Come on!!!!!..... you always say that americans must change the idea that soccer is not a soft sport.... but when something ugly happens, you all started to cry about that... get a grip boys....
There's a world of difference between playing aggressive and playing dirty. I am all for aggressive play - knocking the small, whiny punks off the ball is something I loved to do when I played, and I enjoy watching the pros do it too. However, I have never once gone in on someone with studs up, nor did any of my H.S. teammates (and we got, IIRC, 9 red and 20 yellow cards in 19 games). We were physical, loudmouth players, but we all knew that making a tackle like Hristo did was stupid, dangerous, and most likely have gotten us banned by the league. I don't think Hristo should be kicked out. But on the other hand, if he can't control himself against a 20-yr-old in a scrimmage, I think he should probably hang up the boots and walk away before he does something like this again. And MLS3, please stop talking. I know for a fact that the Bronx (where I'm currently located) is a far more dangerous place than "Turnwater, WA".
I agree bunch of little POOF's. ************ lihe this happens in the EPL. The league all you same freaking whiners adore so much!!!! Those guys would be like ************!! happens. Oh no please don't tackle me otherwise i won't be able to dribble and drink my latte. PLEASE!!!!!!!!! Where are the freaking men in here!??!
I agree with you. Apparently we have a bunch of sappy dribble like a Balarina sip my latte softies who don't knwo that the real!!! sport of soccer has some pretty serious hits in it. The suburban version of the sport apparently should have rules where all the little boy childs should play in a bubble!!!!!!!
Yes serious injuries occur in EPL and MLS scrimmages ALL THE TIME!!!! So what if it was a college game scrimmage. WE HAVE PROS IN MLS YOUNGER THAN THIS KID WAS!!!!!!!!!!!!! So let's say Santino Quaranta who is 17 Tackled this guy, Would that make you feel better???
Personally, I agree that things happen on the field, its just a fact of playing contact sports....But, when someone gets hurt by a stupid play in a scrimmage, you are going to hear some noise...Like many have said Hristo is a professional...He should have known better... There is no way you think that Hristo was 'right'...Christ, he knows he wasn't right..... But, you and MLS3 keep on thinking you are the toughest guys around.....
No, that wouldn't make me feel better. A dirty play is a dirty play is a dirty play... It doesn't matter who commits it. However, the fact that Stoichkov IS so much older and that he IS so much more experienced than the other player makes it that much worse. And comparing an EPL match to a college game is ludicrous. True, injuries and physical play abound wherever you go, but the stakes are much higher in England. What did DC really have to prove in this game? Nothing. I'd like to see what you guys would say if you had been the one whose leg was snapped in half by a dirty tackle. You might say "it's part of the game", but everyone here knows that it's not a part of the beautiful game. BTW, it's "ballerina", Steve. I figured you, of all people, would've known that.
What does playing dirty have to do with being a quarterback? When was the last time you saw Brett Favre sucker-punch a defensive lineman? Never, and you wanna know why? Because the DL would drop the QB like a bad habit. The QB is the most protected player in the game (by the refs, not just the offensive line). So don't talk about other people being "soft". Phoenix JC? Isn't that the school that gives you a degree over the Internet?
Actually the person crying most about it is this alleged tough guy international people are defending. If Stoichkov is such a hard guy and its no big deal why was he hovering over the kid bawling his eyes out after it happened? If he had this "s**t happens" attitude other people seem to have he would've just looked down at the guy, said "hey tough luck kid, but that's soccer", and walked away. Instead, "something ugly" happened because of his tackle and he literally "started to cry" about it.
Phoenix College is the internet one, Phoenx JC is different... and i actually have injured 2 players from the quarterback position, both blocks on reverses around the knees, actually happend in back to back games... and the quarterback is rightly the most protected player because they are the ones who are standing targets for 300lbs fat guys to come murder... when did i say tumwater, washington was a dangerous place, i don't claim to be some tough guy over a computer, i just put my opinion out and then a bunch of babies cry about sports being too tough... just from scanning through it appears that only myself, stevedm and of course Mike Segroves are the only ones who aren't weak as ***************...
