World Cup: Rage at the referees

by
Doyle's World Cup Watching Diary



In seconds, a scared or incompetent official can change an entire World Cup

Australia was soundly beaten by Germany on Sunday and the game signalled that a Ballack-less Germany is to be feared at this World Cup. But the game also telegraphed something else – the inevitable hurly-burly over the quality of refereeing.

Look out, people, as the world gets ready to rage at the refs.

Referee Marco Rodriguez of Mexico is already under fire for being what the English press calls “card happy” and in particular for a dubious red card issued to Australia’s Tim Cahill when Cahill engaged in a from-behind sliding tackle on Sebastien Schweinsteiger. It was a bad call, as Cahill hit the German midfielder with his knees and certainly didn’t go studs-up on the German.

At the same time, Rodriguez should be congratulated for issuing two yellow cards for diving. He did it to German Ozil in the 13th minute when Ozil flung himself theatrically to the ground following a mere glance of a shoulder push from Gerella. Some fans might consider the yellow a bit harsh but the referees have been told by FIFA to curb diving. He yellow card was fair warning. Near the end, he also yellow-carded German Cacau for diving. In all, the ref issued five yellows and a red. Two yellows for diving. One red that was wrong. How dies that rate? Let the arguments start.

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Referees for USA-England World Cup match studying English obscenities

BY Bobby Melok
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Thursday, June 10th 2010, 10:53 AM
Referee Carlos Simon and his assistants are trying to learn as many English obscenities as they can before Saturday's USA-England World Cup match.

The referees assigned to the US-England World Cup match are brushing up on some of the more colorful words of the English language before the players take the pitch on Saturday.

Referee Carlos Simon, along with assistants Altemir Hausmann and Roberto Braatz, have been studying English swear words, so that players won't be able to verbally abuse each other behind the officials' backs.

FIFA requires World Cup refs to be proficient in English, but has denied reports that it gave them lists of obscenities to look out for.

"We have to learn what kind of words the players say," Hausman said to Brazillian TV station Globo Sport.

The referees have let all 32 teams know that the rules include the possibility that players could be given yellow or red cards for using obscene gestures.


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Refs are robbing us of a great NBA Finals

by Mitch Lawrence, Special to FOXSports.com

BOSTON

We’ve got a nice Finals here. We’ve got the NBA’s two flagship franchises.

We’ve got the Celtics and the Lakers, with more history than the 28 other teams combined. We’ve got Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Boston’s Big Three, and some kid named Rajon Rondo who’s turning out to be as much of a game-changer as all the big names up on the marquee.

Now, would somebody over at the league office kindly inform the refs who are working this series to stop screwing it all up?

Because if the refs continue to make a mockery of the games, the NBA is going to see its fans start abandoning the Finals and switching over to Flyers-Blackhawks.

Or NCAA women’s softball games.

I can’t say I really blame ‘em if they do.

Here’s what we’ve seen in the first two games of what should be a memorable Finals:

We had Game 1 go an interminable 2 hours and 48 minutes. That was not even an overtime game. Yet it dragged on longer than a hair restoration commercial at three in the morning. It featured 54 fouls and 67 free throws by both teams.

Right after the crew of Joe Crawford, Joe DeRosa and Derrick Stafford put its imprint on the opener, a memo with the game tape should have been sent to the Game 2 crew of Monty McCutchen, Mike Callahan and Ken Mauer, reading: Gentlemen, do not give us a repeat, under any circumstances!

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Free Ump You Suck t-shirts commemorates Jim Joyce blown call on perfect game

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This comes on the heels of Jim Joyce's blown call in Armando Galarraga's bid to throw the first perfect game in Detroit Tiger's history. Joyce admitted to his mistake following the game, "It was the biggest call of my career and I kicked the shit out of it. I just cost that kid a perfect game."

Ref You Suck founder, Brian Gilmore said, "There has been a lot going on with the umpires in Baseball this year. We created Ump You Suck during the World Series and have been waiting for this opportunity to give it a good push to sports fans everywhere. It's too bad it has to come at the expense of Armando Galarraga. I was pulling for him."

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Pitcher Loses Perfect Game on Questionable Call

By TYLER KEPNER

NYtimes.com

When history is in your grasp, the easy thing to do is embrace it. With two outs in the ninth inning in Detroit on Wednesday, the first-base umpire, Jim Joyce, could have called the Cleveland Indians’ Jason Donald out on a close play at first base. Make a fist, raise a forearm, and Armando Galarraga becomes the 21st pitcher — and third in the last four weeks — to throw a perfect game.

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga, #58, covered first base as Cleveland Indians’ Jason Donald, right, ran to the base.

The courageous call is the one Joyce made. It was so obviously wrong that Joyce, a major league umpire since 1989, clearly had no desire to help Galarraga make history. He simply called the play as he saw it. The problem, of course, is that Joyce’s decision is easily the most egregious blown call in baseball over the last 25 years.

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Officials drawing too much attention to themselves

LEFTOVERS: Officials drawing too much notice

BY MARK ANDERSON
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

It used to be officials considered it a good day if they weren't noticed.

Not anymore.

Whether it's an NBA referee tossing a ball at a fan or ejection-loving (and, apparently, thin-skinned) major league baseball umpires, those supposed to stay in the background are drawing way too much attention.

The suits in New York aren't happy.

One executive, baseball head of discipline Bob Watson, reportedly will call umpire Bill Hohn and let it be known his ejection of Houston Astros ace Roy Oswalt on Monday crossed the line. Oswalt was unhappy with a ball-strike call but didn't yell in Hohn's direction, and the umpire escalated the situation.

Baseball also recently fined umpire Joe West after he tossed Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle and manager Ozzie Guillen for arguing balk calls. West is the same ump who had criticized the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees for playing such long games.

Maybe he has a point about that, but West goes against umpire/referee tradition by being all too willing to grant interviews. He also is a country music singer and songwriter and has a publicist.

No doubt he's available for weddings and bar mitzvahs.

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