As fans, we often direct a lot of abuse towards referees, rightly or wrongly forgetting oftentimes what a thankless task they have.  In \"Another referee\'s revolution?\", we get a glimpse of the politicking at the US Soccer Federation and how it inhibits hampers referee development.  Forget the facts that \"senior referees who were not being paid anywhere near international amounts for international games\", it seems that people involved with the referee program administration (I\'m guessing here because I wouldn\'t know an SDA, SDI, SRA, or SYRA from a hole in the ground) got so fed up with the Federations inaction that they acted on their own.

The fact is that all of the people there had the opportunity to speak freely, to brainstorm, without fear of the retribution that is so typical of Chicago when challenged.  (Ask National Referees and candidates, ask anyone who makes a critical remark about the work of the powers-that-be.)\