No Backing Off Barton

Sumo Wrestling is How Scott and Ed Usually Settle Their Disputes
photo by odegaard	via PhotoRee

In which Columnist Scott bitch slaps Correspondent Ed:

I was planning on simply posting a comment to Correspondent Ed's previous post in which he commanded we all back off Joey Barton.  But I wanted to ensure that the acumen of my rebuttal received the attention and pomp it clearly deserves. Plus, farlieonfootie appears to be reduced to hop-by-hop beer recipe posts to fill space.

For the record, and said with head tilted back in a stately manner after slapping Correspondent Ed ceremoniously across the face with a white glove, I will NOT back off Joey Barton.  He deserves every syllable of disdain he has received. To say, in essence, that we should back off because at least he didn't break someone's leg, like Nigel De Jong!?  Correspondent Ed is an articulate, funny writer ,but what clearly must have been a joke did not pan out here.

Barton's behavior was repugnant, petulant and some other appropriate adjective, because literary lists are more aesthetically pleasing if they contain three items.  Yes, he was fouled rather flagrantly by Carlos Tevez, unbeknownst to the referee. So when he retaliated with an elbow to the Argentinian's face, it wasn't really that surprising, given Barton's history of hot-headed shenanigans.  But you would think that would be it - another cautionary tale where the ref only sees the second act and shows the final performer a red card.

But no.  Barton, whose team was fighting for its EPL life, recklessly   brandished his thuggery and stupidity with no regard for his teammates (or owners, coaches, staff and fans) by first kicking Sergio Aguero from behind and then attempting to headbutt Vincent Kompany before being forcibly escorted from the pitch and exchanging profane farewells with Mario Balotelli (who clearly felt upstaged).  Barton's childish antics were a classic scenario of: bratty kid does something stupid, gets appropriately punished, throws a temper tantrum and then is physically forced into a time-out.

There is no need to back off such horribly inappropriate behavior. In fact, I say pile on. His ban should be at least what Luis Suarez received. After all, Suarez didn't break a leg either (or elbow a face, kick a leg and attempt a headbutt)...

And I don't for a nano second believe his lame story that he never lost his head and that a fellow QPR player suggested he take a City player with him. That bit of fiction is spin at its highest, dizzying level.

I will concede the point that Barton's behavior was not really dangerous in the physical sense. But I would deign to say that his behavior IS dangerous to the game we love. If we excuse or minimize this type of infantile behavior, along with continuing to only tepidly address rampant diving, we'll be left with a well-televised clown act on grass.

Just back off and watch it happen.

This is farlieonfootie for May 25.