So You Think You Had A Rough Game...

[ejstuart]

This article appeared in the Manitowoc (WI) Herald Times on 10/17/03

For some background, Green Bay Preble and Manitowoc Lincoln are Division 1 schools (the division with the schools with the highest enrollment). Also, this conference cherry picks their center officials, so they are supposedly the best in the area...


*****
Preble upends Lincoln in soccer

By PAUL KEUP
Herald Times Reporter

MANITOWOC — It was called the “best game of the season” for the Lincoln High School boys soccer team, but that performance was marred by a variety of events.

First and foremost, the Ships lost, 2-1, to Fox River Valley Conference front-runner Green Bay Preble on Thursday at the 35th Street Field in the regular season finale for both teams.

The match, though, featured two questionable red cards, three yellow cards and a game-winning goal on a controversial penalty kick.

“We played our best game of the season,” Lincoln coach Guido Lenaerts said. “We controlled the game, but the scoreboard doesn’t reflect that.”

Lincoln’s Bee Vang drew the first yellow card midway through the first half for unsportsmanlike behavior, and the Hornets led 1-0 at halftime.

About 15 minutes into the second half, Preble’s Ted Cormier received a red card (automatic ejection) for excessive foul language, although it didn’t appear his remarks were directed toward an official.

The Hornets (8-9-5 overall, 4-1-2 FRVC) received a yellow card with 11:31 left in the match, when Kevin Fitchett was called for a trip from behind on a player away from the ball.

Nonetheless, Lincoln still played with an 11 to 10 player advantage, and the Ships tied the game at 1 on a goal by Jerad Meyer with just under nine minutes to play.

Neal Auchter’s shot snuck through the legs of the Preble goalie Grant Fernstrum, and Meyer collected the rebound and scored.

Manitowoc (7-12, 2-5) continued its heavy attack on the Hornets’ defense, and it appeared the Ships would muster the winning goal.

But they never did.

Auchter, Manitowoc’s senior sweeper, went up for a loose ball against Fernstrum and the two collided in mid-air.

Auchter was immediately called for a red card, and his ejection brought the game back to 10-on-10 with 6:43 remaining.

The red card drew an emotional objection from Auchter and the Manitowoc bench, but the match went on.

About a minute later, the Hornets were awarded a penalty kick for a trip in the box. Preble’s Jordan Gindt scored with a shot to the left side of the net because Manitowoc goalie Brian Meyer went the opposite way.

“I feel bad for Manitowoc,” Preble head coach Chris Becker said. “That’s a hard loss; an unlucky loss. It’s hard when the referees decide the game and not the players.”

With Preble leading 2-1, Manitowoc tried valiantly to tie the match in the final minutes but to no avail.

The referees weren’t done yet, however, as Ships’ senior defender Joseph Maretti was given a yellow card with 5.2 seconds left for dissent.

The extra-curricular activities spoiled what was an otherwise close match.

“You can always pull a yellow card first and tell them if they do it again it’s a red card,” Lincoln head coach Guido Lenaerts said. “It was a little too quick for red cards on both sides.”

The Preble sideline agreed.

“I’ve never been associated with a game like this,” Becker said. “Both red cards could’ve easily been yellow. That’s my opinion, but they know the rules better than I do.”

Skylar Franz, who is the Ships’ co-captain along with Meyer, was also disappointed in the officiating.

“I don’t think the red cards were (justifiable),” Franz said. “I couldn’t believe it.”

Not only does a red card result in immediate ejection, it also means the player must sit out the next game.

That means Auchter, a senior, and Cormier, a junior, will miss their respective team’s regional opener next week.

“I feel bad for (Auchter),” Becker said. “This could’ve been his last game.”

The Ships won’t know their first-round opponent until this weekend, but they undoubtedly will be pumped up to make sure Auchter gets to play again.

And they can take some solace in the fact they gave the Hornets all they could handle.

“It was motivating,” he said. “This was a big game against a good team. It shows we can play with better teams.”

NOTES: Preble scored its first goal about 10 minutes into the match on a free kick by Kelly Snyder. The free kick was awarded because of an obstruction call, but Lincoln’s Skylar Franz was hurt before the call. The Ships’ co-captain, though, tried to get up and the referees didn’t call an injury timeout. Snyder took his free kick from the right side of the arc on the 18-yard box, and it sailed into the left side of the net. “Skylar couldn’t make up his mind if he was okay or not and it led to some confusion,” Ships’ head coach Guido Lenaerts said. “The rule is that if you are hurt to just sit down and the refs will stop the game.” … Lincoln out-shot Preble 9 to 6 in the second half. … Manitowoc’s Neal Auchter left the game after suffering an injury with 26:39 remaining in the game, but he returned a few minutes later.
*****

And no, I wasn't the official for this game.

[CecilOne]

Oh well ...
Maybe the reporter should switch to politics where their job is to stir up trouble, even if they are biased and don't understand what's going on. E.g., you can't score on a free kick for obstruction.
Both coaches should be sanctioned.

One of my pet peeves:
"It’s hard when the referees decide the game and not the players." Yeah, that ref shouldn't have tripped anyone.

