behavior.

Playing behind closed doors is better, but still does not cut to the heart of the matter, after all Suarez and Terry are players, and are guilty of the conduct, other than depriving a club of some revenue, how does that prevent further such abuse? Clubs will still go after the (3) points, and play their best like Suarez and Terry. Not seeing that one personally.

How about this ... if a player is guilty of such abuses, ban them for the remainder of the season. Period.

If fans are to blame, then I agree with the playing of matches with out fans.

But of course, much of this is going to go back to the referee. From the article:

"Games could also be abandoned if they are marred by racism.

‘It will be up to the referees, but they will be empowered to interrupt games and even abandon them if they become aware or are made aware of racism during games,’ said Infantino. ‘In the first instance, they will request a loud speaker announcement, warning of the consequences. If it happens again, the players will be taken off and another announcement will follow, warning that the game may be abandoned. If there is a third instance, the game will be abandoned and points may be deducted."

There are a couple of issues with this as you can imagine.

Already we are employed as drama judges for flipping and flopping that is occurring all around the pitch. Now we are going to have to become multi-linguists and cultural police to determine what is racism, and what is harmless banter.

Now if I am a coach or a players agent, I am going to immediately ask for evidence, actual evidence, not a statement from a referee or an opposing player why a player is going to sit for 10, 20, 30 matches, or shutter a stadium. 

It is a reasonable question, and one that UEFA has to thing about carefully, as to be draconian, and I think they should, can also lead to abuses on their own, or in a less sinister case, incorrect interpretations.

Referees soon will be required to carry recording devices on their person and no doubt be required to turn in that recording at the end of a match as evidence of any wrongdoing.

Also, and I have said this before, racism in the near future will likely be its own send off offense as "foul and abusive language" may not be specific enough.

While I loath tinkering with the LOTG, this small addition may be very worth while to set it aside as particularly egregious and place it in a sui generis category for especially harsh punishments. 

I love HKReferee!

This title is not a gag in any way. HKRef is IMHO one of the best football referee bloggers out there today. His analytical style wrapped in thought provoking comments are always a worth read.

One of his latest, Trendsetting: Referee Shirts, is no exception and in a single article hits on several interesting  and funny points.

I would strongly recommend taking a look as it sets up what may be coming our way soon.

I have to say honestly that regarding uniform, I am a big fan of the basic black, long sleeve jersey. While I do like a flourish or two regarding them (e.g. buttoned cuffs) going too far outside of that just does not do it for me.

One of these days I will commission a study to correlate favorite referee jersey style and color to refereeing style. I think the results would be fascinating.

Eat Up!!

I have opined here several times that referees, especially youth referees, particularly in tournament settings, are endurance athletes and need to eat, drink, and train accordingly.

We are about (6) weeks away from Memorial Day tournaments ... are you ready to go for (4) days straight, doing (6) matches a day in early summer heat?

For me personally, I started training last October for an even this October, and while I likely have a bit further to go to get into form than most here, my point stands that fitness is not a fad, or an overnight thing, it is a lifestyle.

Nutrition is a huge part of an athletes lifestyle.

Take a second a look at this very worth article that speaks to soccer nutrition specifically.
It's worth it.

Sports Nutrition – A Head Fake Toward a Healthy Lifestyle

Statement from the Boston Athletic Association

Statement from the Boston Athletic Association
Monday, April 15, 2013
8:00 p.m. ET

The Boston Athletic Association extends its deepest sympathies to all those who were affected in any way by today's events.

Today is a sad day for the City of Boston, for the running community, and for all those who were here to enjoy the 117th running of the Boston Marathon. What was intended to be a day of joy and celebration quickly became a day in which running a marathon was of little importance.

We can confirm that all of the remaining runners who were out on the course when the tragic events unfolded have been returned to a community meeting area.

At this time, runners' bags in Boston which remain unclaimed may be picked up by runners presenting their bib number or proof of race participation on Berkeley Street, between St. James and Boylston. There are no bags at 101 Arlington Street.

At this time, we are cooperating with the City of Boston, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and all federal law enforcement officials.

We would like to thank the countless people from around the world who have reached out to support us today.

Please go to the B.A.A. Facebook page --
http://facebook.com/thebostonmarathon -- for information.
We post new information as we are able.

Kicking Back Comments: It is a sad day here in Boston. I can only hope as a race we come to our senses and at sometime time soon no longer feel the need to murder and mame innocents.

From all of us here at Kicking Back, our deepest sympathies to all affected.

Something smells funny ...

FIFA investigator among Americans barred from Russia in rights dispute

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The chief investigator examining allegations of wrongdoing in soccer including the bidding process for the 2018 World Cup in Russia is one of 18 people on a list of Americans barred from entering Russia over what Moscow says are human rights abuses.

Michael Garcia, a former U.S. federal prosecutor who now works for soccer's world governing body, FIFA, is on the blacklist published by Russia's Foreign Ministry on Saturday after Washington named 18 Russians barred from entering the United States for alleged rights abuses. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Reuters.

Kicking Back Comments: In reading this article it would seem that this is a "tit for tat" move by the Russians as once the US named (18) individuals who were barred from entry for rights abuses, Russia did the same and named (18) to a similar list not allowed entry into Russia for rights abuses.

Garcia's ban would seem to stem from his successful prosecution of an arms dealer (Viktor Bout) who is currently being held in the US on a 25 year term.

That aside (and it is a big aside mind you) I don't know if Russia wants to not allow FIFA's current chief investigator into the country. World Cup 2018 may be on the line for them.

Then again ... maybe that's exactly what they want to do.

Stay tuned as politics reigns supreme once again.

Do you carry a spare?

By that I mean a spare watch, whistle, pencil ... how about cards?

