[nas] Interesting - Wynalda on the refs....

While titled an article about Earnie Stewart and Eric's take that he has
been productive even though it hasn't shown up in his stats, there is
another segment on refereeing, etc., and he makes what I think are some
insightful comments - especially from a former player.  When I saw the
sub-headline, my first thought was, "This is going to be utter nonesense."
I was quite wrong.

"I will add that the players are also very much to blame for the unstable
relationship which exists between players and officials. Some of their
outbursts are unwarranted and sometimes just as bad, if not worse, than a
poor call."  Anyone remember the Three Tenors from Metroland?  Tony, Peter
and Tab?  Frankly, Eric had his moments when he played.  I know I have
harped on Hristo and Marco for this very thing.

"It's about respect and right now there is none from either side."  That is
for sure.  And how about this: "When we just allow players to go nuts
everytime somebody gets carded it sets a bad example to the rest of the
players who now feel that they have license to be verbally abusive every
time they don't agree with the call."

And his suggested solution isn't all bad, either.

The entire article is here:
http://www.mlsnet.com/content/03/90min0923wynalda.html

Now don't get me wrong - I am not saying refs don't need to work on their
stuff.   Hell, I'm from Dallas, remember?  Our lovely DC match where the ref
couldn't count, then when it was pointed out to him he LIED about it!

But the way the players treat the refs - who, I can only assume (and the
ones I know, I have confident they) are doing their best - is a bad example
to set for players who will play overseas and in international competition.
Remember all the crap Mexico gets for the way their players act in
international competition, and how it usually costs them at the World Cup?
Why is that?  Because they have their way in their national league, and they
assume they can treat the international refs the same way.  That probably
affects their ability to play overseas in other leagues, as well.

That is one thing I don't want our guys to learn about the game of futbol
from our competitors from the south.  Frankly, one of the things that made
me the most upset about the whole Dallas-DC thing was watching Earnie fall
into the same patterns of his teammates (Hristo and Marco) - yelling at the
ref, crying, whining - when the penalty was called against him in the first
game in Dallas, he came pretty darn close to hitting the ref, he was so out
of control.  Earnie has always been one of the players I felt was a class
act, and seeing that made me sick to my stomach.  FWIW, I am glad he has
been able to right his season, and I am glad that Cerritos is getting a
second chance - Ronald deserves it because he is a true professional and
dealt with all the crap in Dallas with class.

So Sez Drum'r Boy
http://flashpages.prodigy.net/klindstr/home.html



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