Seattle's Steve Zakuani on the road to recovery - Grant Wahl
We know all about Steve Zakuani's horrific injury. There's not necessarily a lot new here for us. But there are some interesting details and Wahl does talk to Brian Mullan, who acknowledges his poor choice of words the day of the incident. It's a very good read.
4 months ago
Jeremiah Oshan
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Great article.
I love this man named Steve Zakuani. And this article helps me to lose some of my vitriol aimed toward Brian Mullan. Afterall, I’ve made some revenge tackles on the field myself.
Man, that's a rough way to go through life.
by Aaron Campeau on Feb 2, 2012 11:57 AM PST up reply actions 6 recs
Hating a man so much you refuse to learn his name?
?
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart | Follow Dave on Twitter @bedirthan
Mullen, Mullan, hack, thug, goon - speel as you wish
And I don’t hate him, I am just not swayed by a few lines of contrition. I tend to save my sympathy for the victims of violent crime.
I am not saying “Never forgiven”. Just not yet. Certainly not before Stevie Z steps onto the pitch again for an MLS game.
And I don’t go through life in any single way – I am a forgiving person by nature, slow to anger. I try to remain level headed.
But Mullan was a thug before that game. There were fellow MLS players who said it was only a matter of time before he dealt someone a serious injury.
So let’s keep some perspective: Mullan’s emotional pain is at best equal to Stevie Zs. But Zak has a WHOLE lot more to deal with physically. He may never recover completely.
by TGos on Feb 2, 2012 2:24 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Confused by this perspective.
I respectfully disagree with your viewpoint. If Zakuani forgives Mullan, we have no right to hold a grudge.
That's a more confusing perspective.
Because someone else forgives, I should? That’s ridiculous.
Let me know if I have a right to feel that way.
by mrbs on Feb 2, 2012 4:14 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
You're not the victim.
Mullan broke Zakuani’s leg, not yours. This kind of injury transcends the sport. And if Zakuani is ready to move on from it with regard to Mullan, who am I to sit in my living room and stew about it?
It’s true, we as fans have missed an opportunity to watch Zakuani play and it’s possible/likely the overall quality of the team has suffered in his absence. I think it’s reasonable to be upset about that. I know I am. In fact, I think last season would’ve turned out very differently if Zakuani had been healthy all season. But it also could’ve turned out differently if Rosales had been healthy at the end of the season. But are we still skewering Daniel Woolard over it? Did you even remember his name?
Injuries happen all the time and can change the fortunes of a team. It sucks but it’s reality. I’m still upset about Zakuani’s injury. It was awful. I’m upset for him and I’m upset that it affected our team’s depth and quality. But I’m over being upset with Mullan. If Zakuani has turned the page and moved on, then that’s good enough for me.
To clarify...
I’m not saying I would buy Mullan a beer at a hotel bar or something. I’m just not interested in directing any more anger toward the guy.
That's fair, you're free to forget about Mullan all together, or buy him that beer.
I was mostly taking issue with your wording that nobody had the right to hold a grudge, which is a bit silly.
But has he ever even admitted it was a revenge tackle?
All I’ve heard him say is that he was trying to get the ball, that it’s a tackle he’s made many times, a tackle he’ll make again, that his intent wasn’t to cause a major injury.
But he’s never said he was trying to take Zakuani out. He’s never said he was pissed at a non-call and went in super-recklessly and without regard to Zakuani’s health. He’s never (to my knowledge) owned up to that mistake, which is the what his crime was.
He’s apologized that the results of the act were as brutal as they were, which would be appropriate for anyone involved (even if they weren’t at fault), but never took ownership of his actual action.
His apologies have all been of the “I’m sorry if you were offended” type of BS that somehow is construed as an apology when the “apologizer” never even admits a mistake or wrongdoing.
Without that apology this whole incident is too easily written off as “something that happens in soccer”. Something inevitable. Something you can’t prevent or control for. Which it’s not. It was the result of a hot-headed revenge tackle that was completely inappropriate and put the tackled player in danger, regardless of these specific results.
If Mullan’s not willing to admit that, it seems unlikely he’ll be able to change his behavior at all. Other players are trapped defending him, saying he wasn’t capable of the malice it would take to intentionally commit a nearly career ending injury, overlooking the fact that he (and they) are very capable of reckless revenge that COULD result in career ending injuries.
