Eddie Pope gets a red card.

[dysko]

Originally Posted by Rover

Can't wait for FCD at the Galaxy next weekend. Between Ruiz, Donovan, and now Johnson and the other divers, half the players will be flopping around on the field and the other half ejected from the game. 😉

Perhaps we could dub it "fish out of water bowl 2005." 😲

[dysko]

Originally Posted by SoccerPrime

Afterward, Johnson said he was faking the injury, hoping to draw the foul.

"I still can't do it as well as him," Johnson said, laughing, and pointing toward teammate Carlos Ruiz. [/i]

Things like this make me sick... if the league wants to up its image a fine for flops that draw cards would be a good idea.

If you made the person who took the dive pay a fine ($1k-5K) and serve a minimum suspension (1 game) for a flop that draws a card (any color) or results dirrectly in goal, I think you would see a better brand of soccer.

Soccer players aren't going to shake the "soccer is for wusses" image if they act like wusses.

[AreliusII]

Originally Posted by Rover

Poor officiating in this match, no doubt. Part of the game.

It was the ref’s second official game. And we bore the brunt of it…

[AreliusII]

Originally Posted by Rover

Free kick awarded for flop--YES.
Free kick properly defended--NO. 1-0 Dallas.

Eddie Johnson tough to handle--YES.
Eddie Johnson should run free down our left--NO. 2-0 Dallas.

Ruiz flops in the box--YES.
Rusty got all ball so it shouldn't have been a penalty--NO. 3-0 Dallas.

Folks, we were beaten by a better, more organized, and more motivated team. We're not there yet. We will get there, but we've got a lot of work to do.

Look at the stats. Dallas led us 16-7 on shots (7-2 on goal) and 9-4 on corners. That's offensive domination.

Oh, and fouls were 25-20--that's right, five more called on FCD than on us.

Sure the officials weren't good--the red card on Eddie Pope was ridiculous. But the officials didn't beat us. FC Dallas did.

Rojas sucked in the back and Dipsy sucked up front. He is a good finisher but his 1-2 play with Kreis leaves something to be desired.

[AreliusII]

Originally Posted by Jim Umber

One thing I noticed. I wonder if others noticed it. Once Pope was ejected, they started getting to the ball and controlling the ball better than they had up to that point. If they had played like that for the whole game, we might have won.

Could it just be that Dallas let off the pedal at that point?

[Aero]

Check out some further clarification from the reporter that wrote the story.

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4766708&postcount=84
I guess there is really no doubt at all that he was totally faking. My respect for EJ has taken a serious nosedive. There is no place in the game for that. Maybe pairing him up with Ruiz was a big mistake and will end up ruining him in the long run.

[Rover]

Originally Posted by Aero

Check out some further clarification from the reporter that wrote the story.

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4766708&postcount=84
I guess there is really no doubt at all that he was totally faking. My respect for EJ has taken a serious nosedive. There is no place in the game for that. Maybe pairing him up with Ruiz was a big mistake and will end up ruining him in the long run.

Wow. Davis gave him three chances to make sure he actually meant to say he was faking the injury, and Johnson insisted he had gone Hollywood.

At least he was honest . . . about his dishonesty.


I wonder how MLS headquarters will react to this:

They'll do nothing.

I wonder how MLS refs will react to this:

They'll do nothing.

I wonder how MLS defenders will react to this:

The gloves are off.

[Aero]

What a stupid move on EJ's part. All he had to do was keep quiet and he would have easily gotten away with it. But it appears his ego was just too big. He had to share just how cool he was in fooling everyone with his great acting skills. He has certainly hurt himself a great deal with his big mouth.

[SoccerPrime]

Maybe Pope can give EJ some "pointers" at their next USMNT camp.

[theholmes]

Before we get too carried away with what should be EJ's punishment, pause for a moment. This is THE most common thing in soccer, next to the wearing of boots. FLopping for the foul is not some egregious offense, though it is technically illegal. Dont get me wrong, I hate it. HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT. I'd like to see Carlos Ruiz taken out in the alley and smack him about to show how to stand up like a man.

ON the other hand, its as common as white on rice. Been happening for ever, and will continue to happen. It's the league's responsibility to train the ref's to enforce the no diving rules, and punish the referees for falling for it. Ruiz and Johnson are 2 of the best strikers around, but they make me want to spit in their eyes when they pull that kind of trash. Fair play to them for trying their lies, just card them when they do. The mistake was not EJ's for admitting he was faking a foul, the mistake is the league and ref for falling for it.

(Its hard for me to not curse. Ive had to edit this twice now).