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Before I get started, I want to give everyone a standing ovation for the overall performance of the Twitter hashtag "#NERevs" last night. Take a bow. Because if that isn't the definition of "#Nguyening" twitter I don't know what is.
It all started with this MLSSoccer.com article about Peter Vermes, who is still upset about the officiating from last Saturday's 2-1 New England Revolution win over his Sporting Kansas City side. Now, I covered the officiating in detail as well, and I can agree that referee Ismail Elfath didn't handle the end of the game well, but Vermes won't let it go. Although I can understand his point on the Revs first goal, at some point you need to quit while you're behind.
And what he says crosses the line. Right in the headline (okay, it was right in the headline but it got changed too, quote is in the article), Vermes says that SKC is "going to have to take matters into our own hands." Vermes goes on to say that Chad Barrett should've been ejected for a foul in stoppage time on Lawrence Olum, that caused Olum to suffer a displacement fracture in his shin, likely knocking him out for the rest of the playoffs. There has to be a better way to get the league's attention than this.
The play in question happened just over 3 minutes into stoppage time, as Barrett stuck his leg out to block a clearence from Olum and its likely there is minor contact between the two players as Barrett catches Olum on his follow through. But no foul was called on the play, and Barrett was sitting on a yellow card for dissent that he received two minute earlier, which is not explained in the article. Vermes is likely thinking that Barrett should have been shown a second yellow for the action, which in my opinion is ridiculous. Also noteworthy, is the first incarnation of the MLS article had Andrew Farrell's name in place of Barrett's, adding to the confusion, but this was later fixed by the website.
But that didn't stop myself and several other TBM readers, Ben, Chris and NE Soccer Today's Sean Donahue from spending forever trying to figure out what Vermes was saying. And we finally did, no thanks to the lousy article written to along with Vermes' asinine statements. I'll add some of the highlights from that conversation too.
Needless to say, this is not the way to go about airing your thoughts on officiating just a day before a playoff game. And if you're going to give the New England fans a softball for bulletin board material, they're going to crush it out of the park. What followed was about as good a thumping on Twitter as you can get.
Author's Note: The following tweets may include graphic language/content. Reader discretion is advised.
THE INITIAL ARTICLE POSTS
I find this article and comments from Peter Vermes interesting. http://t.co/yT3if8CcSM #NERevs
— Jeff Lemieux (@jeff_lemieux) November 6, 2013
Peter Vermes (big douchebag) is clearly promoting vigilantism. Refs and #NERevs better be aware of this tomorrow. http://t.co/MYWsQoBDL1
— Christopher Brown (@cbrown4747) November 5, 2013
It's been three days and apparently Vermes hasn't calmed down... #MLS #NERevs #SportingKC http://t.co/fh4rkyaCJV
— Sean Donahue (@SeanLDonahue) November 5, 2013
Wow this *really* reads like Vermes is going to tell his players to break legs if they're not winning #NERevs http://t.co/FbHDet9DKl
— Ben Saufley (@bensaufley) November 5, 2013
VERMES THE JERK
@katiemattaini Did Vermes really say that? If that's true then @thesoccerdon needs to step in & do something. #NEREVS
— Corey Capoccia (@coreycapoccia) November 6, 2013
BREAKING: Peter Vermes isn't aware that "second leg" isn't what he's supposed to tell his players to break on Wednesday. #NERevs
— Deep in the Fort (@DeepInTheFort) November 6, 2013
BREAKING: Vermes assaulted by ghosts of perceived poor officiating at training today, had to be drivien off in a WAAAAHmbulance #NERevs #SKC
— Deep in the Fort (@DeepInTheFort) November 6, 2013
Peter Vermes has a lock on the MLS "Whiner of the Year" Award #MLS #NERevs
— JohnnyRev (@jlw28129) November 6, 2013
Vermes tries to sound like a Mafia boss, but ends up sounding like this... #NERevs http://t.co/PobTFToHOr
— Christopher Brown (@cbrown4747) November 6, 2013
Isn't Vermes effectively letting everyone know that his guys are gonna goon it up? Even if that's the plan, why say it in public? #NERevs
— Mike Marshall (@chr31ter) November 6, 2013
WHAT DID FARRELL DO?
This would be a long conversation trying to figure out exactly what Vermes was talking about. First problem is the article mentions an incident with Farrell which is later changed to Barrett. Takes even longer for Ben to find the exact play Olum gets injured on, which is two minutes after Barrett gets called for a foul and booked for dissent. Again, the way the article was written does no favors to Vermes here.
@JCatanese43 @MLS Honestly have no idea. I was confused about that myself...
