Ok with no dog in the fight I will insert my two cents. I watched the game at Blufton. Im from an area that has not played either team ever. I dont care about who won or lost.
1. I did not see a lot of dives...
2. I agree the officiating was not great but it was also not intentionally bad.
3. I saw the yellow card on the Riverdale player who charged the kick. The ref on the opposite got it WRONG. He did not see the first VB player touch it with his foot. The player did not move, he just reached forward and touched it with his foot to start the play. The second VB player started forward to take the kick at the same time the Riverdale player did. He got carded after the farside ref convinced the near side ref a foul happened... How he convinced him I have no Idea since he watched from the same angle I did.
4. The last goal of the game was definately a 50/50 call it could have went either way it was so close to being offsides that I couldnt object either way it was called. What I thought was sad was the defenders did not keep playing in case they didnt get the call and it cost them BIG.
5. The was 2 VB fans If I had to guess mother and older daughter (red hair on one) who were so insulting to the fans on the otherside it stirred them up and started getting things out of control. What do you do... People are free to express their opinions in America. For the most part I believe majority of fans on both sides did great and was enjoying a hard fought game.
I loved the student fans who dressed up. Funniest outfit I ever saw in a game was the guy in a wrestling singlet with a jock strap and a cup on the outside of it with a fake morning star in his hand!!! Hilarious!!! The guy in the crown funny as well. from Riverdale.
6. Could not tell what caused the coach on the far side to get a yellow card .... just heard a couple of parents saying oh no ... not again. Guess he saw something he didnt like and was letting the ref know.
If I had to evaluate the game... I would say the more deserving team won based on control of the game by riverdale. I saw VB had talent ... they just did not play hard the whole game as a team.... Still a good team... 23 has a lot of talent from VB would like to see him use more of it.
Edited by Thumper, 21 October 2008 - 11:27 AM.