Soccer fight not worthy of spotlight

 

Women's soccer had sports fans and non-sports fans alike buzzing last week with an intensity not heard since Brandi Chastain took her shirt off after her game-winning goal in 1999's Women's World Cup. This time around, it's violence, rather than sports bra-bearing that put a shin-guarded lady in the headlines. In addition to much punching, kicking and general nastiness throughout a match against Brigham Young University, Elizabeth Lambert of the University of New Mexico applied a swift, brutal ponytail takedown of a competitor unlike anything I've ever seen.

With the ease of someone infected with super villain strength and speed, Lambert grabbed a fistful of thick Mormon ponytail and jerked the player to the ground. The attack took but an instant. Referees said nothing. Game on.

I doubt the now-suspended Lambert's head-turning actions will land her the cover of Sports Illustrated as Chastain's spontaneous shirtlessness did. And, she does now have to live with the lame brand of Tonya Harding-like semi-fame that comes from doing something stupid. But, Lambert's foul footage did infiltrate the "Today" show, YouTube, the blogosphere and, perhaps most impressively, the perennial boy's club that is ESPN's "SportsCenter." If she plays this right, she could parlay her actions into the talk show circuit and a Playboy layout. So, there you have it: Next to breasts, a chick fight is another surefire method for getting some attention for your under publicized sport. Flash or fight. Take your pick, ladies. The camera is rolling.

Why should it be that Lambert's fists of fury should get such a spotlight? Male athletes don't get that kind of lingering attention when they play dirty. Of course, girl fights tend to get viewed with a more sexualized eye than do dude fights. Twisted as it is, plenty of people love the prospect of a chick fight.

One could suggest those officiating the New Mexico-BYU showdown are among those who welcome a chance to see women getting a little rough with one another. After all, cameras captured a string of at least six Lambert lash-outs during that particular match, only one of which was assigned a yellow card. Like some sitcom chick fight that no one breaks up in anticipation that clothing might get torn while slaps turn to smooches, officials just let Lambert play on through her clear punching, kicking and hair-pulling.

Maybe Lambert was having a particularly bad day. Maybe she'd watched too much UFC the night before. Whatever the case, her tantrums should have been nipped in the bud by those who enforce the rules. Just a few weeks ago I saw an Iowa State football player punch a Cornhusker in the helmet and get immediately ejected from the game for it. Sure, regulations vary, and I can hear my father laughing all the way in Palm Coast over my hastening to compare college football to women's soccer. But, fighting is fighting. Unsportsmanlike conduct should be equally assigned to those who behave in an unsportswoman-like manner.