Referee Tim Weyland “Under Review,” But He May Still Be Back (and US Soccer and MLS email addresses to express your opinion)

By: Laurie | May 12th, 2009

Original vs. Tim Weyland version

(Photo from Andy)

According to Jose Romero over at the Seattle Times, referee Tim Weyland’s performance is under review.

(Apparently either that article or another one reported earlier that Weyland would never work another Seattle game. Unfortunately that part seems to have been removed. But I shall keep looking and hoping and report back to you on what I’ve found. If it’s true, we can throw a big ol’ Seattle Offside party.)

But here’s the scoop on the review: Each referee gets a grade for the game. Three failing grades and they’re out. If Weyland gets a failing grade, and even that’s not necessarily a given, that’s only the first strike. (That we know of. With luck there have been others.)

It’s only on the third strike that he’s officially outta the pool.

“He is an experienced referee who didn’t have his best day,” MLS executive vice president Todd Durbin said of Weyland in a statement. “As we saw in the recent UEFA Champions League semifinals [a controversial draw between Chelsea and Barcelona], referees in soccer will always come under scrutiny because their decisions can have significant impact on the game. But that is a function of the sport, not our league. It happens throughout the world.”

Durbin added: “If a referee is not performing well, U.S. Soccer has, and will, remove that official from future MLS matches.”

How hopeful does that sound to you as a Sounders fan? I’m thinking I hear hemming and hawing here. If you would like to express your opinion to help the decision-makers along their merry way, here are a few email addresses:

Paul Tamberino, Director of Referee Development – ptamberino@ussoccer.org
Brian Hall, Manager of Assessment and Training – brianhall@ussoccer.org
Herb Silva, Associate Manager of Assessment and Training – hsilva@ussoccer.org
Dick Triche, Manager of Assignment – rtriche@ussoccer.org

(thanks Vinocomitatus!)

And I’m sure I don’t have to remind you that calm, rational facts speak louder than obscenities.

(And a lot louder than obscenities combined with references to Weyland’s mother’s presumed conjugal relationship with a mentally defective slug.) As your grandmother used to say, You’ll catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

Or wait. Maybe that was my grandmother.

Or wait again. Never mind. I’m pretty sure it was actually “Little House on the Prairie.”

(My grandma probably would’ve decked M. Weyland while calling him a #$%^ing @#%$#$5er. And that would be why I’m not actually quoting her.)