Gauchos’ dream shattered by Bears, questionable calls

UCSB's Luis Silva was given a red card for a slide tackle that preceded this punch thrown by Cal's Servando Carrasco. Controversial referee Mike Kampmeinert can be seen in wearing red in the right of the frame.

Pain and anger. Anger and pain.

The UCSB men’s soccer team left Cal’s Edwards Stadium with both feelings Sunday after suffering a heartbreaking and controversial 2-1 overtime defeat against the Bears in a NCAA Tournament second-round match.

The pain comes from the cold, hard fact that the loss ended the Gauchos’ goal of reaching the College Cup in their home stadium.

UCSB’s anger stems from a couple of dubious calls by referee Mike Kampmeinert that ended up affecting the outcome of the game.

The first stunning decision was a red card issued in the 25th minute to Gaucho midfielder Luis Silva, who was shoved and punched by Cal’s Servando Carrasco after the two contested for a 50-50 ball in the middle of the field. Carrasco was reprimanded with a yellow card. He played the rest of the game and scored the game-tying goal.

SEE VIDEO OF DISPUTED CALL

Silva-Carrasco 1

Silva-Corrasco 2

Silva-Carrasco 3

UCSB, meanwhile, was left to play shorthanded for the remaining 65 minutes of regulation and the overtime.

The second game-changing decision by Kampmeinert was a hand-ball violation called against the Gauchos’ Chris Hunter on a ball that was driven into the penalty area from 45 yards out with 1:40 left in regulation. The ball hit Hunter and ricocheted off other players near the top of the box. As Cal players raised their hands, the referee pointed to the spot for a penalty kick.

Carrasco stepped up and beat UCSB goalkeeper Sam Hayden to his right to tie the score at 1-1 and send the game into overtime.

“I cannot think of a more disappointing time in which our players played so well, so hard and gave it all they had,” said UCSB coach Tim Vom Steeg. “We had a 1:40 to kill the clock and there it is, a PK. It’s really unbelievable.”

A Cal counterattack led to the game-winning goal in the first 10-minute overtime. With the public address announcer counting down the final seconds, Anthony Avalos chased down a through pass to the left of the goal. Hayden raced off his line trying to beat Avalos to the ball but the Cal player got to it first and knocked it back to Hector Jimenez, who redirected the ball to an onrushing Davis Paul. Paul shot into the open net with one second left to end UCSB’s dream and put the Bears (13-2-3) into a third-round home game against Brown, an upset winner over Connecticut on penalty kicks.

Enraged UCSB players stormed after Kampmeinert after the goal was scored. Vom Steeg ran over and pulled the players away from the referee. Three players, Michael Tetteh, Machael David and Danny Barrera were issued red cards.

Vom Steeg said he told the referee it would a good idea if he left the field.

“I looked right at him when I was on the field and said, ‘If you run now, you’ll be OK. Just please go … leave, because you just ended our season on this.’

“I think it’s really hard to understand the emotion we put into this season unless you’re with us everyday,” he added. “We’ve talked about (playing in the College Cup at home) and we’ve trained for it.

“The idea of playing in Santa Barbara in front 15-16,000 people drove this group; it drove the coaching staff. And we weren’t going to let anything stand in our way, and today there was something we couldn’t help.”

The Gauchos (14-5-3) went at Cal’s vaunted defense from the start and created some good chances in the first 20 minutes.

Things started going haywire when Silva was ejected and Carrasco was allowed to stay in the game.

Vom Steeg couldn’t believe the call.

“There’s only a couple things you have to get right and that’s one of them,” he said of Kampmeinert’s decision

“What he said to me was he thought he saw Luis’ cleats go in on (Carrasco),” Vom Steeg said of the referee’s explanation. “Luis, as we all know, is not even a player who goes in on a tackle.”

When asked about the play, Carrasco said Silva came in with his studs up. “That’s unfortunate, you know. He got a red card. There’s nothing more I can say about that.”

When questioned about his actions after the play, Carrasco replied, “I was mad. It’s all part of the game.”

Said Vom Steeg, “One thing about sports, when you punch somebody you don’t stick around. We were really shocked that the red card was going to Luis and the yellow card was going to No. 10.”

Vom Steeg, the coaching staff and Gaucho players let the referee know their displeasure of the call

“He should have red-carded half of our guys. He should have red-carded me,” Vom Steeg admitted. “Right there there’s a problem. No referee would take that crap.”

