Another sport infected by the insidious virus of video replay review.
Poor soccer. In this case, poor Major League Soccer. MLS is learning that following other sports and leagues down this particular rabbit hole in the holy pursuit of “getting it right” tends not to ameliorate controversy but rather stokes the flames of discontent.
In particular, using replay review to adjudicate rulings that were judgment calls in the first place — like goalie interference in the NHL, pass interference in football or offside in soccer — just adds another layer of interpretation to an issue.
Since MLS instituted video review in the 22nd week of its season last year — in itself, a strange way to bring such an intrusive element to a league — the league has found itself increasingly enmeshed in problems it didn’t have before.