Today amid a storm of criticism across the blogosphere, the University of New Mexico has announced that defender Elizabeth Lambert has been suspended until further notice from team practices, competition and any soccer-related activities."I am deeply and wholeheartedly regretful for my actions," Lambert said in a statement posted on the New Mexico Web site .
"My actions where uncalled for. 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 from the coaching staff and UNM administration. 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."In the Mountain West women's semifinal soccer match yesterday between Brigham Young University and New Mexico, Lambert repeatedly kicked, pushed and pulled at the opposition during an extremely physical game on the pitch. Her actions during the run of play are all over the Internet today.
The 5'8" junior punched, kicked and pulled down pretty much every BYU player who was unlucky enough to cross her. At various times throughout the match, Lambert can be seen punching the opposition in the back, kicking the ball into another's face (which did result in a yellow card) and to complete her breakdown she maliciously threw a BYU player to the ground by her ponytail.
The full story can only be told by watching the video below.
Lambert goes crazy
I am sorry Ms. Lambert but you're actions do tell a lot about you as a person and a soccer player. I know emotions can get the best of us, but that only explains one or two incidents -- not the repeated actions you chose to take throughout the match. However, I blame your coach, Kit Vela . How can you allow a player to stay in the game when she is obviously out of control? By allowing her to continue her ridiculous display on the field, Vela has shamed her program and her university. Physical play is necessary in collegiate competition, but what you did Ms. Lambert is commit battery. BYU should be filing charges against you sometime in the near future.
Oh my. I'm not even sure how to respond to that. You have to wonder how an athlete got to the college level without learning to control her emotions on the field.
ReplyDeleteWhat's sad is that now she will have little chance of living her mistake down. Her worst moments are immortalized on Youtube (and now hundreds of other blogs). I'm willing to bet that for the rest of her life a Google search of her name will pull that video.
Does the Internet/social media ever forgive? Or allow mistakes to be absolved?