May want to consider it ... take a peek here for a reason why, from The Guardian.

Just guys in lycra huh ...

... some of the toughest guys in sport.

Check this one out from last weeks Paris-Roubaix.

Another "bad guy" gets away

Special thanks to John U. for bringing this one forward.

So with March madness safely behind us, I was mildly interested in basketball for a bit, but am over it now.

One thing I am not over though is the resignation of Ed Rush as PAC 12 Director if Officials.

Now for any who follow basketball, or referees, you likely know who Ed Rush is. For those who do not, he served as a referee in the NBA at age 26 (the youngest ever at the time), and eventually after a storied on court career, became the NBA director if officials from 1998 to 2003. In 2007 Mr. Rush started consulting with PAC 12, and became their Director Of Officials in May of 2012.

As has been reported in a variety of places, Mr. Rush "bullied" officials, and offered "$5,000 and a trip to Cancun" if they called a technical foul on Sean Miller of the Arizona Wildcats. My immediate reaction was somewhat bemused, until I found out he chose (or was forced) to retire his position after "an anonymous official" at the internal presentation felt "threatened" by the comment, and fans and the media swarmed at the inference of impropriety.

Earth to the "anonymous official":
You're never going to make it in the big leagues ... or even the college game for that matter.
Put on some big boy pants and try something else.

Earth to the media who helped cause the resignation:
Keep doing what you are doing. You are fools, and keep me "employed" as a blogger.

Now assuming momentarily that the comment was actually spoken, and I believe it was, as several officials in attendance corroborated it to be true ... what fool takes that seriously?

You would think it is an NFL team paying for players to hurt other players. While both on the surface are ludicrous, do we really think this was anything more than a joke, or a way to make a point, when discussed in such an open forum?

Of course not.

Does anyone out there, including the "official" who needs to don his adult pants think that discussions about "problem players" or "problem coaches" is inappropriate?

How many times as an official, or a parent, or as a spectator something like, "ooh I'd like to ..."? 

A rope, a tree, let's hang the ... Heard that one? Why are these people allowed to go on?

Lets go back to problem players. This conversation happens all the time, and yes, names are named in the big leagues ... and in the little leagues too folks.

Well this seems unfair you grouse ... somehow inappropriate and all.

Well how do all you people who clammer for match control think it's going to happen? Just let it unfold in front of all of our eyes and take a guess at what might happen next? Just react without a plan? Do you actually think that referees put some thought into managing the people behind the uniform and how to effectively deal with them to manage the match as a whole?

Let me take a soccer example. A former coach of the NE Revolution who was a tremendous player was particularly boisterous on the touchline. Not nasty, not foul (in the normal sense of the word), but always challenging, always pushing, and crossed the line several times.

As a younger 4th official in the league, I would have to regularly deal with him, and enjoyed the challenge as I saw through what he was doing and have (to this day) immense respect for him as a person. Guess what though, there were strategies we discussed to help us all manage the match. Most of the time they worked too.

Did my knowledge and discussion, sometimes in a joking way ("oh we'll have to send him this match") somehow get interpreted as "we need to take that action"?

Of course not ... it's just hyperbole to make a point.

Same thing here folks, it was clearly just a way to make a point.

Don't believe me? Fine.

Ask the other officials in attendance what they thought (which was done by the head of security for the PAC 12) ... and guess what, NO ONE ELSE TOOK IT SERIOUSLY.

Note to official big boy pants ... you stand alone.

What is truly sad is that something (or someone) so stupid serves to topple the career of someone who can do some real good in that situation.

By all accounts Ed was agressive in his pursuit of making these officials better, and anyone who really, really wants to be good at that craft needs to be able to get brutally honest to be able to do so.

Ed was that guy and this is a loss for the PAC 12.

By the way, internet mogul Mark Cuban was reported as saying, circa Jan. 8, 2002: "Ed Rush might have been a great ref, but I wouldn’t hire him to manage a Dairy Queen. His interest is not in the integrity of the game or improving the officiating ..." and some have reported is gleeful at the report of Ed's resignation.

That's okay ... I don't hold Mr. Cuban out as much of an athlete anyway. He to me is much more akin to an athletic supporter, like most fan(atics) who choose his path of dumping on good people.

After all of this, the one who was held out as a bad actor to make a point, Sean Miller, I am certain will get "kid gloves" treatment in the days ahead in a feigned attempt to avoid any "impropriety."

Rubbish.

SHOCKING!!! ... not.

Brazil to miss FIFA deadline for World Cup stadiums

BRASILIA/SAO PAULO (Reuters) - More than half a million tickets have been sold for the Confederations Cup in June, but host nation Brazil has yet to finish the main stadiums to be used in the dress rehearsal for the 2014 soccer World Cup.

On the eve of yet another FIFA deadline, Brazil has delivered only three of the six venues for the eight-nation warm-up starting in two months.

World soccer's governing body FIFA had demanded that all six stadiums be ready by this past December but construction delays forced it to extend the deadline until April 15. Even with that extra time, all the stadiums will not be ready. ...

See the whole story here from Yahoo Sports.

Kicking Back Comments: Well I am not at all surprised here. Unlike Ronaldo, I don't blame the Brazilian culture, I blame FIFA for failing to recognize this was going to be the case from "go." I only hope no one gets hurt when the public fills these (what will be) unfinished stadia.

One interesting line in the article was:

"FIFA requires that the new stadiums be tested twice, preferably with soccer games."

Preferably?

How is the brain trust at FIFA testing GLT?

Preferably with actual matches.

Half finished stadiums, GLT that might work most of the time, disrespected sovereign law to appease sponsors, and no local food within 1.5k of any stadium.

Welcome to the World Cup 2014.

Honestly FIFA, you should have just went to England.