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Rowe suspended for collision with Meara

Rowe (Getty Images)

Kelyn Rowe is the latest to get the dreaded call from the MLS Disciplinary Committee.

The New England Revolution rookie was suspended a game and fined an undisclosed amount for running through New York Red Bulls goalkeeper Ryan Meara and kicking him in the head during the final minutes of the Revolution's victory over the Red Bulls on Sunday.

Rowe was running onto a through ball from Shalrie Joseph, and when Meara came out sliding to collect the ball, Rowe's momentum took his shin into Meara's forehead. The challenge was deemed reckless and one that endangered Meara's safety, and it will cost Rowe the Revolution's match against Toronto FC this Saturday.

Video of the challenge is after the jump:

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What do you think of the suspension? Think it's harsh on Rowe? Is it deserved?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. The Rowe suspension is maddeningly inconsistent but I also question how harsh the challenge was in comparison to what we see happen on the field on a weekly basis. As a Revs fan I can’t help but think if this was deemed reckless how was the high boot that broke Kevin Alston’s nose all those weeks ago not equally (or more) dangerous.

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  2. What a cheap play by that Keeper to headbutt a guy in the shin like that while he is running at full speed!

    With all the ridiculous statements made by the Redbulls fans above I thought I would add one of my own. I have no connection to either team, but that is ridiculous.

    Everything done on the soccer pitch is on purpose? If you got that from a ref then it must have been an MLS referee cause that is just stupid. Players get caught all the time by accident. It is easy to tell what is intentional and this was far from it.

    The guy is running at full speed and, especially when the ball is played, it looks like Rowe will get there first. Meara gets there like hundredths of a second before him while Rowe is running full speed. He does not kick at the ball or Meara. He simply tries to run past him but as Meara keeps sliding, his shin glances the guys forehead. That is about as accidental as it gets. It was not late. It was not intentional. It was not reckless.

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  3. I was at the game. Rowe was subbed off less than 5 minutes later and was clearly still feeling the effects of the collision as he left the field with a slight limp.

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  4. It’s not like a MLS game is the first time he’s stepped on the field. And yes, I’m calling him, in this circumstance, a cheat.

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  5. Easy to say he pretended to be hurt when you watch it slowly multiple times. Try watching for the contact at full speed and it seems much less likely he did not dive. When I watched it in slow-mo it seemed both had delayed reactions, but they react at the same time. I’ve been on both ends of that play and it hurts quite a bit for both of them.

    The bigger problem, whether he dove is is a “coward” or not, is what MLS is trying to do here. This was clearly not even close to as bad a play as Nyassi v Perkins and yet that drew nothing. Is MLS trying to protect keepers or not? Did they hand out this suspension because of the backlash from the last incident? I wish they would give explanations for each suspension/non-suspension so we had some idea what they were thinking.

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  6. an older referee once told me that never assume things are accidental. At this level players know exactly what they are doing.

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  7. I’m not sure if you understand what “reckless” means. You see, it’s reckless to continue on your path when someones head is in the way. Rowe could’ve seriously hurt him.

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  8. Should have been 3+ games. No chance at the ball, kicks a head and then fakes having gotten hurt. At least 2 for the shin to the Meara’s head and 1 more for the faking an injury after it. If he jumps up afterward to make sure Meara is alright 1 would have be reasonable.

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  9. Dude, Rowe is a rookie who’s still learning the pace of the league and how quickly keepers at this level coming out to get the ball are. We’ve seen nothing like a dirty play from him, yet you are basically calling him a cheat based on this one play. Try looking at your own cynicism for the game instead.

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  10. Intent or not, you’re supposed to jump up and over the keeper on a play like that. It’s your foot and his head. When you don’t, it’s reckless.

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  11. I agree. If you think it was an accidental hit and with no ill intent you’re pretty naive about what goes on on the pitch.

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  12. After deliberately clipping Meara’s head Rowe realizes he had better pretend he is hurt. It’s a nasty play followed by cheating & should have been at least 2 games.

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  13. I saw this live and thought Rowe rolling around like he just got shot was ridiculous. I’ve got no beef with the suspension, and I’m not a Red Bulls fan.

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  14. I cannot believe he was suspended for this and I’m not even a revs fan. What a joke. There was no intent there at all, it was not reckless, or excessive. I liked the idea of this committee in the beginning but they are going WAY overboard. I dont see how there can be a unanimous decision saying this was a definite red card. It’s like they feel that they have to suspend people to justify their spot on this committee. Unreal

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  15. Since both players were moving at the time of contact I disagree that only Rowe’s momentum caused the contact. After the contact look how much farther Meara moves.

    The MLS is stupid.

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  16. And nothing for Lindpere for actually lining up to knock down Nquyen? (Ok, granted, he didn’t go after his head or anything, but it was pretty obvious that he lined him up intended to hit him.)

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  17. This is a pretty ridiculous suspension. It was barely even a challenge. It seemed almost like he was trying to slow down to avoid stepping on him, but his momentum going forward combined with Meara’s coming out combined for an unfortunate collision, but this is getting crazy.

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  18. Such crap…

    And Beckham gets one game and a first class ticket to Wimbleton

    Its right to dump on the small fish that dont make a lot of money for basically trying too hard while the league looks the other way when a jerk like Beckham goes nuts. Of course, people will come to see Beckham and nobody cares if Rowe plays or not. Really fair…not

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  19. Little harsh. Didn’t seem deliberate and he had a shot at the ball when he started his run. One game is reasonable though, tough to complain too much.

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