Eric Wynalda speaks on the Thierry Henry kerfuffle
by Steve Davis on Sep 22, 2010 4:31 PM EDT
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I’m busier today than a barkeep on $1 beer night.
I'm running down a few rabbit holes and prepping to go chat up New England Revolution-FC Dallas peeps tonight out at
(No matter how long it takes me to drive from Daily Soccer Fix central in the gritty city out to the friendly Frisco ‘burbs, I promise not to tweet about it! Hell, I might even lie about it. I took a pretty good beating last week for that one. But the truth hurts – especially when it means she’ll never buy me another round. That super hurts.)
So, given this ugly degree of business, I’ll just leave you with this today:
Eric Wynalda, who can text message faster than a 14-year-old girl, provided me with an interesting take today on the latest Thierry Henry kerfuffle.
(Like I say sometimes on these matters: When you talk about the Thierry Henry kerfuffle, you'd better damn well say which one!)
"It’s like running a red light," the former U.S. international said via texting magic. "You know you’re doing it and you know it’s stupid. Sometimes you get away with it. But if you hit somebody you’re breaking the law.
(MORE from Wynalda after the break ...)
"If a cop pulls you over, the first thing you say is, ‘Sorry, I know that was stupid.’ But if you injure somebody, ‘sorry’ just doesn’t cut it.
"There should be consequences."
He went on to add that he felt badly for Hartman, who was having an outstanding season.
I told Eric that if he was looking for an argument, he'd have to move along. I completely agree.
For the record, I’ve said the same thing. I understand that Henry didn’t intend to injure Hartman.
And so what? Lots of yellow (and even red) card offenses aren’t intentional. But they are still offenses worthy of a caution or ejection. The mistake was more on referee Hilario Grajeda, who didn’t have the guts to issue a second yellow card to the league’s poster boy of the moment. (In truth, I don't think it had much to do with Henry's stature. I just think MLS referees are generally too lenient on this kind of foolishness.)
Subsequently, the league should have issued a suspension. It doesn’t matter that Henry won’t play Friday due to injury. MLS looks bad on this one.
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It's Not Like Running a Red Light
Running a red light is flat out illegal.
Kicking the ball back into the net after your mate scores a goal is not against the rules. Some celebrations are banned ,for example, taking your shirt off. If kicking the ball a second time was banned then maybe Wynalda would have more of a point. Right now though, it’s an accepted part of the game.
Win or lose, we will always be here for you.
by johnjahafanclub on Sep 22, 2010 6:35 PM EDT reply actions
Well Actually....
After a goal is scored, the opposing team has the right to the ball, not the team that just scored. It’s generally not enforced as there is rarely any harm in letting a goal scorer or teammate grab the ball or kick it again into the goal. But….the team scoring the ball has no right to the ball. We just don’t call them on it b/c it rarely results in any injury or harm. So while the red light metaphor may not be a great one (b/c running a red light is flat out illegal), what about a rolling-not quite a stop—through a stop sign? You see that a lot. And the majority of the time, nothing happens. But it’s technically against the law. And in most cases it gets overlooked (unless there is a traffic watch set up to troll for tickets). Or unless someone gets hurt on the “not quite a stop”. Or turning without using a turnsignal (which is also illegal but rarely called—unless it results in an injury). The point Waldo is making here is that just b/c people do what Henry did (try to kick the ball in the goal after a score) doesn’t make it legal and the issue here is we overlook stuff like that—except when it results in an injury.
by JoeWillmore on Sep 22, 2010 10:30 PM EDT up reply actions
spot on.
and I think rolling through a stop sign or not using turn signal is a better metaphor for this instance. Very common, rarely enforced, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t wrong.
I have less respect for Garber after the gutless decision to only fine Henry a tiny percentage of his weekly salary. He should be suspended My opinion of MLS referees didn’t suffer much since it was already pretty low.
What about Hartman!
Hartman stepped in front of Henry at the last second intentionally. It’s not like he was just standing there in the way with his back turned and Henry kicked him without him knowing. Hartman intentionally tried to get into his way.
If someone jumps in front of your car it’s not your fault they got hit.
Win or lose, we will always be here for you.
by johnjahafanclub on Sep 23, 2010 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Your lying eyes.
What were you watching? Henry ran up to Hartman who was standing over the ball and slammed it into him before jogging away. It was clear as clear could be.
If it was truly an accident on Henry’s part (as he claimed), he would have immediately tended to the injured Hartman as opposed to skipping away from the scene.
by Phil McCrack'n on Sep 23, 2010 7:55 PM EDT up reply actions
Hartman
is 1 yard away and takes 3 steps forward to get in Henry’s way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X-J07RSJ9U
Win or lose, we will always be here for you.
by johnjahafanclub on Sep 24, 2010 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions
That's not what happens on that video
The ball is close to Hartman, he’s slowly walking up to it with his head down, looking at the ball, and Henry jogs in from farther away and kicks the ball just as Hartman gets to it with his foot. I doubt Hartman even saw him until Henry was kicking it, right in front of his face.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
Dead ball -
ball kicked away: automatic yellow card. Players already on a yellow get sent of regularly for that kind of foolishness over here in Europe. That said, St Thierry got his (more than) fair share of protection from those nasty Laws of the Game over here too…………
