Was it a moment's anxiety that froze your action? Or fear perhaps of the consequences that follow a tough decision, that follow like a malevolent shadow. Will I get it right? Did I see it clearly? As an instructor I asked myself a few years ago: Is it simply a matter of angles? At that time I answered that it was, in more cases than not. And here's a notorious example from yesterday's World Cup final match, an example in which the angle at which you see the incident makes the decision absolutely clear . . .

Every referee in the world has been there, in one of those moments you wish you could live over again before you have to commit yourself. You were sure you were in the right position, but when it comes time to make the decision, you are no longer certain you have enough information. You hesitate; perhaps a second ticks away, and before you know it, your whistle sounds, so now you have to decide what you saw. Sometimes the moment is so long that you don't blow at all, and the incident that everybody else saw passes into history.

In the twenty-eighth minute Nigel de Jong of the Netherlands and Xabi Alonso of Spain clashed for a ball in the air. In the challenge, De Jong kicks Alonso in the chest, studs first, carelessly, recklessly, and with excessive force, missing the ball. This angle (taken from the east) shows that de Jong's action is serious foul play, and if accompanied by a shout from martial arts ("Hai", "Yah" or "Toh"), would be considered violent conduct. But now let's look at another view, this one from the west. This one shows the same kick to the chest, with an extra bonus of learning that de Jong got his studs caught in Alonso's shirt. It is still careless, reckless and with excessive force, so would have to be sanctioned as serious foul play. But just to be absolutely sure about the decision, let's take another look, this time at a photograph taken from the southeast. Alonso had shaped to head the ball, but was prevented from doing so by what the commentator described as a "kung fu kick to the chest", delivered carelessly (de Jong's kung fu technique was faulty), recklessly (the Dutchman could have hurt himself falling down), and with excessive force.

The referee was not far away from this foul, but let's make something absolutely clear. No matter what angle you view this from--east, west or southeast--the foul is serious foul play, and calls for the dismissal of the perpetrator Nigel de Jong. And if anything else like this occurs in any other game, first minute or last, World Cup final or Sunday pub league, it must also be a red card. The Angle of View makes it easy.



And in case any reader has some doubts, I sprinkled a little irony on my oatmeal this morning, to make it appear that there was doubt about the decision, when of course, there shouldn't have been.