The Gauchos channeled their anger and frustration into some good soccer.

“Sometimes when you go a man down you play a little better, because you have to work that much harder when you’re a man down,” Cal coach Kevin Grimes said. “It wasn’t surprising they played better man down.”

The Gauchos finally broke through in the 82nd minute after another Midas-touch substitution by Vom Steeg. Tetteh, who had just reentered, took a throw-in from Josue Madueno on the right wing and fired a hard shot from 22 yards that beat Cal goalkeeper David Bingham to the far post.

It was only the 14th goal given up by Bingham this season.

“The guy hit a great job,” Cal’s All-Pac-10 defender A.J. Soares said. “That’s just football right there. It can happen anytime.”

Now it was a matter of the Gauchos hanging on against a barrage of balls being launched into UCSB’s penalty area.

To combat the attack, 6-4 Rob Hoyle came in to help clear Cal’s bombs into the box

It didn’t matter, though, as the Bears got the big break on Kampmeinert’s hand-ball call.

The Gauchos debated the decision but to no avail.

“Chris walks over and says, ‘It hit me right in the chest,’ ” said Vom Steeg, who also claimed Hunter was at the top of the box when the ball struck him.

“You’re just trying to dump it in and hope for the best, and we were fortunate,” said Cal’s Paul of the play.

Vom Steeg said it was difficult to try to explain to his players about what happened on the field Sunday.

“I have a team that’s devastated. There’s nothing I can say but you learn in life that sometimes life is not fair. For my seniors, I feel really bad.”

He added, “All I said to them in the locker room was we talk all season about controlling what you can control, and my guys played their hearts out with a man down.”

Comments

  1. I wish Tim could protest this game just based on the ref crew. Also, NCAA needs to bring in there own crew instead of hiring outside of the NCAA.

  2. The referee wasn’t great but 3-4 UCSB players should be suspended. At least 2 shoved the referee after the game and another threw a ball at the referee. A truly embarrassing end to the game – and a complete loss of control by both the UCSB players and coaches. If I were the UCSB AD, I would suspend the players and the coaching staff which couldn’t control them.

    • Digitaleye3 says

      If I were the UCSB AD I’d be on the phone with the NCAA demanding an investigation and the suspension of Servando Carrasco as well as the Cal coach who didn’t immediately pull his player for “conduct unbecoming”.

      • I guess you condone players charging the ref, shoving him, throwing balls at him, etc. The UCSB players were totally out of control — mainly because the UCSB coaching staff was totally out of control. Even if you think the referee wasn’t that great — am I one, but there were bad calls both ways — you cannot condone the complete loss of discipline after the game. Lack of institutional control anyone?

        • Eastbayballer says

          Really? A player punches another, and the player who GOT punched gets a red card?? How did bad calls go both ways? Have you ever seen a ref calling a penalty kick for a questionable hand ball with 2 minutes left in the game? In the OT, the same hand ball situation was faced against Cal, and somehow the ref decided to say Play on!!. What game were you watching Mr. Chris? You say bad calls were called both ways…so how come UCSB played with 10 men for half the game while the Cal team played with 11? Yes the UCSB players shouldn’t have chased after the refs, but do you blame them for working so hard for two years and being cheated by the refs that showed complete bias towards the Cal team? In 2008 Cal won fair and square, today UCSB won the game. I was there in the stands in both the games.

          • PK was not questionable– it was clear and had to be called. The UCSB player was 4 yards deep in the box and stuck his arm straight out 90 degrees from his side. The shot was on target– but I bet the GK would have saved it, making the UCSB defender all that more an idiot for sticking his arm out– he made contact with the ball half way up his arm. I saw it clearly from the stands. UCSB fans had no class after the game.

          • Naker's mom's mom says

            You should probably look into what referee’s call as handball… if the ball is kicked and comes up to you and strikes your hand unintentionally then no call will be made. The “handball” that Cal did would be considered unintentional. The player held his arms tightly against his body (hence cannot be intentional).

            The “handball” against UCSB would be considered “intentional” because the ball could have continued on course if the player did not move his hands away from his body.

            What I don’t understand is that the ball was shot 35-40 yards away, why did the player think it was needed to deflect the shot? Honestly, the goalie would of caught if easily… those types of long shots only go in from top rated professionals…

            I would of liked to see 15seconds before the play, and about 2-3 minutes after the play to see if you can “see” any injuries on the film? Course whoever posted the video wants one-sided story.

