No Vuvuzela for you!

Here today, gone tomorrow. While the debate rages on about if vuvuzelas should be allowed for the remainder of the World Cup, broadcasters have taken the matter into their own hands.

Earlier I shared (2) opinion pieces with you about why or why not the vuvuzela should be allowed at the remainder of the World Cup. For now however several broadcasters are filtering out the noise with specially designed filters, apparantly to the liking of their viewers.

Broadcasters Filtering out World Cup Vuvuzelas

By Scott Roxborough

June 17, 2010

COLOGNE, Germany (Hollywood Reporter) - Around the world, broadcasts of the football World Cup have been accompanied by the same, annoying drone ... of commentators complaining about the vuvuzelas.

The plastic horns are a traditional noisemaker in South African sports stadiums, local officials claim. But the sound of thousands of vuvuzelas honking has commentators, networks and audiences at home raising their voices in protest. ...

Complete story here courtesy of ABC news.

Be the duck

Have you ever watched a duck cross a pond? Looks pretty effortless, just seemingly calmly gliding across the water without a care in the world. We look across and sigh in satisfaction that all is at peace with the world. Calm, serene, relaxed. Look under the water however and it is a different story. Cranking, churning, hard working webbed feet are pounding away at the water getting away from that raccoon that just tried to eat it. Not so serene.

So what is the difference here?

One answer is fairly simple in that it is a matter of perception. If we see the calm, gliding duck we have a very relaxed feeling, the viewer feels relaxed by watching the duck glide by. If we turn the duck upside down (or look under the water), it is a whole different story. Frantic thrashing, splashing, chaos, and general discontent.

Think about refereeing, and how people (players, assessors, coaches, fans) will react when they watch you referee. Are you one who brings a feeling of serenity and calmness to a situation, or match. Are you one who raises the tempo or stirs things up? Trust me, as an assessor, I am looking at that.

Don't get me wrong, there is no one right answer, and the best do both, and other variations of temperament in between. There is a time for frenetic conduct, anger, comedy, sarcasm, and the host of other emotions that comprise the human experience. All I'm saying is to learn when to bring those out, and how to wrap the match in a sense of calm confidence is a very successful way to approach and conduct a match. Look at some of the best referees today (I'll let you pick), their calm, measured approach goes a long, long way. Particularly in the more difficult situations.

My thought ... be the duck.

Random observations from the Nederlands v Uruguay semi-final match

The pace to start this match was lightning fast! The tone was set by the first hard tackle, under 30 seconds into the match by Van Bommel against Pereira. And no foul called!

The combination of the orange and the sky blue uniforms did not work for me.

Even at high levels defenders put their hands up to indicate offside to the referee. Silly.

Did you notice the Uruguayans initial onslaught lasted exactly 15 minutes? You could see the team take a breather in unison almost as if the coach had sounded the whistle for a water break. The Dutch withstood the challenge and proceeded to come forward for the first time after that. Does any team in the world play one-touch soccer better than the Dutch?

And can you recall a more stunning goal than the one scored by Holland’s Van Bronckhorst in the 17th minute? With the possible exception of the answering blast by Forlan in the 40th! If there are anyone left still complaining about the ball, they must be goalkeepers.

I like The Dutch continuing to go forward even when leading by a goal in after 70 minutes. They deserved this win.

Who was this referee? Did anyone notice him for the first 80 minutes? Fantastic. Smiling deep into the second half, of a World Cup semi-final. Amazing. (By the way, his name is Irmatov from Uzbekistan.) A nice even game, with the one weak yellow card to Nederlands’ Boulahrouz in the 79th minute. 31 fouls in the game, and a nice flow throughout. This was a classic example of the players getting the game and the pace they wanted.

Day 6: Enjoy the experience

Back in 1994 the Regionals were held in New Jersey. It was that year I learned this lesson the hard way. A lesson that all these experiences with the youth game should be enjoyed, because they are not around forever.

