Posted by Rick Fitzgerald

First of all, I want you all to read this correctly so lets get the pronunciation thing out of the way.  It isn't San Francisco, it's San Franseeesco, if the commentators are to be believed.  Now that we have that out of the way, I feel like we can continue this blog with some amount of accuracy...

This is not a blog where I am going to spend all my time complaining.  Well, I might but stick with me because I think you'll agree.  I get that soccer is a tough sport.  I am an amature player and professional spectator.  If you cut me I bleed soccer balls (a fact which really freaked my doctor out.)  So yes, I understand the many nuances of the game and appreciate that some calls are good and some are bad.  Hold that thought for a moment....

Have you ever played an XBOX or PS3 FIFA game?  If so, you know that sometimes you can push and slide and tackle and do everything you want but you are just not going to bounce that little computer cretin off the ball!  Usually that cretin is wearing a Manchester United shirt.  Watching this match, I was reminded of those games I played, when I had the time to plug in. 

OK, before I start complaining, and to show that I am fair, I will give all credit to SF for playing a pretty slick, quick passing match with a defense that was, for the most part, very stout.  Seattle was in the offensive zone so much I forgot that there was another half to the pitch.  And SF's goalie?  Wow, not too many people are going to waltz into Seattle and show Keller up.  Granted, Kasey played a nice match but Torres' double save was simply ridiculous.

And now for the complaining....

Was it me, or did it seem like there was a lot, and I mean a lot, of jump kicking, hard tackling (I mean the kind using your arms and not the slide), pushing over, shin kicking and whatever other ninja-like moves the SF players could muster to get the Seattle players down?  I'm not one to cringe when the play gets a little rough, after all, I'm a pretty die hard rugby fan, but when the blows are continuous and as hard as they were in this match, AND Ref Solis doesn't appear to have a whistle that works, it makes me wonder what the heck is going on.  There were numerous SF hits out there that would have made a hockey player hi-five the hitter.  And yes, I am aware that there were some Seattle players who got a little chippy (I'm looking at you Alonso).  But what are you supposed to do when the team your playing continues to introduce you to their spikes and the ref is a complete no show?  You get frustrated and retaliate.

I'm not a big fan of the dirty play and when the match starts to have more time lost due to players rolling around on the pitch rather than time playing, the ref needs to seriously evaluate what he is doing because it is very likely he has lost control.  That is what I saw out there, a team that was chip-chip-chipping away and a ref who refused to pull the trigger when he should have.  You may look at the yellow card count and comment that there was some discipline.  While this is true, anyone who watched the match would not that there should have been a few more cards handed out and probably earlier.

I give much credit to Seattle for a) keeping their cool while being kicked at for 90+ minutes and b) winning the match.  Well done boys and yes, we are through to the next stage!

Props to the crowd as well.  Leave it to Seattle fans to show the rest of the US how it's done.

Til next time...

Be safe

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