[KYRef2]

Okay, let me get this straight -- the powerhouse team that has a record of 7 - 12 lost to the team that has the (marginally better) record of 8 - 9 - 5 -- and it was the officials' fault. They must have told the keeper to go the opposite way on the penalty kick. Go figure.

[ejstuart]

Originally posted by CecilOne
Oh well ...
Maybe the reporter should switch to politics where their job is to stir up trouble, even if they are biased and don't understand what's going on. E.g., you can't score on a free kick for obstruction.
Both coaches should be sanctioned.

One of my pet peeves:
"It’s hard when the referees decide the game and not the players." Yeah, that ref shouldn't have tripped anyone.

What did the coaches say that makes you think they should be "sanctioned"?

I thought the coaches handled it diplomatically. The author clearly had a bone to pick, but the coaches stated their opinions. Officials aren't above questioning...and it certainly sounds that this official was ripe for at least some questioning...not many high school games see two kids get thrown out on straight reds.

[CecilOne]

But not in a newspaper where misquotes become facts, controversy sells papers and the reporter was both biased and uninformed.

[KYRef2]

Originally posted by ejstuart

What did the coaches say that makes you think they should be "sanctioned"?

[/B]

"It’s hard when the referees decide the game and not the players."
"It was a little too quick for red cards on both sides."
"Both red cards could’ve easily been yellow. That’s my opinion, but they know the rules better than I do."

It is not professional for coaches to comment in the media on the judgement calls of the officials. While all of those statements might be valid opinions, they are just opinions. Let's put a different spin on it. Would the winning coach feel okay if the losing coach opined: "He coached his players to be too rough. At the very least, he made little or no attempt to calm the tone of the game down. He was out to win at any cost."
Just because both coaches see the officiating as a common target does not mean that it is a valid forum. In many conferences, both high school and college, it is a finable offense for a coach to say anything in the media about an official or a call.

[ref5678]

I don't work a whole lot of soccer, but take a look at this statement. Preble’s Ted Cormier received a red card (automatic ejection) for excessive foul language, although it didn’t appear his remarks were directed toward an official. Since when did language have to be directed at a Referee or an AR to be a red card.

[CecilOne]

Originally posted by ref5678
I don't work a whole lot of soccer, but take a look at this statement. Preble’s Ted Cormier received a red card (automatic ejection) for excessive foul language, although it didn’t appear his remarks were directed toward an official. Since when did language have to be directed at a Referee or an AR to be a red card.

See Oct 20th, 2003 09:19 PM

[Nevadaref]

12-8-3d
A player, coach or bench personnel shall be disqualified (red card) for: d. using insulting, offensive or abusive language or gesture.

The rule itself clearly does not state that the language need be directed at anyone in particular. It seems to say that its mere use is enough to warrant the red card.

However, there are two casebook plays (12.8.3 sit C and 12.8.3 sit F) which do state that the language is directed at the referee and an official, respectively.

I guess the language would have to be pretty bad before I would red card someone for language especially if it is not directed at anyone. I'd probably go with a caution. However, I would not hesitate to use the red, if the comments were directed at an official or an opponent. Probably a you-have-to-be-there situation.

[KYRef2]

Originally posted by Nevadaref
I guess the language would have to be pretty bad before I would red card someone for language especially if it is not directed at anyone.

The litmus test for me is:
Is it language which the FCC does not permit to be broadcast (I think there are seven words you can't say on TV) and
Was is broadcast loud enough to be heard by everyone on and off the field - the coaches and spectators.

[KYRef2]

Since the FCC has just ruled that the F word is ok as an expletive, but not as a verb, I guess I have to find another litmus test. Maybe words you would not hear in a silent Charlie Chaplin movie.

[Ferrykoek]

strange to see your all still shocked when a player get`s a card when he uses bad language. except in the case of mumbling

i take it your all from the US and that gives me the idea you run behind when it comes to proffesional ``soccer``
(i prefer the official word Football)

at first when you had a big mouth they tolerated a bit. but since a few years the ref`s have had specific orders to be more strict. which are a welcome relief on the fields. the number of injuries. red cards and on field fights have reduced sicnifficantly.

the players also have to stop whining about those rules. if the players would all have their way the game would be more like rugby.

i myself am a true AFC Ajax fan and i like the way they play. they aren`t rich and yet are the tone in european football.. i`m glad to see several american teams were wise enough to be sister teams with it

First of all I admit I'm not a soccer coach but was just passing through and figured I would check out the board. I am very concerned with the attiude taken on this board that it's just some coaches whinning, officials making fun of the teams records and the tone that officials are never wrong. Why is it in sports that officials can never be told they made a mistake, or did there job poorly. I have never ever heard of any other job where the employee is always correct and can never be told they made a mistake. Isn't it time we get off the soap box and remember why people goto soccer games. It is not to see the officials, no one really cares, it is about the student athlete. When we lose site of that and think that we are bigger then the game, then we as a society lose. I realize as a coach I make mistakes and I dont mind some people telling me that. I may agree or disagree with there thought process, but please this bantering by the officals on this board that the article wasn't nice to you is ridculous. Maybe just maybe the coaches were correct and the officals blew it. I'm not saying that is what happened but it could be. Please for once take some responsiblity! Your not always right and you make mistakes, DEAL WITH IT!!