After taking part in a horribly refereed game, I could not help myself but to write my thoughts on what I believe has been an unprofessionally run league with grade school referees.
First, the referees do not know the rules of the league (or the game for that matter). Seriously. How do you expect the players to know the rules if the refs don't. Somehow the rules always seem to change from game to game. Also, with as much money as they charge for the league one would think they would at least cut the grass to an appropriate length and have three referees for the games. Yet, we have had to play on grass up to mid-shin level and games refereed by two refs who by the very nature of a two referee system are out of position approximately 80% of the game. And yet they get upset when things get out of hand. We recently received correspondence from the Fieldhouse after an altercation which stated in pertinent part (note, the altercation did not involved El Toro):
"From this point forward anyone in an altercation will be suspended for the rest of the season and playoffs (per League Rule #5), and may cause the whole team to be removed from the schedule...we want to make sure that all teams can leave in the same condition as they arrived, and the only way to police such actions is to have the teams held responsible."
Really? Citing League rules? Well interesting enough, if it's a rule why wasn't it being enforced prior to this incident? Hmm. Further, this is an empty threat. Two players in tonight's game were sent off for but I doubt they will be suspended or that our teams will be kicked out of the league. I figure the best way to police the situation is to fine players for yellow card accumulation and for red cards and not allow them to play until they pay. The best place to hit someone is in the pocket book. But this might be too much work for the Fieldhouse. In addition, although they stated they "want to make sure that all teams can leave in the same condition as they arrived" they refuse to use a three referee system. Lastly, the correspondence from the Fieldhouse also claimed they would be checking ID's for all players to ensure they are on the team's roster. Haven't seen that done yet. In fact, the team we faced tonight used a player who has played on a different team. Again, rules cannot be effective if not enforced.
Of course referee's will miss calls and teams will complain even if they don't. That is not the point. What bothers me, and many other players I have spoken to on opposing teams, is the lack of quality and consistency. If you run a more professional league players will act more professionally. And don't get me wrong, El Toro is not immune to acts of idiocracy and misconduct. But our players merely take as much rope as the league/referees will give them.
Please post in the comments section below to share your thoughts. I am of the opinion that we should run our own league next year.
2 comments:
To be consistant would be good enuff! We should know what calls will be made and when or how the referees will deal with player conduct issues and brutal fouls. The games would be cleaner and move quicker without the stoppages for referee conferences concerning correct calls due to lack of rule knowledge. The sad thing is that it is their SRANGE RULES which confuse almost everyone from the officials to the players.
Speaking of lacking the knowledge of the rules, I am at fault. This yellow card 5 minute a man down is BS, what r we playing hockey? I understand the rule for settling the player down so nothing gets out of hand, but a man down? & it came to my attention as we were playing 10 vs 9 tonight that when u score the team playing a man down gets a guy(not yellow issuee) to come back on! WTF???(hockey's PP)
Tonight was another instance of NO consistancy. In the 4 week spring league our goalie Geoff Gayle received a yellow card and we had to send him off for 5 minutes, where our arch rival Cash Now deffinately Cashed in and scored. Tonight the FC Rovers goalie was issued a yellow for a bad slide tackle on Paul Vance outside the box and HE DID NOT LEAVE! Just one more, I had a certain official tell me that i could NOT post up on a goal kick in our 8v8 league last yr (totally wouldnt mind if couldnt hit goalkick past midfield) but yet the next game the team we were playing was doing it the whole game! I asked......the answer was "It is not in the rules" go figure.
Also as Paul states, u make bold statements with major consequences, but yet have done nothing with either of the threats. How is it everytime we play a team there IS someone that i have seen in a different jersey. Would i rather play a team that fields 11, yes. But with a league that is based on goal differential I DONT CARE if they only put 9 on the pitch! It is NOT my fault they cannot get their guys there, the schedule came out over a month ago!
I believe i try to be understandable with the Gen. Fieldhouse. Sure they accomodated us with some scheduling issues, but DAMN if i havent had a talk with Paul and others about several issues in each of the three winter sessions, the spring, and now summer. I have been playing for a long time in numerous leagues with various levels of play & i am not sure that there has been 1 that was more poorly run. Yeah, yeah, yeah, they did us a favor after the Commissioner of our league for years Paul Samms passed away & i thank them for that year, considering no1 would step up and run it. BUT I AGREE WE SHOULD JUST RUN OUR OWN LEAGUE NEXT YR, GET SANCTIONED AGAIN AND GO AT IT!. BTW, have we ever had a coaches meeting to discuss what we all think might need to change; rules, player suspensions (fights, cumulative yellows),or REFEREE EVALUATIONS, ect, etc.........? i dont believe so. So u tell me, r they really in the best interest of keeping a mens adult league going in this soccer fading area or do they just want their $$$$$? So nice that the winner of the summer league gets $$ to spend only @ their place for winter sessions, wink wink!
I could go on a rant that Dennis Miller would be proud of, but I will leave now b4 I write a mini novel. I JUST WANT CONSISTENCY & FAIRNESS (nothing to do with the fact that we have had a PK called against us 7x's in our last 9 games)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ditto on Paul's last paragraph!
by far the worst ref'ing i've seen...our IDs haven't been checked either...
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