Some Friendly Advice to Brian Mullan
by Dizzo on Apr 23, 2011 12:00 PM PDT
in Sounders: MLS Regular Season
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Dear Brian Mullan,
I'm here to give you some advice even though you don't know me. I'm just a regular Seattle Sounders fan who happened to be watching the game yesterday. Right now you're probably a bit skeptical of any advice. Especially considering the firestorm of negative reactions your reckless challenge has provoked among the Sounders faithful.
However, I'm sincere in wanting to help you out. I've watched plenty of Colorado Rapids games and you've never struck me as a particularly dirty player. You're not the recently retired Dema Kovalenko. Sigi Schmid defended you in the post-game interviews and I'm inclined to take him at his word:
"I've coached Brian Mullan. He's an aggressive player. No player goes into a tackle like that trying to hurt a player like that deliberately. He's an aggressive player and it happens."
So, I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. But your post game interview is not helping me tap into my inner wellspring of forgiveness on the Easter weekend. I spent a little time in DC during my career and you gave what is often called the "non-apology apology." You defended your actions without ever taking responsibility for the injury you caused.
I'm sorry, but saying that "It was never my intention to injure him in the least" doesn't cut it.
Even worse is the part where you say it was "a tackle that I've done hundreds of times and would probably do again". There is no way to defend the challenge you committed. You came in studs up with both feet. It's a challenge that has no place in the game of soccer. You're a veteran and should know better.
Now for some cold hard truth. You're a good player and played on some good teams. You've helped your teams win five MLS Cups. In your younger days you earned a few caps with the national team. What you haven't been is a star. You're not Thierry Henry. The league is not going to bend its rules for you like they've done for David Beckham. You've just ended the season of an up-and-coming star in a vibrant and cash rich soccer market. Even worse...you've angered probably the most vocal fan-base in MLS. Right now they're emailing the league office and calling for your head.
When the league gets down considering your suspension these facts will be in the back of their mind. Publicly, they will never admit to outside pressure or bias influencing their decision. But we all know it happens in this league. They will be considering the many televised games on the Sounders schedule. Games where Sounders fans can make their displeasure known through signs and chants. You need to start calming down the situation. Not only because it's the right thing to do, but because it's the smart thing to do.
Sounders fans are pissed at what happened to Steve Zakuani. He's an incredible player and, more importantly, an incredible human being who has a long, long recovery process ahead of him. We're also pissed that you're showing limited remorse and are even indicating you would make that same reckless tackle again. There is nothing you can do about us being angry about Zakuani's injury. But there is something you can do about our perception of you as a soccer player and a human being.
So, here's where the advice comes in. Get to a microphone as soon as possible and publicly apologize to Zakuani. Make it clear you own up to the injury you caused and won't do the same in the future. The longer you wait the worse the blow-back from this whole thing is going to be.
Sincerely,
Dizzo
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Yes.
Well written. I can’t believe his post-match comments. Just unforgivable. He really needs to issue a statement as soon as possible.
More helpful than my advice...
…which would have been anatomically impossible.
by mrbs on Apr 23, 2011 12:21 PM PDT reply actions 4 recs
Ugh
I wasn’t shocked to see the challenge. Crap like that happens every so often.
But I was shocked to read Mullan’s “apology.” No one wants to hear that he would do it again, so why say it? To not show remorse is one thing. To not show empathy is kind of despicable.
Managing Editor for BlackAndRedUnited.com. Weekend Writer for SBNation DC.
by Martin Shatzer on Apr 23, 2011 12:32 PM PDT reply actions 23 recs
I can't "rec" this enough
a reputation can be undone in one evening… Mullan will have a hard time ever stepping on an MLS pitch again if he keeps this act up…
...that's MISTER Keller to you!!!
by malcontentjake on Apr 23, 2011 12:35 PM PDT up reply actions
I finally go to see the play in HD just a few minutes ago
I was at the match last night… for a lot of us the reality of what happened didn’t really sink in until he was wheeled by on the stretcher, air-cast clearly visible.
