[Viking_Guy]

I second both of your reactions - my thought was the Stanford side's game had no "bite" to it last night - everything was slow, sloppy, and a bit uncoordinated.

On the PK - as a keeper, my sympathy would naturally lie with Thomas.  But I think the key to the call was that he came out with his legs into the Cal player while still not touching the ball with his hands - he came out knees/shins first while sliding past the ball waiting to gather it in with his hands.  If you hit the player before you're playing the ball, the PK should be given.

One other thing - I've rarely seen a match with so much whining at the center ref.  I'm sure he was not perfect, but it wasn't egregiously bad.  

And I'm not happy with one Cardinal player in particular, who seems to be taking the drama quotient of trying to draw fouls to a new level.

All in all, a fair result to a poorly played game.  The midfield, most especially, was almost useless.  It was nice to have Beason back, which may be the most important outcome, but they held out Hughes to keep him for picking up a fifth yellow and having to sit the first game in the post-season (I'm fairly sure cards reset after the regular season ends.)  Beason and Ludwick had in my recollection never played together as a center back pairing.

VG

[Viking_Guy]

I second both of your reactions - my thought was the Stanford side's game had no "bite" to it last night - everything was slow, sloppy, and a bit uncoordinated.

On the PK - as a keeper, my sympathy would naturally lie with Thomas.  But I think the key to the call was that he came out with his legs into the Cal player while still not touching the ball with his hands - he came out knees/shins first while sliding past the ball waiting to gather it in with his hands.  If you hit the player before you're playing the ball, the PK should be given.

One other thing - I've rarely seen a match with so much whining at the center ref.  I'm sure he was not perfect, but it wasn't egregiously bad.  

And I'm not happy with one Cardinal player in particular, who seems to be taking the drama quotient of trying to draw fouls to a new level.

All in all, a fair result to a poorly played game.  The midfield, most especially, was almost useless.  It was nice to have Beason back, which may be the most important outcome, but they held out Hughes to keep him for picking up a fifth yellow and having to sit the first game in the post-season (I'm fairly sure cards reset after the regular season ends.)  Beason and Ludwick had in my recollection never played together as a center back pairing.

VG