As tragic as this was (and is), we could have at least gotten some value out of it as a teachable moment. But letting Mullan off with a half-assed apology and just shrugging with “that’s how the game is” doesn’t help the game get any safer.
Everyone, especially Mullan, should know that while the result wasn’t intended, the hugely increased probability of the result was, due to his reckless action. And that’s something the players can, and should, try to control in the future.
by mrbs on Feb 2, 2012 4:33 PM PST up reply actions 2 recs
I'm in full agreement...
But forgiveness is not about the other person. It’s about what you choose to do. You definitely don’t have to forgive him. Personally, I’m just tired of wasting much more energy on the guy.
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter. You'll Never Yacht Alone.
by Jeremiah Oshan on Feb 2, 2012 6:53 PM PST up reply actions
Agreed.
The fact that I posted a wall of text may not indicate it, but I don’t care much about Brian Mullan one way or the other. But when the topic does come up, I’m happy to explain why I still think he’s a douche.
Outside of that very specific conversation, and when I’ll be booing him at Century Link, I don’t waste any thought on the putz.
by mrbs on Feb 2, 2012 7:39 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Pure Class from Zakuani.
I still hope the bartender forgets to add vermouth to Mullan’s Matini though.
Coug City Sounder
Winston Churchill once described the perfect martini as...
“drinking a glass of cold gin while looking at a bottle of vermouth”. Careful what you wish for. :-)
by Kenneth Jung on Feb 2, 2012 12:11 PM PST up reply actions
Zakuani is proof that you can take bad things and turn them into something good
Nothing can change the outcome of that tackle, but forgiveness goes a long way to healing and changing everything for the better.
There are very few people who have the positive attitude Zakuani has. All I can really say now is that I can’t wait to see him on the pitch again, and I hope he recovers fully back to the player he was before. Hopefully we can see him back to the way he was and playing a few more years in Seattle with the Sounders.
Nice Guy ?
They say most think he is a nice guy. Probably true, no reason to doubt them….BUT IMO, watching it, he intentionally went after another play while angry at someone else ( the ref ).
Only he and God know what went on in his head, and I AM speculating, but my guess is he deserves his sleepless nights.
he deserves his sleepless nights...
But that doesn’t make him not worthy of forgiveness. We all make mistakes. This was clearly one.
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter. You'll Never Yacht Alone.
by Jeremiah Oshan on Feb 2, 2012 11:28 AM PST up reply actions 5 recs
Agreed
And HUGE credit to Zakuani obviously. I would like to think I could follow an example like that…..
So.....
I can’t believe he is showing for the game………..Am I going to boo ?
I'll boo
And I hope housekeeping only stocks his hotel room with hand towels, one’s that havent been washed with fabric softener.
That Zakuani though, top man.
Go banana!
I think we boo.
We boo to get it out of our system. We boo so Zak knows we’re behind him, and the rest of the team too. We boo to rattle the Rapids and run them out of the stadium. We boo to let Mullan know that we will not forget. We boo to warn those who might make the same tackle in the future that the fans won’t stand for it—we won’t stand to have our players pointlessly injured by retaliatory tackles that are poorly thought-out at best. We boo because it is fun to collectively direct our scorn upon a player whom deserves much scorn.
But we don’t do anything worse than boo. Once the 90+ minutes are up, it’s over. We forgive Mullan and recognize his regret and continual apologies. We focus our energy on the positive things to come in the season, and move on.
by agtk on Feb 2, 2012 12:24 PM PST up reply actions 14 recs
well said
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter. You'll Never Yacht Alone.
by Jeremiah Oshan on Feb 2, 2012 12:33 PM PST up reply actions
I'll cheer Mullan on with a "Break a leg Mullan!". Anything that throws off his game.
I agree with agtk completely.
by SoundersForever on Feb 2, 2012 2:15 PM PST up reply actions
If he can't even talk about it with Grant Wahl without choking up
do you really think he’s going to play when he comes here?
The return of THIERRY
Booing opponents is essentially harmless
I just hope no one does something stupid like throwing beer (or worse) at/on Mullan.