Watching the replay on TV, I am most struck my Mullan’s initial reaction; it wasn’t horror over what he’d done – I mean he HAD to have heard the snap and known what happened right away – his reaction seemed to be one of “what did I do?” with a shrug, rather than a “OMG, What did I do!” with shock. This, when combined with the rather confoundingly tactless post game “I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again” reaction indicates an alarming tone-deafness. I really don’t care how good a guy he may or may not be, or that he doesn’t have a particular history of this type of thing. If he can’t comprehend that what he did was inexcusable, and in fact may prove to be the lowlight of the entire MLS season, then that is reason enough for a lengthy and harsh punishment…
...that's MISTER Keller to you!!!
by malcontentjake on Apr 23, 2011 12:33 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs
Lucky you
The rest of us were watching on FSC and had to endure the commentators making excuses for him and explaining that he’s not a violent guy.
Best tweet so far on FSC’s comentators:
I learned from the Fox b’cast: Mullan is a great guy, Sounders are lazy, and should be embarrassed for only 1-0 win. Missed @arlowhite
Ives Galarcep’s reaction to FSC’s in-game comments:
Don’t want to hear this “Mullan’s not a dirty player” nonsense. Who cares. He’s a vet and made a STUPID challenge. No excuse for that one.
And another from Ives:
Mullan felt he got fouled, had a rush of blood, then lost his cool and delivered a reckless challenge. Better be a lengthy suspension.
I don't want Mullan to get suspended...
but I do want him to get a red card every time he fouls. That would hurt both him and the team.
Well said
He seems to not even care that he took out one of our best players…
by SeahawksPhan on Apr 23, 2011 12:42 PM PDT up reply actions
Good points jake, to continue your points
What you said was exactly correct. Everyone heard the crack of bones, but Mullen didn’t seemed interested. He didn’t seem at all interested in Zakuani. The picture of my mind is Mullen pleading his case to the ref. Zakuani is writhing in pain and having an aircast put on his leg, Mullen is in the refs ear pleading his case.
Just so you all know there is a boat load of Akron fans here in NE Ohio that want his head just as much. Thats our boy, Zakuani and Mullan has no excuse for what he did. Every time you drive drunk you dont get in an accident or kill someone but that doesnt make it okay. Just cause he doesnt injure people with those tackles doesn’t make them okay
You can't make hundreds of tackles like that
without a degree of denial. It spills over into his weak apology. Damage done. Mullen is at retirement age. Rotten way to go out.
Mullan, that is.
“Mulllen” is the hockey player. Whoops. Hey… waidaminute…
Great post
I’m a pretty nice person and I would really like to believe that Mullan just had deer-in-the-headlights syndrome and criminally mangled the sentiments he wanted to express in his apology. But if you put the apology, his expression/manerisms during his sending-off, and apparent tone-deafness towards the whole thing together, it doesn’t look good. The best thing he can do now would be to clearly, definitely show he knows what he did wrong, is remorseful, would never do something like that again, and will take some sort of significant steps towards making the whole situation as bearable as he can. Otherwise good people/good players make mistakes, sometimes they even make very bad mistakes with horrible consequences – I’d like to believe this is true of Mullan given how Sigi, Riley, and others have vouched for him – the most you can ask of someone in that situation is to own up to what they did and do their best to fix the situation they have caused in any way they reasonably can.
This.
Mullan’s reaction just riles me up more. It has been echoed by a number of comments made by Rapids fans.
Its simple: “We are not happy about what happened. We wish the best for Steve. We support whatever needs to be done to prevent these types of injuries from happening.”
by magistermilitum on Apr 23, 2011 1:26 PM PDT up reply actions
So when can be start with the unfriendly advice?
Cause, ya know, I have a number of suggestions for him at the moment. :)
by brokejumper on Apr 23, 2011 1:33 PM PDT reply actions 5 recs
I don't think there is anything he can say at this point.
His initial “apology” was how he really feels about it. Anything that comes afterward is just spin on his part and in my opinion is completly worthless.
by TS6 on Apr 23, 2011 1:40 PM PDT reply actions 3 recs
What a bastard.
This guy is just as trash as Kovalenko. Any player who doles out reckless cheap shots needs to be banned from the league.
Terminate his contract.
Nothing less.
by DaveValleDrinkNight on Apr 23, 2011 2:22 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Here's some more advice...
