What will happen to Ricardo Clark?

Ricardo Clark just snapped.

The Houston Dynamo midfielder pulled his right leg back and kicked FC Dallas forward Carlos Ruiz in the shoulder as Ruiz lay on the ground following a sequence late in Houston's 3-0 win against FC Dallas. The kick left fans and players in a bit of shock at seeing the normally mild-mannered player react in such a way.

Ruiz was not completely blameless in the incident. According to reports, Ruiz punched Clark in the back as both players went up during a corner kick. This led to Ruiz also being ejected along with Clark.

The question now is what will happen to Clark?

Will Major League Soccer ban him for the rest of the year? Will MLS consider Clark's relatively clean history and weigh it with Ruiz's notorious reputation as a dirty player? Will Clark be around for the playoffs? Will MLS effectively reward Ruiz for his apparent dirty tactics by suspending a key player on a key conference rival for the post-season?

It's a serious mess and it will be interesting to see if MLS can actually do the right thing. What is the right thing? Suspending Clark for the last three games of the regular season and the first two regular season games of 2008 AND a hefty fine would be fair (though I wouldn't be surprised of players around the league are taking up a collection for that fine as we speak). While he may have been provoked, Clark must be punished for such an ugly scene That said, Ruiz must also be punished if he, in fact, punched Clark to set off this scene. How long? Three games and a fine should suffice.

What do you think of this situation? Share your thoughts below.

Comments

[Fuego Fanatico]

Both players should get the same penalty. If Clark gets x games, Ruiz should get x games.

[Katatonia]

uh clark definitely deserves more than ruiz

[MemRook]

Both ought to be euthanized.

[Emilio]

If anything Ruiz should get a one game suspension for the red card, that's all. From the replay Ruiz doesnt do anything to warrant a 3 game suspension, it doesnt matter what his track record is. Clark has to compose himself, what he did is relly disturbing and he needs to get suspended for the rest of the league season and the entire playoffs. Ruiz didnt make him do what he did. He lost control and didnt think of his team and the consequences. This is not about what Ruiz did or what his reputation is like. If every player who got fouled etc, reacted in this way imagine what would happen, we would be in the NHL.

[SJtotalfootball]

I just realized that is my youtube link.

[MemRook]

BTW, I'm kidding, if someone doesn't get that. I don't like Ruiz very much, especially for his history, but I still think Clark was MORE out of line than Ruiz this time. I think that MLS needs to implement a hard precedent here, and suspend Clark for the rest of the 2007 season. I like Clark a lot, but he shouldn't have done that. MLS needs to do this, and then do it every time someone acts-a-fool. MLS is WAY too notorious for it's hack-job players. Maybe if MLS acts rightly here, it will help alleviate some of the hacking.

[Steveinho]

he just did what we all wanted to do

[MemRook]

Also, I like Ives' pot-shot at Ruiz and his bad reputation: "(though I wouldn't be surprised of players around the league are taking up a collection for that fine as we speak)." Very funnny

[Justin]

Haha, if Ruiz is anything he is consistent. Sure, the kick probably hurt his shoulder or side or wherever it landed. The place it did not land was his face, which is exactly where he put his hands.

[Sean]

Clark should get whatever Ruiz gets + 1. And count me for $20 to pay down Clark's fine.

[TwistedTidings]

Of course track record matters-- punching someone in the back isn't a tactical foul, which you should penalize, then forgive. It's something that shouldn't happen ever. And with Ruiz, it's happened a few times, so that should be taken into consideration. That doesn't mean he should get *more* than Clark-- Clark, in this case, is clearly indefensible. But I'd definitely give Ruiz a heftier sentence knowing that past penalties haven't disuaded him.

[SteveJW]

Clark should get a one way ticket to Europe. Preferably the Dutch League.

[emilio]

It doesnt matter where the kick landed, it was uncalled for,it Ruiz did it to Clark we would be singing a different tune. Clark needs to get suspended for the rest of the season and playoffs.

[Ives]

Clark deserves more of a punishment, as I stated in my post. That said, who says you shouldn't consider Ruiz's track record when deciding on a suspension? Leagues in all sports consider the history of the player in question.

Here's what I find particularly funny. For as vicious as Clark's kick appeared, it apparently wasn't bad enough to keep Ruiz from pretending that he was kicked in the head. Anyone else find that particularly hilarious?

[SJtotalfootball]

BTW- the video was originally posted for all my fellow footy fans at Sternfannetwork.com

SJtotalfootball aka tbone420

[CPTKevin]

The league needs to come down hard on both of these guys, set the example that instigating is just as bad as retaliating. I think the league should also review and fine players that "dive" and get away with it (a post game review). IF the monitary penalty for such actions is STEEP enough you will elminate most of it since the league does not pay the majority of the players enough anyway. Leveling a fine on the owners will send a clear message to the players as well.

[emilio]

I dont find it hilarious because it was a vicious kick, and if it would have landed on his head we might be talking about something else today.

[Whitescandal]

Clark should get traded back to NY as punishment.

[Keith]

I love how Ruiz is rolling on the ground holding his head, when the kick was obviously in the upper ribs/shoulder area. Did he think holding his head would get the red card when if he would have been holding his shoulder, Clark would have only gotten a yellow?

I didn't see this live, and it is hard to tell from the small sized clip exactly what Ruiz did. It will be interesting to see what happens to both players. I fear Clark is out for the rest of the year, though possibly not the playoffs.

[Dominghosa]

For Ruiz to act like it was his face that was bashed in was typical El Pescadito.
But Clark should get suspended for the remainder of the regular season with the first few games of next season. Acting the way he did after the play was childish.
Ruiz is almost always childish , that punch in the backs should also get him banned for the remainder of the reg. season.
That scene was kind of awesome to watch, though.

[Michael F.]

Clark should have bent down and punched him the face. He deserved it. Had he done that - MLS probably would have given him a bonus check.

[northzax]

six months, minimum. Clark is lucky he didn't injure Ruiz, or he'd be facing Marty McSorley-like assault charges. This isn't a foul, this is a crime. Clark should be back on the pitch no earlier than April of 2008.

how is this, seriously, qualitively different than Eric Cantona?

[scott]

hopefully somehow this will lead clark to europe.

[Kevin]

Too bad soccer doesn't work like hockey. Clark could have whipped his butt, and both would have sat in the penalty box for 5 minutes. If people could go at Ruiz like they could in hockey, he probably wouldn't pull even 10% of the antics he does on the soccer field!

[Lambda]

They should forfeit that Game... Ruiz had a couple of minutes left to score 3 goals!!!!!!!!!!!! And Clark.... Clark ... Clark is a mess he is going to end up playing in Real Salt Lake.... Europe please.... He lucky he is playing in such a Good team. He couldnt even do anything With The Metro... Dutch league Please...!!