Jaws, Part II

photo by candiche	via PhotoRee

 

Every now and then Scott does talk some sense:

 

Jaws Part II came to a frenzied but quick conclusion as the Football Association (FA) meted out a 10-game ban to the masticating perpetrator, Luis Suarez. Unless you have been hiding under a rock (or are an American sports fan), you know that the Uruguayan's antics veered to the absurd when he literally bit Chelsea defender Branislov Ivanovic on the arm toward the end of the London club's visit to Anfield last Sunday. This toddler-like coping reaction came only minutes before, naturally, the perennial villain turned momentary hero when he then headed home the equalizer on, literally (again), the last play of the game in the 97th minute.

It is hard enough to be a wounded Liverpool fan after several years of crushing disappointment and the recent salty salve that is a twentieth League Championship for Darth Ferguson and the Evil MU Empire. Add to that a heaping dose of pathetically inappropriate behavior by the best player on the team and then reach repeatedly for the Maalox when your Prilosec just won't get the job done. We Liverpudlian faithfuls can only take comfort in the fact that we at least stopped defending the idiot some time ago. Such as that is.

Come on, Luis!  You absolute git!  Get a grip, snap out of it!  After two cannibal imitations (and they apparently actually call him “The Cannibal” in Holland), one high-profile racial taunt followed by an even higher-profile handshake snub, not to mention a previous career in diving, for the love God, PLEASE grow up!  If (when) you get another chance at Liverpool (depending on offers and your desire to stay), you can be sure it will be your last.

The immediate apology (reportedly not accepted by the aggrieved Serbian) and the immediate club fine were not enough to secure less than the 10-match ban. It was reported that statements made by the club and Suarez, positing that the punishment should not exceed the customary 3-match ban, may have hurt their cause and had the opposite effect.

While that may be true, logic dictates that it had to be more than eight games. Why? Quite simply, because sticks and stones (and teeth), when intentionally used, really are worse than words, even if those words are of the repugnant, racial variety.  This no doubt comes from my American, First Amendment-centric point of view, but nasty words, no matter how hateful, ignorant and disgusting, do not rise to the level of physical harm – a point I raised in my post covering Suarez’s previous ban. 

 

Ironically, while I have never agreed that eight matches was appropriate for the Patrice Evra incident, given that the FA did think so and set that bar, I do agree with the relative length of this ban.  Again quite simply, it had to be longer.  And maybe, just maybe, although probably not, but then again you never know, so just maybe, it will be long enough for him to grow up.

 

This is farlieonfootie for April 26.