Jezebel 
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New York, 9:11 AM
Sun Nov 22
23 posts in the last 24 hours
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11/19/09
uuhh, lady, Torsten Frings missed the World Cup semi-final for allegedly punching an Argentine player in the back during a fight (that the Argentines started); and he had to miss subsequent matches during the following season.
And male players DO get suspended. Even the ones for Real Madrid - the douchiest bunch of douches that ever douched.
11/19/09
11/19/09
However, the hair pull is what did it for me. That's not a body check, elbow to the ribs, or anything related to the play, but just a flat-out violent act. She should be ashamed of herself. I don't think that the story would have gotten less coverage if it were a collegiate male player, but obviously the stories wouldn't be framed through a sexist lens, like "ugly behavior from such a beautiful player!" It would just be "look at these out of control violent fouls!" The fact that professionals do worse things is irrelevant - this isn't a professional league, but rather college, which makes a huge difference, I think.
Anyway, I have no sympathy for this woman. If you play that far above and beyond the rules, you risk getting caught and facing the consequences. I just hope none of her opponents were hurt.
11/19/09
11/19/09
This is just one example of violence that is common in football. These men are professionals who rarely have account for their actions. Do we see these splashed all over television? No. It's just aggressive well played football. There might be a bit of discussion about how the lads should tone it down a bit, but they are certainly not villanized, but rather admired by people all over the world for their actions. Sorry, but this is a case of sexism, plain and simple. I'm just proud of Ms. Lambert for being accountable for her actions and setting a sportsmanlike example for others who let their emotions get the better of them.
11/19/09
11/19/09
11/19/09
11/19/09
11/19/09
But at the end of the day, the clips you are showing just demonstrate that these men should be punished for the acts on the field. And so should Ms. Lambert.
11/19/09
11/19/09
11/18/09
Forget the ponytail pull, which yeah, was insane and not something that would have to be restricted to women's soccer- she flat out pulls an opposing player's face to her by her hair and then punches her in the face in mid air.
I don't care about her punching the girl in the back. BYU gave her a shot to the ribs and she punched her back which was out of line but not ESPN or noteworthy.
I don't for a second chalk this up to sexism any more than I would chalk Serena's outburst being given attention because she is black. Lambert needs to just own up. When you act like a nut like Zidane, you need to accept you are going to be all over the internet and ESPN.
11/18/09
11/18/09
11/18/09
11/19/09
11/19/09
Ever heard of Martin Taylor? Abou Diaby? Both of those players severely injured (read:broken bones) other players in a very intentional manner and were never villanized like Elizabeth Lambert was.
11/19/09
What? Im sure you watch Match of the Day and listen to Five Live. Players who engage in dangerous play/elbowing/late tackles etc are called out by the pundits on there, week in, week out. What about Ballack elbowing Evra? Or Joey Barton going in for the stupid late tackle against Xabi Alonso? (These are just two I can remember off the top of my head). To say they suffer no backlash is untrue.
(I don't mean to single out your comments, but I just had to reply again...)
11/19/09
Actually, three years ago he would have done it. Nowadays he would probably go after the ref with the knife.
I used to really dislike him as a player, but now that's he's getting older, and the end of his career is in sight, he's starting to get kind of desperate and I am kind of enjoying him now that he's bringing the crazy. I'm pretty sure that if Germany doesn't win the World Cup next year, he is going to totally snap. I don't know what he will do, but, you better watch your back, Metze.
11/19/09
(Don't worry, I don't feel singled out. This is something I feel VERY strongly about as a football fan and a women and a former player who has engaged in the same behaviors Elizabeth has. I've been all over this thread.)
11/19/09
Poor Ballack, he's a busy little midfielder bee, but damn, if any player is a jinx, it's him.
11/19/09
But if we're talking about how the players have been treated within their own sport, well, I'd say their punishment has been pretty equal. Lambert gets an indefinite ban for several incidents during that match. And, for example, Adebayor gets a three-match ban for stomping on van Persie's face. And a three-match ban in a multi-million-pound league in which teams are under pressure every single week isn't a light punishment, by any means.
11/20/09
11/20/09
11/20/09
So the game starts, and about 20 minutes in, Materazzi jostles with a player, knocks him over. The guy gets up and - I kid you not - headbutts Materazzi in the chin! The whole crowd started booing and saying "Zidane due (Zidane the 2nd)!" Of course, being Inter fans, Materazzi somehow was the good guy. Ah, the blind belief of a club supporter.
#tips
11/18/09
11/18/09
However - what she did was not simple aggressive behavior. She committed multiple fouls and engaged in dangerous play that would even get you a red card in RUGBY (and I fuckin play rugby - tight 5, holla). What she did stepped beyond "aggressive behavior" and into unsportsmanlike conduct and dangerous play.
11/18/09
11/18/09
11/18/09
The males players may not pull ponytails but they are effin aggressive, just as much as Elizabeth if not more so.
So please, the criticism borders on sexism
11/18/09
I know people who play high-level soccer - even they were appalled.
11/18/09
11/18/09
This is just poor (very poor) sportsmanship, there are no excuses. The best way to defeat a rival is playing without fouls, pure and simple.
11/18/09
Her behavior was glaringly bad. This wasn't aggressive play - this was dangerous and out of line play.
I should know, I acquired enough cards in my day to open a freaking Hallmark store.
11/18/09
Lambert wasn't just aggressive, she was dangerous. She didn't just punch one player in the back, and then yank another by the hair violently to the ground (that's happened to me before, and it can result in a concussion by the way).
She was violent throughout the entire game. She took players out at the knees, tripped others, and slid into defenseless players, not involved in the play. She could have seriously injured these women and ended their college careers (scholarships) and future sport goals.
Men and women should be banned for this type of behavior.
11/18/09
She does have a point about the gender difference, though. UNM's football coach, who has allegedly sexually harassed several female employees and then tried to beat the crap out of his own assistant coach, and has gotten what is essentially some time in the naughty chair and a slap on the wrist. It's disgusting.
11/18/09
Plus, I didn't see ESPN do a montage of all of Zinedine Zidane's aggressive play after he headbutted Marco Materazzi in the World Cup, and trust me, Zidane is a hell of an aggressive player.
11/18/09
I don't watch ESPN everyday, but I vividly remember them doing long segments on Zidane. And rightfully so. The behavior is inexcusable.
11/19/09
11/19/09
11/19/09
Having said that, the "challenge" where she tripped the player just outside the box? It was so poor it was ridiculous. And the one where she punched the girl in the face? Plain dirty.
11/19/09
11/18/09
11/18/09
What else, ladies?
11/18/09
Ok, so, we should have an idiot female president because we just had an idiot male president? Ykno, to even things out.
It's like what Foreman in House said about the high rate of black men on death row: "Doesn't mean we should let black men go. Just means we should kill more white people."
11/18/09
11/18/09
11/18/09
11/18/09
That being said, I also understand the charges of sexism.