            Also, take note that after the play the referee was going to give a reflexive “red card” (he pulled his card out immediately and was going to issue it but stopped) considering how bad the slide tackle was… but after 5-10seconds he went and spoke to his AR and 4th official… I mean it was not only the center referee who weighted in on the call, 3 pairs of eyes agreed to it.

            I did notice that the UCSB bench was getting a lil too wild… a couple calls where UCSB pushes Cal player with both arms extended, the foul gets called and the UCSB bench goes wild… I mean, honestly come on… I understand you love yourselves but at least understand when a foul is a foul.

    • When a team puts all they have into a game and season, you can’t be that blown away when anger erupts after the game was stolen from them.

    • Are you joking! UCSB should be suspended? DId you not see the Cal player intentionally throw a punch at Luis Silva! And the referee wasn’t great? This was the referee first center job in a mens soccer game this year. He was so lost out there it wasn’t even funny. On the pk he called he was at least 30 yards away with three guys in front of him! How is he supposed to make that call when he can’t even see the play? This referee was down right awful and he shouldn’t be aloud to ref any game beyond the youth level!

    • Well its a damn good thing your the UCSB AD. There is probably a reason for that. CAUSE YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT!

  3. What a sham of a game….there’s no question the Gaucho’s outplayed the Bears and earned victory this afternoon, only to have the refs unduly influence the outcome and steal it for Cal. How in the world could a “homer” NoCal officiating team be assigned to this game? They couldn’t have done a worse job! It almost seems the NCAA has conspired to prevent UCSB from advancing to their own hosted Final Four because of their past “bad boy” image, and that’s the furthest thing from the truth for this year’s team. While I know the result will never be overturned, a protest must be formally lodged, if only to change the way referees are scheduled tournament games in the future. Great season to the valiant Gauchos and their coaches, Timbo, Greggor, Leo, and Stuart!!

    • dwj's Friend says

      “past ‘bad boy’ image” ?

      Idk… but seems like UCSB kind of likes that image and want to continue it considering their actions in their last game.

  4. What a shame! Red cards have plagued UCSB numerous times this year in the middle of the field.If this team would play the beautiful game, which it is capable of, considering the depth of talent and touch of the ball, they would have waltzed into the the quarter finals.

  5. What a sham. Gauchos won this game and it was stolen from them by a clown squad disguised as refs.

  6. Soccerfan99 says

    Two great teams. Bad calls going both ways, I’d have to disagree that the Gauchos outplayed the Bears. UCSB will come back even stronger next season…

    • Must have been a different game you watched Soccerfan. Anytime a team with only 10 players can score and essentially win (without official interference) a game against a full squad, it can safely be said the other team was outplayed. I’m not a big fan of soccer as a whole and the power of the lone official (the 2 sideline ref’s don’t really count) is a primary reason. I watched this (over the close Colts-Pats NFL game) because my wife and kids all love soccer, and was literally stunned at how the officials become the arbiters of who wins and loses. Most sports endeavor to minimize the effects of officiating on the outcome of sporting play, soccer seems to have no such compunction. Even at its highest level, the World Cup, the officials were in the limelight and in the news as often or more than the players or their plays. You wont find that in any other sport. The Gauchos won that game and the officials stole it form them. Supporting the officials simply make one complicit in their corruption.

  7. Goddamn hippies! First they unseed us, then they steal the game from. This is BS!!!

    • I’d be honored if UCSB tells the NCAA to take their tournament to another campus after this match. Clearly they favor Cal so much let them host it. Maybe the revenue will save Cal soccer from being the next sport facing the chop at that dump of a campus.

  8. LET'S GO BROWN!!! says

    I have never seen worse officiating in any sport. Ever. That was embarrassing. Cal should be ashamed to even continue in this tournament. The red card to Silva wasn’t questionable, it was wrong. The handball call to allow the PK was wrong. The failure to make the same call against Cal shortly thereafter in OT was incorrect. The Gauchos definitely got some calls (or lack of calls) go our way, but none game changers like those three. A ten-man Gaucho squad absolutely embarrassed Cal today and that sorry excuse for a referee decided to take matters into his own hands.

