# Not your usual ESPN headline: "Referee beheaded after killing player" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 6, 2013, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-your-usual-espn-headline-referee-beheaded-after-killing-player/662799 "2013-07-06T18:35:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-your-usual-espn-headline-referee-beheaded-after-killing-player/662799/1 "2013-07-06T18:35:15Z")
For real. > **[Soccer on ESPN - Scores, Stats and Highlights](https://www.espn.com/soccer/?cc=5901)** > > Visit ESPN for soccer live scores, highlights and news from all major soccer leagues. Stream games on ESPN and play Fantasy Soccer. > [@](#): > > Dos Santos Abreu is believed to have struck the referee after questioning a decision. In retaliation, Jordao da Silva stabbed the player. > > Having witnessed the incident, an outraged group of spectators turned on the referee. He was tied up, beaten, stoned and quartered. They then put his head on a stake and planted it in the middle of the pitch. I’m not an expert on the rules. Is there some kind of point penalty for this? ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-your-usual-espn-headline-referee-beheaded-after-killing-player/662799/2 "2013-07-06T18:42:36Z")
I’m going to add that I wouldn’t be surprised if this turns out to be some sort of hoax or parody site. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-your-usual-espn-headline-referee-beheaded-after-killing-player/662799/3 "2013-07-06T19:05:42Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I’m going to add that I wouldn’t be surprised if this turns out to be some sort of hoax or parody site. Spoiled, because…it’s a picture. [http://www.domingoscosta.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/MORTE-PIO-XII-640x442.jpg](http://www.domingoscosta.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/MORTE-PIO-XII-640x442.jpg) There’s more pictures if you GIS for his name. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-your-usual-espn-headline-referee-beheaded-after-killing-player/662799/4 "2013-07-06T19:08:43Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I’m going to add that I wouldn’t be surprised if this turns out to be some sort of hoax or parody site. According to Wiki, ESPN FC is owned by ESPN. > **[ESPN FC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESPN_FC)** > > ESPN FC (formerly ESPN SoccerNet) is a website and a U.S. television studio program covering soccer that is broadcast daily over the streaming service ESPN+. ESPN FC's origin was a website owned by ESPN Inc. Originally established in 1995 as SoccerNet, the website was acquired by ESPN in 1999. The domain ESPNFC.com now redirects to soccer news coverage on ESPN.com. > Originally titled SoccerNet, the website was established by Greg Hadfield and his then-teenage son Tom in 1995, initially providing ... ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-your-usual-espn-headline-referee-beheaded-after-killing-player/662799/5 "2013-07-06T19:10:54Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > … > I’m not an expert on the rules. Is there some kind of point penalty for this? Yes, the visiting team gets a penalty kick using the referee’s head. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-your-usual-espn-headline-referee-beheaded-after-killing-player/662799/6 "2013-07-06T19:16:32Z")
> [@K364](#): > > Yes, the visiting team gets a penalty kick using the referee’s head. Or his feet. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-your-usual-espn-headline-referee-beheaded-after-killing-player/662799/7 "2013-07-06T19:23:20Z")
The most interesting part to me is > [@](#): > > He was tied up, beaten, stoned and **quartered**. They then put his head on a stake and planted it in the middle of the pitch. . Quartered? Who the hell quarters anybody anymore? Beheading never really goes out of style, but quartering is just Olde School. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-your-usual-espn-headline-referee-beheaded-after-killing-player/662799/8 "2013-07-06T19:27:58Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > The most interesting part to me is > . > > Quartered? Who the hell quarters anybody anymore? Beheading never really goes out of style, but quartering is just Olde School. Could be worse, they could have tarred and feathered him. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-your-usual-espn-headline-referee-beheaded-after-killing-player/662799/9 "2013-07-06T19:46:59Z")
I love this statement from the police: > [@](#): > > Valter Costa is handling the case and, in a statement, he said: “One crime never justifies another crime. Actions likes this do not collaborate with the legality of state law.” ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-your-usual-espn-headline-referee-beheaded-after-killing-player/662799/10 "2013-07-06T19:51:45Z")