If/when I have children
I will use this story as an example of how to handle things in life properly, respectfully and with class. Zak and Mullan may not have been friends before, and they almost certainly won’t be now, but none of this lessens Mullan’s basic value as a human and the inherent respect deserved therein. Steve’s handling of the situation is a perfect illustration and reminder that vitriol of the level aimed at Mullan should be reserved for only the very worst of humanity.
Nos audietis in somniis
Nos audietis in altum
by Seattle Coug on Feb 2, 2012 12:13 PM PST reply actions 4 recs
I hope Brian Mullan finds a penny.
@ritual605
by Greg Pirkl Lives on Feb 2, 2012 12:25 PM PST reply actions
Either way.
I just thought he could use a tiny respite from all the small, annoying things that seem to befall him.
@ritual605
by Greg Pirkl Lives on Feb 2, 2012 12:40 PM PST up reply actions 3 recs
I LOL'd
Nos audietis in somniis
Nos audietis in altum
by Seattle Coug on Feb 2, 2012 12:59 PM PST up reply actions
Forgiveness can be hard for some, but moving forward shouldn't be.Its probably too soon, but it could be kinda cool if both Mullan and Zak entered the game togeteher with a handshke and 11 minutes remaining.
Seattle up by 4 of course!!
"Kia Kaha" -Live strong
by Ravengreen on Feb 2, 2012 1:33 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Disney movie?
I would rather they shake hands at the end of a game Zak started we won by crushing Colorado, with Zak scoring 3 goals.
In their house.
by SoundersForever on Feb 2, 2012 2:18 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Time to get over the anger at Mullan.
Time to get ready to see Zak holding up the MLS cup at years end!
by DaveValleDrinkNight on Feb 2, 2012 2:23 PM PST reply actions
I'll feel better once Mullan steps onto Century Link field.
I think I just need a game to yell at him at the top of my lungs and then I’ll have it out of my system.
I'm not over it yet.
I’m getting there and this article helped, but I’m not there yet.
When I see Zak back on the field, I’ll probably be over it.
Not my job to forgive
As a fan it is not my job to forgive him. It is my job to boo him and make him feel as uncomfortable as possible anytime he gets near Seattle until such time as Zakuani is off in Europe playing up to his full potential and making millions. Seattle is so soft, if this were Philadelphia that man would fear for his life. Instead we are talking about whether to boo him or not. I am proud that we are classier than Philadelphia, but come on, even if he had gone for the ball on the tackle (which he clearly did not) he deserves every bit of booing we can give him. Not saying we need to be spiteful about it, but that is our proper role.
by D Mo on Feb 3, 2012 11:08 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
who's talking about whether or not to boo him?
I think everyone falls into two camps: 1. Those who will boo him whether they forgive him or not 2. Those who don’t care enough to boo.
This is not about to boo or not to boo
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter. You'll Never Yacht Alone.
by Jeremiah Oshan on Feb 3, 2012 11:59 AM PST up reply actions
I really think there's a major mis-characterization going on here.
There’s a difference between not liking a guy/being unwilling to boo him and continuing to hold some sort of grudge/actively wishing bad things on a person. I will boo Mullan every time he touches the ball or looks anywhere in my general direction, for the rest of his career. I don’t have very much sympathy for him.
But I DO have empathy, and I feel that he feels genuinely bad about what happened. Even if he didn’t I find the fact that people are unwilling to move on and continue to actively wish bad things to happen to him more than a little bit sad. I think this comment, though I do not personally feel exactly the same way, does a good job of summarizing my feelings on the subject.
To say that this is “an argument about whether or not to boo him” is a massive strawman.
by Aaron Campeau on Feb 3, 2012 12:01 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Are we in denial or just overly sensitive. If you read the same article I did the chances of zak ever playing again seem low
by RalfZakuani on Feb 3, 2012 6:03 PM PST via mobile reply actions
Well not really but continue to troll me as if you are indeed the one not oversimplifying things.
On the other hand, if I were in Vegas I’d say Zak will never appear in an MLS game again, and that’s my honest belief.
Calling you on your BS is not trolling you.
Stop stating your unfounded minority opinion as fact and I’ll stop doing it.
by Aaron Campeau on Feb 7, 2012 11:19 AM PST up reply actions
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