Issue# 21 - Ford Tough
Thomas Müller joins Whitecaps FC; dissecting officiating in a frustrating match, and I'm heading out on vacation!
Hello!
As is the way with the newsletter, the moment I send it out, big Whitecaps FC news breaks. And while we knew what we were waiting for was somewhat inevitable (despite my Vancouver sports-centric pessimism), as is the way the news dropped pretty quick after I clicked send.
Thomas Müller is officially a member of the Whitecaps FC and now gets italics treatment!
I imagine y’all were like me and still pumped by this development as referee Tim Ford blew the whistle to start the match against San Jose this weekend, only to have that happiness turn to rage or frustration over the next hour or two.
So apologies in advance, we’re going to relive a bit of it.
More importantly, I’ll actually be headed out on vacation for the next week, which means I’ll be missing both matches. If there’s anyone out there that might want to contribute a few thoughts (like Mark and Jordan have), feel free to reply to this email!
The View
There are some who suggest that I am a well-known referee apologist. And honestly, it’s hard for me to deny that assessment. Whether it’s from my experience officiating soccer into my 30s, or simply how I’m wired, I try to take an objective approach to calls on the field - whether I agree with them or not.
Yet as I was watching the match this weekend, I was left befuddled by Tim Ford’s decision-making process in assessing two separate cautions to Édier Ocampo in the course of 7 minutes (the first at 20’ and the second at 27’).
When I watched the replay of the first incident, it truly looked like Tim Ford wasn’t entirely sure what happened, and only made up his mind upon seeing blood on the face of Josef Martinez. And while it is possible the far-side assistant referee provide some insight, either indirectly through eye-contact & hand-motion or directly via the mic, I’m not sure what he could add that Tim Ford didn’t witness himself.
In what continues to be a frustrating production experience (if they can film IMAX movies with iPhones, surely they can have more camera angles in the stadium), we received only one view of the incident in replay. And if I were to be honest, had Tim Ford run over with caution in hand, I could’ve accepted that caution as is. He saw what he saw and called it.
But what it looked like was he was uncertain of what he saw, and made a best guess. Which is a cardinal sin when it comes to officiating sport.
What was more egregious is what transpired only minutes later, when by all objective accounts, Ford decided Ocampo committed something far more egregious than obstruction (at best it was obstruction) and sent him off with his second caution of the match.
Completely bonkers.
The thing is, those two cautions, as egregious as they were, weren’t the worst decision Ford made on the night.
Just after the opening of the second half, Ford watched an Earthquakes player fall to the pitch (was it Martinez… again?!), and awarded a penalty kick.
Thankfully this was reviewable by VAR (unlike the either of the two cautions), and sure enough, VAR called down to Ford to have him take another look.
The thing is, Tim Ford knows Tim Ford. And Tim Ford doesn’t disagree with Tim Ford.
Penalty stands, San Jose goes up by one.
Despite being down by a man for the better part of the match, it was clear Whitecaps FC weren’t out of it. And while they almost tied it up on a glorious opportunity from Daniel Rios shortly after the PK (why can’t Daniel score?! Why?!), it was a glorious goal from Brian White that looked to salvage a point from the match late.
It looked like Vancouver fought through adversity like a great club does. At least until stoppage time was announced.
Eleven minutes.
Yes, eleven minutes of stoppage time.
Not that it mattered, as San Jose scored at the 94’ mark, but to find 11 minutes of stoppage time is absurd considering it didn’t take that long for VAR & injuries were nonexistent.
When the final whistle blew, San Jose got themselves a win, and Vancouver could only look to mentally reset for their upcoming Canadian Championship match against Forge FC.
May the fleas of a thousand camels infest Tim Ford’s armpits.
The Good
Brian White. Notched his 100th career goal this weekend and it’s a bloody shame suspect officiating takes a bit away from that.
The Not So Good
Tim Ford. I likely lose my alumni membership card as a member of the Union of Referees, but he had a bad match. A very bad match. Referees are only human, so bad matches will happen, but Tim seems to have quite a few. And if you haven’t seen it, Jay Janower of Global News Vancouver agrees.
Around the Pitch
Not to make this entire newsletter about Tim Ford, but I imagine more will come to light over the coming week or so.
Intrepid supporters discovered that Tim Ford’s family were/are big fans of LAFC. On it’s own, not a big deal, yet when LAFC home matches are described as Tim Ford’s happy place, it’s suspect as heck to have him ever involved in their matches.
We’ll also get to listen in to the VAR conversation on the penalty decision when PRO and MLS release their Inside Video Review video on YouTube. Very curious how Tim Ford justifies his decision.
Anywho, I leave you with this.

I’m off on a vacation to the Kootenays over the next week, so I’m not entirely sure I’ll be in a position to watch either the match against Forge FC, let alone the one at home against Houston (potentially missing Thomas Müller’s debut 😭)!
If you think you’d be up to contributing a few thoughts, even collaborating with someone else to do so, I’m open to all your suggestions! This newsletter doesn’t happen with you as a reader, and honest to goodness, it’s a better experience when a reader gets to be a writer too!
From my seat to your browser!
If you enjoyed this, please consider sharing on social media or forwarding it to someone that you think would love it just as much! ❤️
-Chris (@lyteforce.ca)