A FIFA expert panel chaired by German legend Franz Beckenbauer has recommended that players should shake hands on the field more in order to improve the game's image.
The issue of the pre-match handshakes has come under the spotlight in recent months with Liverpool's Luis Suarez refusing to shake Manchester United defender Patrice Evra's hand after having being found guilty of racially abusing him. ...
Kicking Back Comments: Solution to a racism issue, or marketing strategy? Beckenbauer himself answers in the article stating "... it would be a better image ... ."
So again my question ... Why is FIFA proposing this?
Take a look at the following clip from YouTube of referee Peter Walton:
A couple of questions.
First, did Mr. Walton get what he wanted out of the exchange?
My answer is YES! Take a look at the demeanor of the player, and their responsiveness to what the referee was saying. It did not matter if there was a yellow, red, green, purple, or no card over the players head. THE MESSAGE GOT ACROSS.
Second, Did Mr. Mutch receive a yellow card?
My answer is NO! Ask me 40 or so years ago and my answer is yes, but in today's game, the answer is no.
Why?
Take a look at Law 12 under "Cautionable Offenses", it states in part "A player is cautioned and shown the yellow card if ..." (emphasis is mine). See also p.54 etc in the Advice to Referees. Please note this is true "DURING A MATCH." This changes a bit before and after the match. A good delineation of what a card means and when can be read from the LOTG, Advice, and here (memo on misconduct and display of cards that is on point).
Some time ago a player would know by getting written up in the referees "book." This gave way to the term "booked" that is still used today regarding misconduct. This was the general practice until around 1968 when Sir Ken Aston created them (as the story goes) slowing at a stop light that turned yellow, then red. From there the funny colored cards were used for the first time in the 1970 World Cup. Before that time, no such device was used, only "the book."
In today's game a more obvious display to put a player on notice is needed. I would opine this is true, not for the player themselves, but rather for those watching as if the referee is doing their job right, the player should know from the referee where they stand without the display of a colored piece of plastic.
Life has many lessons for those who look for them and are willing to accept what it has to offer. Soccer, being a subset of life also has many, many unique lessons to teach.
In his new book, Goal Play!, Paul Levy combines these two to, as he describes it on his blog Not Running A Hospital:
"This book draws on a series of anecdotes from "the pitch" and ties them into my theories of effective leadership. As in all such matters, I have benefited from the advice and experience of many others, and I am hoping that people who are in leadership positions -- or want to be -- can likewise benefit from my perspectives."
You can see the full introduction on his website here, and a complete description with online purchasing can be found here from CreateSpace, or here from Amazon, where I got mine.
Based on the reviews to date (every single one is a 5 star rating), it looks like an amazing book, and one that I will share a review with all here after I tear through it.
Over the next week or so I am going to be "unplugged" and unable to write regularly. However, I will be likely tweeting my fingers off at @Kicking_Back so please check there regularly.
I expect to be back at it in full just in time for the school vacation week of 20-FEB. Until then, please enjoy the archives.
How many times out on the park have you heard that cry: "What is he looking at?" That and all its variants: "You're missing a great game!" or "How could she miss that?" and "It was right in front of him, and he did nothing!" As an instructor I have dealt with this problem many, many times, and tried various themes as a way of impressing referees that knowing where and when to look is as important as knowing the laws. And after watching the Premiership these last few months, I have to say that the problem doesn't exist only in the amateur game.
So before I go on to the subject, let me ask a few questions of you . . . and then we'll have a practical demonstration from the eight-year-old daughter of two skillful soccer-playing parents, with whom I have had the great pleasure of playing. ...
See the complete (and phenomenal) article here, at For the Integrity of Soccer.
Kicking Back Comments: It rarely gets better than this. A must read!
So last year I compared World Cup to the Super Bowl, and got into some general Super Bowl lore in "It's Superbowl Day."
This year I am a bit more vested as the New England Patriots are in playing the New York Giants in a Super Bowl rematch that I am looking forward to.
Football aside however, I enjoy the TV commercials the most and am hoping the 2012 versions are better than the 2011 ones ... save one exception noted below which was by far my favorite.
