[Dad]

Originally Posted by so cal lurker

Soccer generally has three officials -- a referee and two assistant referees. Once you hit a certain level you always have a fourth official, though he helps little with calls on the field -- usually only if something weird happens out of the regular area of play. And in a couple of leagues they add Additional Assistant Referees who primarily help with whether a ball crossed the goal line and fouls in the penalty area. But the referee is the only one with a whistle -- he only takes advice from the others. A wise referee, however, is keenly aware of those situations where his assistants have better angles.

I don't know that soccer really has that much more faking or flopping than basketball -- just higher stakes on each event. I would say that is what is one of the things that makes soccer hard -- because of the nature of scoring, the pressure on individual calls, especially near the goal, is much higher: A potential trip in the penalty area in the opening minutes creates a high stakes event for the referee: a possible PK and almost certain goal along with possibly sending off the defender so that the team plays short the rest of the game that resets how the entire rest of the game will be played or possibly a caution to the attacker who will then have to moderate that players play for a very long time. No early call in basketball will have the same on the entire game.

Nonetheless, soccer is made easier by the nature of the spacing and flow and having relatively fewer decision points -- its just that the ones you have are generally bigger decisions.

And the physical demands are much higher. There is a reason that FIFA referees have a mandatory retirement age at 45 (few could pass the fitness test past 45), while the NBA has elderly gentlemen still able to maintain the necessary fitness. And decision making definitely is harder after running 7 miles with intense focus!

Nonetheless, I found soccer easier and more pleasant. The compactness of basketball and constant decisions, to me, is harder. And I don't get as much exercise.

I got a red card for flopping. I never got a T for trying to get a call when I played basketball.