Elizabeth Lambert Dirty Video Leads to New Mexico Soccer Suspension

It did not take the enormous negative internet response to Elizabeth Lambert's overly "enthusiastic" soccer playing in the semifinals of the Mountain West Conference against Brigham Young long to wear down the patience of the University of New Mexico. Just hours after Elizabeth Lambert became a viral video hit on the internet, New Mexico women's soccer coach Kit Vela announced that Lambert would be suspended indefinitely. Not only was she suspended from play until further notice, Elizabeth Lambert is not allowed to practice with the team.

Elizabeth Lambert issued an apology for her behavior. She stated: "I let my emotions get the best of me in a heated situation. I take full responsibility for my actions and accept any punishment felt necessary. This is in no way indicative of my character or the soccer player that I am. I am sorry to my coaches and teammates for any and all damages I have brought upon them.

"I am especially sorry to BYU and the BYU women's soccer players that were personally affected by my actions. I have the utmost respect for the BYU women's soccer program and its players."

Apologies aside, Lambert's behavior on the soccer field was tantamount to a martial arts/rugby blend, wholly oblivious to soccer's no purposeful bodily contact rules. Which kind of makes her apology and her line about "utmost respect" seemingly disingenuous. Chicago Sun-Times sports reporter Kyle Foster likened her play to MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). A list of the things Elizabeth Lambert did to the Brigham Young soccer team includes: punches to the small of her opponents' backs, taking out other defenders at the knees, pulling the ponytail of one Brigham Young defender so hard and quick she hit the ground (and remained there for more than a few seconds), elbows to ribs, and purposefully slamming into her opponents. If that was her emotions getting "the best of [her] in a heated situation," then her "situation" lasted the entire game.

If her aggressive playing wasn't bad enough, the officiating in the game was worse. She received only two yellow cards (when she should have received a red card, which indicates expulsion from the game).

But unlike the ridiculous response of a premeditated and potentially hurtful eye gouging incident by Florida's Brandon Spikes in last Saturday's game against Georgia, the University of New Mexico dealt with the Elizabeth Lambert situation in a manner consistent with the offense. Urban Meyer, the Florida head coach, stated in response to the outcry against the obvious attempt by Spikes to gouge Georgia running back Washaun Ealey's eyes by groping inside his facemask (the maneuver made even more obvious by slow-motion replay via video) that he would have a "serious talk" with his defensive ballplayer. That "serious talk" wasn't all that serious and Meyer suspended Spikes for half of the upcoming game against a lowly Vanderbilt team. Although the Southeast Conference agreed to the disciplinary decision, there was a more strident outcry against Urban Meyer's seeming lack of concern for his ballplayer's wanton disregard for the welfare of another ballplayer, not to mention the underhandedness. Meyer responded by making Brandon Spikes' suspension the full Vanderbilt throwaway game, which is as close to doing nothing as Urban Meyer could get.

Many believe Meyer's response only indicates Meyer's lack of class. The Florida Gators are not only defending national champions, they've been the No. 1 team in the polls every week but one this season as well. That he would barely "tap" Brandon Spikes on the wrist in such a serious matter where another ballplayer gouge have had permanent damage done to his eyes shows he has a disregard not only for fair play but on fairness in disciplinary measures.

Perhaps Urban Meyer could take a note from Oregon head coach, Chip Kelly. After LeGarrette Blount sucker-punched Byron Hout from Boise State after the season opening Oregon-Boise State game ended, Blount was summarily suspended from the team for the rest of the year. Blount's reaction to whatever Hout said was quick and reflexive, as the viral video that swept the internet attested, but it also seemed to be the way Chip Kelly dealt with the incident. Although many thought the response was harsh, LeGarrette Blount was allowed to keep his scholarship and graduate from the University. He is also was allowed to practice with the team, travel with the team and use their training facilities.

Even though Oregon's suspension of LeGarrette Blount for the season appears somewhat excessive (two or three games, even five or six -- half the football season -- would have sufficed), it was the right response. Urban Meyer's response not only made him look bad, it reflected poorly on the University of Florida and its football program, one that is highly regarded throughout the country. And to say that Brandon Spikes was dealt with appropriately by suspending him is as disgraceful as handing down a half-game or one game suspension for his premeditated, unsportsmanlike and cruel act.

But Elizabeth Lambert certainly seems to have gotten what she deserved -- so far. It is unclear what the indefinite suspension entails. New Mexico's soccer season is over for the year after having lost to Brigham Young in the semifinals (and all that ribbing, tripping, hitting, and pony-tail-pulling for nothing). Whether the University of New Mexico will follow Oregon's example or Florida's -- or find some middle ground solution -- remains to be seen. But it is behavior such as Blount's, Spikes', and Lambert's on the playing fields, courts, rinks, mats, etc., that are seen by children, adolescents, and young adults thoughout the nation and the world. The manner in which they're called accountable and held responsible, the measures by which they are disciplined, are also seen (and heard) by those same young people via television, internet, and radio. Teaching them to do anything to win, even though it might cause harmful bodily injury to another, without quick and severe repercussions to the offending player or players is only setting the sports world up for a flood of such behavior in the future.

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Sources:

ESPN.go.com
SunTimes.com
Associated Press