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Should Henry be suspended for Hartman incident?

Thierry Henry (ISIphotos.com)

What started out as a celebration turned into a nightmare when a Thierry Henry kicked a ball into Kevin Hartman's foot, causing the FC Dallas goalkeeper to suffer a sprained MCL that could sideline him for several weeks.

The incident came after a Mehdi Ballouchy goal in Thursday's Red Bulls-FC Dallas match. Henry went to kick the ball away after it had ricocheted out of the net, but just before he did, Hartman stuck his raised foot behind the ball. Henry's subsequent blast jarred Hartman's leg and sent him sprawling. He left the match at halftime after being unable to to make it through warm-ups.

Here is the video of the incident:

Here is our question for you. Do you think Henry should face some discipline for the incident, or do you think it was just a fluke incident? Cast your vote here:

What's my take? I think it was a fluke play that could have merited a second yellow card for Henry, but  since the referee saw it and already addressed it, stating he saw nothing worthy of punishment, it doesn't seem likely MLS would overrule the referee. The league does issue retroactive punishment at times, but it usually involves plays the referee didn't see. There will surely be a protest from Dallas, and there is already talk suggesting that MLS won't suspend Henry because of the upcoming high-profile match against the Los Angeles Galaxy. In short, this story isn't likely to go away any time soon.

How did you vote? What did you think of the play?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. “Henry went to hit the ball and I tried to intercede and, unfortunately, I hurt myself or got hurt.”

    I agree that Henry is at fault but Hartman did say he tried to intercede. I say 1 game suspension.

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  2. I’ve never been a big fan of post-goal celebrations unless they come very near the end of a game where it will likely be the game winner. As my coaches always used to say, the most vulnerable time to be scored upon is in the first 5 minutes after you score. I think overblown celebrations only contribute to a team’s post-goal letdown.

    Having said that, I don’t agree with Henry’s move, but the incident was very fluke, and wouldn’t have happened with Hartman deciding he wanted to put a stop to it. No suspension…chalk it up to childish behavior on both sides.

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  3. I think I read comments so I can purposely drive myself crazy.
    It was a fluke, there was no intent, sometimes bad outcomes happen. The referee was absolutely correct, and hopefully none of you who think otherwise have any power over anyone ever.

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  4. Yes but not because he hurt hartman, but because he’s an F’ing moron. That;s so much worse than described orginally. That was WELL after the goal. He should have at least gotten carded or red carded.

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  5. I’ve jostled and battled for balls against people who were dribbling in the same fashion, i’ve never had knee problems. But then again, i’m not a 40 year old ‘keeper.

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  6. MLS doesn’t have the nads to do anything to one of its prized possessions. If this was done by anyone else, a long suspension would be implemented. Henry won’t even get a call from Garber!

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  7. my opinion? Hartman’s too fat to be on the pitch in a competitive match. Anything was liable to get him injured. At least now he’ll have more time for the buffet.

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  8. Henry was quoted as saying, “He put his foot in there and that is how he got injured”.

    Unfortunately, this is just another example of how Henry isn’t going to assume responsibility for his own actions anytime soon.

    I’d have a lot more respect for him if he said, “I fcuked up”.

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  9. Henry should have received the second yellow. The league should suspend him for a game and fine him.

    Shea also deserves a multiple game suspension for not leaving the field immediately and coming back and touching an official.

    What an ugly game.

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  10. Best thing about American soccer fans, they love to make up a conspiracy about everything; the ref and MLS don’t want Henry suspended, Concacaf refs hate Americans (and I guess that include Canada), FIFA doesn’t want the richest country in the world to win a world cup because it may actually drive up FIFA profits…..

    They also love to make new rules to fit their situation. At first Henry kicked the goal keeper’s foot causing him to get hurt. changed to it is the GK ball after a goal (infect it is no ones ball, but the refs that why you will see a gk kick the ball back, or an attacking player grab the ball and run it back; ie Buddle pushing PR GK into the net to get the ball back to the midfield as fast as possible… No card there and you fans weren’t screaming about that), and finally after Hartman admitted he went to block Henry, it’s now time wasting. Typically Ref will give 30 seconds for a goal celebration…. See the pile up of US players in the world cup, that took way longer then this celebration and no one was mad. People like Bradley have kicked the ball way after the goal, and no one complains. I have seen players qfter a PK drill the ball in MLS, players like Donovan have done this… Why did you guys not complain then? You lot are hysterical.

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  11. Quit flapping your labia.

    Still, why’d Kev have to do that whole suck-in-your-feet-and-crash-to-the-turf embellishment? Probably added a couple of weeks to his layoff.

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  12. Not that I’m saying that any punishment is warranted, I think it was a fluke as well; if there was any punishment to mete out, they should both have been yellowed, which I guess is the point, seeing as Henry was on a yellow? Is that right? Or did it come after….anyway you could I suppose argue that both players should be yellowed, therefore Henry should have been redded and miss the next game, but I think that would be a real stretch. If anything it’s not showing how MLS might be letting Henry get away with stuff, it’s showing how they might be holding him to a different standard period, whether that be positive or negative for Thierry Henry and the Red Bulls.

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  13. Very true, and I bet most on this site saying he is dirty don’t know anything about him. They only know wikipedia Henry. Never watched him play for the gunners. Too bad to, he was amazing.

