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Real Salt Lake: RSL feels 'wronged' by officials

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Squiggs | 2:11 p.m. May 6, 2008

When you do everything you can and it's still not good enough. Blame the refs. C'mon now Jason, it's about time you pointed the blame were it belongs...at you. Either get better or get out!

Re: A Fan | 2:32 p.m. May 6, 2008

Rofl... Fans everywhere whine about everything. It's part of being a fan. It doesn't happen more or less here then anywhere else...

I love how people still think their taxes are paying for the stadium.

Thlete | 2:39 p.m. May 6, 2008

And there we have it, Football Fan hit it on the head. Why not have video replay? Especially since there is one single head referee that has to cover 110+ yards to make every call. Hockey has replay, so does football, so does any respectable sport that recognizes that crucial plays shouldn't be left to human error. Any goal that is close to off-sides or a question of crossing the goal line or anything like that should go right to the replay booth to make 100% sure they got it right. Besides what else does the 4th official do between showing substitutions and extra time?

Comments continue below

JAX | 2:54 p.m. May 6, 2008

Kreis' job is in trouble and he probably just needs to move on (sooner rather than later). These pathetic excuses are not the kind of example I want my young son learning and copying. Where is the self-respect? Real Salt lake staff and players and many fans have become all to good at blaming everyone else for RSL's incompetence.

We are 4 year season ticket holders, but these remarks are outrageous and embarrassing.

Football Fan | 4:10 p.m. May 6, 2008

Refs have made bad decisions on every team in the MLS, however glaring mistakes need to be investigated....since I mostly watch RSL that's what I notice, players have to hold their hands and say thery made stupid mistakes, so should refs.
The MLS needs to admit that it's refs are lacking, I've been to all the home games and seen all the away games on TV, each game has been reffed so differently, and some so badly it's laughable.
All teams have to deal with the same refs, but when you have so many stars on your team your more likely to get looked after, look at the NBA.
Kreis is a rookie manager still, his squad however is vastly improved over last year, they just miss a few things, such as, killing off a game, go for the juggular, keeping up the intensity, go aftyer the game, they ain't going to win them all if they are 1-0 down with 15 mins to go take it to the other team, I would rather lose 2-0 going for the tie, then being resigned to a 1-0 loss.

Mike | 4:14 p.m. May 6, 2008

Of course if you watch the replay from the side that was on the FSN broadcast, Deuchar is clearly offside on the goal he scored that did count but I don't see Kreis complaining about that decision by the referee.

Tj | 4:31 p.m. May 6, 2008

Let's all just agree that refs suck. I hated the refs when I played sports but I realized that every time you get on the field you are playing against 2 teams and you cannot count on the refs to give you a call. I do disagree with calls all the time but there is no point complaining about it. Nothing will ever happen so just admit the refs suck and will make bad calls and figure out a way to win the game without the refs. Not an easy task but very doable.

Football Fan | 4:37 p.m. May 6, 2008

Re: Mike
Agree it did look offside, I would have called it offside, but please don't have make up calls, if you make a mistake, you made a mistake, don't make it up, to me this teaches make a mistake cover it up.

However the MLS needs to address the standard of officiating league wide.

Cache Valley Fan | 5:01 p.m. May 6, 2008

I agree; The laws of the game were misapplied by the referee. If the laws are misapplied then you can dispute the referees decision.(fact) That is the only time you have that right. He signaled it a indirect free kick and then allowed the goal to stand. That is misapplication.

Rslfans.com | 5:27 p.m. May 6, 2008

Actually, MR. CAPITAL, you clearly don't understand how taxes work. In fact our tax dollars are going to fund just about every softball field in the entire valley. Tax dollars are designated for specific uses depending on the tax it comes from. Nobodies taxes were increased to fund the infrastructure of the stadium and surrounding soccer fields. There was a bunch of money sitting in an account that was going to be used on community restoration projects. Personally I think we have enough softball fields and a stadium for concerts, events, soccer and our children in general is great. Nobody is asking for your permission or agreement. Just like they didn't ask me if I wanted a Broadway theater downtown.

/agree | 6:47 p.m. May 6, 2008

I've watched around 20 MLS games so far this season and the officiating in the RSL games is truely unbelievable. Jason Kreis is right to say something publicly. He has a good case. He has not historically been a whiner as some have suggested. He has always taken responsibility for the stupid things he has done (and there have been many).

He's getting better as a head coach, I don't have a lot to complain about this season as far as how the team has been playing and the coaching decisions from Kreis.

He's fighting back against unfair/inept calls. The players need to see that the head coach is willing to go out on a line for them. Someone has to call these refs out for their incompetency. I'd like to see more coaches in MLS do the same otherwise the leage is not going to address the problem.

One major difference between EPL and MLS is the number of ticky-tack nitpicking calls in MLS. It is infuriating. MLS games are slowed because the refs can't get their whistles out of their mouths. The MLS refs need to calm down and let the players decide the games.

@ Thlete | 7:07 p.m. May 6, 2008

>> Why not have video replay?

While you're at it, remove the offsides rule, add time-outs, unlimited substitutions at any time, use of hands, rollerskates and fishing poles.