Come down with a severe case of something and be unable to travel in mid-July
by central_scrutinizer on Apr 23, 2011 3:04 PM PDT reply actions
Depends
on how long the suspension is he may not be able to be play. Sounders away game for Colorado is 15 games away.
He's right though
He makes 10 tackles a game for 11 years and has only ever seen 1 red card before this. Football is a contact sport and every once in a while something unfortunate happens, you can’t legislate it out of the game it’s just the way it is. A guy broke his leg playing baseball a couple weeks ago. Stuff happens.
If you don’t want to hear the truth, fine, but that’s what it is.
He had one incident 11 years into a career that has been clean and you want him punished much worse than people who have been involved in multiple incidents (for example Nigel de Jong broke 2 legs in the last year and faced no punishment).
It’s a bit silly.
By the way, did you give friendly advice to Dane Richards when he broke Preston Burpo’s leg even worse last season? (Burpo is now without a contract and probably done for life) No, you didn’t care and Dane Richards didn’t even see red, let alone some ridiculous suspension.
Hopefully MLS has some perspective instead of caving into the demands of people who don’t know what they are talking about (though I doubt it).
by Fred Brightfrog on Apr 23, 2011 3:54 PM PDT reply actions
Let's do this paragraph by paragraph
He makes 10 tackles a game for 11 years and has only ever seen 1 red card before this. Football is a contact sport and every once in a while something unfortunate happens, you can’t legislate it out of the game it’s just the way it is. A guy broke his leg playing baseball a couple weeks ago. Stuff happens.
He doesn’t make 10 tackles a game. No one does. Alonso has the most this year and averages just under 9. Only seeing 1 red doesn’t mean he’s clean, it means he hasn’t been noticed. And no one is saying that this doesn’t happen.
If you don’t want to hear the truth, fine, but that’s what it is
But you didn’t tell the truth, which is why I’m dissecting your comment.
He had one incident 11 years into a career that has been clean and you want him punished much worse than people who have been involved in multiple incidents (for example Nigel de Jong broke 2 legs in the last year and faced no punishment).
Who is “you” in this case? The writers of this site have not called for an extraordinary punishment at this time. Also, MLS should not hand this punishment based on anything but this ACT, not the results of the act.
By the way, did you give friendly advice to Dane Richards when he broke Preston Burpo’s leg even worse last season? (Burpo is now without a contract and probably done for life) No, you didn’t care and Dane Richards didn’t even see red, let alone some ridiculous suspension.
That incident didn’t involve the Sounders in anyway (ok, Burpo has a history with the USL side, but still the point remains) so we did not write about it. People come here for Sounders analysis and commentary. That’s what we do.
Hopefully MLS has some perspective instead of caving into the demands of people who don’t know what they are talking about (though I doubt it).
Yes, and the merits of this incident is that Brian Mullan clearly retaliated on an innocent with intent to hurt but not injure. You can tell this from it being a two footed tackle, with studs up and his body coming in late and high at the hips of the opposing player turning him over in mid-air like an NFL hit, not soccer.
It’s a bit silly.
You got one part right. The list of people calling for a long suspension goes well outside of Seattle, it includes most major commentators, and several players.
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
by Dave Clark on Apr 23, 2011 4:15 PM PDT up reply actions 10 recs
“Also, MLS should not hand this punishment based on anything but this ACT, not the results of the act.”
Glad we agree.
The act was that he tried to get the ball and was late. 3 games for a reckless challenge. The end.
by Fred Brightfrog on Apr 23, 2011 4:22 PM PDT up reply actions
Tried to get the ball?
He was nowhere near the ball. He came in high and came in late. There’s absolutely no place for a challenge like that — made out of anger after he felt he was wronged — in this league or any league. You can say it was a play on the ball all you want, but it clearly was not. It was a play on Zakuani’s leg, not the ball.
by Brian Floyd on Apr 23, 2011 4:33 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
Alright I'll respond
I agree with all the arguments that Dave responded to you with, but as the author I feel I need to weigh-in. So, no, it’s not the end.
