2026 World Cup - USA team thread
- Thread starter Tom McAndrew
- Start date
Some of us don't complain about the refs constantly.
This is simple...by definition the call was correct. You can say all you want that if it wasn't called no one would have complained but that's not the conversation. The conversation is...was the call correct...and it was based on the rule. You're the one looking for a fight by being unable to accept that fact.
Also, in that scenario I'd likely say the call was missed (which I often say) then explain how refs aren't going to be perfect. This situation is different. There was a replay with a clear red card.
I guess by definition but the point is it is a terrible judgment call. What the rule does is leave it for chance whether it is a dangerous play or serious foul play. The exact same play happens but by chance Balogun's foot just grazes the guy then no call You have to incorporate intent and how reckless the play is into the equation. They are back fitting reckless by the random chance of the play not what the intent was through this VAR.
Can you imagine the law working this way. I fire a gun at you on purpose and miss. No charges nothing that is perfectly fine. On the other hand let's say I am on an airplane and put something on the overhead compartment and it falls on your head. For that I get the death penalty.
I hope so but Balogun is our top scoring threat. We really need Pulisic to rise to the occasion and play like a superstar.
Again, by the rules it was a red card. Period
There's law against "firing a gun" and that's why there's laws against attempted murder not just murder.
Did you do something negligent when you "put something in the overhead" if so, there's a penalty--just like there was "negligence" with the red card
You hate the red card--I get it--that's cool. You being mad that others don't share your anger is absurd. The call was correct--doesn't mean you can't hate the rule.
Pepi has to up his game if Poch doesn’t shuffle the formation around. It’s a step down from Flo but Pepi can still put away an opportunity if it comes his way. He’s on a decent club in a decent league and had 16 or so goals. Fingers crossed. It would be the biggest W in my lifetime.
My point is that the rule is absurd. We will penalize (with the harshest penalty possible) no intent but just the freak randomness of two players trying to make a play BUT we won't penalize a player for deliberately trying to hurt a player but misses like violently flailing at their ankle but misses.
My example with the law holds. You have a bag in an overhead. Someone bumps into you and the bag gets knocked loose and hits someone. Total freak accident, no negligence. For that you are sentenced the death penalty. Meanwhile someone tries to shoot you but misses. No charges against them. They get off totally free.
Complaining about the rule is fine--full support--but the call was correct
We completely disagree that the comparison is apt. In your overhead example--the person who bumped you acted negligently and is the party responsible for what happened. Just like Balogun was negligent in his actions which could have resulted in injury.
If the situation was reversed, the majority here would have wanted a red card
Actually, the refs didn’t follow fifa rules. VAR is to be used to establish facts, such as player positioning, but intensity is to be determined only in real time. Not VAR.
I’ve seen a lot worse from people who grew up in this country.
I guess it doesn’t hurt having been a pro athlete of any sort and taking the time to practice. Yes, I know he lobbed it but there are WAY worse first pitches out there
It’s mind boggling how some accept the challenge and willingly embarrass themselves - you’ve got to know if you need to practice, right?
But, then again, super “stud” Tom Cruise somehow thought he could throw a baseball in War of the Worlds. That’s one stunt he should have given to a stunt man
What in the hell?
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I'm not the one still complaining about a call that was correct. Take your own advice
From this mornings Athletic.
“There is also a valid question as to whether VAR applied the use of slow-motion replays in a manner according to the protocols set out by IFAB, the body which makes the laws of the game.
IFAB’s guidance says: “The VAR can ‘check’ the footage in normal speed and/or in slow motion but, in general, slow-motion replays should only be used for facts, e.g. position of offence/player, point of contact for physical offences and handball, ball out of play (including goal/no goal); normal speed should be used for the ‘intensity’ of an offence or to decide if it was a handball offence.”
Basically what I said.
But you’re smarter than someone who covers the sport for a living, right?
I'm not knocking soccer. I've enjoyed watching the games that I have, and I normally don't watch it. The biggest problem with the sport is everything about it is too extreme. A goal is like hitting a grand slam in baseball, or getting the combo of scoring a TD in football only to follow it up by recovering a fumble and scoring a TD on the kickoff.
The red card is the equivalent of sitting a hockey player for the rest of the game, not just some penalty minutes. Make a NBA team play a man down. Make any team in any sport play a man down. Its a huge advantage.
I like the yellow card/red card thing, but for the most part they should be saved for things that that player has control over. He's got a yellow, he needs to be careful if he's going to make a tackle, maybe he holds off he doesn't try to make the play based on a previous yellow. A part of the strategy we dont see.
Its a rule thing, but no red card should have been given when he's in no way doing something that isn't beyond the normal scope of the game and isn't trying to create harm. A red card should 100% be tied to intent, and if their is none. At worst that should have been a yellow (and hope he doesn't get unlucky again in the next game) and as many have said. Messi did the same thing and got nothing.
Final problem, they play this game dictated by the extreme and after two hours, a simple round of penalty kicks. That should not exist. After two hours, golden goal and you play til someone scores. People could brag about playing the 4 hour game some day.
The red card is the equivalent of sitting a hockey player for the rest of the game, not just some penalty minutes. Make a NBA team play a man down. Make any team in any sport play a man down. Its a huge advantage.
I like the yellow card/red card thing, but for the most part they should be saved for things that that player has control over. He's got a yellow, he needs to be careful if he's going to make a tackle, maybe he holds off he doesn't try to make the play based on a previous yellow. A part of the strategy we dont see.
Its a rule thing, but no red card should have been given when he's in no way doing something that isn't beyond the normal scope of the game and isn't trying to create harm. A red card should 100% be tied to intent, and if their is none. At worst that should have been a yellow (and hope he doesn't get unlucky again in the next game) and as many have said. Messi did the same thing and got nothing.
Final problem, they play this game dictated by the extreme and after two hours, a simple round of penalty kicks. That should not exist. After two hours, golden goal and you play til someone scores. People could brag about playing the 4 hour game some day.
You just used a "writer" for The Athletic as a credible source.
They also didn't say "Actually, the refs didn’t follow fifa rules. VAR is to be used to establish facts, such as player positioning, but intensity is to be determined only in real time. Not VAR." or even close to that. They're questioning it without any proof. They're not incorrectly stating something as a fact. This is done so people like you continue to read and create conversation around their articles
In normal speed, on the replay, it's a red card based on the (albeit dumb) rules.
In almost all cases, the red cards are tied to intent and/or recklessness. It's why most would agree that the red card was the wrong call in this instance.
I'll complain all I want and state my opinion that it was a lousy call and you can't stop me so get used to it. We are on a message board.
This is your reply to my reply to you telling me to move on lol
Not sure if I should be impressed with the hypocrisy or....
He has never seen a ref's call be wrong.
If that play was reversed and the Bosnia guy was in Balogun's position and did not get a red card and people complained that it should have been a red card then he would be defending why it was a good call not to show the red card. Guaranteed.
Posters please stop feeding the troll. He enjoys taking the contrarian approach to ruffle everyone’s feathers. He claims to be an ex-jock, so therefore an expert on everything sports related.
I am shocked they don't incorporate intent with these red cards. Random plays that cause freak non intentional things to happen to a player's body that is all part of the normal course of the game. And these are punished to the point of affecting the outcome of a game and future games. It is like they WANT the ref to be able to control the outcome of a game.
Yep and I will keep on saying it was the wrong call. Get used to it.