Another soccer rant…
Okay… this rant is about tournament rules for breaking a tie between two teams.
Here's the story. This week (the same week Maya was born) we had another soccer tourney. After two games we were 1-1 and tied with another team as far as points went… and we were about to play that team. The winner had a ticket to the championship game on Saturday (today). The team we were about to play had beaten us in 3 prior tournaments, and this tournament was being played on their home turf. Sounds like we were primed for an upset right? Kind of…
We played them to a 3-3 tie after regulation time. We were stoked. We had them up against the ropes and they were tired. We were going to take it to them in overtime. WRONG! I come to find out that the tournament rules only allow over time periods and shoot-outs after 5 different sets of criteria are met that keep the two teams in a tie. We already met the first criteria by being tied with points in the standings. The second and third criteria is where I have issues and the whole reason for this rant.
"Goal differential" … that is the magic phrase. And I could live with with that phrase if this particular tournament understood what it meant. Tie Breaker Rule #2 gave the win to the team with the least number of goals scored against them throughout the tourney. If the teams were still tied, then Tie Breaker Rule #3 kicked in which gave the win to the team with the most goals scored on the other teams during the tourney. What's the difference here? And why do "defensive" goals (rule 2) outweigh "offensive" goals (rule 3)? Shouldn't a TRUE goal differential take into account BOTH equally?
For instance… we LOST our game because the other team had 2 less goals scored against them than we did. However… if you throw in the number of goals WE scored against other teams, we scored 3 MORE goals during the tourney than they did! The TRUE goal differential gives our team a +1 advantage in goals against vs goals for. Does that make sense to the rest of the world like it makes sense to me?
I guess that's what you get when you go play a tournament in po-dunk "Hooper" Utah. Rant over. Please comment and tell me I'm not crazy.
On a happier note… if we would have played in the championship today, I would have missed taking Maya home from the hospital. So I guess things work out for a reason. :)
July 14th, 2007 at 7:52 pm
Quit whining … I certainly hope you’re not teaching your kids to cry like a baby.
But you are absolutely right that a true goal differential is you take all the goals you scored and subtract the number scored against you. The next tie breaker after that is usually either total goals scored (giving a nod to the team that allegedly has more offensive prowess) or a head-to-head match up if applicable. Then you can do the famous coin toss if it gets that far.
True story is that in the old days of soccer (I think the World Cup) if 2 teams were tied, the tie breaker was corner kicks. I’m not 100% about that - but pretty sure.
July 14th, 2007 at 11:01 pm
I knew you’d step up and set me straight leffie. And no, I don’t cry in front of the kids. I save that for when I write the blog rants.
July 18th, 2007 at 8:12 pm
You are not crazy but the real end is that yup, it was for a reason!! I firmly believe that even the most basest of retards still help to accomplish God’s designs! (Do I sound like I’m talking from being an expirienced retard or what?) Hello!