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MANCHESTER, England -- WWE-style grappling at corner kicks, manhandling of match officials, verbal abuse: Sometimes the beautiful game can take on an ugly side.This season, at least in these early weeks, English Premier League referees are taking a stand.The start of the new English football season has been marked with no-nonsense -- some might say over-zealous -- officiating that has got fearful defenders re-evaluating their trade and penalty-taking strikers licking their lips at the opportunities coming their way.One referee awarded two penalties in the same game for pushing and holding in the penalty area at a corner kick. Another has yellow-carded a player for sarcastically applauding a decision. Diego Costa, Chelseas typically irate striker, has already been booked for aggressively approaching a referee. After two rounds of fixtures, seven penalties have been awarded already, compared to three at the same stage last season.Its not uncommon for referees to put down markers early in the season or at the start of a major international tournament. Before too long, they have eased off.It remains to be seen if that will be the case this season.Its fine as long as its consistent right from now to the end of the season, Stoke manager Mark Hughes said. Usually it isnt.Stoke has been one of the teams to suffer from the vigorous officiating. The team fell behind to Manchester City on Saturday when defender Ryan Shawcross was adjudged to have pulled back an opponent at a corner and conceded a penalty, converted by Sergio Aguero. In the second half, City conceded a penalty after Raheem Sterling impeded Shawcross at a corner when he wasnt even looking at the ball.After the game, both managers accepted there was a clear move by referees to act on grappling and shirt-pulling. And their players are starting to take note.The penalty was given for using my hands, said Shawcross, a physical and uncompromising center back. Its something Im going to have to look at and hopefully adapt in the right way, so I dont give any more penalties away.City defender John Stones also said he and his teammates would have to adjust to the new directive. Yet, there were also protests that things were being taken too far.If theyre penalties, then youre going to be giving two or three a game and its going to be a farce, Stoke striker Peter Crouch said.We were told they were going to give more penalties this year so we cant say we werent given a warning. Even so, when you see it in the cold light of day its hard to take.Yet, grappling at corners wasnt one of the issues the Premier League was openly targeting heading into the new season. The most popular league in the world was more concerned with the damage that abuse of match officials was doing to its image.To that end, the leagues top brass called for tougher action on dissent, insulting language and gestures, physical contact toward officials, surrounding officials and misconduct in the managers technical areas.People look to us to set the example across the world, Richard Scudamore, chairman of the Premier League, said during the offseason.Thats exactly what is happening.Bournemouth midfielder Harry Arter collected the first of his two yellow cards against West Ham on Sunday for dissent toward an assistant referee, and was later criticized by his manager.Weve been told about dissent -- its been drilled into us, Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe said. If we lose our discipline, we could have a flurry of red cards.Premier League managers held offseason briefings with referees and soccer authorities over the desired improvements in player behavior.They explained everything again, Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka said Tuesday. We have to be careful, they are the rules.Some players dont appear to be getting the message, though.Costa had 23 yellow cards and one red card -- for angrily approaching a referee -- across his first two seasons at Chelsea. He has been booked in both his opening league games this year, too, the first for dissent toward a referee.Asked if he knew about the new dissent law, Costa told ESPN: I am aware of it now. Steven Matz Jersey .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Todd Frazier Jersey . - Levi Browns tenure at left tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers is over before it even began. http://www.metssale.com/mets-tom-seaver-jersey/ . 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Basically youre going to make about 70 calls in 20 seconds and youre going to be evaluated every seven days, and by the next day whether you did a very good job or not.The Horned Frogs arent alone. Big 12 defenses are suffering every week.Eight of the leagues 10 teams rank No. 77 or lower nationally in total defense as the yards and points come in bunches. Six rank No. 67 or lower in scoring allowed. Four of those -- Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas Tech and Texas -- all surrender more than 35 points or more per game.And it could get worse.Most of those ugly stats were built against non-conference opponents. The leagues high-powered offenses are just getting warmed up as only Baylor and Oklahoma State have played more than one conference game.The outlier in all those missed tackles and wide open scoring passes is Kansas State, which ranks No. 4 in total defense but struggles to score. If the Wildcats can just figure out how to punch in a few touchdowns, they could run away with the league.After two straight losses giving up 50 and 49 points, Texas coach Charlie Strong had seen enough . He demoted coordinator Vance Bedford and will call defenses himself this week against Oklahoma.Bedford may be relieved to not be charged with defending fast-tempo offenses that spread the field, put a premium on open-field tackling and barely give defenders, or game officials, a chance to breathe.For some coaches, its not the game they love.Its beyond ridiculous. The way (offenses) run to the line of scrimmage and the referee has to run out of there to snap the football. To me, thats not football, Oklahoma defensive coordinator Mike Stoops said. What theyre doing to football is tough, its difficult. I dont even know what to call it anymore; I really dont.The Big 12 has had breakneck offenses for years, of course -- it just seems that the defenses havent caught up. The last time a Big 12 team ranked in the top 10 in total defense was in 2010, when Texas was No. 6 (TCU was No. 1 that seasoon but didnt join the league until 2012).ddddddddddddThe Longhorns were No. 3 in total defense in 2009 when they played for the national title. When Oklahoma won the 2000 national championship, the Sooners had a top 10 unit peppered with big-time playmakers.Those days of rockem, sockem Big 12 defenses are ancient history, Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said.Defensive statistics are not what they used to be and theyre not ever going to go back to the way it used to be, Gundy said. His Cowboys beat Texas 49-31 in a game that passed 1,000 yards of total offense.Offenses play fast ... Theres more speed on the perimeter ... (And) were back in a trend here where weve got fantastic quarterbacks playing in this league. When that happens, theyre going to run up 400-500 yards. Thats just the way it is, Gundy said.The league does have some gunslingers. TCUs Kenny Hill, Texas Techs Patrick Mahomes and Oklahoma States Mason Rudolph all rank in top the top 10 nationally in passing.But Big 12 defenses have been beaten up all around the country this season:- Texas has surrendered more than 500 yards and three or more touchdown passes three times in the first four games, while forcing just one turnover with no interceptions.- Texas Tech allowed Arizona States Kalen Ballage to score an NCAA record-tying eight touchdowns in a 68-55 loss. Ballage has scored just two more touchdowns in the Sun Devils four other games.- Defending Big 12 champion Oklahoma, which made the College Football Playoff last season, has given up 91 points in its last two games.When the Longhorns and Sooners play their annual rivalry game in Dallas on Saturday, the loser will come out 2/3 and facing a furious fan base. After two losing seasons, Strong is under enormous pressure to win this season or risk losing his job.A defensive coordinator at Florida when the Gators won two national titles, Strong is betting on himself to turn around Texas defense and season.I dont think its desperate measures, Strong said. Ive done it before. I see where I can help. Sometimes you need new energy and eyes.---AP Sports Writers Cliff Brunt, Stephen Hawkins and John Raby contributed. ' ' '