Dirty New Mexico soccer

Not necessarily. Had she gotten to the ball and dragged it back between 7's legs and maintained possession, it would've been a sweet play.

 

OK, soccer ref here (and I can't believe this is the first thread that's ever persuaded me to respond on SJ). The center ref appears to have completely lost control of this game, and what his assistant refs on the sidelines were looking at is a complete mystery. That said: The elbowing incident should have been at least yellow caution to both players, though the responding blow by 15 is worthy of a red card, as she winds up to strike an opponent (violent conduct). Second incident: at least a yellow and possibly a red for the kick to the ball/opponent while the player was down (serious foul play/violent conduct). Third incident: Straight red to No. 15 for a vicious studs up lunge (serious foul play). That is simply a textbook red-card foul. Fourth incident: Straight red for the ponytail pull (violent conduct). The tug on the shorts by the white-team player is trivial. Fifth incident: Red card for deliberately kicking the ball into the prone opponent's face (violent conduct). Sixth incident: Red card to 15 for striking an opponent. Even if you don't give the red there, you've got to give the yellow for playing in a dangerous manner, which would have been a second caution and a red card for No. 15.

There is really no defending No. 15 on any of these plays, no matter what else had happened previously.

 

I've read many posts here questioning how serious some of player's actions were, and that the BYU players many have been exaggerating. I've gone back and watched the video several times and have changed a couple opinions.

21 seconds: the first incident. BYU player does give a slight elbow to 15's gut. 15 retaliated with a forearm to the back. Honestly, nothing wrong there. If the ref had seen it, I wouldn't even justify a card. Just a stern warning.

:27: 15 was going in recklessly. Foul.

:31. Reckless again this time from behind. Yellow card.

:35. Nothing.

:39. BYU player does give a shorts tug, which if you ever played soccer at a competitive level, happens on any set piece in the penalty box. Maybe this is just how I handled it, but I would slap the shit out the hand, claw or pinch. They never retaliated back. What 15 did was incomprehensible. I have never seen a retaliaion like that. If 15 can't handle a shorts tug, she doesn't need to play soccer. Get in her face and threaten her. Pull her shorts back. Yank her hair? Chickenshit stuff. Red card. And rest assured, if Julie Foudy - who played at a higher level than anyone here and has been subjected to much worse than an elbow to the gut and shorts tug - says it's going over the line, I'll take her word over anyone's here.

1:05: 15 intentionally kicked the ball at the BYU player falling down. i don't know if she was fouled in the first place, but doing what 15 did is again inexcusable. Red card.

1:15: She had one intent there - to bloody the BYU player's nose. Striking or attempting to strike an opponent is a foul that results in a red card.

Three red card offenses by 15. As much as she should be held accountable, so should the referee.

 

The New Mexico athletic department won't do anything to the girl. Heck, they will probably give her a medal. Seems like they like violence over there. Just look at what happened to the football coach. He attacks his assistant coach and the AD just reprimands him. The university had to step in and still they just suspended him for 8-10 days.

 

Good stuff.

 

That wasn't a vicious studs-up lunge. Some of your other points might be valid, but not the one for the 31-second mark.

 

I was going to make a joke about Mormons and their proselytizing, but that may be in bad taste.

 

THe refs have to take a lot of blame, too. Hopefully, they are suspended or something to the effect. How could the ref and the linesmen not see anything?

 

Unplug it.

 

At least in high school, IIRC, the signal is an X with the arms. Not sure if that's what you're going for, though.

 

Thank you.

He's dead on, and he has the credibility to prove it. Even if she was just "going after the ball" in those situations, her intent was to go after the ball recklessly and violently and to hurt her opponent in the process, and that's enough to warrant at the very least a yellow card.

It's like an NBA player clothes-lining someone going up for a dunk, then just claiming he was going for the ball. That doesn't fly.

This girl should play her senior year in the NAIA. Completely uncalled for on so many levels.

And New Mexico "suspended her indefinitely." Considering the season is over, who knows what that means.