Mathis disciplined

[devNull]

Originally Posted by bubba

I don't have an e-mail address, but if you use typical logic in how work email works... this would be Don Garbers email.

dgarber [at] mlsnet.com or don.garber [at] mlsnet.com

I have a word of caution though... remember that the team is addressing this through appropriate channels and we don't need a desnews fiasco all over again.

I would really suggest against this. Yes, the decision makes no sense at all. That has already been well discussed. From the interviews that I have heard w/ RSL folks since the ruling came down it is very obvious they don't think it is fair, but they seem to be taking the high road on this one. It seems like they want to get some karma by being overly professional about it. It sounds like they aren't even going to appeal. They are just going to take the medicine handed out way too liberally and move on. I suggest that we follow their lead on this one. It will work out better in the end and that seems to be what the team wants.

[DadOf8]

Personally, I think Mathis has earned a reputation as a hot-head and a malcontent. I think the league will use any excuse they can to reprimand him. I think the suspension and fine are bull but maybe it will teach Cleetus to keep his head in the game and to quit flying off the handle every time someone irks him.

[montgjules]

Originally Posted by DadOf8

Personally, I think Mathis has earned a reputation as a hot-head and a malcontent. I think the league will use any excuse they can to reprimand him. I think the susension and fine are bull but maybe it will teach Cleetus to keep his head in the game and to quit flying off the handle every time someone irks him.

But then he wouldn't be Cletus. You gotta love him as he is for who he is. If you change him, he won't be him!

Long Live Caesar Cletus!

[rabble-rabble]

I’ve now had time to cool off about the whole mess. I really think there isn’t much that can be done at this point. To be honest, given how ugly and embarrassing for the league that things got during the fracas, I expected the league to come down hard on a few players. Melees like the one Saturday make the league look very bad and the problem was compounded by the fact it was an ESPN game. Given that Clint’s reaction to the ball kicked into him helped instigate the situation and he failed to leave the pitch right away, I had anticipated the possibility that Clint would receive an additional one game suspension. I was slightly surprised (but not shocked) that he received not 1, but 2 extra games.

A lot of it has to do with Mathis’ reputation, and fair or not, (like a few NBA players) in situations like this, they are going to tend to levy heavy punishments for actions such as this, as if to continue punishing him for past actions. Clint learned a very painful lesson on Satuday. It’s regrettable to think however, that in future games, teams could take unfair advantage on the situation by perhaps baiting Clint by fouling him hard knowing he is might not be able to retaliate for fear of further disciplinary actions.

But what I found very disturbing was that Romo’s actions went relatively unpunished. Clearly he was largely responsible for instigating the situation when he kicked the ball at a downed player when play was stopped. And for the league to state that they found he did not embellish the ‘foul’ the last time he flopped on the ground like a fish makes me wonder just what the hell they looked at when reviewing the tapes. Romo is simply a piece of classless garbage. It hasn’t been mentioned here yet, but on BigSoccer, one of the threads mentioned a game in May where Chivas was playing the Rapids. Late in the game, with the Rapids up a goal, Colorado kicked the ball out of bounds so a player on the ground could be attended to. When Chivas played the ball back in, with the Rapid players anticipating the custom of playing back the ball to the other team, Romo surprised everyone by running up on the ball and kicking it into the Rapids goal. (The referee called a phantom foul and disallowed the goal) What soccer player have any of us ever seen do this at any level? The league needs to come down hard on Romo and tell him to clean up his act, or get out of the league. Players like him just make the sport look very unattractive to all sports fans.

I wonder too if perhaps anything will happen to the referee who clearly failed to maintain order. As a few of us have noted, he was too lenient earlier in the match when he should have shown a few cards and sent a message that unsportmanlike play would not be tolerated, but he failed to do so. I don’t know what the MLS policy is regarding discipline of officials. In the NBA for example, while they immediately announce the length (in games) of suspensions and amounts of fines for players and coaches, if a referee is suspended (and it does happen, in particular if a referee get too confrontational with a player or coach) the suspension and/or fine is not made public.

I guess the best thing the team can do at this point is just get back to practice and focus on getting ready for the next few matches. KC is hot right now and should present a good challenge, then the Earthquakes who are on fire right now come in the following week. Let’s all show up and support the team. See you all Saturday.

And Cletus, if you read this. We’ll miss you the next few matches, but still support you. Hope you come back and take your frustrations out by scoring lots of goals the rest of the way.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by devNull

I would really suggest against this. Yes, the decision makes no sense at all. That has already been well discussed. From the interviews that I have heard w/ RSL folks since the ruling came down it is very obvious they don't think it is fair, but they seem to be taking the high road on this one. It seems like they want to get some karma by being overly professional about it. It sounds like they aren't even going to appeal. They are just going to take the medicine handed out way too liberally and move on. I suggest that we follow their lead on this one. It will work out better in the end and that seems to be what the team wants.

Agh, fine. Not fun, but probably the smurt thing to do. :signrocko

So this is what MLSNet.com has to say about the suspension fiasco:

"Having examined different video angles, taken testimony from both players and consulted and reviewed the doctor's postgame report, the Committee found that Romo did not simulate injury."

I'd love to see that doctor's report: "Isaac Romo suffered a self-inflicted bruised testicle. Psychiatric evaluation recommended."

It's too bad they don't play the Revs again so Franchino can take Romo out...

--Geoff :dontgetit

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by rabble-rabble

We’ll miss you the next few matches, but still support you. Hope you come back and take your frustrations out by scoring lots of goals the rest of the way.

Amen. We sure missed you last night, Clint, and we are with you 100%.

--Geoff :dontgetit

[Rover]

Originally Posted by Burninator

Agh, fine. Not fun, but probably the smurt thing to do. :signrocko

So this is what MLSNet.com has to say about the suspension fiasco:

"Having examined different video angles, taken testimony from both players and consulted and reviewed the doctor's postgame report, the Committee found that Romo did not simulate injury."

I'd love to see that doctor's report: "Isaac Romo suffered a self-inflicted bruised testicle. Psychiatric evaluation recommended."

It's too bad they don't play the Revs again so Franchino can take Romo out...

--Geoff :dontgetit

Hilarious stuff.

I'm looking forward to see DC and Dema "Legbreaker" Kovalenko host Romo and the lads next Saturday. No simulation will be needed.

Clint lost it an shouldn't have, but the points made are correct--he's a marked man. We saw in the home opener, and it continues.

OK. Whatever. We'll keep building the best club in MLS. This stuff can't change and won't change that.