injuries happen YEs BUT.. The most important thing is that Stoich and United make this as right by Freddy and American U. as possible {what happened[Stoitchkov was incensed and berated the linesman who he accused of missing an obvious offside call. Off the restart, Llerena ,5-7 150 ,was first to a loose ball and as he tried to settle it, Stoitchkov, who goes 5-9 and 181 pounds, took a run at the youngster, flying in with a two-legged tackle, breaking his leg with a loud snap, audible for some distance. As Llerena screamed in pain, Stoitchkov, tears streaming down his face, hovered over the fallen player as he was treated for about 30 minutes before being taken to the hospital. Stoitchkov then sat on the United bench, his face buried in his hands. One of the parmedics said, "It looks like the kid has been hit by a car." ]} and team wise DC is mentally off to a bad start ""I just don't know what to say," United midfielder Ben Olsen said. "It's really disheartening. We all feel so terrible. That's the worst injury I have ever seen." and Petke called it horrible "It was a very, very rash tackle," said visibly distraught United coach Ray Hudson. "Obviously there is no excuse for it in any way. I just don't know what (Stoitchkov) was thinking. There's just no way we can say to the young man, or to his teammates, or the university, how sorry we are. It's just devastating for all of us." Stoich should get a game ban equivalent to what this has drawn in past MLS games (more severe than Pollard's injury from the fire tackler)+ [harsher than what Balboa got for Calichman's tackle) and Stoich/dc should pay his bills and donate to HIM a couple of his game checks its the least he could do and when and if this kid plays again/graduates DC owes this kid a tryout if he wants one
Hattrix - nice post...you quoted 3 lines and changed the order of them...congrats... Like i've said before i could give a flying *************** what people on a message board say about me, its pretty sad that I've even getting this many responses...
LOL "a virtuoso" now THAT is funny! The only real waves this guy has made in the last 3 years has been in the bath tub. Now he's wrecking guys in games with no consequence. What he was once may have been something to see, but these days I think it is obvious he's nothing more than a mediocre (AT BEST) player and certainly playing with NO CLASS!
Hey Kids: Stomp on your friends wearing authentic Hristo gear: http://www.cmgww.com/sports/stoitchkov/siteinfo/faq.html
Well since you don't know much the guy almost single handedly drove the Fire to the 2000 MLS final. But since you little poof's are more worried about how a player should be banned for spilling your cappucino you can't really judge talent. HE was one the 20 best of all time in soccer history. Shows what you know about soccer. Yeah 9 goals during the playoff run in 2000 is HARDLY making waves. Better spend your time deciding who should get the death penalty for tackling hard.
I think the action, while malicious, is not deserving of a lifetime ban. For it to have been a lifetime ban, he would have had to do the same thing to the ref and the paramedics.
The difference here is that the Open Cup has a disciplinary authority that supercedes that of MLS. The fact that Stoitchkov was wearing an MLS uniform, representing an MLS club and playing in a game officiated by referees assigned by U.S. Soccer gives MLS some oversight on the matter. They are right to treat this as if it were an MLS game because it was a public event at which league employees represent the league. Those of you who say "it's up to the team - not the league" seem to be forgetting: the league owns the contracts of all players!. This could be considered for disciplinary reasons similar to how the Yankees handled disciplining David Wells for some comments he made in a book that embarrassed the team or how the FA punished Roy Keane for comments he made in a book. An action that happens outside the environment of an actual league game does not necessarily mean it is outside the jurisdiction of the league or team. Why is nobody here saying anything about the fact that he is an assistant coach for D.C. United? I think that makes the incident worse. It's not like he's a washed-up Ian Bishop kind of player that took an unprovoked swipe at an 18 year-old in an exhibition match - this is the assistant coach of a team taking an unprovoked swipe at an 18 year-old in an exhibition match. If an assistant coach who is not also a player assaulted an opposing player, there would be harsh consequences for that. I really disagree with the team deferring to the league for a disciplinary decision on this incident because Stoitchkov is their assistant coach. I believe staffing contracts are done directly with the clubs, whereas playing contracts are all done with the league. One other thing to consider, incidents like this may compromise the future of pro vs. collegiate scrimmages if the colleges' insurance companies say "we don't want you sending out 17-22 year olds to play against men in their 30s". Even in games where admission is not charged and it's just an exhibition, the players must be insured in case there is an incident that puts their livelihood at risk. The league might have to modify its insurance policies to cover non-league players who play against their teams in scrimmages in order to get opponents. And that has financial implications to it.
2 hours ago I saw an .mpg of the event on Garber's laptop. It's a red card offense, but it's not a flying double-studs-up ninja assasin manouevre. Most importantly, it's not a litigous event, nor does it merit civil charges. It was bad, he should have known better, but I'm cancelling the "Ban Stoichkov" sign for opening day. Garber is all over this incident; the Stoichgoon is catching major hell right now. According to Garber, they have talked to the player's family and, as of now, not much more is likely to happen. Let me put it this way. KGB Dema's assault on Pollard was more agregious. At least Stoichgoon was going for the ball in this week's incident. And it didn't happen "immediately after a linesman's call"; it was during the run of play. -imn
While everyone is entitled to an opinion - on this or anything else for that matter - it is quite ridiculous to have a poll where almost everyone voting has NOT seen the incident.
I am not buying that crap anymore. You're not the first person to say this, but give me a break. If there were some question, or there were conflicting reports I'd let this slide. But come on... These things are being accepted as fact: -HS was upset about an non-call -HS went right at the guy right after kick off -HS went in hard and broke his leg in two places (two footed by most accounts) -HS was red carded A person wouldnt have to see any video to have an opinion on if he should be fined/suspended. Banned from MLS is a little harsh. But this "you cant have an opinion if you didnt see it" excuse is crap.