Question Number: 13200

Character, Attitude and Control 6/27/2006

RE: Rec and Select Adult

Chris of Albuquerque, NM United States asks...

I am so sick of hearing all this drivel about Referees "ruining the games" at this World Cup. I hate to say this, but I am MONUMENTALLY PISSED OFF at Sepp Blatter for criticizing the Referee for that fateful Portugal match in which 16 yellow cards and four red cards were handed out, rightfully so, in my opinion.

I can handle parents (I yell back, I know that's not smart but it works for me). I can remove ignorant coaches if they become too much of a 2x4 lodged in the backside. I can deal with dissenting players real-time during a match by way of a simple "shut up" or yellow card.

But when Mr. FIFA himself comes out and says words to the effect of "perhaps the referee deserves a yellow card" that just tears it.

I don't need to tell anybody on this panel that Referees have a thankless job, especially on the national stage. I'm gnashing my teeth at thought of the degree of bull fertilizer increasing to an exponential degree in games after this World Cup that I Referee or Assist. Who do you think the players and coaches are going to imitate? How much of Eric Wynalda's crap do you think the parents will take as gospel truth after all this?

And for Christ's sake, if the man in charge of the organization who together with IFAB WRITES and INTERPRETS the Laws of the Game -- Sepp Blatter -- comes out in criticism of a guy in the middle who was compelled to hand out 16 yellows and four reds to a bunch of screaming children in adult bodies.....

Why the hell should any of us keep going? If everybody is this ungrateful, let the game die. I defy parents and coaches out there to field this rant as well.

I love this game. I love Refereeing it, especially at the children's level. But it's a paradox that at the highest level of the Beautiful Game, I should see some of the lowest life excrement taking place, and I should hear people who OUGHT TO KNOW talking about how it is somehow the Referee's fault, and then to hear FIFA say "that Referee over there needs a yellow card for his performance??????"

WHAAAAAT THEEEEE F*&*!!!!!!!!!!

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Nice to see you back Chris. See you still have no opinions about slackers and other such folks...

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Amen.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

My own feelings are far more unprintable than yours on the matter of Septic blather but I am very much in agreement with the lack od support our principle leader of the world's formost body of football speaks such utter garbage! Cheers

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 13515