Fabian Espindola Flipped Off, Directed F-Bombs Toward The Sons Of Ben At Half Time
by Scott Kessler on Jun 13, 2011 12:28 AM EDT
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[Editor's note: While I cannot say that I heard the language that Espindola reportedly used, I was only a row up from where he flipped off fans. Despite my best efforts, no video or pictures are currently in my possession to use for this article. If any do come about I will update with them.]
At halftime of the Philadelphia Union's 1-1 draw on Saturday, frustrated Real Salt Lake striker Fabian Espindola lost his composure and made an unprofessional 'salute' to the Sons of Ben in the River End on his way to the away team locker room.
Espindola, who later scored the game tying goal for Salt Lake, had heard a number of chants from the Sons of Ben throughout the first half directed towards him. As the 26-year-old made his way past sections 139 and 138, fans have told the Brotherly Game that Espindola used some choice language before moving to the stairs that lead to the players hallway. Once in between sections 137 and 136, where the stairs and hallway that lead to the locker rooms lies, the Argentine found the fans in the area to be even more of a problem, proceeding to flip off all those in the vicinity.
Once the game was over the former Boca Juniors forward made his way past the same fans, but didn't make any gestures or say anything to fans, instead choosing to ignore all the comments directed at him.
MLS has taken situations like this one serious, reportedly going so far as to investigate claims that former Toronto FC defender Adrian Serioux flipped off fans at BMO Field in Toronto while visiting with his then team FC Dallas.
Situations in American sports similar to this one have ended in team or league based fines, typically in the $5,000-$10,000 range. Allen Iverson was fined $5,000, while still with the Philadelphia 76ers, for flipping off Milwaukee Bucks fans in 2003, and Michael Vick, then with the Atlanta Falcons, was fined $10,000, a $5,000 for each of his middle fingers, for giving the double bird to Falcons fans in 2006, along with other notable sports figures as Mike Ditka and Larry Csonka.
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For the amount of time Espindola spent on the ground on Saturday, I find it absolutely hilarious that he can sport such manly gestures. Guy deserves many, many kicks to the chest.
by OrangeAndBlackk on Jun 13, 2011 12:35 AM EDT reply actions
so what about Califf?
Just wondering, I know most strikers go to ground easy (Fabi is no exception) but when your tough guy defender dives from no contact, hard to take many kicks at someone else. Or it should be harder.
As a RSL fan, I hope that a photo or video shows up if Fabi is indeed guilty. He should be a better sport than that no matter what.
Which incident was that?
I don’t remember him going down without any contact. Thinking you’re talking about the one that he got up gingerly from in the second half.
Managing Editor for Brotherly Game, SBNation's Philadelphia Union blog and contributor for SBN Philly. // @scottdkessler
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank
by Scott Kessler on Jun 13, 2011 1:13 AM EDT up reply actions
Set piece
Where he was being double covered and went down like a sack of rotten taters, even Taylor laughed at that one on commentary. He was clearly trying to get a call, contact was light if at all.
My point is simple a lot of players look for calls, it is frustrating, but has always been a part of the game.
Soccer players, as a whole, need to grow a collective set of balls and stop falling every time someone comes within fifteen feet of them.
by OrangeAndBlackk on Jun 13, 2011 1:23 AM EDT up reply actions
Espindola’s English isn’t great, so its interesting that he supposedly cursed at fans using “F-bombs,” which of course would be in English. It would be odd for him to curse in a language other than his own, especially when he doesn’t speak it fluently.
Editor at The Brotherly Game. Madridista de corazón. Be sure to follow me on Twitter @joeysamuel
Of course, if he gave fans the middle finger then that transcends spoken language.. although in my experience the “middle finger” is not really a common hand gesture when cursing at someone among Spanish speakers. He would have learned it here if anything.
Editor at The Brotherly Game. Madridista de corazón. Be sure to follow me on Twitter @joeysamuel
Was told F-Bombs by multiple fans...
trusted most of them to tell the truth and a majority weren’t inebriated at the time. It is interesting, based upon what you’ve said about his language abilities.
Managing Editor for Brotherly Game, SBNation's Philadelphia Union blog and contributor for SBN Philly. // @scottdkessler
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank
by Scott Kessler on Jun 13, 2011 1:29 AM EDT up reply actions
hand gestures are different in all parts of the world. our peace sign in england means the same thing as the middle finger does to us. i dont know what it would be in the south american countries but i dont think its hard to find out these types of hand gestures in the US especially if your on a sports team.
also about curses in english. i dont speak spanish yet i know curse words in the language. i think its not much of a shock that he actually used the F-bomb since its only two words even if you speak little english, and its not hard to understand what it means.
Yeah, I know that of course.. I was just commenting that it’s interesting that he’d curse in English, when it’s not his native language.
But it’s a moot point, I believe Scott and the rest of the SoBs that heard him
Editor at The Brotherly Game. Madridista de corazón. Be sure to follow me on Twitter @joeysamuel
by Joey Samuel on Jun 13, 2011 2:14 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Really?
