The Rock Weighs in on Tim Melia’s Takedown of Cristian Roldan

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson weighed in on Melia’s ‘Rock Bottom’ during a dead ball situation against the Seattle Sounders after the TUDN broadcast, and presumably anyone who watched pro wrestling in the 90s, started tagging The Rock on social media.

Seattle Sounders fans are up in arms about the missed penalty kick, which is wrong because there was a foul on Cristian Roldan on the play, so it was a dead ball situation. However, it’s possible that it’s a red card. After the game PRO Referees said it didn’t rise to the level of brutality necessary for violent conduct. Melia got a yellow. Cristian Roldan got nothing. Alex Roldan got a yellow for his retaliation on Melia.

Here is the IFAB definition of violent conduct.

“Violent conduct is when a player uses or attempts to use excessive force or brutality against an opponent when not challenging for the ball, or against a team-mate, team official, match official, spectator or any other person, regardless of whether contact is made.

In addition, a player who, when not challenging for the ball, deliberately strikes an opponent or any other person on the head or face with the hand or arm, is guilty of violent conduct unless the force used was negligible.”

Maybe Tim gets away with one.

Whatever it should be, Ismael Elfath had absolutely no control of the game. He let three yellow card worthy challenges go against Gadi Kinda before he finally gave a “final warning” and then only after he warned the entire Seattle team (something I had never seen before) did he issue a yellow the next time Kinda was fouled (which was the softest of the four he suffered up to that point).

Seattle fans may have something to be upset about, but there are numerous examples of Sporting Kansas City being on the wrong end of several calls this year (and in others). It’ll surely make a potential playoff meeting between these clubs that much saltier. I just need the broadcast to say, “Finally, Tim Melia has come BACK to Seattle” if they have homefield advantage.

I saw it suggested that Tim Melia should go as The Rock for Halloween. The timing is impeccable. I can’t wait for those social media posts.