US World Cup fan/beat bodoglife.com

Andy Roddick got it right. When asked if he understood the rules of football (soccer), the tennis star replied, “I understand the rules of football so well that apparently when two Slovenian guys mug an American guy, the American guy gets called for a foul.” A foul on the American team is exactly what Malian referee Koman Coulibaly called in Friday’s World Cup match between the United States and Slovenia. With the possible exception of Coulibaly’s mother, none of the 40,000 plus fans in the stadium, nor the millions around the world watching on television picked up on anything like a foul by the Americans. Viewers at home watched, in total incredulity, replays from every angle.  The Washington Examiner: quotes Wichita-based fan Sean Surcoff who saw the call on the third U.S. goal and shared the disbelief of many U.S. fans. "They showed the replay over and over and over and there is no U.S. foul on the play” he lamented. “There is no off-sides. If anything, Slovenia committed three fouls of their own defending the play. They practically mugged our whole team and the call went against us. I really want to hear an explanation from the referee about his call. It cost us the game,"

There have been other monumentally blown calls in sports history, some costing games and even championships. . ESPN Page 2, The Atlanta Journal Constitution and Yahoo.Sports contributed to the following compendium of errors:

1. Don Denkinger calls Jorge Orta “safe” In1985 the St. Louis Cardinals are on the verge of clinching their 10th World Series title, leading 1-0 in the ninth. Umpire Don Denkinger calls Orta safe despite the fact that pitcher Todd Worrell, covering first, clearly beats him to the bag. The Royals rally for two runs to tie the series, then blast the Cards in Game 7. Denkinger now supports instant replay.

2. USSR gets extra time The U.S. men's basketball team suffers its first loss in Olympic history when officials twice put time back on the clock twice in the final seconds, allowing the Soviet Union to score a basket at the buzzer and win the gold medal with a 50-49 victory in the final of the 1972 Games. The Americans protest and never accept their silver

3. Colorado's fifth down Referees fail to change the down marker when Colorado spiked the ball on its last drive. The Buffaloes scored a touchdown on "fifth down," the final play in a 33-31 win at Missouri that helped Colorado go on to share the national title with Georgia Tech.

4.Yanks get lift from 12-year-old The Yankees beat the Orioles 5-4 in Game 1 of the 1996 ALCS when 12-year-old fan Jeffrey Maier reaches over the fence and catches Derek Jeter's flyball to right before Baltimore right fielder Tony Tarasco can make a play. AND THE LITTLE SQUIRT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN SCHOOL! Umpire Rich Garcia, who has run out to the right-field wall, fails to call fan interference on the play and rules the ball a game-tying homer. The Yanks go on to win the game on Bernie Williams' homer in the 11th.

5. Charles White’s “touchdown” and fumble in the 1979 Rose Bowl USC beats Michigan 17-10 in the 1979 Rose Bowl, thanks to a controversial ruling on Charles White's 3-yard TD run in the second quarter. Just as he is entering the end zone, White is hit hard and loses the ball. Wolverine linebacker Jerry Meter comes up with an apparent fumble recovery on the 1-yard line. However, the line judge determines that White had crossed the goal line before losing control of the ball and signals for the touchdown -- the score proves to be the difference for the Trojans.

6. Brett Hull in the crease Brett Hull's goal in the third overtime of Game 6 of the 1999 finals is allowed even though his skate enters the crease before the puck. The controversial goal lifts Dallas to its only Stanley Cup win and further devastates Buffalo's long-suffering sports fans.

7. Hand of God goal Diego Maradona punches the ball into the goal in a 2-1 quarterfinal win against England, helping Argentina claim the 1986 World Cup. He describes it as "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God."

8. Eric Gregg's massive strike zone  Current Nat Livan Hernandez rings up 15 strikeouts thanks to Gregg's oversized strike zone in Game 5 of the 1997 NLCS. Pitches nearly a foot outside are called strikes. The Marlins beat the Braves in six games.

9. Hochuli costs Chargers With Denver trailing San Diego in the final minute early in the 2008 season, the ball slips out of Jay Cutler's hands and bounces into the arms of a Chargers linebacker. Referee Ed Hochuli rules the obvious fumble an incomplete pass. Denver scores a touchdown and 2-point conversion to win 39-38. Hochuli apologizes repeatedly.

10. Jordan pushes off Shoving Utah's Bryon Russell out of the way, Michael Jordan calmly sinks the game-winning shot to end the 1997-98 NBA season. No foul is called, and Jordan has his sixth NBA title and sixth NBA Finals MVP award.

11. Rice's non-fumble In the 1999 NFC Wild Card game, the 49ers trail 27-23 with under a minute left. Jerry Rice cathes a short pass, then is stripped of the ball. Green Bay recovers and begins to celebrate an apparent victory. The refs wrongly rule Rice was down, and the NFL does not have instant replay at the time. Four plays later, Steve Young hits Terrell Owens for the game-winning touchdown.

12. Thanksgiving Day coin flip The easiest call in any football game is the coin flip, right? Well, for referee Phil Luckett, the coin flip is a nightmare during a 1999 Thanksgiving Day game between the Steelers and Lions. As the game goes to overtime, Steelers captain Jerome Bettis calls "tails," but Luckett hears "heads." The Lions win the toss and go on to win the game. The NFL will change its procedures for the coin flip after the snafu on national television. 

But Coulibaly’s call was outrageous and he has refused to comment. In fairness, the FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) does not allow officials to be interviewed after matches. The Washington Post reports, however, that “in an event arranged prior to the U.S. dust up, most of the World Cup referees will be available for comment Monday at their training site near Pretoria. Couliblay is expected to attend; whether he will discuss the call against the United States is another matter.”

The FIFA is not a U.S. sports authority. U.S. Coach Bob Bradley explains “If there is a call of some question there will be a statement by the league (NFL) from the referees, but the FIFA operates differently.” This is due to the reach of soccer across many nations, its long-established arcane culture and opacity, all of which contribute to a lack of accountability. Marquess of Queensbury is not the operating standard.

Contrast the Coulibaly blunder with the the handling of Umpire Jim Joyce’s blown call on Detroit pitcher Armando Galarraga’s bid for a perfect game on June 2.  Thomas Boswell writes in the Washington Post:

“Galarraga appeared to have completed the 21st perfect game in major league history, when he stepped on first base well before Cleveland Indians runner Jason Donald for what would have been the game's final out. But Joyce ruled Donald safe, a call he admitted was a mistake after viewing television replays following the game.

When that admission and the courage to make it was acknowledged with cheers Thursday afternoon, Joyce's face stayed firm, but the tears of gratitude rolled at the Tigers' magnanimity. After the ump wiped his eyes, Galarraga gave him a slap on the back, and Joyce smacked him back, dugout gestures of respect, unmistakable. Hard men, tough game, we play again today. Joyce, you work the plate; just get all 300 calls right.”

The American team is still alive in the World Cup. But will it get better officiating?