It makes me wonder though ... this young man seems to have all the makings of a future referee. After all, who parades around in a Darth Vader costume?
My least favorite leading up to the Big Game is here:
As these guys tried, and failed, to be funny (save Manning's line of 'a guy has to work') by again poking fun at referee Phil Luckett from the November 26, 1998 coin tossing incident. Too bad as detailed in this analysis by Referee Magazine that Bettis lied about the incident and threw Luckett under the ... errr ... Bus.
For the record as detailed in the story, Luckett got it right, and Bus was just plain wrong.
Are We All Nuts? A Personal Story by Stanley Lover
Look at the facts. We are an endangered species. More than a million of us worldwide, dying out like dinosaurs of a bygone age. Our demise is largely due to our own folly for we suffer the cruelty of human nature from the very people we help add sunshine into workaday lives. We put up with insults, abuse, threats and assaults.
Trained experts in our field, we are the targets for the masses who protest, contest, accuse us of corruption and worse.
No, we are not politicians. We are sports officials.
According to verbal taunts from the sidelines we are the lowest form of human existence, illegitimate offspring of unmarried parents, fair game for insults and humiliation. So, why do we do it? Are we all nuts? ...
Kicking Back Comments: A fun read. This was especially true in light of the article Kicking Back ran the other day in "How to get into college 101", where we had a view from a young referee in their college essay.
Very interesting to juxtapose the two essays. There were more than a few common threads, and a few things that did not align at all. If I had to pick a "side" though, it would be Stanley's.
Then again, I'm an old guy now and 20 years ago, I no doubt would have had a different view. Funny how my perspective of The Game has changed with me as I have gotten older. Sure a shame FIFA has cut, and likely will continue to cut, the age limit on the highest level referees. There is something to be said for life experience.
Cairo (CNN) -- The death toll from a riot at a soccer game in Egypt rose to 79, officials said Thursday, as many continued to mourn and look for the reasons behind the deadly melee.
A somber crowd of hundreds were in Cairo's Tahrir Square Thursday, some saying chants decrying Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. Many were wearing the popular apparel of the Al-Ahly club. ...
See the whole story and video below here, from CNN.
Kicking Back Comments: At 1:55 of this video the reporter is describing the scene of fan(atics) entering the field and celebrating with the team after a goal. This reporter continues by saying regarding this, "... the referee didn't do anything ... ."
What exactly is a referee to do?
For me, find your team, find security, get safe, abandon, and write a match report. For the matches I have abandoned this is what I generally have done. What we see on the video is nothing like I have ever experienced before personally however. Primary concern I think in a case like this is get you and your team safely away however you can. Remove your jersey and get out of there to a safe location. I take pride in my uniform, but not more than my life. A referee can write a report that details a situation like this without staying to watch "who wins" at the end. Report what you see on the way to the door, don't feel compelled to stay to observe as referees are a natural target when chaos erupts. Even if you think the violence will not come to you (as with here it would seem political unrest played a part, not a match decision), get out.
Take a look here, 79 people were sadly killed, and scores of others no doubt hurt. Don't be a statistic.
So unless you have been living under a rock for the last week or so, the controversy about Tim Thomas, Net minder for the NHL Boston Bruins, and his decision and statements to not accept an invitation from POTUS has just not gone away.
If anyone is interested in other notable athletes that have not accepted a POTUS invitation to the WHite House, just take a look here. Also, former Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstien refused an invitation from POTUS as well, back in 2008.
Without regard to politics, if put in a similar situation should a referee refuse such an invitation for an "official function?"
My answer is no, if representing yourself as a referee.
Now there is a thin line here as I am also a strong believer of the 1st Amendment to the COTUS, and the acts described above plainly fit into that category. However, if as a referee you are asked to an official function, such as an awards ceremony, you should go if at all possible.
This has nothing to do with the individual in their individual capacity, it has everything to do with you representing yourself as part of a larger team, that of US Soccer referees.
There is always time later to express your individual views, (look at Kicking Back as an example of this as I would have NEVER said most of the things when I was an active referee) but there is also a time to act as a professional and do what is best for the team, not just the individual.