  9. My brother’s game back in ’90 was replayed due to poor officiating. The local CIF (not college) reviewed the fouls and tape and found fault with the refs. They replayed and we won and went on to the semis. Either way, soccer is very emotional..much more than football or other sports. It’s a game that you can’t win if the refs do not do their job. The College Cup is at UCSB and they were put into a “HELL” bracket, even with their record and win in the division finals. I was not there, but from the radio commentary, it sounded a bit sided. What I can’t figure out is how do you not eject a player for punching a player??? Also, a hand ball call with 1 min. left in soccer is very suspicious. If you watch other sports, the last few minutes are usually played rough, but allowed unless obvious.

    • There is a terrific book by an investigative journalist (forget the name) called “The Fix” about soccer corruption. The point is made time and again in the book the best way for a ref to arrange a match is to make game-changing calls either in the first few minutes or obviously, when the result isn’t in, at the very last. I’ll note the bogus red card went against us early, and the bogus PK call very late.

  10. this game was fucked up, gauchos outplayed cal, but thanks to fucked up refereeing they lost.

  11. Eastbayballer says

    The referee wasn’t great?? are you kidding me?? The referee was probably paid!!! In 2008 when Cal beat UCSB, I had nothing against Cal…I admitted that was your game. But common, what happened today was just a shameful thing. Cheating to win? My respect for Cal just plummeted today. As a soccer fan for many many year, I can promise you…that was UCSB’s game.

  12. I believe Tim can protest. I believe it’s been done before, but it will not change the result, even if (as I hope he does), he has compelling video.

    It’s a bummer that the team reacted the way they did at the end, but I can’t blame them too much based on the descriptions I’ve heard from many sources… I really hope someone has some video of this. If it is compelling, Tim should 100% protest.. it will not change this result, but might prevent a future similar travesty

    • Watch the film. There is no need to protest. It was a red card and a hand ball. What a bunch of sore losers. UCSB should lose next year’s NCAA eligibility for post season play. Their behavior after the game was criminal and needs to be treated as such. Their coach needs to grow up. What an embarassment for their university! The NCAA is reviewing on field footage of the events (which were all recorded) and will likely come down appropriately hard UCSB. Violence to officials cannot be tolerated. If I were those players, I would be very concerned for their college careers – if not their next season. BTW – I didn’t care who won, I was just trying to enjoy a good soccer game

      • Where can you watch “the film”?

      • Neutral Observer says

        Yes, that is great. The Cal Athletic Director was at the game and must have been aghast at the behavior of students of a fellow UC school. UCSB must be ashamed.

  13. Ned Armstrong says

    The 50-50 situation that resulted in Silva’s red card was just that. The retailiation by Carrasco was a red card offense – not Silva’s. The hand ball given was a ball-to-hand situation and NOT hand-to-ball and a very poor call by a ref to let such a situation determine the outcome of the game. I agree with the posters here who are say that the referee was terrible and horribly biased. He was the only “winner” in this contest. Cal should be ashamed to accept the victory because they were beaten by a better team. I know that soccer can result in the inferior team winning – but with UCSB having to play 10 against 12 was ridiculous. I don’t know what the final statistics were, but I cannot remember a shot-on-goal by Cal until the PK. They had alot of wild shots, but only one, very late in the game (about a yard high and within the posts) even came close. UCSB was very clearly the best team on the field and deserved to win. That ref probably turned alot of people off soccer today – and rightfully so.

  14. If you are going to issue such strong statements and infer that the officiating determined the outcome of this game, then you ought to fact check your names. Hector Jimenez*, not Ramirez. Your attempted hard-hitting piece fails intro to journalism.

    • That’s the best response you have? To edit his journalism?

      • Well if you want a comment about the game I will say this: Silva went two feet studs up into the back of Carrasco’s legs and Carrasco responded forcefully by hitting the Silva to the ground. The ref visibly drew his red card so both players saw so both players dropped to the ground to act injured. I thought the red-yellow call was right because soccer refs usually permit/understand a reaction after a dirty tackle. Then again, the force of Carrasco’s response could have certainly merited a red. Given that Barry Punzal is supposed to be an objective source, he should have clarified this but instead paints the scene as if Silva never makes a tackle that was the definition of malicious intent- two feet and studs up (see: Eduardo)- that he did which prompted the violent response. And then he spells names wrong. It’s a poor piece of journalism that doesn’t account for Vom Steeg and the bench’s verbal assault of the referee the entier game (even before the red card was even issued). Vom Steeg admits that himself.

        Also, if you are disputing the hand ball then you weren’t at the game. Period. It was a shot in the box that hit a SB hand that changed the path of the ball. There is no clearer definition. It was a blatant handball. All of these strong comments are prompted by the fact that Punzal paints a distorted, SB-colored version of this game.

