If there 1s one single act which will spell the
demise of the North Amencan Soccer League it
will be the abysmal level of officiating such as
television viewers witnessed on Sunday in the
game between the Cosmos and the Washington
Diplomats and also the card waving exhibition in
Seattle Saturday night when the Lancers and
Sounders were totally frustrated by the referee.

Over the years the calibre games against the Cosmos
of play has increased many both here in Vancouver and
times) over, while even in Giants Stadium
management has. in most In Washington Sunday, an
cases, improved con exciting match which was
siderably However, the totally dominated = by
level of refereeing has not) Diplomats, was ruined by
kept pace with the level of © downmeht poor officiating
play Both Diplomat goals which

As we've said before we were called back would have
are not) knocking the in been allowed in virtually any

dividual who is. hopefully. other league where soccer 1s
doing fis best. but we are played

knocking the league for not
taking steps to make sure
that this very important the goals. are made when the
aspect of the game us. of | achon is at its most intense
necessity, at a higher level Perhaps a sign that the
than the play officials are becoming ex
The league appears to cited) and mistakenly feel
have reached a stage where they have to make calls
the officials give every in

And isn't it interesting to
note that most calls. such as

If you happen to be a fan
dic ation of not kKoowing how of the BC

loons. you wall be
to handle situations in a

aware that the same axiom

All too holds truce Just think about
often we see a referee cager tow

consistent mannet

many long
to blow his whistle and hand plays were
out cards for

exc tiny
called back
scemingly because of penalties

vastynifin ant fouls white There ts nothing more

damaging fo a sport than to
olfieaals to hand out verbal have ats

allowing players and team

rhythm and pace
destroyed and broken up ty

someone with a whistle whe

abuse fo tim and tm many
eases to cnagaye in shoving
matehes such as Vancouver scems to fecl they must have

fans witnessed Jast vear in the same high profile as the

side-lines

by Andy Fraser

More than a whistle

players.

The natural animosity
between fans and officials
has come about over the
years because the officials
do manage to destroy the
flow and pace. At (mes it ts
necessary. But not to the
extent we have seen in more
recent times

There seems to be a
strange sense of logic at
work both in the NASL and
the CFL that increased
television coverage coupled
with big name signings will
make the Jeagues successful

They seem to forget that if
the product on the field is
broken up and stagnant and
filled with frustranon for
both player and fan, then
there will be a limit to the
fans appreciahon

Poor officiating, ino any
sport, leads to poor playing
Frustrations build and
tempers flare because the
olficials an) charge do not
Rive the impression of being
in command and of knowing
what they are doing

Thus in turn leads to ugly
rnetde nts such as in
Washington where Johan
Cruyff ends up being thrown
off the players bench along
with a temmate because of
their absolute frustration
and disgust with the

cxhubaition by the offpe uals

bavcryone who saw the
Cosmos final wath Whites apes

ta the Trans Atlanta Cup

knows that the Cosmos goal
was scored as a result of a
hand ball. Everyone who
saw the Sunday match with
Diplomats knows that the
two disallowed goals were in
fact good goals.

These are but two in-
cidents, yet the league does
nothing except wonder why
itis so difficult to draw more
people into the games.

Over in ~ the CFL, the
rules committee, rather than
concern themselves with the
actual game, become deeply
involved in the proper
penalties for violation of on
field dress code .

Perhaps there is nothing
wrong with part ume of-

ficials if those officials are |

totally familar with the
game. However, in the case
of soccer and Canadian
Football, the officials are
obviously not totally familiar
with the game.

By being familiar, we do
not mean simply knowing
the rules and the penalties.
Anyone can leam rules. But
it takes a special type of
person to control the ebb
and flow of a fast paced,
physical contest played by
professional athletes.

It takes years and years of
progressing expemence and
levels to produce a quality
athlete lt takes just as
much to produce a quality
referee To date the NASL
and the CFE do not seem to
understand oof accept this
port

Professional sport ts

&

multimillion dollar business
yet itis being nickled and
diumed to death by leagues
who can not accept the fact
that on field office rats are (he
deciding factor ino the fans
chpoyment of frustration
with the sport he is paying

pood money to see

More officials on the field

But only for playoffs

KANE HOD Mik Acol rt, re Cr ee
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(appotntments opttonal)

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