By IVES GALARCEP
The MLS Disciplinary Committee handed down some more justice on Friday afternoon, suspending San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Marvin Chavez for two matches for elbowing Toronto FC’s Logan Emery in the face during San Jose’s 2-1 win.
The play went unpunished at the time, but a review of the incident showed that Chavez did intentionally strike Emery in the face with the elbow.
Here is the incident:
Chavez joins teammates Steven Lenhart and Alan Gordon as Earthquakes players to receive suspensions recently.
What do you think of the ruling? See a two-match ban being fair? Think the Earthquakes deserve the label of dirty team?
Share your thoughts below.
The Quakes have made a living playing disruptive, often extremely physical “ugly ball” fueled by sometimes fortunate poaching from an overrated forward who can’t do anything worth mentioning to save his life at a higher level than MLS. This season, they have been crossing the line repeatedly, with everything from homophobia to dirty play like the above-referenced bit of filth from the petulant Chavez (as if Lenhart’s persistent thuggery wasn’t bad enough!) to quite possibly the worst fan hooliganism in MLS history. Everyone involved with that franchise ought to be ashamed enough to try to make things better; firing Frank Yallop and hiring someone who knows how to play soccer rather than rugby, and bringing in players who can make that happen, would be a good start.
Wow buddy…. lost your home in an earthquake?. Chavez deserves his suspension, but you clearly don’t know much if you are attributing Wondolowski’s 70 something goals over 4 seasons to “fortunate” poaching.
You do realize for what it’s worth this team did win the Supporters Shield last year?
Okay, I’m going to stir the pot. Chavez threw a foolish short elbow, no doubt, but it’s the refs job to notice fouls and issue cards. Missed fouls, cheap shots, and blown calls are part of the game. I’m not a fan of the after the fact discipline to somehow remedy the game. What’s done is done. If it’s not called in the game, it’s over, move on. It’s a little too prissy to have the DC stepping in on a weekly basis to make up for sub-standard refs. They’re doling out a lot of two game suspensions for things that should have been simple red card one game suspensions. That’s way too weak…don’t neuter the game. Get some real refs and let them police the actual game. The weekly DC role call is ridiculous.
*roll
Should been a red during the game, typical terrible reffing, granted we looked like garbage second half anyways
Got off lucky in my opinion. Pretty flagrant..
well the MLS player’s union is appealing the second game of his suspension; how often do they do that?
What does that make Eddie Johnson’s antics??
Still a non-issue?
Funny how everyone is focused on the elbow…did he get him, absolutely. But what people haven’t noticed is Emory trying to back heel Chavez in the “no fly zone”. So, if he had connected the back heel attempt, things may be way different. Hard not to retaliate when someone has attempted to jeopardize your family jewels.
Emory’s not aiming his backheel anywhere. He’s just backheeling. Chavez, on the other hand, only elbowed because Emory’s face was there. Very different situations.
Doesn’t make it right, but Chavez was ultimately a nitwit to elbow Emory in retaliation. Much more likely to get caught on the retaliation.
Oh, so you’re saying throwing a flagrant backheel in the general direction of the player is okay? Just because he didn’t actually “aim” anywhere and made slight contact, his back heel is justifiable?
When they were winning it was no big deal, but now their thuggery is all they have left.
Can’t defend the stupidity, but did you notice the final score?
There must be some bet in the locker room on who can get suspended for the longest time. So blatant.
Cool! Does MLS have a Bad Boy Team??!!!??!!!!