All that would do is result in complaints about the referee being biased even before the ball was kicked. Add a witness or two and the "corruption" within the referee pool would be front page news for weeks. I agree with you, though, that something needs to be done. The first thing I would do is require the publication of the assessor's report on each referee at the end of the match. Shame is a powerful motivator, and both the center referee and the player should be on the receiving end. I would very much like a after match panel of three referees reviewing the video footage and handing out retroactive cards at the end of each match. I don't care it it is for violent conduct, simulation, etc., it should be stamped out. And the match referee's statement that he "saw it" but decided not to act should count for nothing. The issue is stamping out the incentive to cheat, not protect the feelings of the center referee.

Horrible news. He had a bright future, professionally. Rest in Peace.

My name is Steve Moss (surprise!). I'm 46 years old, married (to the girl I loved way back in high school), we have two kids (girl and boy, ages 9 and 6). I'm a native of Arizona and think 100 degrees or more is fine and wear a coat if it hits 60. I never knew soccer existed as a sport until my daughter wanted to sign up with one of her friends for U5. So I signed her up and a week before the season was informed the coach quit and the team would be disbanded if a replacement couldn't be found. End result, I was drafted. Since I knew absolutely nothing about the sport, I immediately began to read, watch training DVDs and watch the Premier League to learn the game. Five years later I'm now an unpaid volunteer running the league (916 kids, ages 4-19) as my full time job, which takes so much time my real job seems to be part time. Amazingly, we're doing very well despite my ignorance (which tells you persistence is far more valuable than brilliance). The first week I served as coach is when I found the Rovers. Hughes was the manager. The Rovers were the fighters in blue and white. Half way through the season, I was hooked. I'm fairly well down the road of hooking my kids to. Our coach admin asked Mallory who she thought the top four teams were (in relation to our league, though she didn't catch the implied limitation). She replied her's (U10G, the "Heartbreakers"), her brother's (U8B, the "Firebirds"), Blackburn Rovers and Chelsea, in that order. I have no clue as how Chelsea slipped in there, though it is worrying. Nelson is my favorite player. He's a rarity, a good player and a decent human being who seems loyal to the club. Salgado is a close second, though I think his time is done and he should go into coaching. My first live Rovers' match was in March, 2010 at Tottenham. I should have had two Rovers matches but the Birmingham match at Ewood was moved, though I still went to the club shop and bought a Salgado shirt. I hope to take the kids in a year or two.

Kamy, any chance he would do an interview explaining what has been happening the last many months? I agree. Venkys' blind loyalty/inability to deal with Kean is a major problem.

I'm 45 years old. I'm the eldest of 7. My youngest sibling is 21. I have noticed a distinct change in how my three youngest siblings (2 girls and a boy) date as compared to the three eldest (all 40+ year old males, including me). While we went to clubs, sports bars and house/block parties, but actually found our wives in the classroom or at work, the youngest three all seem to find their significant others via the internet. And not necessarily dating sites. The online games with thousands of players seems to be a bit of social interaction service also. I'm not sure the new system is an improvement. The one thirty something is useless for comparison as she has been married and a mom since her early 20s.

Fixed in the interests of realism. Actually, as I think it is a "prequel" I'm fairly sure we don't save the day this time around.

I would have to raid your closet to pull it off, and I prefer to leave your wardrobe to you, Biscuit.

Yes, really. I love the dialogue. But I'm told the first step toward recovery is admitting a problem, so perhaps there is hope. And you can add to the list Top Shot, Ice Road Truckers and anything on the Food Channel, the best place on TV.

Rome Band of Brothers The Pacific Sorpanos (except the gay mafioso season) True Blood Game of Thrones South Park Firefly Buffy Angel Burn Notice Justified Boardwalk Empire Deadwood Oz I did not list them in order, except for the first 2.

I noticed that spectators can't do this in England. Which surprised me as I'm used to being able to sit and watch a game beer in hand in the USA, and thought it it would be even more prevalent in England since England = Pubs = Beer in many American minds.