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World Cup South Africa 2010 was a special time. Football coming to a soccer-mad continent, but to a country where the game wasnt most popular had a peculiar charm. The cultural experience was a rich one for both locals and visitors alike. Its too bad the football didnt live up to the occasion and celebration around it. The soccer was poor four years ago: stale, cagey and safe. Teams played not to lose and the result was often times a difficult product to watch. Fast forward to the first two days of Brazil 2014, and the games couldnt be more different. Four games in, and the tournament is four for four in appealing, captivating football. Attacking, purposeful and entertaining: the matches through two days have had it all. 15 goals so far is an impressive tally, representing a breath-taking start. Problem is the question lingers whether our initial taste of the 2014 World Cup will be characterized by top football or the sour taste of dubious referee decisions? To many poor officiating has overshadowed the standout play seen through two days. Its a shame on the worlds biggest stage the officiating of the sport remains subpar. Significant dollars, national pride, and worldwide perspective and opinion of soccer are shaped and are on the line. Instead of conversations about Robin van Persies scoring prowess and Neymars mesmorizing skill, the discussion revolves around bad calls and disallowed goals. Croatia was slighted in the opener after an incompetent referee decision awarded the hosts a penalty. The penalty given by Yuichi Nishumura should never have been. Brazilian striker Fred clearly flopped, and Nishumura hesistated before pointing to the spot and conspicuously showing Dejan Lovren a yellow. The crowd and the moment got the best of the official. Nishumura looked tentative throughout the match, ill-suited for the occasion. Neymar made it 2-1. Good night, Croatia. Harsh. Mexico had two goals disallowed in their 1-0 win over Cameroon thanks to an over-anxious linesman. Two offside calls that never were cost Giovani Dos Santos the headlines. More importantly for Mexico, those are two valuable goals gone by the wayside in a group where goal differential may decide who advances and who goes home. Mexico was victim to a Carlos Tevez goal from an offside position in 2010. Twice unlucky, this time on Friday the 13th doesnt bode well. The trifecta of unjust decisions was completed when Spain was given a penalty in their Group B opener against the Netherlands when Diego Costa stepped on the leg of a diving Stefan De Vrij. The penalty was given for poor defending and not a foul. The defender has to stay on his feet. But a penalty conceded was not deserved. Xabi Alonso converted to give Spain the early lead. If it were not for an incredible turn of events leading to the Dutch slaughter of Spain in Salvador, it would be another black eye on the game. Regardless the scoreline, the flawed decision has the viewing public talking. The biggest problem the game of soccer has given itself is a lack of credibility and belief the proceedings are on the up and up. The word most commonly spewed criticism by casual onlookers after two days is "fix" because of years of negative press and exaggeration of the shadiness of the global game. Whether its true or not, there is a level of distrust among a cynical fanbase. Not so cynical that the world stops watching, but negative enough to cry bloody murder. To the devout fan, the questionable officiating has become a frustrating distraction to the true beauty. Bad refereeing shouldnt be accepted as commonplace. But it is. While goal-line technology has proven a worthy addition to the game, its clear referees need more help in doing their job. Relying on the judgment of one man attempting to marshal proceedings on a massive playing field at a time when the game is faster than ever is proving to be a challenge too daunting. Giving more responsibility to the referees assistants hasnt helped much. It has made the job of a linesman that much more difficult, having to lend a helping hand to calling fouls in their quarter of the field while holding the line, maintaining their position to call offside. They are being entrusted to do two things at once, with no room for error. What should the priority be: holding the back-line or adjudicating the play? Its tough. FIFA remains open for more criticism, making its priority to include referees from all member confederations to the World Cup. Why arent the best officials, no matter where they are from, sent to officiate the most important games? Officiating crews from four continents have overseen the first four games. Are they the best in the world? Its difficult to say yes. So what more can be done to help referees? Instant replay on decisions involving goal-scoring situations is an answer. A quick review of whether a goal was scored from an offside position or not should be simple. Its reasonable to expect a clear decision, one way or another, with the use of replay to provide a conclusive answer by the end of a goal celebration. Getting the decision right should be priority. This is simplistic, and would give the fourth official a job other than babysitting the managers. Other reviewable decisions arent quite as easy. Although the laws of the game (fouls, handballs, etc...) are crystal clear, the interpretation of the rules are not. What one official deems a foul, or hand-to-ball or ball-to-hand varies. Replay may strike up more internal debate on situations there may not be a clear answer. If more replay is brought in, there has to be a clear line how far and for what the technology is applicable. This is a must. And to tell you the truth, I dont have an answer where that line should be. FIFA embracing an idea as such is best case a long shot. There are too many reasons why not to apply than there is to use. The status quo will remain. Instead of more technology, perhaps the best answer is to add another official to the field of play. Two on-field referees. The NHL added a