SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Boys Varsity Soccer handballs/cussin

The comments about the penalty seem solid. I would add that INTENT and USE are relevant also.

I hear MORE players slip a profanity over anger at him/herself on a bumbled play than I hear a profanity aimed AT someone else. I think there is a distinction.

Cards (whatever the level—though a yellow should be an option) are probably needed ONLY for the AIMED profanities since that is directly against the spirit of the game. We might well work to stop them all, but that becomes a technicality. A player shouting "freak!" after stubbing a wide-open shot, angry at him/herself, means the same as one who slips the REAL "F" word, right? I have often thought it silly to give some words more power than others when they mean the same. Taboos give power where no power lies otherwise. . .

Wayne, I agree...I don't think there should be an excuse for profanity on the field, and young people ARE capable of controlling their words as well as their actions. I think players SHOULD be addressed whenever they use profanity on the field or on the bench. That's why I think the rules should allow more than just an all-or-nothing means to control this infraction so that there would be no reason to "just let it go" to keep from dramatically changing the outcome of the game (and possibly the next one or two) for a single slip. Kickman's analogy is extreme, yes, but a pretty accurate comparison. It's more productive from a law enforcement point of view to ticket someone for speeding than it is to let them go untouched just to keep from shooting them. It's more productive from a rules enforcement point of view to issue a caution with some time on the bench than it is to "not hear" the infraction to keep from red-carding a player, forcing his team to play short, and keeping him out of additional contests. I think an official should have some leeway to determine whether a profanity violation is flagrant, intentional, and/or malicious as opposed to incidental due to high stress, frustration, and/or pain, the same way an official can determine whether a physical foul is flagrant, intentional, and/or malicious as opposed to incidental due to playing hard for the ball.

I agree but again I am still curious as to why soccer has been such an aim of this. Anyone know?

The rule today is SUPPOSED to be enforced like this:
Incidental profanity = a soft red (with a sub)
Profanity aimed at others = hard red (no sub)
This is what coaches were told by the league. If it were enforced, we would not be having this conversation, because by now the players would be in line.

I can agree with Coach Chass to a certain extent. I believe that when a player, on the field, curses because he is mad at himself, then it sahould just be a warning. Now when it's aimed at somebody else, it should be an automatic red. As for bench players, if they're cussin, the coach should discipline them and if it gets outta hand, they should be kicked out the game. But it is unfair because in football n basketball in this state, the cussin rule pretty much is nonexistant, but in soccer it is strictly enforced. That seems unfair to me.

Most people above the age of 25 or 30 understand that ‘Freakin” is a long honored euphemism for the real F word. This is not the case for kids in school today. The fact that it is now widely used on radio and such makes it no less distasteful, but unfortunately there are a lot of kids playing today who would use it in conversation with their mother. (Mine would still get their mouth washed) This doesn’t make it right, but I think a player ought to be put on notice before a red card is issued for something he hears on the radio every day.

My experience is that when cards start flying for things like this (without warning), the ref has lost control and is trying to show who is boss.

Kids also hear the real "F" word and many other curse words on the radio all day. Still doesn't make it right. These teams are "representing" their high school. They can control their cussing in the school and they can control it on the field. I teach my child not to say "freakin" and why. It is the parent's responsibility to teach their kids not to cuss. I think it's being made a bigger deal in soccer because you can hear it more clearly than at a football game with all the cheering, band, etc going on. In any case, it's a poor reflection on the individual doing the cussing.

Over the years I have become desensitized to the term "freakin". Although it is a substitute for a very vulgar word....it has crept into common language and you can hear it everyday on sports talk radio (let alone MTV).

However, I do believe that "Ref, you are freakin' unbelievable" should be a cardable offense.

I think "Ref you are unbelieveable" is enough for a yellow card.