In news reports of matches, readers are subjected to opinions of varying quality, especially in discussion of the laws of the game. The “denial of a goal-scoring opportunity” is especially contentious because it involves a player getting sent off.

Here is a classic that has all the elements that a referee must use before he pulls the red card. I thought you’d enjoy it, and since I know the referee, honest and true to the game, I couldn’t resist putting it up.

• It is a clear foul, in this case holding an opponent, eventually pulling him to the ground.

• The attacker had passed the defender, was heading toward the goal and had only the goalkeeper to beat.

• No other defender could have reached the attacker to challenge him.

• The attacker had the ball within his playing distance and under control (or would have if the defender hadn’t pulled him off it).

Despite all this, the foolish commentator spouts out that he didn’t agree with sending the player off ! He is Richard Broad, who was working for the Big Ten network. I wonder which of the above he disagreed with . . . based upon his years of experience refereeing at the highest level of course.

The referee is Rich Grady, who represented the United States as a FIFA referee a few years ago.