A player maybe yelled at fans and flipped them off? Do we really care? Should we?
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter
If he was Allen Iverson, Michael Vick, Charles Barkley...
would you care? If he was Jake Plummer, Larry Csonka, Milton Bradley or Mike Ditka, would you care? If it was the NFL, NBA, MLB or NHL instead of MLS, would you care? If this was England and he had flashed the V-sign, newspapers/media and fans would be in an uproar and the FA would immediately investigate and probably fine and suspend him.
I do care when players react in these ways to fans. It reflects poorly upon players, teams and the league. If Jackie Robinson could hold his composure while being racially taunted and having death threats tossed at him, then why can’t today’s athletes hold their own in lesser circumstances?
Better yet, why can’t we hold athletes to the same standards we hold ourselves? If you flipped off a client in any other business, would you still have your job – and if you did, wouldn’t you have your pay docked because of it?
Managing Editor for Brotherly Game, SBNation's Philadelphia Union blog and contributor for SBN Philly. // @scottdkessler
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank
by Scott Kessler on Jun 13, 2011 2:22 AM EDT up reply actions
Can honestly say, I haven't cared in the past...
And it’s worth noting in bold capital letters that THOSE WERE CAUGHT ON CAMERA. I guess I don’t get the point of going off hearsay. If you have tangible proof, that’s something. But if we’re just going off what some fans told you? That’s where I don’t really see the point.
That said, let’s not compare my job and that of a pro athlete. I don’t work in an environment where I’m being constantly harassed by my clients. I guess you could say I am in a way, but I can’t honestly say that I never react when I am.
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter
by Jeremiah Oshan on Jun 13, 2011 3:28 AM EDT up reply actions
As I said in the editor's note, I saw the bird with my own two eyes.
The verbiage use was from talking to fans who were the targets of the language. I don’t understand how any of this is hearsay, though. It’s the basics of reporting: incident happens, ask those involved. I asked the fans and I told RSL that Espindola could comment if he wanted to comment on the situation. I never got an official answer back on that request.
If we’re going to hold everything to the fire over footage, then we’re going to lose in a lot of situations when it pertains to MLS. Only reason why most of the past cases of these incidents were caught on tape is because of the sheer number of cameras at those sporting events and way that the production teams handle them. A camera is always on the players, normally, no matter where they are. There was a cameraman down there at the same time as Espinolda, but he wasn’t filming the players. He was shooting crowd scenes. No one else would have been able to document that incident from the camera crew.
As for fans, have smartphones, Youtube and Twitter made us automatically assume that everything will be taped and available to us? It was a spur of the moment situation and as of right now it appears no one thought to tape it. It is what it is.
Managing Editor for Brotherly Game, SBNation's Philadelphia Union blog and contributor for SBN Philly. // @scottdkessler
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank
by Scott Kessler on Jun 13, 2011 3:37 AM EDT up reply actions
Still not seeing the point
But if you want to make a big deal out of a player flipping off the crowd and maybe telling them to f-off, go for it. Me? I’d rather focus on the game.
As for the whole “caught on tape” part, the reason those other incidents resulted in fines is because the league was trying to save face. No such action is necessary here since it’s doubtful it will ever be proven. And even if it is, I still say, who cares? Dude flipped off fans. BFD.
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter
by Jeremiah Oshan on Jun 13, 2011 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions
I prefer...
…the kind of flipping off where a Euro striker from a basement team hits a ball from 18 yards and it miraculously finds the net, as his opponent has already started celebrating victory.
by earl_of_reed on Jun 13, 2011 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions
Incident.
In light of the foul language and gestures displayed by Espindola, I’m cancelling my suite at PPL Park. Didn’t anyone tell him soccer is supposed to be family friendly?
So what...
I’m glad he flipped us off and made whatever comments he made. That means that we were effective enough to get under his skin. Unfortunately, he later went on to score, so I’m not sure what getting under his skin really got us, but the fact that opposing players are flipping us off and yelling obscenities back at us (…come on, like WE’RE not yelling it at them) means that we’re doing our job as supporters.
by sully127 on Jun 13, 2011 9:13 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
+1
I was gonna write this exact thing. Thanks for saving me the time.
"I will never have my best season," Brian Dawkins
Mike Vick is a piece of shit
by Talon Talent on Jun 13, 2011 3:54 PM EDT up reply actions
Rimando
I was there…Espinoda definitely flipped us off. I am not sure if he said anything. I also had water thrown on me by Rimando while he was walking to the locker room. Stay classy RSL.
by abstractpuppy on Jun 13, 2011 10:04 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
the water incident
is going to far. The swearing incident, that makes me laugh.
"I will never have my best season," Brian Dawkins
Mike Vick is a piece of shit
by Talon Talent on Jun 13, 2011 3:54 PM EDT up reply actions
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