Granted, he did something truly idotic too, but think about this a second: Ante Razov got a longer suspension and bigger fine.
This just in: Generalissimo Franco is STILL DEAD! Film at 11. So the MLS disciplinary committee is just as inconsistent and random as their referees. Is this the least little bit surprising to anyone at all?
Did any of you actually watch the video? I'm just asking, because it really is a lot different than the intial reports.
Yes. Unfortunately, in the fuzzy one I saw it is really hard to make out exactly what happened. It also didn't put the attack into any kind of context. If MLS was going to make an example of Razov, they also need to make one of Hristo. The beginning of the season is a great time to "send a message" to the players that this kind of stuff won't be tolerated. MLS blew their chance, as unsurprising as that is
I was at the game. Hristo hit the kid a good three seconds after the play. You could hear the crack from a hundred yards away. The kid's leg was so shattered that players on the DC United bench literally threw up. I've been to over sixty MLS matches...hell, I even go to preseason games. However, I may not go to any DC United games this year after the ruling. I hope that the kid sues the hell out of him.
Razov got a $2,500 fine (I think) and a 3 game suspension for stepping on cry baby heaps leg. Hritso breaks a 20 year olds leg in a exhibtion game and get $2,000 fine 2 game suspension. WHAT A ***************IN JOKE he should have got atleast 6 games and fined $10,000 min. if not more.
I feel so bad for the kid whose leg he broke. I would sue like hell. The problem would be finding a judge who can understand soccer. I haven't seen the video but I'm assuming it's really bad. If it was as deliberate as it sounds, Stoitchkov deserves a lot more than what he got.
You know what happens when you assume.... Can see the video here. http://www.matt-stachelski.com/rome.htm
Come on now, get real. Fans don't "boycott" over bad calls....I know you may feel it was a terrible foul, but c'mon. Now if the Cubs tore down Wrigley or the Dodgers left Brooklyn, you could say something like that about them, but this is a punishment handed out by folks more qualified then the yahoos here.(hey,no offense haha) It doesn't matter if you think it is justice, it's a done deal. By the pro's. As far as suing him...sorry no dice. An athlete assumes a risk every time he steps out onto the field. A lawsuit won't happen. I really feel bad for the kid, but I don't see how he could sue. Boxers, hockey and pointy ball players don't get assault charges do they? A leg can be broken in a match , it's an unfortunate but realistic risk. I am in no way defending Hristo here, but I'd wager if he was wearing Fire red on that play, you all might not be so vociferous. And let's NOT compare this to Razovs disgraceful act last season. Hristo was apparently over zealous and reckless in the pursuit of a play, but Ante went beyond that and committed an act of aggression after a play had been made, on a man who was laying on the ground. Total lack of class. I am hoping Razov has thought about it over the off season and learned a lesson, if he matures his game and gets his head togehter he is our #1 asset.( sorry Beasley boosters) That all said it's scary to think of the Fire facing the leg breakin duo in Hristo and Dema.
Judging from the shoddy video of it that I saw, it wasn't as bad as it's made out to be. I can't say for sure though b/c I wasn't there.
uh oh - dueling fouls? Well...ummm..now that you put it like that...yeah. The resulting injury from Hristo's stupid, irresponsible, over aggresive play may have been more severe, terrible, and a real tragedy... whatever, but I don't think the intent was to ************ this guy up. I really don't. Maybe Hristo's gettin old...maybe his aim is slippin...maybe he just doesn't have the physical skills to pull off a tackle like he used to. BUT-Razov went out of his way to try to hurt somebody. By stomping on his nads no less! Hey i don't know about you but wasn't that considered a no go region from the time you were old enough to know better? I think Razov is great, but watching that was really dissapointing.....kinda like watchin Tyson gnaw ear, you hate to see somebody sink that low in a sporting event. But hey, that's just my take on it.
Re: uh oh - dueling fouls? Well I guess my point is that Jay Heaps is a bitch. I think that he pretty much deserved getting his thigh stepped on. Regardless of weather or not Hristo even ment to harm this kid, he broke his frickin leg. A compound fracture of both bones. Heaps got up and walked away, that kid from D.C. may never be able to play at the same level again. If "Maybe Hristo's gettin old...maybe his aim is slippin...maybe he just doesn't have the physical skills to pull off a tackle like he used to," then he needs to be taken off the field and just be a coach and not a player/coach. Razov does some stupid things and everyone knows that Hristo has too, but the penalties don't match up. I'm not saying that I'm surprised that the Disiplinary Committee is inconsistent but come on, everyone over on the D.C. board that was calling for Hristo's resignment are now saying how fair the punishment is. Razov isn't blameless by any degree, but if he got 3 games for a comparitive love tap then Stoich should have gotten a lot more than 2 games and some pocket change.
The DC board was pretty split as to what the punisment should be, but of course we're a little relieved that it isn't too severe given our current injury situation. As for the inconsistencies between the Razov and Stoichkov punishments, I think the case could be made that the league probably couldn't slap Hristo too hard since this was a scrimmage with a non-league team.