Comments on: Friday Backpasses: This is a screw job

By: ü75

ü75 — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:58:13 +0000

I miss Wandering Bear.

Phil–I was just poking a little fun and put it up here because Ned plumb forgot to in his post. I will say that Robbie Keane look pretty pleased with the call (and not at all quizzical as to what happened), almost to the point of celebration. But I hate Keane, so that might be it.

By: phil

phil — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:52:36 +0000

Dustin is obviously a pseudonym for ~~Howard Webb,~~ Wandering Bear

By: Dustin

Dustin — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:41:26 +0000

Yes Phil that’s a great point. I watched ER tonight so maybe tomorrow I’ll go perform a surgery, just cause well it looked so easy.

By: The NY Kid

The NY Kid — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:35:22 +0000

@phil – please, Dustin is obviously a pseudonym for Howard Webb

By: phil

phil — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:55:06 +0000

Dustin, by your logic, seeing as we’ve both reffed the same amount of international games lately (zero), then we both stand in same position to speak on refereeing.

By: Dustin

Dustin — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:01:15 +0000

“In both cases, the referees made an absolute mess of an easy call…”

Hi. Referee many International Games lately? Of course not. Not that I’m saying that only referees hold a unique sense of sight, just trying to give a little perspective. Kinda sick of everyone saying how easy reffing is while they’re watching from their couch.

By: Anonsters

Anonsters — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:05:53 +0000

Definitely a phantom penalty, but it’s entirely irrelevant. Officiating is not the dispensing of karmic justice.

By: The Fan's Attic

The Fan's Attic — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:03:00 +0000

It was a make up call for la main de grenouille. Anticipatory make up call.

By: phil

phil — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:05:51 +0000

And one more thing: show me in that video where an Irish player makes a conscious effort to subvert the rules and gain an advantage. Thierry on Henry reached out and handled the ball.

Twice.

No Irish player slapped that ball into the Georgian defender.

In both cases, the referees made an absolute mess of an easy call, but in one case, a player (Henry) cheated; in the other, a game official blew a call.

The manner in which the Irish were screwed and the manner in which the Georgians were screwed (and, once again, for the record, the Georgians were royally screwed) are apples and oranges.

By: phil

phil — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:40:29 +0000

Here we go, it’s time to play rally ’round the gooner.

Look, full speed, it’s hard to tell it glances the guy’s shoulder, not his arm. On replay, it’s ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT IT DID NOT HIT HIS ARM AND THEReFORE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A PENALTY. AGAIN, IRELAND GOT THE BENEFIT OF A HORRID, HORRID CALL.

And it still doesn’t change the fact that Georgia had been shaky the entire second half, that a goal was coming, and that Georgia conceded the winner, on a clean play, a scant 12 minutes after this penalty.

Again, this should not have been a penalty. I in no way apologize for Ireland in this instance, but it’s nice to see that even though I’ve been pretty magnanimous about Ireland getting screwed, I’m still going to get my nose rubbed in something I said.

Somehow, I suspect that had Robbie Keane put Ireland through to the WC with a two-touch handball, the resident gooners would far less fervent in their efforts to uncover the illicit acts of others.