Opera singer Placido Domingo to save FIFA

FIFA turning to 'sages' for advice

FIFA is setting up the Council of Sages in an effort to repair its image after a series of scandals. The Council will consist of celebrities, including former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, opera singer Placido Domingo and football legend Johan Cruijff.

Football experts quickly accused FIFA’s President Sepp Blatter of trying to turn the International Football Federation into a circus. Mr.Blatter explained that the ‘sages’ would provide only counseling and exercise no powers. The chief of the International Football Federation couldn’t recall the name of the Spanish tenor as he talked to CNN reporters about the Council. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of The Voice of Russia.

Kicking Back Comments: For any who were on the fence regarding just how deep in turmoil FIFA is ... Sepp's creation of a "council of elders" should seal it for you as this is just silly ... and Sepp is being mocked for it.

In isolation Kissenger is a great choice to provide guidance to FIFA as his love and involvement in THE game is well known. Cruijff as well has clearly strong credentials. Domingo ... well ... other than a face to do PR spots, I'm not sure. In any event, the institution of "elders" is absurd on its face. Neither I, nor anyone else, based on the feedback, thinks this "council" will be able to accomplish anything, or will help in any way.

Well see what comes of it.

Well ... at least they are not hiding the corruption findings

SEPP BLATTER LAUGHS OFF LAWYER’S DAMNING BRIBERY CLAIMS

SEPP Blatter’s attempts to brush Fifa corruption allegations under the carpet were slammed last night.

Shameless Sepp told the world he was “happy” a report into dodgy dealings at Fifa had found they were corruption free.

However, we can reveal that the actual report, published on Fifa’s own website, blasts the organisation for giving the green light to bungs and bribes.

The report was compiled by British lawyer James Dingemans QC in the wake of allegations made by ex-FA chief Lord Triesman. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of the Daily Star and the full report here (pdf), from FIFA.

Kicking Back Comments: So brazen that FIFA posts the report in full and does not seem the least bit concerned. Some great stuff in here about Jack Warner. Start at paragraph 10 on page 4.

Passing of a friend to THE game

The referee community was saddened recently by the passing of long time Fall River referee Victor Costa at the young age of 44.

He was an avid sports fan, coached for the Fall River Youth Soccer for many years and also was a referee for high school and college teams.

Victor is survived by his wife of 18 years, parents, his two daughters, Samantha and Sabrina, both of Fall River; a sister, Maria L. Silva of Fall River; and two nieces.

Further information regarding the services can be found here.

Upgrade Kudos

As we have done here in the past, I would like to congratulate Aaron Lewinter, who has recently been upgraded to Grade 7 (Referee 1st Class).

Well done!

No Comment

Exit may be on the horizon as Warner aims to give FIFA inquiry a miss

LA PAZ, Jun 09: Football and FIFA will have seen the last of controversial Jack Warner if the suspended head of CONCACAF goes ahead with his refusal to meet bribery allegations investigators.

Trinidadian Warner and Qatar’s Asian confederation president Mohamed Bin Hammam was banned pending a full ethics committee hearing into whether they colluded to hand out $1m ‘buying’ 25 Caribbean votes in the recent FIFA presidential election.

The storm has overshadowed the early stages of the Central and North American Confederation’s showpiece Gold Cup which is under way in the United States. ...

See the full story here, courtesy of sportsfeatures.com.

Kicking Back Comments: Today would not be soon enough to expel Warner from FIFA. Give him the Process that is due, then thank him for his service, and show him the door.  

You would think ...

... the video clip yesterday was a fluke and could never happen again, right? Or maybe more pointed, never happen in YOUR match.

Wrong! Take a look below. Goal, no goal, something else? Vote ==>

Goal or No Goal?

Look here, and vote on the right ==>.

Don't Forget ...

... soccer is just a game, and the people who participate are the ones that count.

Please see "Bittersweet memories of a soccer player", from Paul Levy's blog, Not Running a Hospital to reaffirm this construct and it exists within the larger, and far more important construct we call life.

