Good on ya Kashima!

If you saw the game between Kashima and Hiroshima this past weekend, you know what I'm talking about.

Terrible officiating. Absolutely awful. I used to think that refs were simply awful and have may occasionally lean to one side, but now I'm pretty confident that there is match fixing going on.

At the end of the match, the refs called two Kashima saves back because they said that he came off the line. The first one was simply awful. The second one had some merit to it, but to do it twice in a row? Crap. Also, did anyone else notice that the linesman's flag only came up AFTER the keeper saved it, and with plenty of reaction time. If he was really off the line, he would have raised it right away and put it down when the shot had gone in.

After all this, the Kashima fans, known as Infight, took the matter into their own hands and took to the field. I just want to say that in light of such events, I support their actions. If the J League wants to keep this from happening anymore, start sweeping up the officials. Put the heat on them. Question them after games and observe betting patterns for any unusual activity (the J League would definitely be a prime target; not a huge international audience, underpaid officials, and the Yakuza has definitely needed a new payroll since baseball players aren't taking as many bribes anymore).

Make a banner about match fixing, and take the field, unfurl it at mid-field after any game that reaks of match fixing.