Oguchi Onywu & Michael Bradley News Too Good To Wait For The News Update
Oguchi Onyewu has signed with AC Milan! Can you believe that? I really am excited for him, but I hope it's not a mistake. We have to think that he is not just an insurance policy against injured or suspended starters. [Personal Note to Gooch: I have to cheer against your new team - Forza Inter!]
~and~
Michael Bradley has been given a 3+1 game suspension by FIFA for verbally abusing the referee after the USA v Spain game. He is currently serving 3 games - the Confed Cup final, and first 2 games of the Gold Cup - while the last game has been held back as a probationary tool for the next 6 months. If he commits another act toward referees then he will be suspended for the 4th game, plus the new punishement. So why did US Soccer not want us to know about this story?
~and~
Michael Bradley has been given a 3+1 game suspension by FIFA for verbally abusing the referee after the USA v Spain game. He is currently serving 3 games - the Confed Cup final, and first 2 games of the Gold Cup - while the last game has been held back as a probationary tool for the next 6 months. If he commits another act toward referees then he will be suspended for the 4th game, plus the new punishement. So why did US Soccer not want us to know about this story?
posted by brucio at 08:12
12 Comments:
I don't know if US Soccer not telling us is the same as "hiding" this, considering the press didn't pursue the story (except at your behest), but if you change your perspective a bit, a better question is Why WOULD US Soccer want to tell us about this.
It'd be great for them to be open and honest, but I'm guessing at first they thought they would wait to see if there were any tangible consequences, and then, when they discovered the suspension could be served through the Gold Cup anyhow, they might have decided to not advertise it, and ruin the good press they have coming off the Confed Cup.
Just one theory
I would like to be excited for Gooch, but I fear he'll end up on the bench. We've already got way too many guys like that.
Do they protect the refs a little too much? Isn't it better to confront the ref in the tunnel rather than on the field where you're showing him up? Obviously, I have no idea what the verbal abuse entailed, but 3+1 seems like a lot for yelling at someone out of sight from the fans and cameras after a game. I fail to see how that offense is as serious as a particularly violent foul, which pretty much never gets more than 3 games.
Great move for Gooch, a lot better than Real Madrid, where even cannavaro and Samuel had troubles in the past with a team completelty oriented to attack. At Milan at least he will have gattuso and Ambrosini protecting the defense.
At the start, Onyewu will be a third/fourth choice behind Nesta (if healthy), brazilian Thiago Silva and Kaladze (who could paly left back), but I'm sure that especially with phisical opponents (like Toni and Gilardino) he'll be there.
Franco - PlayitUSA.com
There should be more punishments like this. The referee is the only person in the stadium that is committed to keeping things sporting.
The official should be seen more like the judge in a court of law.
One of the problems is that his options are too harsh if he is being disrespected. There needs to be something between nothing and a yellow.
I recommend a "penalty box". When Chelsea and ManU treat an official like their hired help, they can stand on the sideline for one minute. Or have "technical fouls" like in Basketball.
This is the most annoying thing about the European game for me. I've been asked why American athletes act more professional. Well, they don't when they are not playing. The officials have options.
--Murfmensch
I agree with you, Murf, when the action takes place on the field in front of cameras and fans. It's showing up the ref, and I don't get that. After the game, I have less of an issue with the confrontation. But if he just went crazy on him, then it's deserved.
>After the game, I have less of an issue with the confrontation.<
I gotta disagree.
Bradley in particular needs to learn some restraint. He's improved on the field, but once the game is over, it's over. No sense talking at that point. Also, since he had been sent off, Bradley would have had to come out of the locker room to have his say. It wasn't just coincidental.
The ref has final say on the field. When the ref flashed red, that was Bradley's opportunity to have a cool, collected conversation. After the game, uh-uh. The ref's job is done (whether he did well or poorly) and there are other avenues by which he can protest.
When can he have a cool, collected conversation? If he sticks around for any amount of time after the red, he risks further punishment. Generally the ref's side of the cool, collected conversation is to point to the sideline over and over again.
But I'm overdoing it, here. I don't have too much trouble with the suspension. I just think sometimes there's no recourse for terrible refereeing (and I understand the difficulty of the job). You almost never win an appeal, if a coach or player complains to the media, they face fines or bans, and how often do you really see a ref suffer a punishment related to their performance? I think the protection of referees is excessive sometimes. I don't see the other avenues by which someone can legitimately protest (I wouldn't consider a sham appeal to FIFA to be legitimate).
FIFA was more upset at Michael Bradley than the United Nations was at Iran's Mullahs for cracking people's heads open on the streets of Tehran.
Gooch will start. Nesta and Kahka cannot make it through a season avoiding injury, and it's best for team consistency if the oft-injured guys are used as substitutes.
The Bradleys and U.S. soccer fans are very fortunate the Gold Cup comes before the Aug. 12 qualifier at Azteca.
one love soccer You people don"t see MNSTis beter team without M.B AND B.B,you can see that?if you know litlle soccer
Nesta and Kaladze both played a grand total of 1 game combined last year; Kaladze has been hurt the last 2 years running, Nesta has a reoccurring back issue (those generally don't get better with age, sports fans!) da Silva has had his own issues with band aids - Porto signed him in 2004, shipped him off to Dinamo Moscow in 2005, grand total of games played with the 1st team = ZERO. Why? Injuries, at 21 years old - BOTH seasons.
Gooch has as good of a chance as any, considering the collection of invalids the Rossoneri have assembled.
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