While it may (or may not) be true that she is a wonderful human being (and yes all human beings make mistakes) it’s trivially easy to dispute your claims that her portrayal is inaccurate (it’s video) and that these documented actions are “in no way” indicative of her character (this may or may not be her consistent behavior, but obviously she did behave this way, period.).

So defend her, sure, but don’t arrogate innocence at the same time you admit fallibility.

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Your comments seem to be along the lines of somebody explaining why their friend, the murderer, is really a compassionate human being who wouldn’t hurt a fly. It was on video.

What part of the video were you two watching (a Brandon and Harold) Oh just the part where she reacted right? Did you not see the her get elbowed in her stomach first or grabbed in her private parts the second time around? Oh you missed those parts didn’t you? Try looking again! Oh yeah it was on video.

Yeah. Those BYU players are violent. If there’s one thing players like Burgess Owens and Steve Young have, it’s that they were violent.

Next time, she might take on the next most violent school: The Canadian Mennonite University.

The elbow was provoked as was the the shorts pulling.
Lambert is well practiced and devious in hiding her assaults on players.
She stands right up close, doing the regular type jostling but uses her right hand, (hidden from view from most angles) to molest her opponent.
If her opponents dare to respond in any way, her over reaction is clear from these videos clips.
The aggression and body language from her tells it’s own story.
There is no defense for how she behaved in a sporting event.

Shannon..Your defense if Liz is great and understandable, The person to blame is your former coach, Kit Vela. You know as well as anyone that Kit demands her players to be aggressive. If Liz was not aggressive, Kit would find someone on the bench who would do it. To believe Kit did not see this is insane. If Kit were a decent coach…none of this would be in the headlines world wide. Kit Vela is an embarrassment to UNM!

Shannon,

Reasonable people know that Lamberts’ full character cannot be judged based on a few actions on the soccer field. No doubt, her actions were excessive, but it also must be stated that her actions were instigated by the other players (something the media didn’t point out).

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Lambert is a bully. She violently assaulted other players in full view of the cameras. Her face shows anger, planning and ugliness of Spirit. She needs to be charged with an “Assault Charge” and taken off the Team. She knew what she was doing. She wanted to hurt.

It is easy to apologize by making a statement or by phone. What this woman should do is seek out the people she injured in person and then apologize. It is the only way a true apology should be given and accepted.

what the hell? it is very clear from the videotapes what this girl has done… regardless of her character off the field or even the reasons behind her reactions, to pull hair like that? i rarely see reactions like that from toddlers let alone a girl in her early 20s! i feel so embarrassed for her, she has got to grow up and control herself! yikes

In soccer it’s called theater, yes she got her pony tail yanked but she flopped big time. Maybe she should not have grabbed elizabeth where she did. Elizabeth also responded to an elbow, then she went off on the byu players. Clean up both sides. Also the referee let things get out of control. It’s called a red card for dangerous play, throw her out of the game problem over.

First off, the referees in this game should be fired for life. It still confuses me how they didn’t call anything against her. Those weren’t soccer fouls, those actions would put you in jail if you did them off the soccer field. Second, this statement by her teammate makes me want to puke. Maybe, Elizabeth should be tested to she if she is bipolar because obviously, she didn’t look too compassionate on the soccer field. Also, she had to apologize, a lesser person wouldn’t even be considered human if they didn’t apologize for something like that. Your heart is broken because people think your teammate isn’t a good person? Why even try to defend her by writing something? The people who watch sportscenter don’t really care how she is in real life, they only care about the video they’ve seen. For all we know you could be lying. O ya, don’t feel bad for the people she beat up, feel bad for her (sarcasm). What she did was a mistake? hahahaha. Spilling milk is a mistake; what she did was not a mistake