referee when the game became too fast and the officials couldnt keep up. Angles and referee positioning would be markedly better, and fatigue would be less an issue. Although they may see the game different ways, four eyeballs are better than two. Perhaps another referee would have caught Costas head butt of Martins Indi? Perhaps another official could have helped Graham Poll in the 2010 World Cup Final when the head referee said he didnt have a proper angle when Nigel de Jongs challenge went high into the chest of Alonso. Officiating will always be imperfect, and we can accept that. What we cant accept is a reluctance to change when it hurts the integrity of the game. A second referee is the easiest answer, and could represent a step in a positive direction. Referees will always make mistakes. Its a bigger mistake to do nothing. Its been a spectacular start to the tournament. There is no reason to believe the top play wont continue. And there is no reason to believe the negative talking points surrounding officiating wont continue too. What will you focus on? I tend to worry it will be the latter. And you wouldnt be wrong or alone. Mike Vernon Jersey .com) - The Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies have finalized their agreed-upon trade that sends former National League MVP Jimmy Rollins to the West Coast for a pair of minor league pitching prospects. Lanny McDonald Jersey . Pistorius denied the allegation that he said to the close friend of the girlfriend he killed: "How can you sleep at night?" 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BARCELONA, Spain -- Cristiano Ronaldo scored deep in injury time to cap Real Madrids incredible 3-2 comeback victory at Levante on Saturday, when his team went from losing, to drawing, and finally to winning in the last five minutes. Spanish leader Barcelona, meanwhile, didnt miss the injured Lionel Messi as it cruised by Valladolid 4-1 at home with Neymar scoring once and setting up one of Alexis Sanchezs two goals. At 1-1, Levantes Nabil El Zhar grabbed what looked to be the winner in the 86th, but Madrid substitute Alvaro Morata stepped up to level in the 90th. Still facing what would have been a costly draw, Ronaldos last-gasp strike hit both a defender and the post before settling into the net to crush the hosts hopes of taking a point. "When Madrid plays football, it only needs five minutes to win a game," Madrid first-year coach Carlo Ancelotti said. This was Ronaldos second winner for Madrid on the last shot of the game in the last seven days after he netted a penalty six minutes after fulltime to grab a 2-1 win at Elche last Saturday. The Portugal forward has seven goals in league play - one less than Messi and Atletico Madrids Diego Costa - and 12 goals in 10 games in all competitions this season. The victory put Madrid back in third place, five points behind Barcelona and two points behind Atletico before it hosts Celta Vigo on Sunday. It also saved Ancelotti from even more pressure following the loss to Atletico last weekend. Although his teams lacklustre performance through most of the game will likely earn him more criticism. "People need to be patient," Morata said about the Madrid supporters who jeered Ancelotti in the last two home games. "There have been a lot of changes recently. We will play better, for sure." Barcelona extended its club record with an eighth win in as many games to start the league under new coach Gerardo Martino. Madrid holds the league milestone of nine wins to start the season in 1968. Alexis long blast in the 14th cancelled out Javi Guerras 10th-minute opener for Valladolid. Xavi Hernandez slotted in Barcelonas second in the 52nd before Neymar set up Alexis in the 64th. Alexis then returned the favour by generously passing back for Neymar to net his goal in the 70th. "Neymar didnt puut on a Messi mask, each one plays his own game," Alexis told GOL TV.dddddddddddd "I dont think that the fact Messi isnt here gives us more freedom. Without Leo we have more work because with him everything is easier." Elsewhere, Real Sociedad lost its second game this week in agonizing fashion, when Rayo Vallecano substitute Jonathan Viera won and converted an 89th-minute penalty. Sociedad lost in injury time at Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday. Elche got its second straight victory thanks to forward Ferran "Coro" Corominas two goals in a 2-1 win over visiting Espanyol. Without the injured Gareth Bale, Madrid could do very little to disarm Levantes stingy defence in the first half at a Ciutat de Valencia Stadium where it had lost in two of its previous three visits. Since suffering a 7-0 thrashing at Barcelona in the league opener, new coach Joaquin Caparros - known for his focus on defence - had steered Levante to a six-game undefeated streak that it almost kept going considering it never trailed Madrid until stoppage time. "It hurts to lose like this," Caparros said. "Its a pity. We did everything we could to win and the game lasted four minutes too long. We should have known how to manage the situation. El Zhars goal should have given us more oxygen but that didnt happen. Some of my players showed their lack of experience." After a foul-ridden first 45 minutes, Levante opened through striker Babacar "Baba" Diawara in the 57th. Madrid was caught pressing forward when Levante got a three-on-two breakaway, and midfielder Jordi Xumetra floated a cross for Baba to beat goalkeeper Diego Lopez with a right-footed volley. Sergio Ramos levelled four minutes later when the Madrid centre back raced in at the second post and slammed in Angel Di Marias corner kick. Madrid was again caught looking to score late when El Zhar did well to fend off Ramos in the area before he spun and fired in the ball. But Morata, who scored a late winner for Madrid here last season, coolly drove in his goal to finish a move started by fellow youngster Jese Rodriguez before Ronaldo pulled out his late heroics. On Sunday, its: Sevilla vs. Almeria, Getafe vs. Real Betis, and Athletic Bilbao vs. Valencia. ' ' '