So, I guess MLS commissioner Don Garber really does read that Twitter thing.

Last week, Houston Dynamo player Brian Ching reacted to a blown call during a Dynamo v Seattle Sounders game by doing what any reasonable person does today - he lashed out on Twitter. Ching, who was not at the game, but away on international duty, loaded up the internets and blasted this out to his followers:

"Ref in Seattle just cheated the dynamo. What a joke. Not even close. Ref is a cheat."

Here is the play in question. Which is really not a play in question once you watch the clip and see the blown call for yourself.

Ching followed it up the next day by issuing an apology, once again through Twitter. Twice in fact. But that was not good enough for those at MLS head office, as yesterday they levied the standard $500 fine for abuse of an official.

Or in this case Twitterabuse of an official - which, for the offending tweet, works out to about $7 a character ($6 if you count the spaces.)

It's a common and ridiculous knee-jerk reaction by the league which, in its efforts to stifle dissent on matters of refereeing, often provokes the opposite - pro-active debate from the fans.

This time has been no exception. No sooner had the MLS presser reached email accounts across North America, Zach Woosley, from the website Ginge Talks the Footy, had thrown up a flag to all like-minded MLS fans.

I'm proposing a way to voice my displeasure, and hopefully allow others to do so as well, in a productive and positive way. I'm going to create a page on Fundable.com to attempt to raise $500 to be donated to charity.

Here is how this works. We have 26 days to reach the set goal of $500. If we reach the goal, all the money will be presented to either a charity of Brian Ching's choosing or to Dynamo Charities on Brian's behalf.

Either way it's going to a good cause and allow those of us who feel Ching should not have been fined to channel some negative energy into a positive outlet.

No doubt that the grumpy men who don't like Twitter, or anything that involves asking questions and demanding answers, will see this as another fruitless attempt by fans to raise awareness on the issues that dog MLS.

But, I for one, am going to put some money behind this cause...

(Cue Alan Sader) For less than a price of coffee today, you too can change the life for one MLS player.

Bring Brian Ching in from out of the cold and give him the warmth and comfort to know that MLS fans everywhere will support players who speak their minds.  

Zach is asking for $1 from 500 people.

Isn't that worth the price of helping support this child player?

Cheers

ben.rycroft@metronews.ca

Oh, and the debate for goal line technology, is officially on again. FIFA president Sepp Blatter's comments couldn't have come at a better time for those watching from behind North American screens. I'm definitely in the pro-technology camp.

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Post to my facebook too

Dudes from Toronto are funny looking.

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