Talley's shove ends in erased yellow card

When Carey Talley shoved Kevin Harmse for punching him in the stomach in the second half of last weekend's match, it seemed inevitable that Talley would be yellow-carded.

Instead, the ref pulled both players aside and gave them a stern warning.

It was a huge sense of relief for both Real Salt Lake and Talley.

Had Talley been shown a yellow, it would've been his fifth of the season and earned him an automatic one-game suspension, to be served this Saturday during RSL's match at Houston. Instead, it was his third straight game caution free, meaning he's rewarded for his good behavior by having a yellow card taken off his slate.

The same goes for Kyle Beckerman, who avoided a yellow against the Galaxy and was also rewarded for the good behavior.

For a team headed off on a three-game, nine-day road trip that will make or break RSL's season, losing one or both midfielders would've been devastating.

At the positions both Talley and Beckerman play, a suspension once or twice a year is inevitable — that's why they both agree you can't let a potential yellow card jeopardize the way you need to play.

"At my position I can't really say, 'I'm just going to let this go,"' said Talley. "Usually I've got to be the one that breaks up counter attacks and if I get a yellow card, hey, I'll take it if it helps save a goal."

It's the stupid yellow cards that players try to avoid when they're in yellow peril, and Beckerman and Talley did well to avoid them against the Galaxy. Baring yellow cards in the first two games of RSL's upcoming three-game road trip, the duo should be available for all three matches against Houston, D.C. United at Toronto.

A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY: A trio of Real players were called into respective national team duty this week, even though visa issues have prevented Willis Forko from making the journey to Liberia.

Backup keeper Chris Seitz was called up by the U.S. National Team for its exhibition game against Brazil in Chicago this Sunday. Baring an injury to projected starter Tim Howard, Seitz won't play in the match. However, simply being called up is proof that Seitz is on coach Bob Bradley's radar and it's an opportunity to show everyone what he can do in a national team environment.

Atiba Harris, a native of St. Kitts & Nevis, has joined his national team for a pair of matches in Caribbean Zone Qualifying for the 2008 Summer Olympics. St. Kitts & Nevis plays the Dominican Republic on Sunday, and Haiti next Thursday.