It’s one of the oldest jokes in the book, but it will keep on getting used anyway. Referees are often the focus of a lot of negative banter including the recent incident in which Alex Ferguson called out a ref for being out of shape and unable to keep up with the action. The refs (in short) are often called horrible names most of which I will not even get into.
Calling out a ref for being fat may be crossing the line of reasonable behavior, but challenging a ref’s eyesight should never go out of fashion. Especially when it is done in a subtle way. Just ask Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez who was recently punished for making such a harmless joke. In a sport filled with its fair share of injustices a silly joke about a referee’s questionable vision was all that Rafa did to get the FA fuming.
Following an early frustrating loss to Tottenham Hotspur the manager was asked during his press conference what he thought of the matches officiating. Benitez removed the glasses from his coat pocket and began closely inspecting them. The press room roared with laughter and Rafa continued the press conference.
It seems to me that the FA just needs to lighten up and allow such mild jokes to pass. What Rafa did was not nice, but it in no way was bad enough that the man deserves to be penalized.
Rafa’s lawyer Graham Beane had this to say regarding the incident:
Rafa was asked about the referee, took his glasses out and looked at them, and then smiled. It was his sense of humour, it was not intended to be offensive or personal. If you cannot inject some humour into your press conference, we all might as well pack up and go home, it’s ridiculous.
In the end the charges on Rafa were dropped, but they never should have been brought up in the first place.
At least that’s the way one Yank sees it…
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