Comets are reaching for anyting and everything to explain whey they lost. So basically had none of this occured, they woudl have stayed undefeated and beat the Blast. The fact that not only the headbutt was criminal, but Harris sliding into Levi trying to break his leg. Watch the video, no need for that. Then link a punk, just walks off the field.
Sorry but criminally speaking that tackle is in no way illegal. It's a dick move, granted, but no that foul happens every season in the course of games, you are simply talking out of your backside. If that was a criminal offense we'd have football players getting arrested on the field every week and at least 2 or 3 arrests every Saturday in the MLS. It's a 1 footed slide tackle (late) from slightly behind the player (7:30/8oclock). Harris had left his feet to start the tackle when the ball was still on Levi's foot. I know your upset but stop with the internet lawyer/hyperbole.
I'm not saying he should be arrested for it. Was saying it was a classless move with the game out of hand to slide in that hard trying to hurt him. Showing no class would have been a full on brawl for what the other players did. Blast had better judgement and class and knew they had more to play for.
Oh please. It was malicious. It was a 3 goal game with 12 seconds left. Bryan Harris intentionally attempted to injure him. Period. If you think otherwise you are blinder then a bat. He was red carded out of the game for the tackle it was so bad.
Oh please? How do you know that Harris wanted to intentionally injure the guy? I have seen games where guys think they can get the ball and then realize about halfway into the tackle that they can't make it. The red card was given, he was sent off. Harris plays from whistle to whistle meaning that he plays hard the whole game. If you actually met him you would realize he is a very nice guy. In fact after a game this year, my son was getting an autograph from him and Brian actually asked if he could get a picture with my son. The guy is just doing a job on the field and he knows those other guys are just doing their job as well. What happens on the field vs. what happens after the game are night and day. There are tons of soccer players who play this way. I don't hold anything personally against someone who is playing hard. I saw a ton of times that Healy two hand shoved Gibson to the ground and there was also a blue card foul where Perez was shoved into the dasher boards. I guess since it was in the middle of the game, that dangerous play was OK in your opinion. Also, I am sure Harris wasn't watching the clock at the end. He was focused on the field so your "12 seconds" comment doesn't really matter. Imagine if it was outdoor and the referee has stoppage time. Does that mean that players just stop after 90 mins and stand there until the referee blows the whistle? C'mon man, give me a break.
"The fact that not only the headbutt was criminal, but Harris sliding into Levi trying to break his leg." - That's the sentence you wrote, claiming it was criminal and that's what I was responding to. It's very possible to think Harris might have just being trying to show the guy up. However, he wasn't trying to break the guy's leg, as you claimed. I went ahead and watched it several times this morning to get a fresh perspective on it with cool blood, he went in single leg and kept his foot to the ground. If he was trying to "break his leg" he'd have gone in 2 footed or raised his forward foot above the ankle. You're being hyperbolic and looking at the tackle in the context of what happened after the game, which is unfair to Harris. I don't have a big problem with the direct red, simply because of the game situation, but objectively it wasn't a particularly brutal slide tackle and during the normal course of games I've seen the same get called a blue. If it's elevated to red because the game situation dictated that it was unnecessary, that's reasonable. It's not reasonable to try and trump up claims the tackle was particularly vicious or to claim Harris had intent to injure/"break his leg". But, it's pretty obvious that you aren't arguing with facts because you also criticized him for walking directly off the field after the red. I really have no clue what you want/expect him to do there, after being awarded the red. He didn't stand around screaming about the call, he didn't get in the other player's faces or try to pull him up, he didn't engage the crowd. He didn't stand around waiting to get into a shoving match. He did about the most defusing thing possible in that situation, he quickly and directly walked off the field.
So you missed Harris getting up in Levi's face after a foul at 44:6 remaining in the 4th. It was a calculated retaliation by Harris. How about Perez's two handed shove on Healey at 3:08:20 of the video after Sosa was red carded (at 52.3) for mouthing off at the refs? Who was serving Sosa's penalty? AFTER REVIEWING THE VIDEO...IT WAS BRAITHWAITE!! After watching the last 52 seconds in the box he walked directly from the box to headbutt Healey. IT WAS PREMEDITATED!!! There was clear intent to do something to any Blast player going on.
Oh well, since he took a photo with your kid, that obviously makes him a saint. Case closed. Can't believe nobody pointed this out earlier.
Just to add, Braithwaite nearly jumps out of the penalty box onto the field when Harris gets the red card for taking out Levi with 12.1 to go. He is standing up waiting to enter the field when play restarts.
Being serious though... anybody who thinks that Harris tackle was anything other than a red is absolutely clueless. It wasn't just a typical tackle from behind. Given the context, he knew full well what he was doing. 12 seconds left, down by 3. Absolutely no attempt at getting the ball. That's an attempt to injure. Clear red and should be suspended for a couple matches next season (assuming there is one for all parties involved)
I love how everyone knows what was in somebody else's head. I also find the amount of Lawyers on here somewhat impressive. It was a game that got out of control, Both teams had players talking smack and fouling each other and flopping on the ground. Its over Andre was released and Harris and Sosa will probably miss the opener next year. It comes down to the Blast scored more goals than the Comets. Some players from both sides lost there control and made bad choices. I witnessed players from Both sides cursing at each other and Blast players mother********ing a couple of fans whose only interaction was the ball going out of bounds and ending up in there sons lap. Healy told him to "Give me the ball ************************" So nobody is free of the drama. And to all wanting charges filed and suspensions and blah blah blah.....you should spend more time just hoping for a league and a team next season. The game is over get behind the Blast or the Flash enjoy the final and be happy there is indoor soccer. Because you cant change it you cant fix what happened and you cant take emotion out of it.