I will say finally that, even if an individual chooses not to accept an invitation to an event, it should not be held against them as to refute ones deeply held personal beliefs, is not conducive to team coherence, which is critically important, especially when you are looking for that offside flag.
Sepp Blatter, Rupert Murdoch meet after FIFA, Fox seal $425M World Cup TV deal
ZURICH — FIFA President Sepp Blatter met with News Corporation chairman Rupert Murdoch on Thursday, weeks after their organizations signed a $425 million broadcast deal.
Murdoch later wrote on Twitter that he’d been “with the big chiefs of soccer,” describing FIFA as an “amazing organization.” ...
See the whole story here, courtesy of The Washington Post.
... with more cunning insight about youth soccer, and its inevitable collision with parenting. Paul Levy again shares his experiences with us about the two, through the lens of a soccer referee.
You can see the whole story here from Not Running a Hospital.
Michigan City native John Parry will be the head referee for Super Bowl XLVI, to be played Feb. 5 in Indianapolis.
Parry, son of the late Dave Parry, also served as an official in Super Bowl XLI between the Bears and Colts.
Parry’s father also officiated in a Super Bowl and was instrumental in collegiate officiating as well, including being the head of the NCAA referees prior to his death in May of 2011. ...
See the whole story here, courtesy of the Herald Argus.
Kicking Back Comments: I am a big fan of refereeing families. I think it gives rise to a fantastic "built in" support system. I have many, many fond memories of interactions (i.e. debates) with my dad about the LOTG and their application from the in-town leagues I used to do, straight through to the international level.
Funny to that I am beginning to probe to see if Jr. would want to work some in-town matches. That will be a story unto itself I am sure.
For those of you who follow @Kicking_Back, you may have caught this retweet last week.
Some background:
When applying for college it is often required that the applicant write an essay on a particular topic, or sometimes the topic of their choice. This is intended to be used both as a writing exemplar for administrators to determine the capacity of the prospective student, as well as to genuinely learn something about the individual. After all, diversity is key for many college admissions and if it looks like you have done or will do something exemplary, a college is more likely to admit you, in my estimation.
Enter the below piece from a Maryland referee entering college. She describes most aptly what I am sure many of us have felt in part going through the "Youth Soccer Gauntlet" as I like to call it.
Take a read below, it is well worth it.
Thoughts of a Youth Referee
I am addicted. Sometimes I wish I could quit, but every time I lace up, my blood starts rushing, my palms start sweating, and I can’t think of doing anything else.
That’s what soccer does to me. That’s what soccer does for me. Even when it’s hard and ugly, when I’m the focus of hate and on the receiving end of angry insults from people who are older and who should know better, as a referee, I can not shrink. ...
See the complete story here, at Marylandreferees.com.
TREVOR Senior was left flabbergasted after his side made the 150-mile round trip to Brislington on Saturday for absolutely nothing.
The Bees arrived at Ironmould Lane just minutes after being told the referee had deemed the pitch too dangerous to play on – a conclusion both teams strongly refute.
Senior told Echosport: “It was an absolute joke. We got the call to say the referee had called the game off when we were just five minutes away from the ground. ...
Kicking Back Comments: Abandoning a match due to pitch conditions can be a tricky thing. At the very young ages it can be easy as often the decision is made my other (usually in-town) people. If for some reason it is not, err on the side of safety which is the primary concern for the youth player. Nets that are not anchored, large amounts of standing water, grass that is way to tall (I've seen this one) are all legitimate reasons to not play a match. With youth and with the amateur matches, be accommodating if you can. If there is an adjacent field that is fine, play that one. If there is a broom to sweep water, or kitty litter to soak it up, do it ... if it can be done safely and in the time frame that requires the match to start, or close to it.
Know however that even if a team is traveling a great distance (as this story describes) and the pitch is not ready, ultimately it is not the fault of the referee, but of the home team. Don't be afraid to remind an opposing team's manager of that if your judgement is questioned when abandoning a match due to the pitch conditions.
Even easier than the youth level is the professional or international level where the grounds are generally beautiful, and if there are adjustments that need to be made, there is a staff on hand to do so.
