Brian Mullan Receives 10-Game Suspension, $5000 Fine For Tackle On Steve Zakuani

I’m happy that MLS is going harsh on Mullen

I’m satisfied with the punishment.

Its very important the message be sent that this sort of thing, regardless of who it comes from (I’m looking at you, Scissors Beckham) is completely unacceptable, and I’m glad to see MLS taking a stand.

Had he not shown such significant remorse. This leaves room for the league to increase the punishment in the future as well without going egregious suspensions.

if so it sends the right message and sets a new precedence.

this is good for the league.

…the punishment should fit the action rather than the result. But I am coming around to the idea that the result should be included as a consideration.

For instance, I do think that if you replayed this scenario (Wahl harasses Mullan, Mullan runs to make a rash challenge wherever the ball is), I think that most of the time, even with an extremely rash challenge, a broken leg wouldn’t result. But, when someone makes a studs-up tackle that could break someone’s leg, there’s always some doubt as to whether it actually would break someone’s leg. So it’s at least impractical to punish someone as harshly for a tackle that could break someone’s leg as for a tackle that does break someone’s leg, since the process becomes speculative.

Overall, given some time to reflect since the incident, I think the main thing I’d like to see is a longer default suspension for red cards that result from serious foul play or violent conduct, maybe three games instead of one. If someone gets sent off on a second yellow for dissent, it shouldn’t be treated the same as someone who is sent off for a dangerous physical foul, even if that physical foul didn’t cause harm.

And to balance that, I’d like to see after-the-fact suspensions enacted for clear cases of simulation—especially simulation where players feign injury. If someone grabs their face when their face clearly hasn’t even been touched, give them a 3-game suspension. It’s one thing for a player to go to ground under minimal contact (showing that they feel they have been impeded), it’s another for them to act like they have been physically harmed in the process.

1 for the red, 10 for the penalty, and 1 for he better not show his face in seattle in July!

just as Don Ruiz stated (in the most recent update and link), just when everyone was coming to terms with this whole mess, the Rapids organization opens their mouths and spits in the pot. Hopefully we can remain calm in response.

I agree with Don Ruiz’s take on the Rapids reaction. I am also concerned that this type of play is not only systemic in that particular club, but has been tacitly approved over the years in the MLS. Is this what we want our youth soccer programs to be teaching? Is this what we want our up and coming players to be emulating? I hope not.

I don’t want to see dirty, rash tackles. I don’t want to watch arm-flailing rants at the ref’s. I don’t want to see diving and simulation (cheating, in my book). I do want to see fair and physical play. I do want to see the power, poise, grace and fire from talented and classy players on the pitch.

I really don’t care if Mullan plays this weekend. The true culprits are the MLS executives and coaches who promote and protect thug-football. If the league wanted to send a message they would go after the Rapids who, by their statement, are revealing themselves to be the real issue.

In regards to Ruiz’s statements: Did they just get the Internet out there in Colorado?
Can someone help me out here? I’m having a hard time swallowing this one. Has Plush never seen negative comments in response to articles on-line? Whom was the vitriol comment targeted to? I assume it’s not directed to his own fan-base, or else I hope he would have called them on it. We’ve all read disgusting comments/posts aimed at Zak himself that are just as bad as the worst ones directed at Mullan – many of which came from around the country and not Seattle. And after the first day, the negativity dramatically decreased as emotions settled and people came to terms with what happened. The only negative presence left on the Internet were the same bad apples that are always there, those that are never taken seriously anyway. But if this had been directed at the whole country, and not just Sounder fans, I think Plush would (and should) have pointed that out; but since he didn’t, and we’re the ones that are suffering the most from this incident, I can’t help but think this comment is directed at Sounders fans. To me, this reads as a total slap in the Sounder’s fan-base face that just re-opens the wounds that had already begun to heal – all without any help from the Rapids in the first place! Am I out of line here? Please help me see this as something other than the Rapids trying to turn Mullan and their organization into a victim and demonizing the Sounders at the same time.
Also, who begins a paragraph by stating ‘Our organization has chosen a path of silence…’ only to then to conclude it with how you’re disappointed in a bunch of people and try to label them as the ‘bad guys’?