World Soccer XXX: We Have Men Too!

[Jimjamesak]

I stopped following that guy long ago because he’s a straight up fascist, Fox News, “respect my authority!” guy so it’s not surprising to see something like that from him.

Philosophically I can’t agree with his “no exceptions!” stance. Yes, referees shouldn’t be subject to abuse but blanket “DON’T SAY ANYTHING!!!” policies aren’t helpful either. There’s needs to respect and humanity from everyone involved and acting as if officials are these unimpeachable, untouchable gods isn’t helping the situation.

[Spartanforlife4]

I stopped following that guy long ago because he’s a straight up fascist, Fox News, “respect my authority!” guy so it’s not surprising to see something like that from him.

Philosophically I can’t agree with his “no exceptions!” stance. Yes, referees shouldn’t be subject to abuse but blanket “DON’T SAY ANYTHING!!!” policies aren’t helpful either. There’s needs to respect and humanity from everyone involved and acting as if officials are these unimpeachable, untouchable gods isn’t helping the situation.

If I recall his origin story is that he used to be one of the screaming parents, so he really just switched to the other side of the aisle and found a way to monetize it doing speaking gigs.

[Jimjamesak]

If I recall his origin story is that he used to be one of the screaming parents, so he really just switched to the other side of the aisle and found a way to monetize it doing speaking gigs.

Is he still offering "training courses" on his website for a fee? The hilarity of paying for a training session from a bog standard Regional Referee (is he still a Regional? I should look that up...) that one could get for free from any decent local ref org.

[Spartanforlife4]

Is he still offering "training courses" on his website for a fee? The hilarity of paying for a training session from a bog standard Regional Referee (is he still a Regional? I should look that up...) that one could get for free from any decent local ref org.

It looks like you can pay him to speak about sports spectator behavior, pay him to train to be a soccer official, or pay him to buy into two different shaved ice franchises.

Oh wait, one is for the franchise to a shaved ice brand. The other is to buy the trailer for the shaved ice.

[Jimjamesak]

This right here is why there won't be grassroots officials for ANY recreational sports in 10-15 years.

Just once, I hope that a league will come to their senses and realize the damage that is being done by the behavior the encourage.

**** THE PLAYERS!

It's a pretty scandalous and borderline libelous statement by the PA towards the referees union. The fallout is going to be interesting.

But yeah, it's **** like this that condones the terrible behavior by others.

[Jimjamesak]

It looks like you can pay him to speak about sports spectator behavior, pay him to train to be a soccer official, or pay him to buy into two different shaved ice franchises.

Oh wait, one is for the franchise to a shaved ice brand. The other is to buy the trailer for the shaved ice.

Like I said, a fascist grifter.

[Kepler]

shaved ice

I thought I'd heard every Melania nickname.

[Jimjamesak]

Vancouver Manager Vanni Sartini suspended six games and fined $20k for being ejected during Vancouver’s last playoff match, entering the field of play in a confrontational manner, and public comments afterwards.

[RaceBoarder]

Speaking of Cheeseburger, the guy from Offside is straying further and further from awareness of abuse of officials and spreading positivity and is becoming just as negative as the people and behavior he is trying to drive out of sports.

A few weeks ago he accused someone on Twitter of doxxing because they posted the officials from an Oklahoma football game. The fan clearly did it from a source of anger, but that’s not doxxing because it was literally just copying from the easily available box score published online. Literally the SAME DAY he posts about hearing of an official being pushed at a soccer game in LA and offered $250 for video and the name of who did it.

Then a week or two ago he posts a Twitter screenshot of an uncle saying there were some bad breaks with calls and his nephew’s football career is over, along with a picture of his nephew and I think the nephew’s girlfriend. Rather than just saying the officials didn’t decide the game he decides to go out of his way and attack the kid in the picture calling him clumsy.

Someone last week must have threatened legal action because he made a post about how if you’re okay with posting about officials then you better be okay with others posting pictures with your kids in them, and that he has lawyers too.

I won't defend some of Barlow's stances he's taken in the last year. He's done a lot of good as far as getting the information out (in general), but some of this (like posting a name that is publicly available/published is "doxxing") has had me scratching my head recently.

But it is the counter-swing to what has been boiling over for years with officials.

There is a line somewhere in the middle on all this, but I admit that I do tend to take a more militant stance on this stuff.

[Spartanforlife4]

I won't defend some of Barlow's stances he's taken in the last year. He's done a lot of good as far as getting the information out (in general), but some of this (like posting a name that is publicly available/published is "doxxing") has had me scratching my head recently.

But it is the counter-swing to what has been boiling over for years with officials.

There is a line somewhere in the middle on all this, but I admit that I do tend to take a more militant stance on this stuff.

In a perfect world every parent and fan would be required to take a rules test or at least read the rule book before coming to a game. If I had to put an estimate on it I’d say 80% of the anger at games comes from people not knowing the rules. Curing ignorance would cure the rage.

But this I agree with jim on the stance that the official is always right. There are definitely officials who just show up for the money, don’t know the rules, have poor mechanics, and do a disservice to the game.

[RaceBoarder]

In a perfect world every parent and fan would be required to take a rules test or at least read the rule book before coming to a game. If I had to put an estimate on it I’d say 80% of the anger at games comes from people not knowing the rules. Curing ignorance would cure the rage.

But this I agree with jim on the stance that the official is always right. There are definitely officials who just show up for the money, don’t know the rules, have poor mechanics, and do a disservice to the game.

The fundamental problem is that all officials are expected to perform at a high level. But not all players play at a high level.

That is where the problems come from.

In a 10u rec-league baseball game where the kids don't understand the concept of a force out or know how to properly stand on the mound to pitch, why is the official expected to have the rulebook memorized and able to interpret case plays to an exhausting standard?

That's the root of the problem. Bad players are allowed to exist. Bad officials are not.

I'm far from someone who has a god-complex with officials. We are fallible. We screw up all the time, even guys at the "pro" level. Let us make the same errors that the players at our corresponding level make. That's what I want to see things evolve to.

[Jimjamesak]

I can understand the “let us make mistakes corresponding to our level” argument but it’s an attitude that I have a hard time agreeing with because I feel that we should be trying to improve ourselves. Yes, we make mistakes but we should always be striving to not make them (even though we’ll never be perfect).

And honestly, there are some mistakes that can be made that unacceptable no matter what level.

Where I disagree with the people like Barlow is that I have no problem with people pointing out clear, fundamentally game changing mistakes (like incorrect restarts, failing to send off a player with a second caution etc.) in a constructive manner. That’s where I have the problem with Barlow, his attitude essentially wants officials to have the attitude of “I’m right no matter what!” and that’s a terrible attitude to instill.

[Jimjamesak]

Also, professionalism is a thing. There’s a difference between a kid with no choice being shoved out there by their parents and someone who willingly signs up and is being paid (granted, never enough) to be there.

[RaceBoarder]

So Mexico won the COPA AMERICA draw...

That's some bullschit if I ever saw some....

[Jimjamesak]

Columbus won their third MLS Cup title on Saturday with a win over LAFC. They move into third on the all time list behind DC United (4) and the LA Galaxy (5)