Hair-pulling soccer player both sorry and defiant

Submitted by Matt on Wed, 2009-11-18 21:16

Like clockwork: I'm a girl so it's harder for me. Same old story, here. Excerpt:

'Lambert said she does not recognize herself pulling down Kassidy Shumway by the BYU player's ponytail during a Nov. 5 game in the Mountain West Conference semifinals.

"I look at it and I'm like, 'That is not me,' " Lambert told The New York Times. "I have so much regret. I can't believe I did that."

However, Lambert contends other aggressive play, including elbowing an opponent in the back, trips and hard tackles, and an episode in which she seemed to throw a punch at an opponent's head, were to some degree misunderstood by casual fans.

Lambert, who called the apparent punch inadvertent, said her actions were blown out of proportion because they occurred in a women's game.

"I definitely feel because I am a female it did bring about a lot more attention than if a male were to do it," Lambert said. "It's more expected for men to go out there and be rough..."'

And there you have it. "...more expected for men to go out there and be rough." For this reason, it is OK for her not to just be rough but basically to commit what would otherwise be assault? And then not get called on it until her behavior just got so bad that someone had to do something to stop it? If a male player grabbed another fellow by the hair like that and pulled him down, he'd be suspended for I-dunno-how-many games and probably beat up by the other team's players, and without much sympathy from the coaching staff or fans, either.

"I'm just a girl", just like the song says. If she is going to wear an unflattering nickname, I rather think "Princess Elizabeth" seems to fit better than "loco Lobo", since she strikes me less as being nuts and more as being your typical spoiled-rotten and petulant teen princess that has become the norm.

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Comments

Being rough is one thing, but in men's sports , they do not allow unsportsman-like conduct, unnecessary roughness, violence, etc. (I am most familiar with the NBA)

Just making your hands into the shape of a fist (as if challenging an oponent or getting ready to throw a punch) in the NBA is a a $10,000 fine. A flagrant foul can be upwards of $30,000 and if you get so many technical fouls in a season you need to sit out a game w/o pay!

Sure the guys are rough and intimidating, but the NBA league hits them in the pocketbook if they mis-behave (and it is based on the ref's/league's opinion which can be very unfair). My children's father was in the NBA for 10 years and was fined and disciplined plenty throughout his career (and he never made a fist or threw a punch; it was mostly due to trash-talk, guys flopping on him, or a "pay back" for an earlier foul put on him or a teammate).

I don't believe men would have gotten away with acting like this. This girl is mistaken if she thinks men would not be punished for this type of behavior.

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Submitted by Kris on Thu, 2009-11-19 03:04

"If a male player grabbed another fellow by the hair like that and pulled him down, he'd be suspended for I-dunno-how-many games and probably beat up by the other team's players, and without much sympathy from the coaching staff or fans, either."

That's right!!

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Submitted by Kris on Thu, 2009-11-19 03:16

you know what's the worst part?

some people think that simply banning fights altogether is the solution.

mostly on the grounds that it gives the sport a barbaric image.

however, if we ban fights, the void will be replaced with cheap shots. those are obviously more dangerous since you can't really predict them.

result, more wounded players. however, i'll agree that unprovoked attacks should be dealt with.

there was such a thing in my local news in amateur hockey where a goalkeeper crossed the arena to the other one and started wailing on him for no real reason. he then proceeded to give everyone the finger.

if that's what really happened, then yeah, i disagree. however, this is not a good enough reason to ban fights. i'd rather see two players fight each other and get it over with than seeing exchanges of cheap shots during the whole match.

besides, pro sports are about men pushing themselves to the limit and sometimes split-second decisions. they're under a lot of stress and to expect perfectly logical and clear-headed judgement calls at all times is simply unrealistic.

they're only human and are prone to mistakes just like anyone else.

however, like i say sometimes, most people may not agree because it makes sense.

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Submitted by dudejo on Sun, 2009-11-22 14:12