It was that year I was fortunate enough to be selected for Youth Nationals. I remember it clearly, I was in some shock as I stood in the parking lot just after leaving the fields after being told. My dad was near by, he was assessing at the tournament and had taken some time to watch me that day to make sure I was behaving myself. He didn't know yet, or at least didn't let on he knew about me going to Youth Nationals.

I was just standing there watching a match from a distance and the SYRA came up and said, "Well, I guess that's it." I snapped out of my daze and said something to the effect of, "Just what are you talking about?"

"That's it. You're done with the youth game after Nationals. Time for you to move on." He pated me on the back and he and my dad walked off discussing if it would be okay for my dad to watch me in Minnesota.

I just stood there dumbfounded ... and started to cry.

That was it? All that time, all those friends and experiences ... done? Years of refereeing flashed in my head.

Yes. That was it. It was just about the end of my competitive youth refereeing career.

I barely took the time to take it all in along the way. One day I was refereeing 6 a side matches in Walpole when I was 12 years old ... the very next it seemed, I was on a flight to referee in the most prestigious youth tournament in the US for me. It was too much. I continued to choke back tears for a few minutes just watching that match from the parking lot. Trying to cope with having to let that part of my refereeing career go.

So why do I offer such a personal story?

Just as a thought.

Take the time to enjoy the ride. It does not last forever, and may just end sooner than you may like.

Day 5: Not everyone is a winner - deal with it

So as the tournament wears on, there are some things that will become more clear if they were not already. Not everyone finishes first. Now this comes in a number of different forms that the referee has to deal with. Here are some ways to consider:

Teams that do not qualify for a final.
There is an old axiom that the toughest match is the semi final. Well that is generally true. Some equally tough matches are those for a chance to get into a semi-final. Those can be brutal. So before you start ANY MATCH, look at the standings and understand what each team has to win ... or lose. This foresight can be invaluable as you prepare for a match.

Parents of players on teams that do not qualify for a final.
This is somewhat corollary from the above, but has its own flavor. Regionals are a place that college coaches come to watch promising young players, and those players that a parent has berated a coach into coming to watch. I've said it before, college is expensive, and any edge that can be had, a parent will look for. As with any match, determine who those stars may be and protect them. It may be their chance to shine in front of a college coach. This is not to say that they deserve special treatment, all players are equal. However things may get a little more animated than usual ... and this may be a reason why. Just a thought.

Not all referees will get a final.
This is an obvious, but sometimes painful fact of a tournament like this. It may leave a referee sitting on the touchline for the whole day of finals. It may leave whole teams of referees from the same state sitting on the touchline. It can hurt ... and as I have personally experienced, it does hurt. Especially when you thought it should have been you doing that U-19 final.

Now I can not even begin to explain what goes into assigning stuff like this, It is a real black art to me and one I just assume leave that way. It is more than ability, more that politics, more than luck. It is just the way it is and a referee has to be aware of that.

My thought is to support your compatriots or one who are going out there that day. They will appreciate the support and remember it forever. It is truly an event to be selected for a final at the regionals, and that referee carries everyone from the state with them. Show them your support.

Referees are generally competitive animals and it can sting when one is not first. Just remember that these referees that you may feel competition with one day, are your brothers and sisters for all time. These relationships you make, can last a lifetime and tranced the game and everything attached to it.

Embrace the competitive spirit, but remember the human element and support your friends when they need it most. They will in turn, do the same when your time comes ... to be first.

MA SYRA to tweet semi-final and final assignments live!

As those who follow us know, as the round robin matches are over, the real nail-biting begins for the referees as the assignment for semi-final and final assignments are coming out tonight and tomorrow.

Each can be seen as an acknowledgement of a "job well done" for those referees who are selected.

Follow the Massachusetts SYRA (State Youth Refreee Administrator) here to keep up to date on all the action.

Stay tuned, this are getting good as we come down to the wire.

Day 4: Smile ... it can avoid fireworks

So on this day for fun and fireworks, one thing that may help to keep in mind is that a smile is very disarming. Now I am not here to say that it takes less muscles to smile than frown or some such nonsense. I am hear to say that a smile can go a long way in a tense situation. As we all know as referees we find ourselves in tense situations.

