Given we send players & coaches to Europe to develop their skills, why don't we send referees to improve too ?

Or hire some of the retired refs to come over here and coach. Someone like Collina from Italy would be ideal.

$

The money could & should be found. If they can waste $$ on Beckham, they can improve the game 100x over here for a lot cheaper.

I just got recertified as a referee in the state of MA, and I was astounded at the people taking (and teaching) the class there.

My very favorite moment was when one of my fellow classmates asked the instructor if he could remember the name of a soccer player--"You know, the one who headbutted that guy in the World Cup. I think he was French."

The instructor's reply was this, "Yeah, I'm not the guy to ask; I don't watch soccer."

My mother--who has now watched 3 soccer games (aside from the ones I played in)--knows who Zinedine Zidane is.

That is no surprise givin' the lack of knowing the rules that I've seen from these refs.