        UCSB put forth a valiant effort that was ruined by their actions at the end of the game. Again Punzal paints this wrong. Before Vom Steeg “pulled them away” the players had thrown punches at the ref, at security and Barrerra launched a ball at the ref from within five feet and hit him. There is a fine line between passion and recklessness and UCSB far crossed it. They played great, better than Cal I’d argue, but their own actions and treatment of the ref brought the result upon them.

        • When (3?) World Cups ago David Beckham got dirtily fouled and retaliated, the yellow went to the Argentine and the red went to Beckham. For what that’s worth. I didn’t see the play, so I don’t know whether the calls were fair.

  15. HS Soccer Coach says

    Too bad UCSB’s players showed an utter lack of any class after the game and the coaches condoned the players’ behavior by failing to control them. The referees tried to exit the field and the players chased them more than 100 yards, physically assaulting the referees. There may be grounds for criminal prosecution on two of the UCSB players, but considering Berkeley is in Alameda County that probably will not happen. The 3 UCSB hooligan players need a minimum 10 game suspension to start out next season.

    Silva’s red card was a no brainer– he came in cleats up right into Carrasco’s lower leg. You could see it clearly from the top of the grandstand. It happened right in front of the 4th Official and the senior assistant referee. Carrasco got up initially and then went down again. No punch was thrown by Carrasco– pure fiction created by Vom Steeg and his henchmen in a pitiful attempt to make it a 10 v 10 instead of 11 v 11. If a punch had been thrown, all 3 officials in the immediate area, within 10 yards, would not have missed it.

    The PK was also an obvious call. The UCSB defender handled the ball with his arm– arm to ball about halfway up the arm. The UCSB defender was at least 3 yards into the penalty area and the ball was shot from 45 yards out. He had time to move his arm but had it extended out from his body to the side– not down at his side. The shot would have been on target.

    It is true the Gauchos played inspired football after they went a man down– they countered well and created chances. But after the Gauchos scored, until the end of regulation and all 10 minutes of OT, the Bears dominated.

    Naturally the Gaucho Nation is disappointed– hosting the College Cup– but guess what… you need to grow up, especially some of your players and your coaching staff– they were disgraceful.

    • As a high school coach you clearly wouldn’t know what you are talking about. I doubt you have ever even played the sport.

    • Pretty epic fail of a comment…. Read some of the Cal blogs… Even they admit their was a punch thrown and they got outplayed… You’re also missing the Cal hand ball in OT that should have given a PK. The reality is that you’re probably a 8th grade coach trying to squeeze an inch.

      • 12whoopwhoop says

        false. they do not admit to a punch, as no punch was thrown.

        not only are you and unintelligent gaucho, you’re a blind one as well.

        see you guys in 3 years when you’re allowerd to play post-season again. Until then…GO BEARS!

        ps. tortillas are meant to be eaten, not thown. very mature gaucho fans….and coach.

        • an************

        • Lilpumpkin says

          Do you even go to college? Learn how to spell. I find it repulsive and yet still entertaining when people attempt to insult others’ intelligence and can’t even articulate themselves in a slightly comprehensive way.

    • You’re kidding right?!! The characterization of Coach Vom Steeg and his assistants as “henchmen” is betraying your obvious bias or perhaps professional jealousy. A 45yd shot for goal against UCSB?!! I’m sure your even your high school teach could stop that 100% of the time. The hand ball call was a horrible call that was made even worse considering the time in the game and the fact that two such hand balls happened in the Cal penalty area that were even worse than this one. Neither of these were called (rightly so), but the one against UCSB was? Is this bias or incompetence?

      I agree with you that the actions of the UCSB players cannot be tolerated and I am sure they will be punished. Carrasco should be punished as well for an act of complete cowardice. He sucker-punched Luis Silva. Check the game tape and check Luis Silva’s black eye then tell me again that no punch was thrown.

    • Gaucho till I die says

      Hey now. When was your last eye check up? Silva’s tackle was all ball and I watched the tape and there was an elbow thrown at Silva’s face too. Also I can see why your comment makes no sense. I’d probably go insane too if I had that bad eye sight.

      • I clearly saw Silva’s tackle from the stands– it was a two-footed studs up legbreaker. Carrasco was lucky to lift up his feet at the last second to avoid a compound fracture. Silva needed to be sent off– we don’t need that kind of violent conduct on the soccer field. Terrible decision by him which hurt his team.