No but the behavior prior to it and leading up to it caused the end result. Both teams committed serious fouls. Both teams were talking shit it all led to the headbutt.. Not the Riot that the Baltimore news stations claimed. Half the Comets players including Josh Gardner and Max, Cody ran to Healys defense and not to kick him when he is down. I believe Andres actions were unprofessional and uncalled for. I also believe Harris stopped short of taking out the blast player. If you look at it Harris had a full head of steam and could have went right through the Blast player and just laid him out. It didn't happen because he didn't follow through. I am not claiming to be in his mind. I do however think that a man with his ability and his skill does not miss a complete tackle with a head of steam. I guess if he wanted to and followed through the Blast player would be at the hospital today. I hope I am right and that he had a second thought and stopped. I hope so and to the person who commented on him posing for a photo with the kids. Brian Harris coaches my son and he teaches the boys to play with heart ,compassion he teaches them sportsmanship and hard work. I don't care if you don't see it my way. I am just sharing my opinion the same way as you do.
on a positive note the Blast have been getting a lot more face time on the local news as a result. May help the crowd Friday. I heard they will have an ambulance circling the Royal Farms arena with the lights and siren on. Sorry could not find an English version.
The Blast were the lead story, including a reporter down at the arena, video of the headbutt, game talk, and interview with Ed Hale on the ABC2News last night in Baltimore
Deadspin article. Nothing new here. http://screamer.deadspin.com/masl-p...source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow
yes he did..He proved that he is human and he let emotion over ride. Im sure it will be discussed and he will accept the blame. I am sure it will be a teaching topic for the kids. So which is better someone who make a mistake and takes responsibility and atones for that...or someone who feels they have no blame in the game. I prefer the human side it happens in all jobs and walks of life.....I am sorry we have rained on your otherwise no blame perfect world ...dcu926.....FO
I'm going to guess he wasn't trying to make a hustle play to score three goals in the last 10 seconds.
You actually have to admire the complete blind faith, devotion and denial of some Comets fans, blaming everyone except the people who actually perpetrated the acts. I've always supported the Comets, Waltman is by far my favorite non-Wave player, as I think they did an outstanding job developing an outstanding team. I was 100% behind them in this series. However, it's hard to continue to support them in light of all of the things they've done over the last couple of seasons. This is the tip of the iceberg, but anyone who thinks this game is the only incident the Comets have had in the past couple of years has very short term memory.
and your team has never had a bad moment or moments?...whatever ....cant wait till next year to watch LSO and the new guy Walls flop around on the ground every time the wind blows through the joint...hahahaahaha
Find it funny that Harris trying to harm Levi wasn't that bad? With 12 seconds there was no need to go in that hard with the game all but over. What was the outcome? The Blast were playing keep away, and wasn't trying to advance the ball. I did noticed a couple of players came over to Healy. Gibson is just as aggressive as the next player. While he is a good offensive player, he dosen't play defense alot and will tend to cherry pic alot. Again, it's not bashing Gibson cause he is a great player. Let's not make Gibson to be a model player
Everybody's team has had bad moments and if the Comets fans here and on social media would have just said " hey, that was wrong, I'm both surprised and embarrassed by the behavior of guys that my family and I have interacted with and this is not the behavior that I would expect from them" this would have passed by now. But what has happened is just the opposite, with few exceptions Comets fans have tried to rationalize the poor sportsmanship and behavior. Last year, I thought the Comets " thugged it up" in the finals with a lot of away from the ball contact and pushing that caught the Blast by surprise. I said nothing, Blast fans said nothing and when the Comets won in Baltimore, they were allowed to celebrate their victory on the Blast's home field without a lot of drama. At the end of the game the fans stayed and applauded the Comets as they received their awards. However Sunday, the fans threw drinks and objects on the field, parents encouraged their children to do the same, you can see on the video that near the end a kid keeps throwing his Comets t-shirt that was a prize at the Blast players who calmly picked it up, repeatedly and returned it to the kid without comment. At the end of the day, the Comets and their fans were both surprised and disappointed that their perfect year ended so abruptly and some of the players and fans reacted in a manner that was over the line. All of that is bad enough, but at least that happened in the heat of the moment, I personally find the continued denial, rationalization and excuses by Comets fans and the Comets' coach to be equally offensive. Ironically, one of the few responses that I found to be appropriate was by Braithwaite himself. I would not want to be defined by my worst moment and I will not define others by what I hope is their worst moment, but Comets fans by their reaction are extending the moment.
Based on the radio interview last night, Comets ownership wasn't ashamed of those actions. To funny. To me had this been a regular season game, it could have gotten out of hand. The Blast players weren't going to do anything to keep them out of the final series...
it was not a kid it was some 20 something douche that threw the shirt and the people around him told him to stop. I was standing right there and never seen a drink get thrown on the field. It may have happened. I didn't see it. I also went and talked to Vanzella after the game and Donatelli signed a picture for my son and I to add to the collection. I cant speak for Comets owner, I was friends with the Previous owner (RIP). I think the Comets squandered at least seven chances to score in the first half and it was a great back and forth game. The one call turned the tide because the Comets lost composure and Baltimore cruised. I make no excuses for thug like behavior. I am not blaming the officials no official wins the game for you. The Comets just never got back in the game simple as that. The Blast were the better team this time just like the Comets were better last time. There were plenty of Blast players that came out during the autograph session after the game and there was no fights, no fans hurling drinks or insults. The were talking to fans and other players and were approachable....but whatever, im sure the Flash wont play physical or"dirty" so it should be a fun game to watch....