Your first argument is a giant sweeping generalization. Sure football is a contact sport. But it’s also a sport of rules. Rules to prevent serious injuries to players. Mullan broke those rules and seriously injured a player. He is now up for review and may receive a significant fine and suspension. You want to defend Mullan? Fine. Watch the replay if you have the stomach for it, and tell me it wasn’t a bad tackle. Tell me it wasn’t a red card. I think you’ll be in a very, very small minority if you do so.
Nigel de Jong is the very last player you want to bring into this argument. He’s a thug on a higher level than Kovolenko. In fact, I was debating using him as an example, but decided to go with a MLS player since this is an MLS incident. That’s the point. I don’t think Mullan is in the same category, but his post game comments are not helping. He has a limited time to change that perception and that’s why I wrote the piece. No, I didn’t comment on Dane Richards. Like Dave said…this is a Sounders blog and I’m a Sounders fan.
Lastly, MLS will cave to pressure. They do it all the time especially for star players. The slap on the wrist for Henry’s injury to Hartman is a prime example. Mullan’s not going to get that treatment. That’s why its imperative on him to show some remorse for the incident. As I said it in the article…it’s in everyone’s best interest that he do so and quickly.
by Dizzo on Apr 23, 2011 4:36 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
He won't
That’s why its imperative on him to show some remorse for the incident. As I said it in the article…it’s in everyone’s best interest that he do so and quickly.
He’s already shown that he doesn’t think he did anything wrong, his coach called this a “light tackle”. No class coming from the Colorado side at all.
A late appology is better than no appology at all
He still has time to come forward and show some class. But the clock is ticking. I’ve been okay so far with the other reactions out of Colorado. Gary Smith defended the decision in the post-game comments.
You can also see Marshall and some of the other Rapids showing their support as he leaves the field. The Rapids organization has by all accounts been very good in helping Zakuani while he’s been in Colorado. I haven’t seen much in the way of mean-spirited trolling by Rapids fans on blogs or message boards (with a few exceptions like Fred Brightfrog).
So, all in all, I have no reason to make this an issue about the Rapids or their fans. I have an issue with Mullan, but he still has some time to mollify even that. It’s Easter weekend and I’m in a forgiving mood.
How is it trolling to point out that what Mullan said is completely true?
He tackles like that all the time and this time it was unfortunate. He will return to playing the game hard like he always has.
It might not be the apology you want, but it’s absolutely true.
by Fred Brightfrog on Apr 23, 2011 6:01 PM PDT up reply actions
Youv'e watched the film and you think this is how he tackles all the time?
You’re either lying or blind.
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter
by Jeremiah Oshan on Apr 23, 2011 6:02 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
Look Fred...
I’m trying to be reasonable and lend some perspective to whole thing. I haven’t been going around calling for Mullan’s head. I’m not one of the ones saying this should be the end of his career.
But you’re infuriating to argue against. You’re hurting your own argument and making things even worse for Mullan. IF Mullan “tackles like that all the time” then maybe this should be the end of his career.
And that will be the end of my arguments with you Mr. Fred Brightfrog. At a certain point you have to stop feeding the trolls.
by Dizzo on Apr 23, 2011 6:11 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
This is like when NBC went on a tirade because a couple people got concussions in the same day and the NFL tried to change the rules (which players and fans alike agreed was a bad idea). I am saying we should step back and realize that, unless you ban sliding altogether, accidents will happen.
But fine, call me names again. That’s constructive.
by Fred Brightfrog on Apr 23, 2011 6:19 PM PDT up reply actions
In your mind this was a typical slide tackle?
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
I just don't believe you actually believe what you're saying
There’s simply no way that any reasonable person can believe that what Mullan did was in the sphere or a normal tackle.
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter
by Jeremiah Oshan on Apr 23, 2011 6:30 PM PDT up reply actions
Well...
Clearly Fred and Mullan himself believe exactly that.
This is an opportunity for the league to educate everyone involved. Mullan needs a huge fine and a huge suspension and the league needs to continue giving cards for every reckless, careless challange. So what if it results in a record number of cards. It’s the only way things will change.
"Reasonable person"...
…and cRapids apologist: not the same thing.
Join SBN today
and all your comments are on this article = troll.
