It worked; but it is still weird (and unprecedented).
The 'it' in reference is the decision by Toronto FC coach John Carver to watch his club defeat Chivas USA from somewhere inside BMO Field.
But his location is just a talking point; the motivation behind the move is the real story.
Back in university (yes, I attended) a history professor of mine drilled it into the small third-year class that explaining who, what, where, when and why is important but trails the sixth question of 'How come?' in finding the truth.
I need not fill in the five Ws as four of them are obvious and the fifth one of 'Why' was left to interpretation in Chris Cummins post-match declaration that Carver, "(H)ad his reasons."
So instead I will practice what I was preached to and figure out the 'How come?'
As far as I can deduce, Carver either tried to make himself the story by not making himself the story or he has a martyr complex.
If he indeed is much smarter than we often give him credit for and understands the intricacies of reverse psychology then I tip my cap to a job well done. A boiling kettle without a shut-off valve all week, on Wednesday Carver cooled off and simply asked his team to win without described as an individual who sacrifices his/her own life to further the cause for the many.
Now a life was not at stake on Wednesday, but a livelihood might have been. If Carver blows his top and loses the match he might be knocking on Alan Shearer's door before the weekend.
But he accepted the $750 fine doled out by MLSand pushed it a step further by slapping his own wrist, showing MLS that its financial repercussions border on petty and that whether or not he screams and yells at referees has little to no impact on the game.
The actions of officials - and not an ill-tempered Englishman -- influence the game and should answer to orfall under the same punishment.
Silently spoken like a true martyr.