Now this is not to say that smiling is appropriate all the time, because it is not. But it is another fiber in the tapestry that a referee must spin to have a successful match. You are there as an ambassador of the game, and those who you deal with are human and have emotions too. Sharing yours will help the overall cause. Besides, people who have fun tend to smile ... and you are having fun refereeing right? An assessor is asking themselves those questions as they watch you ... or at least this one is.

Try it ... Next time a player is starting to get on your case, talk to them and smile. You may be surprised of the result.

Now for those who want to go into some of the other more psychological and physiological reasons for smiling, here is a handful of them for your enjoyment:

1. Smiling Makes Us Attractive
2. Smiling Changes Our Mood
3. Smiling Is Contagious
4. Smiling Relieves Stress
5. Smiling Boosts Your Immune System
6. Smiling Lowers Your Blood Pressure
7. Smiling Releases Endorphins, Natural Pain Killers and Serotonin
8. Smiling Lifts the Face and Makes You Look Younger
9. Smiling Makes You Seem Successful
10. Smiling Helps You Stay Positive

A full reading is here, courtesy of about.com. =)

Pop Quiz: What is spherical and contains 32 panels, 20 of which are hexagons and 12 of which are pentagons, and the pentagons do not touch each other? This object has some interesting qualities - if it is squeezed and released it will spring back to its original shape, and it can spin very fast. And if it is propelled against a hard surface it will bounce. Give up yet? The answer is an icosahedron. Of course, we know it better as a Buckeyball (or Buckyball as it is sometimes spelled).

Buckeyball? Yes. Read on.

Buckyballs are those kids' toys that are made of plastic or sometimes wire. Everybody likes to pick them up and touch them, but once you are holding one there isn’t much you can do with them in your hands. You can get them for about $29.99 in those upscale stores that sell toys for kids in Cambridge, or $19.99 anywhere else.


Buckyballs are also the common name of Neodymium magnets. Neodymium is a compound of iron and boron, and in its spherical form happens to be about the strongest and most affordable type of rare-earth magnet. Each magnet has two opposing sides and when placed together you can make an infinite variety of shapes. You can buy a set of about 200 little magnets, and of course the price is $29.99 in those same stores.

Another name for a Buckyball is a Fullerine. In 1985 a scientist named Buckminster Fuller discovered this particular carbon molecule containing 60 atoms (a.k.a. Carbon 60 or C60). The molecular Buckeyballs came from meteors that crashed into the earth about 5 billion years ago. Turns out that what we have been kicking around the pitch every Sunday is an exact copy of the carbon molecule that is responsible for the origin of all life. Cool.

Soccer is life.

Day 2 of matches is down ... yet we are all still standing

I have to say that the area we are in for the Region I Championship is really beautiful. Above is a shot from both of the mornings here. Let me tell you that it gets *cold* here in the morning as the fog would indicate.

Despite this fact, by 11AM the heat is up ... and we are ALL baking.

Over the first two days it has been a stark reminder just how much fitness is required at a multi-day tournament like this. Each referee is generally asked to serve as a referee, and then generally as an AR for (2) more matches. These can include shorter halves for younger ages (e.g. U12) or "regular" halves for the older ages.

Now while refereeing multiple youth matches is nothing really new for a referee who has been through "the program" (a euphemism I sometimes employ to describe a referee who has transitioned from the youth to other levels of the game), to do so at this very high level of play can be daunting, and require amazing focus. It can be read in their faces and gait as they walk to a field.

That noted, the spirits are buoyed and it is so clear they love what they do.

Now sometimes silliness sets in as it did tonight at dinner and while we were waiting for the presentations to begin, some members of some delegations were counting how long it took for a plate from the buffet table to be picked up when it was done being eaten from.

No folks you just can't make this stuff up either.

It was timed to take from 8 seconds, to 22 minutes 36 seconds. We guessed an average was under 4 minutes though. It was pretty amazing, the staff at Marshall University is terrific. For the record too, we were not teasing these folks we were legitimately eating dinner and came up with  this silly game to pass the time. It worked, and was indeed very silly.