I know its hard to believe Fred, but its true.
by Menthu Ra on Apr 23, 2011 9:08 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
That
was intentionally retaliation. He went right at Zak feed double studs up.
He never tried for the ball
Making stuff up to be contrarian doesn’t make you special, it just makes you wrong
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
by Dave Clark on Apr 23, 2011 4:45 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
Look, if you really think he was just late, it's clear you aren't very familiar with the sport.
I could link a copy of the ‘Laws of the Game’, but I think the following advice would be more helpful:
Go watch some more soccer. Familiarize yourself with how this game is actually played by professionals, and then watch the tackle again (as said before, if you have the stomach for it. I know I never want to see it again.)
La Vecchia Signora Forever!
I watch enough that I see legs broken several times a year. Maybe you guys that are acting like this is the holocaust should take that advice.
by Fred Brightfrog on Apr 23, 2011 5:50 PM PDT up reply actions
If you watch enough to see several legs broken, you watch enough to know how f*cked up this challenge was.
And out of generosity: http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/lawsofthegame/index.html
La Vecchia Signora Forever!
Again, who is YOU
Quit creating a straw man and point out specific words and people
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
Scroll up and read the comments saying stupid things like he might be suspended 15 games and miss the return match or he should be fired or whatever else.
by Fred Brightfrog on Apr 23, 2011 6:03 PM PDT up reply actions
It doesn't matter whether he tried to get the ball or not.
How is that a hard thing for people to understand? If I run a red light and hit someone with my car, am I less responsible because I thought I could beat the yellow? Malice and recklessness are different, but the end result is what matter and in this case the end results was a shockingly late and high two-footed, studs up tackle. The fact that he wouldn’t acknowledge its recklessness makes me even less interested in his intent.
by Aaron Campeau on Apr 23, 2011 9:48 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
I cared about Preston Burpo
And I thought Dane Richards deserved a longer suspension. But his challenge was just an awkward, mistimed one whereas Mullan clearly went in with retaliation in mind. He deserves a lengthier ban than three games.
by murmur000 on Apr 23, 2011 4:48 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Weren't
they both going for the ball and crashed into each other?
yes
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter
by Jeremiah Oshan on Apr 23, 2011 5:49 PM PDT up reply actions
I know
RIchards wasn’t tossed but i can’t recall if MLS suspended him or not.
Very different
Richards was clearly going for the ball (trying to score in an attacking position). I couldn’t find any information about him being suspended at all. That appears to truely have been a freak accident.
Mullan’s challenge was much, much different. He was angry for the no-call seconds earlier and was trying to “send a message” to the Sounders with a hard tackle. His intention may not have been to injure, but clearly he was trying to cause pain and invoke fear.
I say
give him what Ruiz got when he got suspended for kicking another player in the head + some.
you're backwards
Ruiz got kicked
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
Ruiz was the one that got kicked. He got kicked in the chest pretty softly and only pretended it was his head. Attacking someone while the ball is dead is also very different from this situation.
That suspension was also not very reasonable. Clark got 1.5 times the suspension that Sala got for punching someone in the head after a game was over, which didn’t really make sense.
But in any case, equating straight attacking people with going for the ball (however poorly you go for it) is a bit unfair.
by Fred Brightfrog on Apr 23, 2011 6:24 PM PDT up reply actions
This is way differnet
then clark kicking ruiz. Ruiz wasn’t injuried, Zak was. IT depends depends on how the disciplinary committee sees it.
They could see it as intent to injury in retaliation. Did you hear what Mullan said after the game that alone could get him suspended several games. I don’t think 10+ games suspension would be unfair.
Its not very often you see a player intentionally double studs tackle another player causing compound fracture.
Wayne Rooney gets mad that he lost the ball and makes reckless challenges immediately after pretty regularly.
Also Mullan clearly went in with only one foot.
by Fred Brightfrog on Apr 23, 2011 6:49 PM PDT reply actions
Sure looks like he's going in with two feet to me
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter
by Jeremiah Oshan on Apr 23, 2011 6:52 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
At this point I'm not sure you've actually seen the video
Which is kind of weird given how tenaciously you’re defending your interpretation of it. Don’t you think if you’re going to spend however minutes trolling a Sounders board that you’re spending, common decency requires that you at least bother to watch it?