I would opine, if one loses sight of that fact, they have lost sight of THE game itself.

A Bad Hair Day Indeed

Special thanks to Dick W. for bringing this one forward.

Take a read, comedy aside, if the send off was justified, how could it have been handled better?

Footy player Nathan Van Someren sent off for 'dangerous' mohawk

A FOOTBALLER in Victoria has vowed to keep his mohawk despite being sent off on Saturday "for having a dangerous haircut".

In a regional first ruling, Simpson midfielder Nathan Van Someren was given his marching orders midway through the third quarter of his team's game against Otway Districts in the Colac and District Football League, the Geelong Advertiser said.

Van Someren, who has played with his outlandish hair with Simpson for three years, said he couldn't believe it when umpire Don Wheadon showed him a yellow card for his hairdo. ...

See the full story here, courtesy of The Daily Telegraph.

When the winner is a loser ...

Sepp Blatter may think he's won – but he's lost

What I know about the finer points of football could be summed up on the back of the proverbial postage stamp. But I do know a bit about politics, and football politics aren't so different.

Sepp Blatter thought he won at Fifa's jamboree in Zurich on Wednesday. But he didn't. He lost. Money made this scandal, and money will unpick it. ...

See the whole insightful post here, courtesy of Guardian.

Great Insight

Check out this quick and fantastic post by George Cumming, The FIFA Presidential Election – football politics in the raw.

While I muse about these topics from an armchair, and have not danced in these circles ... Mr. Cumming has.

From this post it is clear that not only FIFA, but CONCACAF too is a mess, and will be for some time.

Exclusive Interview with Chuck Blazer

Here is the most critical message:

"I still have my job ..."

See the whole interview here, courtesy of World Football Insider.

A good alternate title may be, "How to thwart a coup."

Ladies and gentlemen, there are some serious political games being played right now ... especially in CONCACAF.

Blatter Re-Elected as FIFA President

A sad day for honest football indeed.

Joseph "Sepp" Blatter reelected as FIFA president despite scandals in soccer organization

See the full article here, courtesy of the LA Times.

Killing the victim

Fifa delegates attack England as attempt to postpone election fails

The Football Association's attempt to delay the uncontested election of the Fifa president failed at the organisation's congress on Wednesday amid an outpouring of anti-English sentiment from some quarters.

David Bernstein, the FA chairman, made a late attempt to alter the agenda less than 24 hours before the assembly. He was afforded the opportunity to introduce his initiative with a speech to the full congress in which he stated that there would be no "proper, credible mandate" ifSepp Blatter's coronation proceeds amid widespread corruption allegations. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Guardian.

Kicking Back Comments: Pathetic. Here was a chance to do some real good and wait until things got sorted before Sepp's coronation. The result, a resounding "no" from FIFA to actually try to start to fix what is going on.

Even one who is starting to try and do some good, Chuck Blazer said the FA's move to launch a full independent investigation was "... to little, too late." When the devil is it too late to try to right a wrong, or a series of wrongs?

With an attitude like that, nothing will ever get done. Oh wait ... that is what is happening here ... never mind ... FIFA is right on cue then.

While these comments about Blazer seem critical, they are not meant to be, as it is clear that he is one of the very few "playing the game" in an effort to pierce the bureaucratic nonsense that is FIFA, to come out with a just result.

Someone who can put immediate pressure on the Seppster to step down are the sponsors. It would appear they are none too thrilled about what is going on and are starting to voice it in various volumes.

If you really want to get his attention, have Coca-Cola drop its FIFA sponsorship ... then, and only then, would we see some immediate change.

Wheels are coming off the FIFA cart

Acting CONCACAF chief trying to fire Blazer, accuses whistleblower of ‘gross misconduct’

ZURICH — The acting president of CONCACAF says he has fired Chuck Blazer, whose bribery allegations touched off a corruption scandal that has shaken FIFA.