        • Dr. To The Obviously Blind says

          Your appointment at the Eye Doctor has been confirmed. Please instruct your seeing-eye dog to bring you in immediately :-)

  16. To all Santa Barbara soccer fans and hardcore Gaucho fans – send a message to the NCAA – we are mad as 7734 at the atrocious officiating, where a referee DOES determine the outcome of a game, and the coaches and players have no recourse – I’ve seen this happen over and over and over . . . again and again on all levels – youth, high school, but at the college level, in the NCAA tournament?? You got to be kidding me!! I hearby do declare a SANTA BARBARA COUNTY BOYCOTT of the COLLEGE CUP in Santa Barbara this December. NOBODY SHOW UP for the game(s) – in fact, have protestors out in front of the ticket booth — and when only 100 people show up for the game(s), the NCAA will finally get the message. Surely you wouldn’t let your own daughter get groped by a TSA agent while trying to board a plane? Why would you let your Gaucho team get screwed by the NCAA?? Sound off Gaucho fans – it’s time.

  17. I’ve been a soccer referee for 15 years, after having played college and semi-pro soccer for many years. I attended yesterday’s game, anticipating a high level of play from two of the best teams in the west. The UCSB team should be congratulated for their exceptional skills and teamwork, as they came very close to pulling out a victory despite being one player down. The comments on this site show that reasonable people disagree about what they saw happen on the field, and that is not unusual. I just want to add that in addition to the UCSB fans, Cal fans, and soccer fans (like me) in the stands, there were also dozens of youth soccer players. They learned a horrible lesson from the comportment of the UCSB players — starting in the 25th minute and continuing through the end of the game. I’m sorry that such terrific soccer players had their season, and in some cases their college careers, end on such a disappointing note. I know what that feels like. But the message they sent to the boys and girls who came to the stadium to watch championship soccer was disgraceful, and I would have expected better judgment and more self-control from all members of the UCSB soccer program.

    • Digitaleye3 says

      Things that should be learned from yesterdays game are: that referee Mike Kampmeinert should go back to AYSO and learn how to ref properly. I’ve seen a lot better volunteer refs there.
      and that the NCAA screen their officials better and never let this type of thing happen again.The quality of the officiating should increase in torunament and playoff play as it does in every other sport.

    • Interested Fan says

      Your point about the UCSB players at the end of the game is well taken, but if you are to take this stance then you must include the actions of Mr. Carrasco when discussing disgraceful behavior. He was disgraceful when he threw the punch and even more disgraceful when he shrugged it off in his post game comments as “part of the game”. Fighting on the field cannot be tolerated, full stop. By allowing Carrasco to stay was as poor a message to youth players as any other in the game. Finally, for those of you who don’t believe a punch was thrown check Luis Silva’s black eye.

    • nobody cares ‘ref’

    • Oh boo-hoo.

  18. Vom No Class says

    If I had someone try and break my leg with an open spike tackle, I would have thrown a punch as well. That was a vicious and yes near criminal act.

    I contribute all of the lack of discipline and sportmanship to the coach Vom Steeg. Yesterday, Vom Steeg was a disgrace to the game of soccer. What a bumbling idiot. He exhibited no control of his personal emotions, his team and his coaches. It’s as if he had to have the attention on him the whole game like a spoiled little child

    Also, what is with his players (foreign #10 from Ghana) and himself going after the referree at the end of the game. Again no class and no control. I was embarrased for VomSteeg and his arrogance. The NCAA needs to hand out some stiff fines against this UCSB program.

    • Shut up! You have no idea what your talking about. The only bumbling idiot is you! Watch the video on facebook and you will see why he is upset.

      • Gaucho Man is a fool– not a man. The video clearly shows a push, not a punch. The video has also been abruptly edited to take out the studs up portion of the tackle where Silva almost broke Carrasco’s leg. The referee had a great view.

        • Naker's mom says

          Right and a push to the ground is ok with the soccer rules. Get out here faker, you are a disgrace to soccer. Go pay the Cal refs a little more so you can win the Brown game, you guys don’t have enough talent on the team to go further in the tournament anyways. Soon, soccer will be canceled from your Cal Sports program just as they did with your other weak sports.

    • interested fan says

      Break his leg?!! Total hogwash. Watch the video. You can hear Silva make contact with the BALL on the tackle, not Carrasco. Can’t get jobbed anymore than this.

