It has more repercussion when the referee favours us than when we are harmed.
The league is interesting because it’s evident everyone can beat everyone. And sometimes things happen you just don’t understand. This might be referee decisions or the running paths or passes of a teammate. It’s different than in Europe, but you have to take things as they are.
There’s nothing better than a good, blind referee.
Would I – or any defender – tell the referee to give a penalty if I made a foul in the box but it was deemed a fair tackle? No chance.
It’s up to the referee to decide what is and isn’t a foul.
People always go to the ground with me trying to just hold me. They stall and wait for the referee to stand them back up so they can start it all over.
I think making the referee aware of a situation, there is nothing wrong with that.
I was a referee in TCW in Carrollton, Georgia, doing Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling, and it was 1,000 degrees in there, and it was completely sold out every Friday that we ran it. That was my dad’s independent promotion.
Having one child makes you a parent; having two, you are a referee.
If you’re going to advance as a referee and make that $75,000 to $100,000 a year in the playoffs, you’re going to give the league what they want. Because they are grading you.
If you ask any referee before the game – they ask me if I have anything to say, I tell them ‘I’m going straight up.’ Every time. Every game. And they know that and they say I’m one of the best at it.
Once the referee throws the ball in the air, it’s either your ball or their ball and you have to just take your shot.
It’s true: sometimes Balotelli could behave better, but it also happens to me. I have a similar character, Balotelli is also a very strong player, but if you protest against the referee for every decision, it’s logical you are going to irritate the fans.
I’ve done everything. I’ve been ring crew, I’ve been driver for a blind promoter, I’ve been a valet, I’ve been a referee, I’ve been a ring announcer, I’ve been a corporate officer, play-by-play man, blah, blah, blah. No one has been on my journey.
I play the game as honestly as I can. If the referee gives a penalty there is nothing you can do.
The numbers are there just to help you – at the end of the day you’ve still got to make the decision. There are certain things the numbers can’t quantify: They can’t quantify injuries, they can’t quantify the weather, they can’t give you a number on whether the referee’s going to make a good call or a bad call.
If you want to win the Champions League, you have to have talent, good players, luck in the draw, and, in certain moments, the right referee.
Pages: 1 2