Kind of makes Hernandez look like a piker. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-your-usual-espn-headline-referee-beheaded-after-killing-player/662799/11 "2013-07-06T20:00:43Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Could be worse, they could have tarred and feathered him. Yeah, you really have to admire the crowd for showing restraint. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-your-usual-espn-headline-referee-beheaded-after-killing-player/662799/12 "2013-07-06T20:37:50Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I love this statement from the police: > > > [@](#): > > > > Valter Costa is handling the case and, in a statement, he said: “One crime never justifies another crime. Actions likes this do not collaborate with the legality of state law.” Next time they’ll need to take out a permit and an inspector is going to make sure there’s a footing under the stake. It must be driven at least 48 inches deep to meet code. Did anyone else wonder why they had a stake? Did anyone else wonder how they managed get it in the ground? At least in Lord Of The Flies they were just worked with sand and not compacted dirt/mud. > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Yeah, you really have to admire the crowd for showing restraint. And having a restraint. “Be Prepared” that’s my motto. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-your-usual-espn-headline-referee-beheaded-after-killing-player/662799/13 "2013-07-06T20:45:42Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > The most interesting part to me is > . > > Quartered? Who the hell quarters anybody anymore? Beheading never really goes out of style, but quartering is just Olde School. Sadly, he’s behind in the fourth quarter. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-your-usual-espn-headline-referee-beheaded-after-killing-player/662799/14 "2013-07-06T23:29:02Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I’m going to add that I wouldn’t be surprised if this turns out to be some sort of hoax or parody site. I note that [some](http://www.bigsiteofamazingfacts.com/which-sports-stadium-has-a-moat) stadiums in South America including Brazil have moats, to keep fans from storming the field and attacking either the team or the referees. They get a bit over the top about sports there apparently. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-your-usual-espn-headline-referee-beheaded-after-killing-player/662799/15 "2013-07-06T23:45:48Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I’m not an expert on the rules. Is there some kind of point penalty for this? I think that’s a balk. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-your-usual-espn-headline-referee-beheaded-after-killing-player/662799/16 "2013-07-07T00:19:42Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > I note that [some](http://www.bigsiteofamazingfacts.com/which-sports-stadium-has-a-moat) stadiums in South America including Brazil have moats, to keep fans from storming the field and attacking either the team or the referees. They get a bit over the top about sports there apparently. Back in the mid-80’s I was at baking school and a fellow student was from Brazil. Now Denise was following the World Cup very closely because Brazil was one of the top teams. Some of us, her friends, yeah, we heard that Brazil had won in the semi-final game but we told her they’d lost and were out of the running. She started to cry and we felt pretty bad about the joke. So we confessed and she was so happy Brazil had won and was still in the game that she didn’t even mind our tease. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-your-usual-espn-headline-referee-beheaded-after-killing-player/662799/17 "2013-07-07T02:23:11Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > I note that [some](http://www.bigsiteofamazingfacts.com/which-sports-stadium-has-a-moat) stadiums in South America including Brazil have moats, to keep fans from storming the field and attacking either the team or the referees. They get a bit over the top about sports there apparently. I wonder if the Olympic committee is having second thoughts. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-your-usual-espn-headline-referee-beheaded-after-killing-player/662799/18 "2013-07-07T04:01:34Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Could be worse, they could have tarred and feathered him. This reminds me of some scene in “Life of Brian” where Brian, a centurion, and Brian’s fellow prisoner are talking. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-your-usual-espn-headline-referee-beheaded-after-killing-player/662799/19 "2013-07-07T04:18:41Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I love this statement from the police: > > > [@](#): > > > > Valter Costa is handling the case and, in a statement, he said: “One crime never justifies another crime. Actions likes this do not collaborate with the legality of state law.” The hell you say! ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-your-usual-espn-headline-referee-beheaded-after-killing-player/662799/20 "2013-07-07T04:22:31Z")
geez, I could have gone without the jpg ☹ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-your-usual-espn-headline-referee-beheaded-after-killing-player/662799.md?page=2)