RefBlog

The thirteen-year-old did a better dive.

If there's a typical men's league game, it can be roughly divided into three sections:

• First 20 minutes: both teams whine, complain, and exaggerate to see what they can get away with. If there's a big mouth, he looks for someone to prod into getting a yellow card.

• Next 50 minutes: The teams realize that I won't make idiot calls or buy their attempts to get a PK. In other words, this is where the actual game of soccer is played.

• Last 20 minutes: As one team falls behind, they start adopting the tactics of the first 20 minutes over again in a desperate attempt to catch up, because they've been beaten on the field.

I've run this model past others, and at least in this league the consensus seems to be while it's not universal, that it happens a lot, especially when the game is, or should be, close. There are exceptions of course, some games remain tied and some teams are actually honorable. But how sad is this? I had a guy who purposely turned into a defender on my last game, when his team was down 3-1, and then ran screaming to me saying, "He pushed me!" Christ on a unicycle, I know guys get stupider when the testosterone is pumping, but this guy was close to needing a booster chair and a sippy cup.

I love soccer, but this crap is getting to me. The 13 year-old from the last game, and this seeming like the norm for adult men? And this wasn't even a bad game. It was a normal men's league game with nothing out-of-the-ordinary. I'm a referee; all I can do is police the game, but I can't waive a card around because it seems like the country's view of the game is ethically challenged. (more)

16 July '09 - 11:12 - - default| Only one comment - § ¶

The annual the physical embarrassment article

Eh, what can I say, other than what I've said in previous years pretty much confirms what I've been saying for a while now: my body seems to want to stay at this weight and at this level. Trainer, no trainer. Better eating habits, worse ones. It's the same. This year I sloughed off the winter running regimen in favor of playing other sports and staying busy. It didn't help that I went through two trainers this winter (after my trainer of two years quit, her replacement quit just before I was going to fire him; I spent some time at a sports-specific training place with a group of people who I enjoyed going with - but then they all quit once their season ended), but I didn't do any better or worse than I did the year before. I passed and the USSF will let me keep my grade; a seven with no plans for a six. As I said, "Eh."

Actually, I talked to a couple guys who were older than I was about the plans of having a kid in the next year or two, and their response was the same: you won't have time when you have a kid. If you want a State badge, do it after the kid is a bit more independent. (more)

11 July '09 - 23:16 - - default| six comments, already - § ¶