It seemed the Dynamo would ride out their 3-0 win over FC Dallas yesterday without incident.
Yet off a free kick it all unraveled.
Carlos Ruiz initiated contact by pushing Ricardo Clark and then tumbled on top of him. Clear foul, the replay shows it but Clark went to another level losing emotional control and kicking blatantly Ruiz while he lay on the ground.
Initially it looked like he kicked Ruiz in the head but it was actually in the shoulder and arm area and Ruiz feigned that he was hit in the head.
Simply put, Ruiz is an instigator and initiates contact with the way that he plays. It is a known fact throughout the league.
So one simply has to be stronger mentally and have that ability to walk away from episodes like this.
Clark is undoubtably going to get fined heavily by the league and will miss games due to the “in your face” nature of this incident.
This was over the top and very out of character for Ricardo Clark yet a very serious matter.
Your thoughts?
Glenn
October 1, 2007
Dynamo win over FC Dallas 3-0 but will lose Clark
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Clark was wrong to kick Ruiz in the shoulder, and originally, I thought suspending him for the rest of the year would have been appropriate, but after having seen the replay again, Ruiz instigated the whole affair big-time. He sucker-punched Clark in the lower kindey, tried to leap frog over him, and then deliberately fell on top of him. A two game suspension and heavy fine for both of them sounds about right.
Comment by Marco — October 1, 2007 @ 12:06 pm
Personally, I think Ruiz deserved more than he got from Clark. I understand that Clark needs to be fined and suspended, but I think a “clear light of day” review should limit both to no more than 2-game suspensions. I honestly don’t think this is going to hurt either team, though the candystripers’ playoff position may take a hit. For Dynamo, it kind of makes some “who-plays, who-doesn’t” decisions a little easier over the next few weeks and Clark will be that much more rested going into the playoffs. Hopefully, if we face those guys again in the playoffs, Rico will leave the Ruiz confrontations to Eddie Robinson, who knows how to neutralize the guy.
Comment by Martin Hajovsky — October 1, 2007 @ 2:34 pm
I honestly think Rico’s going to learn from this experience. When a guy like Nemo Ruiz, sorry…trying to translate Pescadito Ruiz, makes plays like that during the whole game it gets to you…I watched the whole game and as Martin said Robinson should have kept guarding him…but our Rico’s still young and all that energy needed to be used somewhere else..really…hopefully the league sees that he was provoked over and over throughout the game…that sometimes is part of the game…Zidane anyone????…Rico…please learn from this one…we were winning there was no reason for that…you let a less quality player get to your head…You’ll be fine man!!…Rest and come back with fresh legs and ready to win another MLS Cup…
Comment by Moises Villasenor — October 1, 2007 @ 3:55 pm
The game was very physical, and few calls in the game went against Houston on the way to an easy 3-0 victory. Robinson as usual shut down Ruiz with very close marking. So for Clark or anyone on Houston for that matter to feign victimization by the tactics of Ruiz on the afternoon is fairly laughable. Clark\’s response to the incident was bizarre as well - a violent but ineffective kick to the shoulder of Ruiz lying prone on the ground. (Surely a DeRosario kick would have real damage). If Clark wanted to go after Ruiz, why he didn\’t he wait for Ruiz to get up and then throw a punch or headbutt? As a fight it was very weak.
Comment by Alex — October 1, 2007 @ 4:53 pm
Retaliation in any form in an unacceptable cardable offence.Ricardo was apparently fed up with Ruiz\’s assaults on him. That is Pescadito\’s game. He gets into the head and it becomes too much to bear any longer. Just ask Eddie Robinson or even Adrian Serioux (hair pulling).It is disgraceful and shameful of Ruiz and I don\’t understand how MLS can continue to allow his antics to continue year after year.
What will it take to banish this disgrace to MLS
forever?
Comment by David Talbert — October 1, 2007 @ 10:06 pm