Something tells me as the week continues to wear on, we will get more tired and we will have more silly games to report on.

Stay tuned ... more to come as day 3 is on the horizon.

The Rhythm of Life

The Sambas have exited the World Cup. Yesterday the Nederlands dismissed the reigning world champions in a game that was fascinating for its evolving rhythm and pace. The ebb and flow of that game was clearly evident as the match unfolded and played out like a symphony, accompanied by vuvuzelas.

Make no mistake, the game of soccer has an ebb and flow and if you listen closely you can hear the beat.

I will miss the Sambas, but the drum beat of this game lives on. I will miss Ghana too. As the last African nation standing, they carried the rhythm of a continent. Did you know that the origin of music was Africa, and at the root is the human heartbeat?

Soccer is life.

Day 3: Be ready for THAT question ...

So (Mr. or Ms. referee or AR), what did YOU think about the match?

Be ready with an answer to that one after each and every match. It can help jump start an assessment, and can be used as a tool to lead an assessor down a path that you as referee want to go down. Now, it may be short lived as if there is a topic an assessor wants to cover, they are going to cover it, but you can start things off on the right foot for your team by helping the discussion down the right path.

Here are some answers I would avoid, however each is free to use them at their own peril:

I was AWESOME today!!

I really stunk today, just fail me now.

Well aren't YOU supposed to tell me how I did today?

From a previous post I offered some thoughts about how to handle what might be a tense situation with an assessor. Taking a look back, here are the basic points:

1. Be calm. Assessors (believe it or not) are there to help, not to berate you. Engage in a dialog to understand where the assessor is coming from, and where you as referee, are coming from.

2. Be honest. If you blew it, say you blew it. If you did't, say you didn't. If you don't know, say you don't know. Nothing will get you into hotter water faster than saying something that is obviously not true to an assessor. Some may buy the BS ... the best will know better.

3. Ask - What would you have done? You might just get a blank look indicating they have no idea. Other braver assessors may say they don't know. The best will have a thought for you to ponder, as a single correct solution rarely presents itself in this game.

4. Say - Thank you. Assessors, as I said before are there to help, not just hang around. You can disagree with the assessment, think they got it all wrong in all aspects, and that they were a blind, clueless, ex-referee trying to relive their career through you. That might be true, every word ... but they took the time to try and help. Appreciate that fact if nothing else.

5. Think about it. There are times when a point in an assessment will not make sense until much later in life. Review those older assessment and rethink about that situation and how you would solve it the next time. It may just happen again.

6. Be your worst assessor. I became an assessor at a young age to try to think like an assessor and understand what they were after. I would perform my own self-assessment and try to come up with the questions they would ask. Sometimes I got it right, sometimes I got it wrong, but in all cases I was thinking about the match, and how I could make my performance better next time.


Getting an assessment after a whole day on the pitch can be no fun. I know this, been there, done that. Just be ready to answer THAT question, and consider the above points, and you'll be just fine.

Feeling hot, Hot, HOT!!!

Things have definitely heated up from this morning!

For any following on Twitter, we were seriously socked in this morning. You could not see one SIDE of the field from the other. It was crazy. But, just as the first kick was getting underway, the heavens parted and the sun shined in. It was a glorious day ... for about 3 hours, then frankly it got pretty freaking hot.

Lots of sunscreen passed around. I actually drained a 3oz tube on myself, yet to no avail as I am lobster red. I have a bunch of moisturizer and other balms and salves to see if I can salvage the situation. Rumour has it there is a pix floating around of it, so when I have it I will send it along.

It was pretty amazing though how plugged in the community was. When Brazil we3nt down to Netherlands today, the field were immediately buzzing about it. Similar with Ghana playing Uruguay. You could walk the fields and people were listening live on their smart phones and shouting things like "GOAL", or "RED CARD". It was pretty amazing.

