there's no reason this joker should have been allowed to referee a World Cup game. I suspect it will be the last one he ever does.

Jorge Larrionda: The best excuse for violent fandom since an own goal.

Deadspin commenters, Holding it down on ze enginEERing tip, ja! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZtTg82AVF0&search=volkswag...

OH MY GOD THIS WAS HIS //first// WORLD CUP GAME???? I guess I'm wicked surprised.

The only way I would want to assault him more...is if he was handing out red cards like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVVrgqJiCIU

FIFA= Fucking Imbeciles Fucking Americans. Uraguay? Is that even a country? Is it like Paraguay Lite?

I truly believe refereeing in soccer is the most difficult form of officiating because of its singularity. In baseball and football the head official gets plenty of help from assistants, and in hockey and basketball the three refs all function equally, but in soccer it's one man's whistle that can change the outcome of the game. He has linesmen as well, but they're used more often to determine offsides and possession, etc. It's a tough job to have and only gets more difficult when the game is that more meaningful.

CliffX: I agree with everything you say. (I'm assuming) You didn't see this abysmal display of referring (since you mentioned you missed the game in the other thread.) Catch one of the many replays on The Ocho later. It is easily one of the worst-controlled matches I've ever witnessed. And I watch a lot of soccer.

Call me an ugly American and a once-every-four supporter, but I absolutely fail to see why there's only one official. Hockey has two and basketball three and those games play on a field the size of a peanut butter sandwich compared to soccer, so why hasn't anybody thought "fast action, huge pitch, maybe we should consider another pair of eyes?" The sort of very casual fan who happens by ABC of a Saturday afternoon, gets sucked in, and then sees referreeing more suitable to the WWF is NOT going to get into soccer from watching this kind of foolishness...

If I may mention a couple of things: 1) Terrific performance by the US. I was the first one to dog them last week. Today, they were as gutsy as any team I've seen in this cup. I would have bet my mortgage on them losing big in this game. I was wrong. 2) Landon Donovan, other than maybe two touches, did not really show up for this game, either. Beasley had more of an impact, in my opinion. Sit Donovan's ass down. 3) I think the criticism of the ref, or at least his impact on the US loss, is slightly overrated. I truly think that he pulled the 2nd yellow on Pope only because he had forgotten about the first...notice how long it took him to remember to pull out the red? The play, on it's own, was not a completely outrageous yellow card. Just a hunch...I could be wrong. 4) I watch a ton of soccer and never have a rooting interest, until today. Only under those circumstances did I notice how much the ridiculous diving by the Italians really bothers me. Particularly Pirlo - what a titanic pussy.

David Stern is looking to hire Larrionda as we speak.

xisle, you're not an ugly American for raising the question, but the fact of the matter is that a good ref uses his linesmen capably and is never far from the action. Plus the size of the field actually helps, in a way; sight lines for a well-positioned ref are usually unimpeded. It may not make sense, but trust me: I refereed for several years, and I never felt like I needed more help in order to call a game properly. Anyway, the ref's bullshit today didn't result from him not getting help; it was due to the fact that he's a crooked motherfucker. I guess his kids will be going to private colleges thanks to his efforts today. Also, while my blood's up: fuck Italy. What a bunch of pussies. What I wouldn't give to take a pair of electric clippers and an aluminum bat to that entire team.

If the ref can't get help, then why bother with those oh-so-german Dieter from Sprockets radios? Because if they're just for speeding up the late offsides calls, it ain't workin'

Zis is de time on Sprockets vhen ve DANCE! *dances*

Keano: Well done on the props to the U.S. team, as they well deserve it. I disagree with you on Donovan though. Initially, I didn't really take his performance well; he's easily my favorite player, and on first watch, I thought he just kinda blended in again today, something a player with his skill on the ball should not be doing. However (and for as much as I hate ESPN, I love them for this) they re-aired the game on Classic right away and I got a pretty decent second look. Donovan did a lot to control the pace for the U.S., especially in the first 20 minutes when we just plain dominated those diving shitheads. Also, late in the game he and Beasley were the only two left with energy, the difference, of course, was that Donovan started the match. Anyway, it wasn't a startlingly brilliant perfomance by any means, but it was a bit more nuanced than I noticed at first, a good follow up game to the true stinker he put in against the Czechs. Also, to echo a few others on this thread. Yeah. Fuck Italy. Slightest big of contact = fall to the ground and raise arms in some sort of dramatic facial/hand expression. Most egregious was Totti's dive that led to the first U.S. goal. He's a master, and that's why it looked like a foul, but it really, really wasn't. Thanks again, Jorge. (Sorry about the long post all.)

Ok, I should probably preface my comment by saying that it's late, I've been drinking a little and I haven't really read any of the previous comments and/or coverage here regarding today's game. That being said, regardless of the ref's past and/or "hobbies", I feel that he did get it right on all three red cards. [I'm also putting aside the fact that it was the US team playing today, although being a limey that doesn't really concern me.] De Rossi absolutely deserved to take an early bath for that elbow. It was unnecessary, and dangerous considering the play. Mastroeni deserved red for that tackle too, as it was a dreadful challenge. The most recent FIFA rules that I can remember were all about cracking down on those tackles from behind and from the sides like poor Pablo's. The ball was nowhere near the play, he came in late and fast, his boots were up and aimed right into the Italian's ankle, and regardless of play-acting and whatever else you want to call it, it was a dangerous tackle. As for Pope, he deserved a yellow for another clumsy challenge and was unfortunate given that his 1st yellow in the game wasn't entirely smart on his part. You can say what you want about the ref and his motives, but putting all patriotism and passion aside, I feel it's hard to argue that those red cards were unnecessary and/or harsh calls. This coming from a guy who's been a soccer nut since birth, some 24 years ago. And for what it's worth, the US played bloody well to get a point out of that, considering the man advantage for some 30 minutes. Good luck to 'em against Ghana. Also, sorry for the long-ass comment.