Nos Audietis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVySrSYH2VM&feature=related
Go to the 2nd replay that starts at around 8 seconds.
He goes in with his right foot and, unfortunately for everyone, his trailing knee catches the player. His left leg is bent with his left foot nowhere near involved.
by Fred Brightfrog on Apr 23, 2011 6:54 PM PDT up reply actions
That's not his 'trailing knee'
Yes, his left leg was bent. But his legs were locked together and he came in with both at the same time like wrecking ball through Zakuani’s leg. It continues to shock me that you think this is anything like a normal tackle.
Nos Audietis
The problem with your interpretation is that he goes in with both legs and he tucks his back leg AFTER contact
Looking at the video that you posted, he dives directly into the leg of Zak and that is what broke his leg, not his trailing leg. Look where he starts his tackle.
Did they seriously edit away my video that showed that the article is wrong and he only went in with 1 foot?
Look on youtube for "Steve Zakuani broken leg " by “BCCProd”
On the 2nd replay, you can clearly see that he goes in with his right foot and, unfortunately for everyone, his trailing knee hits the player. You then see his left leg unbend and his left foot swing around from behind him where it was nowhere near the player.
by Fred Brightfrog on Apr 23, 2011 7:04 PM PDT up reply actions
I can't believe I did this
But I gave you the benefit of the doubt and watched the video you cited.
You’re being willfully difficult for reasons that elude me. That video CLEARLY shows Mullan going in with both feet. It’s not even debatable. The fact that Mullan second foot is contacting the back side of Zak’s legs is pretty much causes the injury you idiot.
...huh?
There is clear proof his left foot isn’t involved in the play and it’s a bent knee that hits him.
If you guys don’t want to go watch it, fine. But if you watch it and can’t see him unfold his leg where his left boot was back the whole time, I don’t know what to tell you.
by Fred Brightfrog on Apr 23, 2011 7:19 PM PDT up reply actions
Having your trailing leg be involved is nothing like going 2 feet studs up.
Even if his foot was part of that, which I don’t think it was I think it was higher on his leg, it wasn’t his studs as they were facing the opposite direction.
When people say 2 footed they mean sliding with both of your feet ahead of you, not sliding normally and mistiming it so that you hit the player with the part of you that isn’t your extended foot.
by Fred Brightfrog on Apr 23, 2011 7:32 PM PDT up reply actions
The video was hidden...
Because it’s graphic. There are plenty of videos that people can go find. I’ll say that it doesn’t appear to show what you claim it shows.
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter
by Jeremiah Oshan on Apr 23, 2011 7:18 PM PDT up reply actions
Your are correct Jeremiah
If you look at the video, he comes in with both legs, really his entire body. He doesn’t start his slide until he is on top of Zak. To be more accurate, he dives into Zak’s leg.
Fred, looking at the video of yours, tell me when he starts his slide?
It’s late, for sure.
Both legs is also fair (though I don’t know of a way to slide without having your knee be around where your knee is).
Both feet, however, didn’t happen.
by Fred Brightfrog on Apr 23, 2011 7:24 PM PDT up reply actions
Sorry, it is not as you say it is
He comes in late WITH both legs, but just before the point of making contact he is tucking the hind leg. He clearly jumps into Zak’s leg with the entire weight of his body. It is supposed to be called a slide tackle, but he never slides. He just dives into Zak’s leg. He makes no attempt for the ball. I do not see how any interpretation of events makes it a normal tackle.
No, he hid the video because it's horrible
Congratulations on posting something showing a young man getting his leg broken. That’s awesome.
by Graham MacAree on Apr 23, 2011 8:47 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
Speaking of Rooney
He just received a 3 game suspension for swearing into a camera. You want the same punishment for THIS? Get real.
by Colin Evanson on Apr 23, 2011 11:26 PM PDT up reply actions 6 recs
Reading Fred reminds me of the original (I didn't see the remake) Karate Kid
when the instructor tells his student to “Sweep the leg.” I just went back and watched the incident frame by frame. It is anything but a normal slide tackle. He doesn’t start his slide until he is level with Zak. He comes in high with both feet and ends up 2-3 yards past Zak. Zak does a complete 360 in the air and as he is in the air you can see his leg bend in directions in shouldn’t.