More later, but we are off to dinner and the evenings meetings, debrief, and de-debrief. Which is I hope, brief =).

Day 2: Bring sunblock - and WEAR IT!!

Nothing will ruin a tournament (or vacation) faster than getting a serious sunburn on any part of your body. It's painful, debilitating, and dangerous. Let's take a look at something:

Now I'm no meteorologist, but something tells me that the potential for getting burned to a crisp is pretty high here. No one is going to tell you to put on sunscreen, you are going to have to do it yourself. Gone are the days of being "assisted" by an adult putting lotion over your face and neck as a kid. I do this today to my kids and it is really great fun ... they hate it.

Too much exposure to the sun can also cause heat stroke and exhaustion. Neither is fun and also can lead to serious health issues. This is on top of missing the entire tournament because you forgot to drink water, wear sunscreen and get the proper rest.

I'll be honest, multi-day tournaments are brutal. Back to back games with little rest in between can lead to disaster unless you are constantly vigilant about what shape you are in. It is also a good idea to watch out for your team, and have them watch out for you.

So while I am not a doctor (but did play one on TV once), here are some simple tips to think about:

Drink water, drink water, drink water. And when you are full, drink water.

Get the right amount of rest, or as much as you can at night.

When you don't have to be in the sun, get out of it.

If you have to be in the sun, wear a hat, sunglasses, and light clothing.

Oh yeah ... WEAR SUNSCREEN.

This stuff may seem remedial, but I knew a referee who was sidelined for regionals after day 1 because he got a burn on the top of his feet after taking of his shoes. He could not walk easily, never-mind run. His tournament was officially over at that moment.

Protect yourself form the elements. There are brutal consequences.

Hot off the presses from one of our FIFA friends who wanted to make sure this got out to everyone.
My very best regards to the provider of the info.

FIFA drops refs who made biggest mistakes

PRETORIA, South Africa – The World Cup’s worst referees were sent packing on Tuesday as soccer’s governing body tried to cut down on the glaring errors that have plagued the tournament. ...

Full story continues here, courtesy of yahoo sports.

Houston: The Eagle Has Landed

I've always found traveling fun ... I have always found traveling with a group of referees even more fun. The opening volley of flight from BOS to CRW was good and generally uneventful, save a very positive run in with a member of the POTUS medical sweep team.

Each of the referees and assessors (save your overdressed author in the center of the picture) is impressive in each of their own rights. It is truly humbling to be traveling with them and all they have accomplished, and the things they will soon accomplish in this tournament and beyond.

This group seems very cohesive and there is a relaxed tone with a subtle anxiety, which is typical leading up to events such as Regionals.This anxiety has grown slowly for some ... and as I am going through this process as an assessor for my first time, I am not immune to it. As while I pen this before getting up at 5a tomorrow to start a very long day, it mounts for me too.

Weather is beautiful, even a little cold in the overnights but have been sparkling clear days. Even hot in same cases ... and yes I already have too much colour and haven't even been out to a field yet.

All and all however, an excellent start to what will surely be an excellent week.

I was able to find a net connection (in the room no less) and will be blogging when able ... and tweeting via the iPhone much more often.

Stay tuned, the fun is just beginning.

Day 1: As of now, the clock is ticking

To keep on the Top Gun theme for just a minute, Commander Heatherly, call sign "Jester" (played by Michael Ironside) stated, "The clock is ticking, and as of now we are keeping score", the first time everyone was together at Top Gun.

This is as true in tournaments as it is in the movies. Stated another way, as soon as you leave your house for the tournament, you need to be "on", until you return to your home.

Seems like a lot of pressure and provides for very little down time eh. Well, that's the deal.

Even when you are back at your room resting for the next day, you could get a knock at your door from the assignment staff looking for help (it happened).

You could get a knock at your door from an assessor to discuss a point on your assessment (it happened).

You are being sized up by players, fans, assessors, referees and staff most if not all of the time. It happens.

When you travel, how are you dressed? I am going in my dress blues, right down to the federation tie. When you are in a group of folks traveling together, which do you think looks better, a bunch of folks in mis-matched "street clothes", or a group of folks in matching uniforms?

