NEW YORK - The Professional Referee Organization (PRO) issued an apology today to referee Ted Unkel for Unkel missing the call on himself during the referee’s match.

The press release stated the following, “During the D.C. United against Columbus Crew game, referee Ted Unkel was placed in a violent and unacceptable situation by MLS players Wil Trapp and Luciano Acosta. PRO wishes to apologize to Referee Unkel for the untenable position that caused himself to miss his own call on himself about himself as he was not looking at himself about what he was doing and instead was watching and not watching the other players who were running towards him really fast. PRO wishes to encourage disciplinary action to be performed against Mr. Trapp and Mr Acosta for their violent assault of the center referee.”

Unkel was in the center of the action, this weekend, as he was very clearly bowled over repeatedly over and over and over for one time by Luciano Acosta and Wil Trapp.

“This kind of travesty will not stand,” stated PRO spokesman Jimmy Carter. “We must protect our referees from their own decisions, especially when their own decisions are non-calls on themselves about themselves as they attempt to not play the ball.”

PRO asked that in lieu of a punishment against the teams that Unkel would be allowed to send off both players retroactively and be the center referee for the next four Columbus Crew and D.C. United games.

The Nutmeg News will have more on this as Unkel is awarded a meritorious service commendation for missing his work and then correcting that missed work.