Before we comment further, we should all watch the highlights:
On It's Called Football a couple weeks ago I made the claim that an official has never won or lost a game. Although there is a little bit of hyperbole in that statement (refs have, of course, actualy fixed games in the past so...) I stand by the underlying comment. It's the same neon yellow strip out there for both teams and over the course of a game the bad calls are likely to even themselves out.
Blaming the ref for a loss is a bit like TFC blaming the turf for its current out-of-the-playoffs position - um, isn't it the same for both teams?
So, when Whitecaps' fans turn their frustrations onto Carol Anne Chenard, the official who called the first leg of the USL-1 final, they are missing the point. Yes, Chenard called things a little too tic-tak for my tastes, but she was far from the reason that Montreal holds a one goal advantage heading to the final game of the final. The truth was, the Impact were and are the better team. Vancouver has done wonderfully well to get to the final, but Montréal deserves a great deal of respect for the way it turned its season around and will be deserving champions on Saturday.
The Impact dominated long stretches of the game Saturday, especially in the first half. I'm not sure what universe Martin Nash's capital S stupid challenge isn't a red card and I don't see an offside on any of the Impact's goals.
As for the other "issue" that is being whispered -- Chenard's inability to pee standing up -- do we realy need to address that? Really??? If we must, I'm going to suggest that the accomplishment of being a female referee assigned to work a championship game in the second highest level of professional men's soccer in northern North America should be the focus. Her gender, clearly, had nothing to do with her performance -- good or bad.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Montreal has blown every important game they've played this year and have difficulty holding things together. Conversely Vancouver is a team that knows how to win due in large part to their mental fortitude. While no one can say that Mlt doesn't have the advantage, I believe Van will surprise (most people) with a winning result.
^^^^
Well...they had to win some important games to get this far so your statement is actually really ignorant and quite stupid!!!!
(see quarter-final and semi-final games on the road in Puerto-Rico and Charleston both 2-1 wins)
Last time I checked Puerto-Rico is not an easy place to go to and come away with a win, just ask TFC....
Um, how about falling apart vs Santos, or the humiliation that was the loss to TFC to end the Voyageurs Cup? As has been argued many times before the USL isn't that great of a league, some of the competition is not of the same caliber as some of the other clubs. Vancouver had a lot tougher road to get to the final than Montreal (not to belittle Mtl's playoff wins or anyone who supports PR, Portland has a way crazier atmosphere than Puerto Rico -one word 'chainsaw'). Soccer history is full of teams going into final legs a goal up and imploding in the second game. If Montreal get scored on early watch out, everyone will be in for a ride.
And calling other people ignorant and stupid is a little ignorant and stupid in itself, isn't it?
Actually, no, calling someone ignorant and stupid when they really are, is not ignorant and stupid....And the game VS TFC was not an important one for the Impact, thats why they played a reserve squad, they were not playing for anything!! And that is also why they beat Vancouver 2 days later when the Caps were all out for "revenge"....Falling apart VS a 1st division mexican team who is more talented then every MLS and USL team is hardly representative of what will happen on Saturday...How about winning 2-1 in Honduras last year in the CCL with practically the same squad as last year, in a much more intimadating atmosphere then the "chainsaw" in Portland LOL....So ya I would say you are still stupid and ignorant..
Most Whitecaps fans simply think Chenard is unqualified to be doing a series of such magnitude. Especially since virtually every USL 1 game she's done seems to result in a red card or controversy.
Post a Comment