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  14. Hartman NEVER said he purposely put his leg out there to block the shot. By looking at the vid Hartman’s only casually walking towards the ball to collect it, Henry see’s it anyways and still blasts away! He may not of known that he was gonna injury him incidentally, but never the less you can’t possibly say Henry isn’t to blame

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  15. no, but im sure if henry’s were on the other side of that kick, his celebrity status would.

    one game suspension. no fine.

    it’ll never happen though, does anyone really think MLS is gonna suspend Henry in the upcoming LA game? it’ll never happen. there wont even be a statement by the league, is my guess, ignoring it like it didn’t even happen.

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  16. I love reading all the people talking about how dirty Henry is or classless and how much they hate him.
    I beg of you, please give me 5 examples of how he is a dirty player or a classless player. Even though I’m a three lions fan, I can give you a myriad of reasons why I could possibly dislike just about everyone on the English team. With regards to Henry, all I can remember is the Ireland hand ball incident. What happened after that? I seem to remember Henry apologizing and saying he’d have no problem if Fifa decided to replay the match. WTF else do you want him to do after the fact? Blame the idiot refs and linesmen who missed the blatant handball. Blame Seppy Sepp for failing to move forward with video replay. But don’t blame the player if the ref doesnt spot an act of cheating/gamesmanship. I spent a little while blaming Maradona for the “hand of God” but came to the realization that it’s not his fault if the idiot ref didn’t spot the most blatant handball ever in World football.

    Anyways, feel free to give me more examples of how/why Henry is a dirty player.

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  17. Nail on the head Robert Smith. This is a non-story. Bizarre and unfortunate,…but nothing beyond that.

    THE REAL STORY is what a good team Dallas is. Just about everything went wrong for them in this match and yet they were able to draw and almost defeat Red Bulls. Shea red card, Hernandez injury, Hartman injury, Alexsander hitting the post. I was very down on Schellas Hyndman at the time of his hiring,…but now I am sold. He has built an excellent team. If they can put the injuries and stupidity (read Shea) behind them,…watch out.

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  18. Joey grow up. I understand your brain may not be able to compute real arguments, or even facts, but that’s no need to only name call with every one of your posts.

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  19. Wait who is DCU’s rival….. Hmmm…. Wait a tick, it the Red Bulls. Don’t pretend you don’t have a “dog” in this race. Ives is correct, as I saw it last night. DVR slow replayed to make sure I was not just seeing things.

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  20. Whether Henry gets a suspension or not, that was a very dumb thing for Henry to do. Going in hard and fast at the ball with two other players there is reckless.

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  21. Hey anyway we feel about this, it is actually getting airtime on ESPN. Both PTI and around the horn commented on it. Maybe this controversy is bringing attention to the league. Good news either way.

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  22. To me reckless behavior should not be tolerated…the fun part of soccer is great but this reckless behavior should not be part of the game. But I am happy that Thierry acknowledge it and apologize to Hartman.

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  23. I think he should be penalized for one game. After all why did henry go after kicking the ball it was immature and what was his intention. It would send a message to other players in the league that such actions are not tolerated. I mean you can celebrate but at the same time if the kick didn’t touch his foot where was the ball going to the stands? I mean really go and celebrate in the corner, due dances, etc but to kick the ball for what purpose? didn’t make much sense. It wasn’t even aimed at the goal??

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  24. “And I take credit as being the first person to suggest (her and on twitter) that MLS will NEVER suspend Henry for what could be the marquee matchup of the year: Donovan, Beckham, Henry, Rafa, JPA, Buddle.”

    the answer.

    and not only was Henry a no show in this game, but so was Marquez

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  25. Does every post of yours involve calling someone else stupid, moron, etc? You do realize that other people are allowed to have their own opinions, and, if they don’t agree with yours, that does not automatically make them stupid??

    Why don’t you try posting some actual substance for once that is useful. Like the fact that it was a freak accident, and Henry shouldn’t be disciplined because ultimately it wasn’t intentional, in my opinion.

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  26. As an FCD fan, I am upset about what happened. But there was absolutely no malice intent, it was not childish, it was a freak play. It happens, move on nobody is to blame for a freak accident.

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  27. I’m 40. I’ve played soccer for more than three decades.

    My body is so beaten up it hurts just to roll out of bed in the morning. I’m not talking about the day after matches or whatever. I’m talking about all the time — off-season, in-season, whenever.

    My friends who have played basketball or baseball all their lives aren’t nearly as battered as my soccer buddies and I are.

    That’s why the older I get, the more irritated I get by the “sissy game” comments you see from cavemen on sports forums and whatnot. Every time I limp up the steps, or grimace getting out of the car, or hear my doctor tell me about the knee replacement I’ll need by age 50, I think about those fools and just shake my head.

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  28. Soccer requires an amazing amount of athleticism and your lower body takes such a beating. People just don’t realize it. Sometimes I come home after playing and I can already see the ligaments in my knees starting to swell–and no one even kicked me. Any twist or turn the wrong way and it’s very bad news. Sucks for Hartman. The older you get, the tougher the game is on your body.

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  29. I’m sure The Referee was told by the powers that be, what ever you do in this game “DO NOT RED CARD HENRY OR MARQUEZ or it could cost you your job because they are much bigger than you.”

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