Crog | 8:28 p.m. May 6, 2008

WOW...I thought professional sports participants could at least man-up and win once in a while rather then cry about it. Oh yeah, I forgot we're talking soccer.

Soccer is popular in the world | 8:51 p.m. May 6, 2008

So are communism, tyranny, and socialism- I see soccer taking off in America like those taking off. Don't take any more of my tax money!!!!

Tried of soccer. | 9:30 p.m. May 6, 2008

Im tired of bad officating. No season tickets for me next year.

My tax money | 9:49 p.m. May 6, 2008

You are apparently ignorant to all comments made on this board and the facts of funding for the soccer stadium- read something- then post troll.

Un Arbitro | 7:24 a.m. May 7, 2008

I think MLS refs are as good as anywhere else. If you watch UEFA or EPL, you will see many of the same problems. Referees are a game condition, just like rain. If the refs are having a bad day, you need to adjust and move on. It is not an exact science and there is no way for refs to be correct 100% of the time. I do think that many minor errors (i.e. a player 6" offside on a replay) are blown way out of proportion and don't really affect the final outcome that much.
I do agree that outright misapplication of the laws is wrong and should be reviewed.
If you brought referees from anywhere else in the world (La Liga, UEFA, EPL, Italy) you would still see the same types of comments. One team would still win and the other would lose. That means someone will have to leave the game unhappy. So instead of blaming there beloved team, why not blame the referee.

Shut up and play | 8:08 a.m. May 7, 2008

Hey all you homers. Go home and watch Deuchar's goal on your Tivo and you will see that he was offsides also.
Kreis, take note...Whining and blaming the refs is for losers!

Seeing what he wants to see | 9:51 a.m. May 7, 2008

I didn't see the other two games, but the two PKs against DC were both the correct call. On the first one, Dema prevented a cross from coming in with his hand, which was away from his body. It wasn't intentional, but it gets called all the time; it got called for Chelsea against Man U that same weekend. On the second PK - which was clearly in the box - the defender slid from behind and got the man before the ball. It's hard for a PK to be more clear-cut than that.

Sometimes calls go your way, sometimes they don't. Sometimes bad calls go against you, and sometimes they go in your favor. And sometimes the calls are fair, but you complain about them anyway becuase you're frustruated.

Uh... | 12:19 p.m. May 7, 2008

Make more goals than the other team, then you overcome the officials, it's as simple as that. A good team knows how to do this, but apparently, RSL is a terrible, terrible team.

Steve - Re: Rslfans.com | 12:35 p.m. May 7, 2008

Why wouldn't you want a "Broadway" theater in Salt Lake City? That's the logical place for it and not Sandy. Just like RSL's stadium should've been built in Salt Lake rather than Sandy (the team's name is Real SALT LAKE).

WWKCD? | 3:54 p.m. May 7, 2008

The real question is "What would Kenny Cutler Do?"

Michael Canny | 6:29 p.m. May 7, 2008

People need to quit whining and move on. Sure, officials make mistakes--just like every other human being on earth. Let's not destroy the game with instant replay or make major changes in the rules (offsides) just because of dissatisfaction with officiating.

If we want to increase the quality of the officiating, let's start by making a nucleus of full time officials, that do not officiate in their home towns. (That's right, pay the bucks to bring in GOOD ONES from OUTSIDE THE AREA.)Then have periodic training sessions where the referees can view themselves and the games they have officiated, and get constructive critiques that will improve their work, as opposed to penalties and decrees from the league.

Bravo, Coach | 11:34 p.m. May 7, 2008

The MLS should be embarrassed by the amount of money spent on "high-level" players instead of spending the money on training/obtaining experienced officials. Tickets aren't going to sell, and fans arent' going to bother with MLS because it continues to be frustrating and primitive compared to international games. MLS will never get over 'the hump' if it can't make a better game...starting on the ground level.

I don't think it's 'whining' to go public when all other proper procedures have been taken. It's a problem throughout the league, and someone finally had the balls to address it...and take the heat for it. Bravo.

It doesn't seem that officials have consequences...so what incentives do they have for getting the calls right or doing a good job? None. Players and coaches are fined all the time for stuff. Maybe if the officials were fined or penalized for crappy calls or throwing a game, they'd think twice about getting the calls right.

I've lived all over the country and attended tons of sporting events -- people in Utah don't 'whine' more than anyone else in the country...some people just need to get out of Utah more often.

Dennis | 8:42 p.m. May 8, 2008

I think I have a unique perspective on the subject being a referee who has officiated at all levels including pro and an assessor (one who observes and critiques referees performances). The quality of MLS refereeing is not on a par with other domestic leagues such as the EPL or others, but all referees have to make judgement calls that can be questioned. The call leading to LA's 2nd goal seems to have been a technical violation of Law 12(Fouls and Misconduct) in that the foul was given for dangerous play for which an indirect freekick should be awarded. The referee did signal for an IDK but allowed the goal to be awarded even though no other player touched the ball but the kicker essentially allowing the kick to be taken as a direct free kick. This would be a major misinterpretation of The Laws of the Game especially since this referee is a FIFA refere and considered one of our best.

Billy | 12:17 p.m. May 14, 2008

Enough of the crying about the officials, win the game and don't let the refs decide the game for you...build 2 goal leads, etc.

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