I read the Carlisle article and I am unimpressed by his writing. Yes, he tries to raise all those emotional issues we remember so well from when we were 6: he started it, but he got 6 games and he only got 4, and he’s not very nice anyway…

The only question that Graber and MLS and the rest of us need to consider is this: what is the minimum suspension that would effectively deter this kind of behavior? I think 6 games does it. I think every player in the league has Dario’s suspension in the back of his mind and every player will go out of their way to keep teammates from getting involved in a fight.

Six for Clark would at least have had some consistency. Garber undermines the intent by looking capricious.

Carlisle comes across as an idiot by comparing Ruiz, or Marshall to Sala and Clark. What Sala and Clark did was a fight. One threw a punch and one through a kick. Apples to apples, give em both 6.

What Ruiz is accused of doing is either serious foul play (knee in the back) or unsporting conduct (intentionally antagonizing a player). If either is true, they might merit some sanction for Ruiz. What they clearly are NOT is reason to mitigate a sanction against Clark. Furthermore, both serious foul play and unsporting conduct are covered in the laws of soccer, which already spell out an appropriate response. If this kind of behavior is a problem, what is needed is a directive to referees to enforce the rules.

Now, the only point Carlisle makes that seems remotely valid is the minor sanctions incurred by people who cause serious injury through reckless play. Clark certainly deserved at least 6 if not 9 for his leg breaking tackle on Cooper. Hell, I still cannot understand why Kovalenko is playing in this league at all. Here is where very serious sanctions become appropriate. A reckless challenge that results in a serious injury should carry a 10 game suspension on the first infraction, a year on the second and a lifetime ban on the third. Okay, I admit that I have 2 highly subjective criteria there in “reckless” and “serious.” But I think a process involving review by a body that includes representatives from the players, referees, and league could be established that would be accepted as fair.

Given how many players in our league have had seasons and careers cut short by reckless, goonish play, we clearly need some additional deterrent. Until then: Break Dema’s leg, the career you save may be your own.

I may be a dallas fan but I’m not a Carlos fan. He does play dirty. But that no different than any team. Every team has one.

Houston has more than one now…
You can’t honestly say Robinson plays fair. And that game he was giving Carlos a run for his money. O–and what about Ching? But thats not the point.

Stop with the crying. The Kick was more than uncalled for.

Can someone show me some video of the so called knee to the back???? Are you kidding me. There is nothing to see. I’m not saying Carlos didn’t do anything. But if your going to clam something atleast have some evidence.

Marshall broke Coops leg not Clark.

Thanks, BOFA, I knew that, I was just in rant-zen-bliss and blew right past it.

I still say: Break Dema’s leg, the career you save may be your own.