I was going to send you an email to get your take, and then I saw this thread.
In my 20+ years of playing soccer at many different levels, I’ve never been karate-chopped to the groin before. In fact, I’ve rarely been on the field for events that I would classify as assault. Yesterday was one of those times. For whatever reason, most of the players on that team (but two in particular) had been threatening to injure me since the start of the first time we played them, which was last Wednesday. The guy who played left back, wearing the Patriots stocking cap was one of them. The other, who was a little bit more kind yesterday, had threatened me throughout Wednesday’s game. Their goalie, the one who went Bruce Lee on my man region, wasn’t at Wednesday’s game. However, he does have a history of violence, as he once kicked the ball directly into the face of one of my teammates, and threatened to hurt the same guy this season after our team scored a goal on him in another game. The goalie’s anger at me originated from a play that happened only a few minutes before, when I (playing striker) went in for the ball that the keeper got to simultaneously. I inadvertently tapped the ball while he loosely had it cradled in his arms. This, apparently to him and most of his teammates, should have resulted in a red card for me and banishment from soccer worldwide. But the referee disagreed, as not even a foul was called on the play (rightfully).
A couple plays later, I get a through ball and am heading towards goal. The goalie makes no play on the ball, and karate chops me in the groin. Fortunately, it wasn’t a direct hit on the jewels, as the kick started on the inner part of my thigh and made its way to the other thigh, glancing the important area. To my disappointment, it took the referee more than one second to pull the red card out. Nonetheless, he did it, and it was the right call. There was quite a bit of shouting between teams, and although it may not have looked like it, I kept my cool. In a previous soccer life, I would not have been so cool. My style of play lends me to be hacked and taken out from behind many times per game, but I’ve never before had something like this happen. I don’t get what it is with the guys on Ropers and Woodhouse, but some of them are incredibly cheap, and act like they’ve never played soccer before. Since we’ve now beaten them twice by a combined score of 8-2, that may not be far from the truth.
The result of this is distinctive cleat mark, going from my left mid-thigh to my right inner thigh, with corresponding developing bruises. Luckily, my man parts made it unscathed (I think the cold helped with that). I will photograph this for my personal records, and for LASA officials in case they want to see it. As I mentioned to you right after this happened, that keeper should not be allowed to play in LASA ever again. I’ve had my fair share of yellow and red cards throughout the years, and I do like to talk throughout the game, but I’ve never tried to hurt someone. Kicking someone in the balls, especially on that type of play where serious injury could have resulted, is grounds for permanent expulsion from the league. In fact, had I been seriously injured, the keeper would be facing assault charges.
As for how I’m feeling, I feel fine. I’m a little sore both from the game and in the area I was kicked. But no injuries.
A couple of notes: I wish the cleats would have gotten me in the chest or stomach, as everyone had thought. I’d then have cool cleat marks to show people. Also, ‘troublemaker’?? Sure, I talk a lot , but that’s never grounds for physical retaliation and is a part of any game.
Finally, what did the keeper claim happened? What he said will probably make me laugh.