OK, with the twin benefits of hindsight and sobriety, I'm no longer maintaining that officiating cost us the match. However, the officiating did cost the audience the match. It sucks that such a hard-fought game by both teams will be remembered for the ref's eagerness to be on television. But I couldn't be prouder of our boys. Beasley's still a waste, though.

ref sucked. Soccer fans from everywhere but Pittsburgh will probably acknowledge that the officials can affect the outcome of a game. Pittsburgh fans probably just think it was dumb luck and Italy had to overcome just as much as the American squad. I kinda wish the US would have lost, then I could laugh at all those that are USA fans but not Seahawk fans, and think the SB wasn't a sham from an officiating standpoint. What? Suddenly it's different because it is every American's team? Screw that. If anything, this doesn't even come close to making the "all time worst officiated sporting events" because he was horrible for both squads, just a little more for us.

Okay, let's nobody else mention my favorite American football team, or a game that they played against a team with a motorcycle-riding quarterback. LingeringBursitis, I appreciate your evenhanded approach, but -- well, how should I put this? -- you're wronger than Kevin Federline reproducing. The only red card that was deserved was de Rossi's. Mastroeni's was MAYBE a yellow card -- the ball was "nowhere near the play" because the Italian kicked it away as Mastroeni began his tackle. Pope's first yellow was well-deserved; the second was an iffy foul at best. You'll notice on the replay that he got ball first, then tripped the Italian. And to not realize that, you must be blind drunk. Go sleep it off and don't stir the beehive again.

Jorge Larrionda just got out from being tied up backstage and ran onto the field. He's saying the Czech coach tied him up, and paid off his evil twin brother Earl Larrionda to ref in favor of Italy, so Italy could then sell their victory points to the Czechs. The good news is FIFA caught wind of this and is setting up another 32-team tournament for the World Cup to make up for this tainted one. God I hope someone gets this.

seahawk fans are STILL crying? jesus h.

The front page of sportspickle.com has this header, which I found hilarious (and wildly appropriate for the match): "Lack of yellow card miraculously heals soccer player's broken leg" Money. And T-Dawg, please go away.

I'm going nowhere, doc. I'm here to watch Kasey Keller play brilliantly. (He was the paperboy in my neighborhood when i was a kid, after all.) I do admit I am saddened that the enlightened folks at deadspin can't even see a connection between the two major sporting events, though. Saddened indeed.

There's not a lot I can add to this discussion, so I'll go with: 1. Uruguay? More like Ura-GAY! and 2. The New York Times' coverage of yesterday's game just goes to show, for the millionth time, that very few grownups in this country understand soccer beyond the rules they were taught in high school gym.

Caveman -- fair enough. I realize it's too soon after the fact to be "stirring the beehive", so that'll be that. Believe me, I'm just waiting until the English team gets jobbed by the ref against what might well be ze Germans in the 2nd round, and then I'll be equally angry. Pope may have found no yellow from other refs, perception being in the eyes of that Uruguayan f*ck, but the ref's guidelines do specify "red cards for two-footed cleats-up tackles," which was Mastroeni's demise.

I'm not going to analyze the game but here are a few random thoughts after yesterday's from a former NCAA D-III soccer player. 1. It's really hard to like a sport when the players flop ever time they are touched. Duke does it every year in college basketball and it's obnoxious. There really needs to be a t-shirt that says "stop diving you pussy" or something like that. I'm not good at creative, someone please workshop that. 2. Officiating in soccer is a joke. One referee in 2006? How about two refs for a field that's 110x70? Either that or let's just use robots to ref games. And who calls every foul in a game, if both guys are grabbing jersey you don't call it unless a player gains an advantage.

The thing about Pope's second is that not only could it have not been called yellow, it is arguable it would have been a foul from some refs--he got the ball. Also, forgetting that you carded a player--if that is indeed what happened--is not much of an excuse considering the general regulation of the game is part of his damn job. But that general approach to the game is the real point that is being overlooked here. It's one thing to look at each individual call and work it out on its own (and while doing this, I'd like to point out that first goal came off a flop--a great flop, but a flop nonetheless). But when you step back and think about the game in its entirety, you realize that this ref lost control of the game. Any single missed call can be excused, but losing control of a game at this level is not acceptable. This was the point that Balboa was trying to make when he kept talking about how the ref should be talking to the players and taking them aside and issuing warnings and such. How bad must it get for Balboa to become cogent? Truly, Enrico Palazzo shouldn't ref any more in this tourney.

Balboa? He couldn't even play a good game of soccer (a la Lalas) so how can you really expect him to give any kind of decent analysis? (No offense at your comment, but I have never seen or heard Balboa do anything that even closely resembles a sound knowledge of the game.) OK, maybe it's his hair that qualifies him to sit in the booth holding a stick in front of his mouth and gab away incoherently. And then there is his own well-practiced ability to fall down and roll around in anguish when an opponent would lightly tug on his jersey. USA soccer has come a long way, thank God. I was very proud of the performance against the Azzurri. Hopefully, the Americans can find a way to beat Ghana and advance. But for now my attention turns to America's true national team: Mexico!!! Thank you, George Bush.

Um, yeah... that's kind of the point. Like, how something can get so bad that EVEN Balboa gets it right. See, it's like, irony or something. So it's, like, funny? That said, I think it was his team captainship and the near miss against Columbia.

This guy must be Joey Crawford's long lost brother.