I don’t want him representing the USA either

By: Robert | October 1st, 2007

Ricardo Clark has to got to go.

I’ll be honest I didn’t watch this abomination people refer to as a soccer match live. The Cowboys played around the same time (I can’t explain to you the Cowboys in Dallas, maybe picture an N’Sync/Britney Spears concert with 50 Cent and the Rolling Stones covering the Beatles as the opening act and you’re about there.) I was worn out after watching the ‘Boys (did you see that Tony Romo play?!?) and I forgot the Hoops were on nationally and thus I’d be unable to watch it online afterwards therefore I only saw the highlights of this latest mess.

But if you haven’t seen the highlights package yet please watch it to the end. Watch for Carlos Ruiz going up for a free kick in the box, colliding with Ricardo Clark, falling down over him and having Clark kick him near his head while he was lying on the ground. Forget the results of this egregious act of violence whenever Ricardo Clark sees the field again after his mandatory suspension for receiving a red card it’ll be too soon. Kicking a man near the head while he’s lying on the ground is the definition of a punk move. If you want to play tough-guy wait till the man gets on his feet and let your hands go. If you aren’t man enough to stand and fight then you shouldn’t be fighting, all Ricardo Clark did was prove he was softer than the brownies my mom used to make (chocolate fudge, no walnuts, I don’t like walnuts in my brownies.)


Is there any difference between what Clark did, striking a man when he’s down and unable to defend himself and what hockey player Todd Bertuzzi did in 2004, hitting Steve Moore from behind and slamming his face into the ice? I know the results of the Moore attack were far worse – three fractured vertebrae in his neck, a grade three concussion, vertebral ligament damage, stretching of the brachial plexus nerves, and facial cuts – which figured into the Bertuzzi punishment – ultimately 20games, 500K in lost salary, 350K in lost endorsements – but Ricardo Clark fully intended to harm Carlos Ruiz when he tried to kick him in the face. Not everybody is John Terry lucky and it’s not a stretch to say that the career of Carlos Ruiz could have ended on the floor of Pizza Hut Park last night.

Is MLS going to do anything about it? Probably not, the league’s front office thinks that MLS stands for “Me Love Simoleons” because the bottom line is all that matters to them, but something needs to be done because until then in Dallas the FC stands for “finding compensation.”

HOOPS PRIDE!

FC Dallas logo

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my sister Speedie (that’s the nickname that’s she’s gone by since birth) drop her a happy birthday message if you get a chance.




Category Category: Game Analysis

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Comments  

  • Sam |  October 1st, 2007 at 5:17 pm

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    Kicked him in the head, you say?
    At least be honest.

    Posted from Canada Canada

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  • MLS Soccer Fan |  October 1st, 2007 at 5:54 pm

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    I’m the same way. The Bears take precidence over my soccer viewing. I had did watch this match later though. I must say not very classy Clark!! Do you think the MLS will step up?

    Posted from United States United States

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  • BOHICA |  October 1st, 2007 at 6:04 pm

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    Kick to the head…PLEASE…Certainly nasty & likely worth an additional 5 matches, but the kick was clearly to his shoulder.

    Posted from Canada Canada

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  • jon |  October 1st, 2007 at 6:10 pm

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    not even going to address the Gigli-level acting of Mr. Whiney-FloppaFlop? I won’t say he deserves it, but his reaction after that kick makes it obvious why people would WANT to kick him in or “near” the head.

    Posted from Australia

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  • I think not |  October 1st, 2007 at 6:19 pm

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    Clark snapped and deserves to be punished - he had a bad day, i dont think he should be banned for life from anything. Clark has excellent skills i don;t think he was aiming for Ruiz’ head (even though el pescadito pretended that is where the blow landed). Although i must admit if the foul was the other way around i would think Ruiz should be banned for twice as long as whatever Clark gets.

    Ruiz did what he always tries to do, get the goat of an opposing player. If he put half that effort into playing instead of dirty tricks, Dallas could have been in the game at the end. The man has tremendous skills but only uses them sometimes.

    Posted from Australia

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  • cowboy fan |  October 1st, 2007 at 7:15 pm

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    Fines for both 10% of base salary to clark for retaliating to another wimpy shot by the whiny cheap shot artist. 5% to Ruiz for accumualted cheap shots. 5% for Bad acting.

    Seriously though Clark should get suspended for at least 3 games after server the red card. the 2 games carlos has coming is enough
    Ruiz needs to get ahold of himself and quit wishing that Landon was still feeding him the ball.

    Posted from United States United States

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  • DJ |  October 1st, 2007 at 7:56 pm

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    I dont agree with him kicking him in the head area but Ruiz can be an annoying little crap sometimes :(

    Posted from Australia

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  • VivaNaranja |  October 1st, 2007 at 8:29 pm

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    Ruiz deserved what he got, the punk. What you don’t mention is how Ruiz gave Clark the business on that play before taking him down and then falling over him despite nobody touching him! When Clark got up, he was justifiably pissed. Then that flopping candystriper Ruiz, who clutched his face despite being kicked in the shoulder (!), kneed Clark in the back for a straight red of his own. Ruiz had already gotten a yellow earlier in the game and will miss the next two, one for yellow accumulation and another for the red. Personally, if he was going to do it I wish Rico had kicked him harder. Your fast-falling candystripers are in serious trouble now, after spending your DP on that wastrel Denilson, who wasn’t even the best Brazilian on the field yesterday, and Ruiz being out for two games. You guys may not get any more points in the regular season. Dynamo are so deep they can survive the temporary absence of Clark, but that’s not the case with Ruiz in Frisco now is it?

    Posted from United States United States

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  • eric |  October 2nd, 2007 at 8:20 am

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    he was nowhere near the head! plus he deseved it, and ruiz has been taunting players for years. someone finally did what should have been done a long time ago. fuck ruiz ive never been a fan of him. Dynamo for life, and on top of that clark was going to kick his ASS, but ruiz stayed on the ground like a pussy acting like he got kicked in the face.

    Posted from United States United States

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  • bluemeanies |  October 2nd, 2007 at 8:57 am

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    You know, I hate Ruiz, but that is just plain uncalled for and it might have actually severely hurt Rico Clark’s chances of becoming a National team fixture. Right now he has been strong in the running to be Mastroeni’s successor (and even with this incident I believe Clark is a cleaner player than Pablo). But Feilhaiber and Michael Bradley have also been making good cases, while other players can start shining. Clark just guaranteed himself a good long break from his club and if Feilhaiber plays for Derby and Bradley continues good form for Heerenveen he gets pushed further down the depth chart. And if another central midfielder at the fringes of the nats pool like Szetela or Clyde Simms hits great form it hurts Clark to be out. So this will severely hamper his nats carrear, stupid boy.

    Posted from United States United States

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  • backseat |  October 2nd, 2007 at 6:16 pm

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    Every player at this level has to be as mentally tough as they are technically skilled. If Clark can’t handle Ruiz, he sure wouldn’t stand a chance against the Italians or the Argentineans. MNT… Not a chance.

    Posted from United States United States

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  • bluemeanies |  October 3rd, 2007 at 6:48 am

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    Forgot Sascha Klejstan- who else do we have whose stock went up in that position?

    Posted from United States United States

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