Reactions to New Mexico's #15, Elizabeth Lambert

[Mars]

Larry Fitzgerald, WR for the Arizona Cardinals, posted "Omg did u guys just c on sportscenter that girl soccer player beating up on everyone during her game?!?! Whoooaaa!!!"

Boston Celtics' power forward Shelden Williams also commented on Lambert. "dang i m watching highlights of the unm and byu women soccer the girl from unm number 15 was fighting every1" Williams first posted. He then followed it with another tweet saying "dang she didn't get red carded or nothing.... she was kicking people, pulling girls pony tails and slapping people in the face."

Fellow collegiate athlete Marcus Ginyard, senior guard for North Carolina's basketball team, couldn't help but comment on the incident as well. "Please tell me u saw those girls on New mexico's soccer team gettin aggressive....entertaining, but not cool" tweeted Ginyard.

Free agent NFL tight end George Wrighster looked at it in a different light by tweeting "Thanx to #ElizabethLambert everyone will forget about LeGarrett Blount!!!" Blount is the Oregon football player suspended for punching a Boise State player after their season opening loss at BSU.

Thomas Howard, LB for the Oakland Raiders, naturally saw Lambert through the eyes of an NFL defender. He tweeted "I know everyone has seen that soccer girl who plays for New Mexico University. Boy is she an enforcer."

http://www.examiner.com/x-22708-Sports- ... th-Lambert

Also the official announcements from UNM, BYU, and the MWC:
http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-unm-b ... 2373.story

[Schmoe]

Yeah, it sure is manly, tough, and enforcing to cheapshot people. I'm such a manly enforcer that I punch people in the back of the head when they're not looking. Man am I tough!! GRRRR!!

[Mars]

ABC’s “Good Morning America” program on Monday described her play as “despicable losership.”

...Once video of Lambert’s seven deadly fouls during a college semi-final last week hit the Internet, a Facebook page titled “Ban Elizabeth Lambert from college soccer” has attracted 3,605 members in a couple of days.

...But too few ask what blame should be bourne by Lambert’s coach, Kit Vela, or the referee, Joe Pimentel, and assistant referees. How could it be that Vela did not remove her player when the emotions quite clearly were getting the better of her? How could Pimentel, a referee of some standing locally, stand by when such appalling and deliberate foul play was afoot? He issued one yellow card in the match, for possibly the least of Lambert’s misdeeds, a trip on Payne. He took no action against Lambert’s team mate who in that same incident kicked the ball into Payne’s face as she hit the ground. He ignored, or perhaps he and the other officials did not see the punches, slaps, high tackles and pony tail yank.

...But responsibility is not simply for the referees. It is in the first instance the duty of players, and then those who instruct them. Vela has been in her post for eight years. She was as inert as the referee during this unacceptable malevolence. And maybe Vela should examine her own leadership. She said the morning after the contest: “Liz is a quality student-athlete, but in this instance her actions clearly crossed the line of fair play and good sportsmanship.” Further questions that need examining relate to what was said in the locker room at half time. New Mexico was by then struggling to cope with higher-ranked B.Y.U. New Mexico’s players knew it would be tough, but on Lobo TV, New Mexico’s own university station, Vela said on the eve of the game: “I love this group of players. They are fiery and they’re just excited to go play.” The coach lights the fire and stands back while one of her players goes out of control. The world is watching on through the new digital communication that, for a week, makes Elizabeth Lambert more of a celebrity than Beckham.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/sport ... .html?_r=1

[Mars]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/sport ... tml?_r=3D1

"Tony DiCicco, who coached the United States to the 1999 Women’s World Cup title, said he doubted Lambert was the only one playing roughly. He questioned the vigilance of the referee Joe Pimentel, who issued only a late yellow-card warning to Lambert for tripping, and the apparent inaction of New Mexico Coach Kit Vela to restrain Lambert.

“I’m put off by what she did, I’m put off that the refereeing didn’t seem to recognize this, and I’m put off a little by the coaching,” said DiCicco, who now coaches the Boston Breakers of Women’s Professional Soccer."

[SpiffCoug]

Lots of blame to go around.

The referee and assistants should be suspended as well for either 1) not witnessing the poor display of sportsmanship or 2) tacitly condoning it. They shouldn't officiate a few games as punishment.

The UNM head coach should be both publicly reprimanded and suspended a few games for allowing a player under their stewardship to behave like that. They clearly are not doing their job of teaching.

The UNM team captain should also be suspended for a game for not controlling a teammate.

[BroncoBot]

Lots of blame to go around.

The referee and assistants should be suspended as well for either 1) not witnessing the poor display of sportsmanship or 2) tacitly condoning it. They shouldn't officiate a few games as punishment.

The UNM head coach should be both publicly reprimanded and suspended a few games for allowing a player under their stewardship to behave like that. They clearly are not doing their job of teaching.

The UNM team captain should also be suspended for a game for not controlling a teammate.

These punishments would be amazing. Too bad we don't have enough out there who really believe in the word sportsmanship.

[NFLJPD]

AP - Payne and Shumway woke up screaming from nighmares earlier this morning the undefeated BYU Soccer players realize the new sheriff is the old sheriff and is back in town. NM star defender Elizabeth Lambert was recently reinstated and will surely wreak havoc on the pitch again. Last fall she brutally beat, shoved and kicked the BYU players within an inch of their lives. That was her last game last year and she has been waking up each night because the voices have been telling her to sharpen her spikes. Insane and wreckless as she comes off a recent gallop poll found most college men are turned on, and would like to date her. (slip in your own BYU-CoEd jokes here).

[SpiffCoug]

Darn, New Mexico doesn't come to Provo this year and the MWC tourney is in SD this year. I guess we don't get to boo her this year. If that game were in Provo, that would be a very fun game to attend.

[kiwibacon]

AP - Payne and Shumway woke up screaming from nighmares earlier this morning the undefeated BYU Soccer players realize the new sheriff is the old sheriff and is back in town. NM star defender Elizabeth Lambert was recently reinstated and will surely wreak havoc on the pitch again. Last fall she brutally beat, shoved and kicked the BYU players within an inch of their lives. That was her last game last year and she has been waking up each night because the voices have been telling her to sharpen her spikes. Insane and wreckless as she comes off a recent gallop poll found most college men are turned on, and would like to date her. (slip in your own BYU-CoEd jokes here).

Sorry, I had to "fix" your post...somehow you used the wrong color.

[CougarClaw]

Not that Lambert deserves any defense, but I think the videos clearly show she is reacting to BYU pushes and shoves.

Not sure how those translate into hair pulls, karate chops, and flying duchman back breakers
and I REALLY don't know how that translates into her ONLY serving a two game suspension.