— Christopher Brown (@cbrown4747) November 5, 2013
@JCatanese43 Nope. Just about to point it out. @MLS
— Ben Saufley (@bensaufley) November 6, 2013
@JCatanese43 @bensaufley @MLS @Gaetjens I think @SeanLDonahue just figured it out. They confused Barrett for Farrell. Somehow...
— Christopher Brown (@cbrown4747) November 6, 2013
@JCatanese43 @cbrown4747 @gaetjens @mls @seanldonahue V true. "He wasn't going for ball"? It's a shoulder charge. I say it's fair… but
— Ben Saufley (@bensaufley) November 6, 2013
@cbrown4747 @JCatanese43 @bensaufley @Gaetjens @MLS I mean if that's a red, what's this? https://t.co/9JA33Hx4nh
— Sean Donahue (@SeanLDonahue) November 6, 2013
@bensaufley @cbrown4747 @gaetjens @james_m_perry @mls @seanldonahue And by "fixed" I mean Barrett switched for Farrell.
— Jake Catanese (@JCatanese43) November 6, 2013
@bensaufley Did Barrett make any contact below the waist? How did the leg get injured?
— Jake Catanese (@JCatanese43) November 6, 2013
@bensaufley I see it on MLS Live...barely, the angle sucks...there's no way that's a card...
— Jake Catanese (@JCatanese43) November 6, 2013
THE BENT MUSKET RESPONDS
So, we can all agree that Vermes is back on the sauce, then? #NERevs #SKC
— The Bent Musket (@TheBentMusket) November 6, 2013
Given the way Elfath called the game for the first 60 minutes, the Barrett foul should not even have been a card. #NERevs
— The Bent Musket (@TheBentMusket) November 6, 2013
@bensaufley You're absolutely right
— The Bent Musket (@TheBentMusket) November 6, 2013
And what does the head coach of #SKC have to whine about, anyway? Known "physical" team. Collin, Rosell..come on man.
— The Bent Musket (@TheBentMusket) November 6, 2013
If anything, this convinces me that the #NERevs deserve it far, far more than #SKC ever could.
— The Bent Musket (@TheBentMusket) November 6, 2013
No, that's a disservice to the #SKC fans and players. Heaps deserves it more than Vermes. #NERevs
— The Bent Musket (@TheBentMusket) November 6, 2013
Disclaimer: I happen to be big fans of both Aurelien Collin AND Oriol Rosell. And most of the other physical #SKC guys
— The Bent Musket (@TheBentMusket) November 6, 2013
You just can't throw stones in glass houses like Vermes is trying to do. #NERevs are hardly a physical opponent.
— The Bent Musket (@TheBentMusket) November 6, 2013
@TheBentMusket They reflect my opinion. I concur with everything just said. Including liking Collin.
— Jake Catanese (@JCatanese43) November 6, 2013
THE MEMES THAT WON TWITTER
Hey Peter Vermes, your veiled threats were cute. We've got a little message for you. #NERevs #SKC #MLS #MLSPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/5DaWd5cwyj
— Heather O'Neill (@originalhoneill) November 6, 2013
@samkillen26 brilliant idea. I'm on it!
— Heather O'Neill (@originalhoneill) November 6, 2013
Hey Vermes, Chad Barrett has a little message for you too. #NERevs pic.twitter.com/i7WIOIspTX
— Heather O'Neill (@originalhoneill) November 6, 2013
"@DeepInTheFort: "Collin... Make them an offer they CAN'T refuse." #NERevs #TheVermesfather pic.twitter.com/65oJjX3HyP" hahaha too good
— Revs Skeptic (@revsskeptic) November 6, 2013
#NERevs #SportingKC #SKC pic.twitter.com/i3QITXKmwP
— Deep in the Fort (@DeepInTheFort) November 6, 2013
To conclude, when a head coach makes a fool of himself and his horrendous comments get published in an equally horrendous, poorly written article, New England wins Twitter.
And whatever happens tomorrow in[Note by Jake Catanese, 11/06/13 12:28 AM EST ] #SKCvNE, #NERevs fans defeated Vermes on Twitter tonight. Fact.
— Jake Catanese (@JCatanese43) November 6, 2013
More from The Bent Musket:
- Naeher, O'Reilly Leroux to Represent Breakers During USWNT Friendly
- MLS Playoffs: New England vs. Sporting Kansas City - 2nd Leg Televison Schedule
- Revolution vs. Sporting 2013: EC Semi-Finals Leg Two Preview
- Revolution Player of the Month, October 2013: Matt Reis
- The 3rd Yellow - Revs vs. Sporting KC, MLS Playoffs Eastern Conference Semis First Leg - Elfath Can't Keep Control in 2nd Half