Sunday, June 20, 2010

The Cup - World, not Stanley

Did I mention that I used to be a sportswriter? Okay, take that background and add a very rules-oriented personality and you might understand why I am more than a little perplexed at the situation that arose in the World Cup match between the U.S. and Slovenia.
Rules are rules, right? And they're written down in a book somewhere. And the umpires, referees, judges, or whatever they're called, know the rules and can quote line and verse. The people charged with enforcing these rules have to know every single one of them explicitly. They must know when to blow the whistle and when not to.
Right?
Then can SOMEONE please explain how a goal can be disallowed by one soccer official and yet no one in the stadium knows what the infraction is...and the official is not asked to explain the call?!
Who is this official? All I know about him is this was the first World Cup match he's been called upon to officiate.
Hmmn...
How do we know he's just not a dainty, delicate little fellow who's angry that some U.S. player, oh, I don't know, maybe farted near him and didn't say 'excuse me.'???
If anyone out there has the inside scoop on this, please let me know. Meanwhile, I'll just sit here and fume...

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