Is it me or does there seem to be an inordinate amount of crybaby whiners getting carded for dissention nowadays when a referee whistles a foul? Now I'm not saying that a foul has actually been committed, given the trend du jour of gymnastic theatrics (and God knows the recent World Cup card tossing frenzy manifested a need for referee reorientation), but when the referee, serving as the absolute judicial authority for rules compliance inside the touch lines, blows his or her whistle it is a fait accompli. The end. It's over over there. Call in the dogs and do what you gotta do to put out the fire. No appeal, regardless of how impassioned or intense the plea, is going to reverse the call or unblow the whistle (On extremely rare occasions you will see a reversal, but this is the exception that proves the rule). The referee, in his/her presumed educated and clinically unbiased interpretation of the action has determined that a rules infraction has occurred and has halted play in order to adjudicate the offense. Even if the referee knows he made a mistake (it could happen!) it's too late. The whistle is to the run of play what the teacher's fingernails on the blackboard are to classroom chatter (great, now I have to deal with that noise in my head for the rest of the day). The referee will identify the foul and either allow play to resume immediately or will halt play altogether to issue a card, record said card issuance in his/her book and organize the resulting set piece (fact: the difference between 10 feet to the defense and 10 feet to the offense is 9 feet).
The halt of play in today's matches is further exacerbated and prolonged by one or more (usually more) players ganging up on the referee and giving them their own version of what transpired, with highly animated histrionics and usually all at the same time. As the players all crowd around yelling and gesturing at the referee, who is back pedaling, the scene is reminiscent of the U-8 matches my son played where everyone on the pitch clustered around the ball and moved as though they were all attached to each other. At that age it's rather funny. At the adult level it's just stupid. The team captain has a right and a responsibility to question the referee's call. Not that the referee made the call, but what the referee saw and how he/she interpreted what they saw. The captain needs to know how the referee is expecting play to be conducted so that the captain can then better manage the strategy of play. The captain can also ask that the referee pay particular attention to the behavior of certain members of the opposing team who may be indulging in some off-the-ball hijinks (like say, Zindane, who's "hijinks" were off the charts). That's why the captain wears an arm band, he/she is identifying themselves as the spokesperson for the team. The referee will allow civil discussion regarding a call. But even the captain is subject to the card when the discussion ventures into areas not pertinent to the infraction.
And here's the part I still have trouble understanding. The players know that they are not, by rule, authorized to discuss, question, argue, or otherwise engage the referee in the enforcement of a rules infraction, unless they have the arm band. Any such interaction is subject to disciplinary action up to and including a card (color optional). The players know this, the coaches know this and the referees damn sure know this. And yet you will see these infantile knuckleheads time and again get in the referee's face and continue unchecked until the inevitable happens. Of all the cards issued in any given match the card for dissention is the one most easily avoided and yet it is the one most easily justified. And sadly for the fans, it only serves to disrupt the flow of play and fragments the game. If we wanted this kind of action we would go to a football game.
For those who dive I say; "Get up and play like a man".
For those who argue I say: "Shut up and play like an adult".
Note: As I was proof-reading this piece I noticed that I failed to add "or she" in the sentence that refers to the referee knowing that they made a mistake. Since my wife, my 2 daughters, and all my female friends will thoroughly enjoy the inference that a women would not make a mistake, I'll let it ride. Sorry guys.
