By Hopefully quite a few of you had a chance to watch the US versus Slovenia World Cup match because it was a good game to watch despite the US being robbed of a victory due to quite possibly the worst referee call I have ever seen. I agree with Peter King though that this atrocious refereeing is something we should not let FIFA forget:
http://rokdrop.com/wp-admin/post.php?unfoldmenu=1
At least four Americans tried to find out what the call was. But Coulibaly, who, according to several U.S. players was all but mute during the game (a rarity in world-class games, they say), didn’t inform either side what call he made. We still do not know what the infraction was that Coulibaly called, and under the idiotic rules of FIFA, Coulibaly doesn’t have to say what the infraction was. He might go to his grave with it.
“Who knows what it was?” said the man of the match, Landon Donovan of the United States. “I am not sure how much English he spoke, or if he spoke English. But we asked him several times in a non-confrontational way. He just ignored us.”
The call was awful. But in all sports, when hugely controversial calls are made — the Tuck Rule call by Walt Coleman in the Raiders-Patriots playoff game nine years ago, the Jim Joyce ruination-of-the-perfect-game this month — at least we know what the call is. Here, millions of people staring at TVs around the world are still asking, “What’s the call?”
You could feel it in the bowels of Ellis Park after the game. Don’t make a big stir over this. It’s soccer. Nothing you can do it about it. It’s just the way it is.
Why? Why is this just blindly accepted? FIFA uses a referee — in a game of vital importance in determining who moves on in the biggest tournament in any sport in the world — whose highest previous assignment was the African Cup. That’s got to be the equivalent of a Mid-American Conference ref being assigned the Super Bowl.
Coaches coach for four years to get to the World Cup. Players train for four years to get to the World Cup. And they have their fate decided by some wordless man handed an assignment he had no business having. But as important: Just what is this governing body FIFA, with the world watching its signature event, doing when it doesn’t mandate an explanation from the referee about what he called that determined the outcome of a game?
I blame Coulibaly. But FIFA deserves equal blame, for putting a system in place that allows incompetent officiating to skate free. So what if we never see this official again? The damage is done. He was in far over his head, and he blew the call that decided the game. He can disappear now, and in all nations but America, the story will blow over. Nice racket you’ve got going, FIFA. [Peter King - CNNSI]
You can read a lot more at the link, but Peter King has posted the address to the FIFA President that he is advocating that people write protest letters to in order to get FIFA to improve the refereeing at the World Cup. It is games like this that contributes to soccer not catching on in the US as widely as it should. You would think that FIFA would do everything possible to ensure fair play in order to help build the popularity of soccer in a country of 300 million people. Imagine if that US goal stood and that game became one of the greatest World Cup come backs in history, it would have been a huge boon for soccer in the US. Instead now people are just shrugging their shoulders wondering how a referee can screw the US out of a victory without even providing an answer why? FIFA likely lost potential soccer fans in the US from that horrendous call.
This same thing happened to Australia in the 2006 World Cup when they were screwed by poor officiating in their 1-0 loss to eventual tournament champion Italy. The Australians had even greater bitter taste of World Cup officiating than even the US fans are experiencing now because that call put them out of the tournament. At least the US still has a chance to move on if they win over Algeria next week. If the US wins and moves on the bad call will probably be long forgotten, but it will still be interesting to see if FIFA does anything to improve refereeing in the World Cup.
1:29 pm on June 18th, 2010 1
I agree, the US team was completely robbed for that goal. Did he somehow mix up the Slovenian and American players as the Slovenes were grabbing the Americans?
Fortunately for the US, they still tied, unlike the Aussies. Also, the US wasn't in such a precarious position as the Socceeroos, and they will likely advance. The question is, could Slovenia take a spot from England? I think it's possible.
2:35 pm on June 18th, 2010 2
That's O.K.
It's better that America loses, really.
Global war, economic strangulation and cultural imperialism are easier to overlook by the unwashed masses as long as they are winning in soccer.
The moment America gets piggy and starts doing both, the real global revolution will start.
6:53 pm on June 18th, 2010 3
There's so much gambling money involved in these World Cup matches that this can't be an "honest" mistake.
7:00 pm on June 18th, 2010 4
Headache alert!
Soccer is un-American & the most boring spectator sport in the world, a game that stands for “enemies” and “third world” countries. The game of the UN.
Here's what I really do not want to see. I do not want to see the US play S. Korea. No matter what we lose. If we win, "the Americans cheated," "it was a scam, they paid off FIFA or the ref," etc. People like Tom will implode. Think Ohno…
If they win of course we'll never hear the end of it. People like Tom will implode.