      • im sorry, but i need to call this. bullfuckingshit.

        he tried to break his leg. carrasco retaliated instinctually. end of story.

        • Concientious Observer says

          Notice how none of the UCSB players reacted to the shove.
          Clearly if it was a punch, the UCSB players would of rushed to the aid of their teammate.
          That didn’t happen.

    • If you had someone tackle you like that, you would throw a punch? So then how the hell can you not condone anger after the game was stolen from UCSB. you are a flaming hypocrite who clearly is unintelligent and probably shouldn’t be commenting on things that will only make you look like a fool. You clearly were not at the game.

  19. Many of you are talking in absolutes here. Nothing about soccer is absolute.

    It was an ugly game all around. Or was it? Some find beauty in the behavior

    demonstrated. It was exciting and a little scary. What we are capable of.

    I congratulate the UCSB warriors for playing a great game.

    Sorry the piano fell on your head. I wonder why?

    And Cal has had a very lucky season. Certainly outdoing themselves.

    If it is all a little too poetic for you then just go play golf.

  20. Please post the video (and a bit longer than the previously posted one… would love to see 2secs either side of what you posted, or maybe 5 or 10 secs either side.

  21. Post the entire video– what are you afraid of? At a minimum, post 10 seconds before and 2 minutes after the tackle until the red is actually shown.

    Now that we are hearing about locker room assaults and racist behavior by UCSB players, the NCAA needs to put this rogue soccer program on probation for several years– no NCAA playoffs for the next three years minimum.

  22. WATCH VIDEO OF SILVA BEING WHACKED ON FACEBOOK!!!!!!!!!! ON GAUCHO LOCO PAGE!!!!!

  23. Fellow Gaucho says

    This article is ridiculous! From what I saw the UCSB coach Vom Steeg was getting into the referee just as much as his fist throwing players. Great show of professionalism gauchos. You really showed the NCAA you deserved to win by punching the referee! HAHAHAHA

  24. notsorryari says

    Tortillas should be eaten not thrown, especially by coaches! Really mature. For the UCSB fans that are obviously not aware that bad calls happen in all sports, they do. Putting links online to refs facebook pages, again really mature. You lost; get over it.

  25. Digitaleye3 says

    Hey Gauchos, you play with passion, don’t ever change! Only cowards and the weak put up no fight in the face of wrong-doing. Those are the kind that sit by while someone in wronged in their presence and say “its not my business” or ” you should have done this or that” after the fact.

    Bad calls are certainly a part of every sport but most sports endeavor to minimize them and offer checks and balances to lessen their impact. And in no sport are incompetent and unqualified officials accepted.

    • UCSB Soccer - Five Year Ban says

      When a referee makes a bad call against the Cal team, the Cal players handle it with aplomb and dignity.

      When a referee makes a bad call against UCSB, the players and coaches scream and yell like little girls then, when they don’t get their way, they attack referees and opposing players. They assault referees. Their fans assult opposing fans, including the elderly. They destroy property. Then they come to this board to whine some more (while some geek takes their exams for them).

  26. What I find interesting is there are numerous posts from Cal Fans on this SB article site.

    Why are making such an effort to defend their team’s victory?

  27. Ref was unqualified
    Referee should never have been allowed to officiate the game:

    By MARK PATTON NEWS-PRESS SENIOR WRITER
    Mark Patton

    November 23, 2010 5:36 AM

    UCSB’s Cup won’t runneth over for the Gauchos after several questionable decisions by an inexperienced referee cost them dearly in Sunday’s 2-1, overtime defeat at California in the second round of the National Championships.
    The NCAA should have paid to bring in a top referee. How Mike Kampmeinert of Sacramento ended up with Sunday’s officiating assignment has both baffled and infuriated UCSB officials.

    Their check of game summaries this season shows that Kampmeinert has served as the center official in just a couple of NCAA women’s games. He’s worked only the sidelines in two Division 1 men’s contests.

    That fact shows that the Pac-10 assigner who got Kampmeinert to officiate the match violated this portion of the NCAA’s own 2010 handbook:

    “Policies and Selection of Officials. For the Division I men’s soccer championship, an official is required to work a minimum of six regular-season Division I men’s soccer games in order to be eligible to work any round(s) of the championship.”

  28. Chuck Ballard says

    Please contact Referee Mike Kampmeinert [email protected] (916) 825-2236 if you have any questions or concerns