Same thing when you have down time between games. Are you walking around with that old, mustard stained, sleeveless, off color slogan T-Shirt, or do you have a crisp state logo polo shirt on?

You get the point I'm sure. Just keep it mind what Jester said. As of THIS moment, the clock is ticking, and everyone is keeping score.

See everyone on the plane. I'll be the guy in the pressed US Soccer jacket, grey slacks, crisp white shirt, federation tie, and polished dress shoes.

A programming note ...

As followers of this blog know, I will be attending the 2010 Region I tournament in West Virginia. During this time I will do my very best to continue to update you on the goings on of the tournament, update comments on the blog, and the like ... provided I can find access to the net.

If for some reason I can not, I have a (3) step backup plan over this time that I will use.

1. I have scheduled a daily entry in the vein of the Regional Tournament for 7:30 every morning. While these were written in advance, they are as true as they were written as when they will post.
2. I will be tweeting regular updates on my iPhone. Please follow me here, or at the big button at the top of the page that says "Follow me".
3. Our friend JAFO will likely be posting up a storm over this time as well, as the World Cup continues to be in full swing.

I will be taking furious notes however and promise for a full debrief when I get back ... or as soon as I can get to the net ... whichever comes first.

"You two are going to Top Gun ..."

"On March 3, 1969 the United States Navy established an elite school for the top one percent of its pilots. Its purpose was to teach the lost art of aerial combat and to insure that the handful of men who graduated were the best fighter pilots in the world. They succeeded. Today, the Navy calls it Fighter Weapons School. The flyers call it: TOP GUN."


Does anyone remember this, or am I really showing my age? Wait a second, please don't answer that ...


So here we are on the cusp of the 2010 Regional I tournament beginning. I found that in my experience as a referee, the tournament took on a heightened flavor when the World Cup was being played. This is based in my experience of 1994 when I was at regionals and watched the USA v. BRA match (match report) with a group of referees that had just worked really hard all week long ... anyone remember the bicycle kick that just missed the post from Balboa? Here we are again, a World Cup, a Regional Tournament, and I am going ... this time as an assessor.


It got me thinking about being selected for such a tournament and the emotions that went into it for me. It is very stirring, exciting and scary all at the same time. Maybe like Maverick and Goose going to Top Gun. Well, maybe like Goose going to Top Gun ...

Now you may have been thinking I was speaking purely about this from a refereeing perspective. I was not. I feel that way today as an assessor. Like referees, assessors are chosen for a variety of reasons, but among them, I would opine, is ability as an assessor to help guide referees.

This is a pretty awesome responsibility when I sit down and think about it. There are a great many lessons learned from the pitch as a referee. Many that I personally carry forward to this day off of my life. To offer such guidance to these developing referees takes some careful thought.

Over the next (6) days we will have a bit of a mini-series in things I learned from tournament play as well as some reporting on the goings on of the tournament itself. These posts are not "do as I do", but to provoke thought about what may make sense in a multi-day tournament context. Each reader is on their own to figure out how to use the information, and I offer it in that vein.

So sit back, relax, and come with me on a 6 day voyage to one of the premier youth soccer tournaments in the United States today, and all it has to offer.

President: FIFA will consider refereeing questions

FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter stated at a 2010 FIFA World Cup media round table today that the file on goal-line technology would be reopened. President Blatter also gave his views on the standard of football so far and the FIFA World Cup’s lasting legacy in South Africa. 


Full story here, courtesy of FIFA.com.

France, and now the Florida Marlins?

Did Vuvuzela-like Horns Cost Marlins a Baseball Game?

France was the first World Cup team to complain about vuvuzelas, the cheap plastic horns that are a tradition at soccer games in South Africa. The team claimed the constant droning, compared to a hornet's nest, messed up their communication. You would have thought that other sports would have realized supplying horns to fans wouldn't be a good idea, but go ask the Florida Marlins.

Full story here, courtesy of huliq.com.