I’m not from the beautiful Southwest nor am I from the U of New Mexico or BYU which I believe to be two fine universities. I’m from the midwest. Many have indicated that fault lies with the officiating – possibly; but did any having that opinion ever consider that if yellow cards were issued earlier, that, just maybe, they would have been issued to the other team and not Elizabeth Lambert. Did anyone consider that she grew more and more frustrated as the game progressed due to the lack of controlling the play of the other team by officials and eventually started to defend herself in an inappropriate manner. I’m not saying her actions were all ok, but she’s already stated that herself and has accepted that there are repercussions. But those few minutes of tape we saw – over and over – may or may not represent what transpired during the entire game. You can argue that the tape doesn’t lie, but you can also argue that that same tape doesn’t tell the complete story. None of us know for sure. Personnaly, I think Elizabeth has had to endure much, much more than enough. She needs to go back to being a student without being verbally assaulted and, when her punishment is over, hopefully, back to the sport she loves. Separately, moms and dads (I’m a dad), try to really put yourself or your daughter in Elizabeth’s position for just a momment (again, I’m not defending the hair pull, it was wrong as Elizabeth has acknowledged). If you or your daughter are in the middle of a highly competitive event (not a pick-up game), with spectators present, not to mention television and/or other cameras and the opponent begins to pull your or your daughter’s shorts up and it’s getting high enough to the point that people midght begin to know what you or your daughter have on underneath, what would you do? What would you tell your daughter to do? You can start to try to physically stop it – can lead to a problem if gets too physical,you can try to pull away (which could be a big, not to mention embarrassing, problem), you can ask the opponent to please stop (I don’t think that will work) or you can just stand there while the play goes on around you. Not supporting hair pull, but, what do you do or tell your daughter to do if the ref isn’t controlling the game as many have claimed? You can tell your coach later, but, what do you do right now? I’m just asking. I’m not saying that was the opponent’s intent either. We really don’t know who intended what.

Unfortunately, in contact sports there remains a blatant double standard. Male participants frequently walk away with minor rebuke. The University of Florida’s Senior Middle Linebacker Brandon Spikes was suspended for the first half against Vanderbilt because he attempted to gouge out the eyes of Georgia running back Washaun Ealey the previous week. If Elizabeth acted out in that game, she would not even have made the news.

The antiquated social perception that females are expected to remain “Lady-Like” evokes irrational judgment and often results in inequitable punitive consequences.

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I have been an athlete and played on teams in high school, college and even today as a thirty four year old adult. I have not, however, played soccer so I don’t know what is considered ‘normal’ physical contact in that sport. However, I think that successful athletes have to be able to adapt to the overall mood of competition. From watching that video, it is clear that was an extremely physical game by both teams.

Reading about Elizabeth’s background, both academically and athletically, it seems strange that she would do the things that she did without great provocation. Did the girl who had her ponytail pulled immediately get up and report it to the refs? If not, perhaps it is because she did grab Elizabeth where it has been reported. If someone did that to me, I would react in a similar way.

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I don’t get it? Is this a testimonial? PR campaign? And why do I have care about Ms. Adragna’s opinion. She had a paper to write and she did it. Uhmm, isn’t that what you in college? Took responsibility? Not. Most players even opponents don’t cross certain lines. The only time I heard any apology was after the story broke and she could have gone on TV and done so, a charitable act or even sent some flowers to her opponents congratulating them and expressing that it was just a game. Besides who’s is Adragna? By the way Ms. Adragna what would you have done if your were one on the receiving end of such thuggery? Save me your crap that is just soccer. I’ve played pick up basketball in the hood and have laid out going for a lay up. Guess what happened next. The dude pick me up and said, “my bad”. It was a classy move, a simple apology, a great foul and great play on his behalf & we played on. Your friend didn’t display none of that while she was being recorder but we are to accept her great demeanor and acts of sincerity solely based on your words? Ha! Seeing UNM is willing to turn over their website so that you can post a “a feel good PR article” on her behalf then why does Elizabeth Lambert post directly an apology herself? Other than a watershed apology and few friends speaking for her why hasn’t she reached out to her school, Alums and fellow classmates via this site? Is it that teaking responsibility and showing remorse. When you do wrong and you fess up people forgive. When you do wrong and you coward and let other’s speak for you it is hard to imagine (even to those that don’t know her) that she as a “stand up” person as you claim.

There are some really bad bloggers out there. All of the BYU lady soccer players continued to play. Hard contact is sometimes called for. The sissy girls and girly boys that are spoon fed by their mommies should not comment until they live in the real world.