Lisle Austin says Blazer’s conduct was “inexcusable and a gross misconduct of duty and judgment,” and the American is no longer fit to be CONCACAF’s secretary general. But it wasn’t immediately clear whether Austin has the authority to remove Blazer, also a member of FIFA’s executive committee. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of the Washington Post.

Kicking Back Comments: WOW. It has been an exciting 24h in FIFA-land. Sponsors are pissed, National Associations are pissed, people are being fired ...

My $10,000 question is ... does Sepp postpone the election? Better yet, does someone do it for him?

FIFA Imploding, Bin Hammam Out, and Blazer is on Fire!

See it all here, courtesy of the NYT.

Kicking Back Comments: I am waiting for the "mushroom cloud" over Zurich ... and will be happy to see it come with the hope of ushering in some sanity. Not what we get from Sepp.

From the article ... and this one says it all folks:

“I am the president of FIFA; you cannot question me,” Blatter said Monday.

There it is folks, right there for all to see. 

With Eternal Thanks This Memorial Day

Thank You All!

Friends,

It was about a year ago today Kicking Back was started with the post "West Virginia ... or Bust." [Yes I get the pleasure of going back to Regionals this year too, in Lancaster, PA!]

As I sit here 365 days and 427 posts later I still find myself somewhat nostalgic about THE game and my refereeing career "back in the day."

A lot has changed over the last year. Finishing law school, moving forward in my career, getting fit again as I am cycling a tremendous amount these days.

So much has also stayed the same however, like my love for THE game, and all of its participants, even in my newer capacities as assessor, administrator, coach, and mentor.

It has been an interesting road to be sure, but one I am glad to have taken. One also I am happy to share with you all.

My sincere thanks to everyone for reading, and I look forward to the next year ahead of us.

Sincerely,
PK

Not so illusive after all

So for anyone who has been following hockey recently, the other night we were treated to an event so rare, it defies reality ... a perfect game for the referees.

On Friday, May 27th 2011, Referees Dan O'Halloran, Stephen Walkom, Kelly Sutherland, and Linesmen: Steve Miller, Pierre Racicot, and Jean Morin officiated a pro hockey game with exactly zero penalty minutes. Outstanding.

See the full box score here, courtesy of USA Today.

How did they do it? Here is an opinion.

They didn't really do anything except recognize why the players were there.

To play.

Basically they got and kept the heck out of the way and quietly managed the game to allow the players to play.

That's all the players really wanted.

You see, here to me is the strongest case of all that the referees have very little to do with the outcome of a game, how many fouls occur, or if a players gets injured.

If the players want to play, the game takes care of itself.

Don't believe me? Take a look here for the following quotes from the NESN article.

"I don't think I've ever been in a game where there's been no penalties, but I think that was the best way to go. The refs did a great job of just letting us play and letting the best team win."

"I mean, they complained before Game 6 about the referees and we had some words about it before this game. I'm happy they let us play. I don't feel like it was a dirty game at all. Maybe there was one or two calls that they could have made, but it was great that they let us play and play to the finish. It's just fitting with how the series has gone that the game went the way that it did and it ended off the way that it did."

"I think the refs realized the situation and wanted the players to decide the game," Kelly said. "That's the way it should have been, especially a Game 7."

Here is one end of the spectrum of respect and understanding for referees. I will show you the other in a day or two, straight out of the MLS.

Timing is everything

A FIFA Fiasco: Accusations Lead To Investigations, An Election On The Brink

Soccer’s global governing body, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, said it is opening an investigation into claims that its president, Joseph “Sepp” Blatter, knew of alleged payments made to influence a coming election to lead the organization, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The probe into Blatter stems from allegations made by Qatar’s Mohamed bin Hammam, who is Blatter’s main rival for the FIFA presidency. ...

See the whole article here, courtesy of the WSJ.

Kicking Back Comments: Well. Let's just see how many friends Sepp has in other National Associations. Is this the final straw? If not, they might as well plan to bury him under the headquarters in Zurich as it would see that will be the only way he will be forced leave.