Instead of pointing the finger at a player this week, I think it would be better to discuss the MLS officials. Considering this past week in MLS seven red cards were handed out, is the problem with the players or with the referees? I would have to say the referees, they do much more than hand out yellow and red cards. An MLS official dictates how a game is played, what is allowed and what isn't. They set the tone of the match, in the first five minutes of a game you can tell if a ref is going to call it tight, loose, or whatever and than you play according to what you think you could get away with. Anyone who has ever played soccer knows what I am talking about, and even if you haven't you can tell from watching. It is the inconsistency of how MLS officials call a game that leads to the amount of red cards handed out. For example last weekend in the Columbus - Chivas USA game, O'rourke's red card was given to him after the ref let nearly everything go. Yes the tackle was a red card, but I don't think this tackle happens if he calls the game a little tighter. This is the case in most red cards I have seen handed out this season, the ref is pretty inconsistent and than out of no where he just throws a red card out. The MLS signed on four full time officials last season to try and improve officiating, but this has not helped. This season alone MLS officials have given out 26 red cards in 77 matches, a big enough stat the commissioner Garber may want to take a closer look at. Maybe the MLS needs to take a page out of the premier league or any other top league in the world to see how officiating is done. This is an issue that needs to be looked at a little closer and instead of reviewing or fining players decisions all the time, maybe we should take this approach on officials. I even recall this season in the EPL a referee was suspended for at least a game for making a bad decision in calling a penalty kick. I would love to hear your thoughts on this. What do you think the MLS should do? Do you think it's even a problem?
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