7:35 pm on June 18th, 2010 5
Three hundred billion people seems like an awful lot – does that include the illegal aliens?
"You would think that FIFA would do everything possible to ensure fair play in order to help build the popularity of soccer in a country of 300,000 million people"
7:38 pm on June 18th, 2010 6
Could have been called for Dempsey's shove but basically it's hard to know. Remember the silence of refs in 2002? These things happen on FIFA directions.
As for Australia in 2006, you can't spreadeagle yourself in front of a player going on goal. That was gross obstruction. Stay on your feet.
7:43 pm on June 18th, 2010 7
If you want to see (one of) the BIGGEST RIP-OFF(S) in International competition watch this…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJYBV9BXQNY
The U.S.A. still has a chance, Roy Jones Jr. did not
I still haven't heard the reason for the call/whistle
9:20 pm on June 18th, 2010 8
The World Cup is political just like the Olympics were when they had the old Soviet Union. In the 2006 World Cup England played Portugal in the knock out stage. I knew that England was in trouble when the referee was from Argentina. Sure enough he saw that an England player would get the red card. Could the fact that England is in the same group as the US and the referee was from Mali? It is part of the British Commonwealth.
10:42 pm on June 18th, 2010 9
TBone,
Actually, that's not as bad as I remember his match against Raymond Downey. I remember being frustrated because he was holding and throwing low blows throughout most of the match, which is why I hoped he'd lose against Roy Jones. Raymond Downey ended up with bronze, but he could have had gold.
11:56 pm on June 18th, 2010 10
300,000million people? what planet is that?
12:17 am on June 19th, 2010 11
Meh. If this happened in real sports like dodge ball or professional wrestling, I might be concerned. But come on, its just freaking soccer!
12:43 am on June 19th, 2010 12
EEO HAS MADE IT TO FIFA.
2:35 am on June 19th, 2010 13
That was the right call. The Americans are just whining.
4:47 am on June 19th, 2010 14
Have a look at the picture.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/sl…
See anything wrong? Look in the foreground. That's probably why the goal was disallowed.
10:00 am on June 19th, 2010 15
they tied italy in 2006
1-1
they lost to Ghana in their 3rd game 2-1 on a terrible call which allowed a penalty kick
this time they win next wed and they are in regardless
10:29 am on June 19th, 2010 16
#14
I looked at the picture and don't see your point. Are you suggesting Edu was offsides because he is ahead all the defenders? That picture doesn't show offsides. He was behind them when the ball was initially passed.
Please explain.
#13
It's a safe bet there won't be any national caterwauling or attempts to march on the Malawi embassy. Some countries can take a lesson from that.
10:32 am on June 19th, 2010 17
#13 You're right Tom. I think Koreans are are gentlemen and are far superior sportsmen. They have never complained or whined about being cheated or bad calls in an international sporting event. Good on you and your race.
11:16 am on June 19th, 2010 18
#16,
So, you honestly want me to believe you can't see that he's holding the guy's wrist? Please.
11:23 am on June 19th, 2010 19
#18
Oh, yes. It's so obvious now. He should have got a red card.
11:48 am on June 19th, 2010 20
Americans are sore losers. The call was a right call. Now they go protesting to FIFA because they can't accept the result. They won't march on Malawi embassy, but they'll probably bomb the capital and kill the people who they don't like. Look for an American excuse to invade Malawi next year.
12:49 pm on June 19th, 2010 21
Tom, that wasn't the right call. Even FIFA has looked into the incident. That ref has been barred from the event.
We don't need to wonder what would have happened if this involved Koreans. The playbook's been out there for quite some time.
8:53 pm on June 19th, 2010 22
This is why World soccer is lame, it is AMATEUR and SUBJECTIVE and NATIONALISTIC to a fault. It's very closely associated with the Olympics; International AMATEUR sport that's ruined by the officials, who'll vote with their prejudices no matter how wrong. A total waste of time.
11:09 pm on June 19th, 2010 23
Who cares about the poor officiating. What really matters is that they ban that GODDAMN PLASTIC HORN form the stadiums. It's like I have a hive of pissed off yellow jackets in my living room if I have a game on. Idiots.
11:11 pm on June 19th, 2010 24
Even Hitler is not amused.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-Ln_rqPpPk
10:27 pm on June 20th, 2010 25
They really need to introduce the video, so they can chalange if they thing there is a jugement problem.
3:48 pm on June 21st, 2010 26
The Koreans are always right, if you have any doubt just ask Tom