GeeDub wrote: > ... a couple of earlier posts left me with the > impression that because the ball was ahead, or > had otherwise gone away from, the opponent, this > should have negated the penalty? It doesn't > matter where the ball is - IF it's in play and > a foul occurs then that foul can be pulled up > and the free kick given from where the offence > occurred.
But the referee gave a penalty, not a free kick, and that's the point. Awarding a penalty is tantamount to awarding a goal so there has to be absolute certainty before the decision is made. I've no doubt that Keano's challenge would have been penalised by most referees outside the penalty area but few, I think, would have awarded the penalty. How often have we seen incidents that occur in the area ignored only to see the same thing penalised a few minutes later outside the area? There was enough doubt about the challenge (even the TV cameras had a problem sorting it out in slow motion), and referees have enough discretion, to take a common sense approach on the "big" decisions. First, Cole had lost control of the ball and could not have scored. Second, the ref was too far behind the action, and at a poor angle, to see exactly what contact, if any, had been made. It was a poor decision, probably influenced by crowd noise and the old chip-on-the- shoulder mentality that he'd show these big time boys from Manchester who's boss. It turned out to be a game-changing decison in the end, and nobody wants to see referees determining outcomes to that extent. But, it's just history now, so we'll have to accept it and hope that fate (in the guise of a myopic, bow-legged referee) will do us a similar favour next time. Terry ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark Printer at MyInks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada. http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511 http://us.click.yahoo.com/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/GtUolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Subscription info WWW http://red11.org/list Reply to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] = subscribe to the list. [EMAIL PROTECTED] = unsubscribe from the list. Post message [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