Whatever Fred is smoking, he should stop because it is making him see things that are fantasy.
btw
I’m sure Mullan, the man the Seattle crowd booed for spraining his ankle in the US Open Cup and whose supporters continued to make posts about how he was a classless time waster despite limping badly through extra time and missing the next month, will be really upset that you don’t support him.
by Fred Brightfrog on Apr 23, 2011 7:45 PM PDT reply actions
OK, that explains it all. Fred is a Seattle Sounder hater
Why didn’t you say so in the first place. This is somehow kind of a payback for you. You feel he was disrespected by Seattle and now it doesn’t matter what happened, you are just going to see what you want to see.
You continue to lump every Seattle Supporter together as if we are one
And act as if people here are saying what others have said.
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
I've heard there's this special circle of hell for trolls
where they are constantly trying to avoid being tackled by De Jong, Mullan, and Kovalenko simultaneously. Just saying.
La Vecchia Signora Forever!
by AKSupporter on Apr 23, 2011 7:55 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Trolls
well said!!
...that's MISTER Keller to you!!!
by malcontentjake on Apr 23, 2011 9:04 PM PDT up reply actions
stop feeding the freds...errr frogs... i mean trolls!!!
(sorry….was feeling my blood pressure steadily rise reading this thread)
Life's what happens while you're making other plans
just a thought I had
as one of the regular contributors to this site, I want it to be known that Dizzo’s above post might be the best thing I’ve ever read on this website.
So its pretty disappointing to see that the comments have been taken over by the obvious trolling behavior of one individual seemingly determined to take internet douchebaggery to new heights.
And it is here that we are taught an important lesson. The internet was supposed to democratize us, but there are times when I feel that all it has done is give voice to those who were and are best left ignored.
As a passionate Sounders supporter, who helped lead the chants at Dick’s last night and implored my fellow Sounders fans to sing like they’ve never sang before “for Steve” I just want to say that it is perfectly okay to be pissed off, to feel like something has been taken away from you, to feel like the ridiculous actions of one man who won’t truly comprehend the atrociousness of his actions has left an indelible mark on this season.
You are hurting, I am hurting, and we all are worried if this promising young man – who seemed the complete package in terms of ability on the pitch and class off the pitch – will ever be the same again after this injury. “Fred” knows this, and he is going to take advantage of this and have his fun with us. This is what people like this do, and if you believe in karma, like do, Mullan and “Fred” have it coming to them, someday, somehow…
And it is okay to feel that way…
...that's MISTER Keller to you!!!
by malcontentjake on Apr 23, 2011 9:27 PM PDT reply actions 7 recs
Interesting point by Kreis
that not only MLS, but the Players’ Union should do something in situations like this since it’s in all the players’ best interests that these types of tackles don’t happen.
As a former newspaper man...
I must say I’m a bit disgusted that the Deseret Morning News would choose to run that photo. Just a really, really bad decision.
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter
by Jeremiah Oshan on Apr 23, 2011 11:19 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Seattle Times
That same photo was on the front page of the sports section in Saturday’s Seattle Times.
Wow, that's even worse
Guess I just outed myself as not supporting the local paper :)
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter
by Jeremiah Oshan on Apr 24, 2011 1:23 PM PDT up reply actions
RSL friend
Maybe it’s my growing dislike towards everything Rapids, but I’ve been sick to my stomach after watching Zakuani’s season end. Who knows if he’ll ever be 100% again, which I hope he does.
Zakuani deserves an apology, not an excuse.
Sorry Mullan, if you think Sounder fans are the only ones that will create brutal signage after your thug tackle, wait until you hit Rio Tinto again.
As an Real fan, I really hope Zukuani is back soon. I hope you’ll find some good surprises by testing your depth.
by Duds on Apr 24, 2011 12:41 PM PDT reply actions 9 recs
Thanks
And please continue to do work against Monterrey! Up the MLS!
by ABTsportsline on Apr 25, 2011 10:35 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
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