By the way those that she think that she is being betrayed poorly. Think about this when you get fired from a job in the real world it stay with you. You have to explain, work hard and try to have you next employer look over that. If you got fired and video taped let’s say for stealing then you have no chance of being hired. If there’s a video of you acting like a classless thug then you have no one but yourself to blame and the consequences that follow. Welcome to the real world Elizabeth there are consequences and excuse notes from your friend will not cut it. Ask any working class stiff that’s been fired even if its bull. It is what it is. Don’t blame other how you are now perceived or the comments total strangers are making. It is the same when you get fired and the word gets out in your industry and you can’t find work. You’ll have to fight through that perception right or wrong for a long time specially if your on video. I think simply making this a “soccer” argument is ridiculous. These are the action of a 20 year old adult that could benefit many with some positive discussion about life and one’s actions. There is so much to be learned.

Damn, some people just gotta hate. Shit happens, get over it. Life goes on and so should you.

It’s unbelievable that there are actually people defending this neanderthal…what are you thinking??

While I do not necessarily support Lambert’s overly aggressive actions. I feel like the larger problem was with the officials. Its unbelievable that she should have been allowed to keep playing after the first offenses. Between the linesmen and head official someone needed to say something. Its obvious the game was out of control we even see the BYU girls getting a little too aggressive. Granted its part of the game, but still. With better monitoring she probably never would have had the opportunity to continue with her actions. If she did let her emotions get the best of her, than that’s a shame, but I bet it was an extremely frustrating game for all the players. I believe all the women on that field were playing rough. Again, Lambert made some poor decisions but that’s why we have referees, to keep the game safe and in control. I don’t think its fair that she is banned indefinitely, she should be punished but she was not the only one out of line.

Stay strong Lambert.

I could not agree more with Adragna when she says that Lambert has been misrepresented. I mean, when you watch that video of her yanking that girl down by her hair, Lambert actually helps her up, brushes the grass of her jersey, apologizes, and takes her out for a mango smoothie.

Nice comement Robert, ur a real tough guy, in the “real world” you probably just go around beating ppl up. I’m pretty sure punching goes a little past the guideline of contact sport. Nah, what am I talking about, im a bad blogger. Right?

I do not support her actions, but also do not support a lifetime ban. It is not a reasonable punishment. Many here have expressed some emotional responses in fact due to not feeling justice was meted on the field. Had she received the send off, this topic is moot and its just another player being sent off. Most acted in relation to the video and Lambert’s actions in a vacuum. BYU did give as much as they got (except the hair pull) and the video was submitted to ESPN by a BYU person. I agree these were retalitory actions and over the top, deserving of a red card. I also agree that the referees (all 4) probably did not see the hair pull, else its a red card not for a foul, but for violent conduct. So Ryan, you are not correct. No foul. That is correct, it is not a foul and goes to your credibility in understanding the laws of the game. A foul is a transgression of Law 12 while challenging for the ball. The ball is no where near the hair pull. However it is egregious misconduct and sanctionable by a red card as noted by Law 13. There is much to be learned agreed, but banning for life is too harsh. This person is in school to get a degree and be a productive member of society when her playing days are over. Lets not Tonya Harding her. Hardings actions were premeditated and criminal outside the sport. Lambert just got caught up in the intensity of an intense match. People are showing their ugly side by fuelling the flames of hate and mob rule. Let a proper justice prevail.

“Dangerous play” is strictly defined by the Laws of the Game as “Playing in a Dangerous Manner” (ref. USSF Advice to Referees), and (surprise) is not a harsh foul. In fact its only punishable by an indirect free kick, unlike the penal fouls that get a direct free kick. It’s usually seen in little kids games, when a foot goes too high or a player is on the ground, creating the danger so someone can kick him. Second, the referees will be back. No need to “fire for life”. Referees at this level make it because they have climbed a pyramid too. They have high skills that are continually needed. I have refereed at this level (not as much recently due to injury and age). There are 150,000 soccer referees in the country, which is not enough. Try assigning youth games with 1 or 2 referees. The problem is that fans and parents chase people away from doing this needed endeavor and the game suffers. Yes there are assignors that blacklist referees, but they get back into the game somewhere else. No lifetime ban warranted here. People miss stuff the cameras seem to catch. Mainly because a 2D perspective up close versus a 3D far away. Its about minimizing blind spots and getting the yellow cards out early to set the bar so this stuff doesnt escalate. But we want good attacking physical soccer. Its better entertainment – right? Womens soccer in this country has suffered for lack of entertainment value, money and attention. Now you have what you want America. Are you proud now?