Elizabeth Lambert Video: Attractive, Aggressive, Suspended... Victim?
Story contributed by 48 Hours Mystery special consultant Paul Ciolino.
NEW YORK (CBS) The Elizabeth Lambert video, which is making the rounds, is a fascinating inside look at Woman's Division One Soccer. I'm not sure that if this were Division One men's soccer anyone would be making a fuss. Because we have an attractive and I might add aggressive female player this has become a phenomenon.
First and foremost soccer is a very physical sport that is played aggressively. The type of behavior that is on display in the Lambert video is as old as the game itself. For those of you who doubt this take a look at the France-Italy World Cup Final from a few years ago.
Pushing, shoving, punching, and tripping are routine in high-end matches. The older and more skilled the players the more physical it gets. Division One soccer is a tough place, be it men's or women's division. The faint of heart do not play here.
But I digress. I like Elizabeth. Hell, if I were in a bar fight I would choose Elizabeth over some of my male pals.
In both instances of the video where she gives one player a shot in the back and decks the second one by snatching a hand full of ponytail and slamming her to the ground, she was adequately provoked. Both of her acts were in reaction to two dirty cheap shots she received.
In the first case she is standing behind a player who shoots an elbow right into the center of her chest. This hardly makes you an innocent bystander -- you hit an adult female in the chest with a sharp elbow you should get a smack. Let's call this one a tie, no blood was drawn.
The second incident is a little slicker. Number 21 from Brigham Young is standing in front of Elizabeth and looking pretty innocent. She is smiling and pushing up against Elizabeth. The next thing you know is BAM, she gets thrown to the ground by her hair. Elizabeth basically snatches her right off of her feet and body slams her. Poor thing.
Well poor thing as it turns out is not entirely a victim. Watch the tape carefully. Old number 21 is backing up against Elizabeth and while she is doing this she is grabbing Elizabeth's crotch. This is when poor thing gets slammed to the ground. In most states if you were on the street or in a bar and you grabbed a woman by the crotch like this, you'd be charged with criminal sexual assault.
Instead in this world of political correctness the lynch mobs are out to ruin Elizabeth Lambert's athletic career. Give me a break. Everything she did was a direct result of being elbowed, grabbed, and molested. What was she do? Call time and complain? Quit? Cry? Where were the refs when Elizabeth was getting banged about the pitch?
Here's what I think. The next soccer player that decides to cheap shot Elizabeth will give it serious consideration before doing so. Number two, if I were drafting for a professional team Elizabeth Lambert might be my first pick in that draft. You go girl.
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: Is Elizabeth Lambert being treated badly?
MORE ON CRIMESIDER
November 9, 2009 - New Mexico Soccer Player Elizabeth Lambert Suspended for Using Elbows, Hair-Pulling
November 6, 2009 - Elizabeth Lambert: College Soccer Player Turns NCAA Playoff Game Into Hand-to-Hand "Combat"
Paul Ciolino is a special consultant to 48 Hours Mystery and a private investigator specializing in complex criminal defense and fraud investigations. His participation in wrongful conviction investigations has helped free five men from death row.