Accumulated Yellow Cards?

by James Owen Gallagher on Sep 30, 2011 10:35 AM PDT

Do accumulated yellow cards effect the MLS playoff games, or do they reset once the playoffs start?

Alonso, Montero, Hurtado, & Friberg each are slated to be suspended after their next yellow. The MLS site posted rules are not clear on this issue(see below)

"CAUTIONS AND SUSPENSIONS: A player will be suspended for one game upon receiving his fifth yellow card – regardless of the nature of the infraction which resulted in his being awarded a yellow card. A second suspension of one game would result after the awarding of an additional three cards as would a third suspension after the awarding of card number eleven. With the "Good Behavior" incentive it is possible for a player to have a caution expunged. If a player goes three games without receiving a yellow card, after an initial warning, the player will have one yellow card expunged. A player may take advantage of the "Good Behavior" incentive only once throughout the season."

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Unless they changed something in the current year,

yellow cards would get reset once the playoff start. Not sure where are you getting your info, but I am sure Alonso has more than 4 cards (I think he already missed one game due to suspension).

by seattle 13 on Sep 30, 2011 1:45 PM PDT reply actions

I think Alonso has 7 yellows.

So he would be suspended again with his next one.

by el pato on Sep 30, 2011 2:46 PM PDT up reply actions

right- I meant

he is slated to get suspended with his next yellow along with Hurtado, Friberg, and Montero

by James Owen Gallagher on Sep 30, 2011 4:17 PM PDT up reply actions

World Cup method

Ignorantly, and not adding much to the conversation here, I’m sure whether the cards are wiped out, but I guess they would have to be.

That said, in FIFA competitions past, major negative effects have resulted from players getting cards in major tourneys that carried over from the quali stage.

by RalfZakuani on Sep 30, 2011 5:56 PM PDT reply actions

Two scenarios

I’m pretty sure that the cards reset after the regular season, so if you have four after the last game you go to zero along with everyone else.

The potentially bigger issue is if someone picks up their fifth in the regular season finale, do they then have to miss the first playoff game? For example, in a World Cup if you get yellows in the first (or second) and third group stage games, you miss the quarterfinal. I remember the announcers saying a if a couple players got cards in our last game against Costa Rica they would have had to sit for the England game. Of course that was probably John Harkes so he may have been confusing the rules with cricket or horseshoes.

If the same’s true here, where getting a fifth yellow in the regular season finale warrants a playoff suspension, then Sigi – and for that matter every other coach – should be instructing anyone sitting on four to get their fifth in the 32nd and 33rd games of the year.

Anyone know that answer for sure?

by wannascribble on Sep 30, 2011 11:03 PM PDT reply actions

Accumulation applies only to Regular season

http://www.mlssoccer.com/mls-disciplinary-summary

Regular Season Caution Accumulation

Fines and suspensions will be levied against players for yellow card accumulations during the Regular Season as follows: 1) Player accrues FIVE (5) yellow cards: $250 fine and suspension from his next MLS Regular Season Game; 2) Player accrues additional THREE (3) yellow cards after having been fined and suspended for FIVE (5) cards: $500 fine and suspension from his next MLS Regular Season Game; 3) Player accrues additional THREE (3) yellow cards after having been fined and suspended for a second game: $750 fine and suspension from his next MLS Regular Season Game; 4) Player accrues additional two (2) yellow cards after having been fined and suspended for a third game: $1000 fine and suspension from his next MLS Regular Season Game; 5)For each two (2) yellow cards thereafter, Player will be fined $1000 and suspended from his next MLS Regular Season Game.

For each case “next MLS Regular Season Game” is in bold.

Similarly, the suspension for a red card is regular season only. Last year, James Riley missed the first game due to a red card in the last game of the 2009 season.

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by ColinMacLeod on Oct 3, 2011 9:17 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs