SEC=UGA Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 A professional soccer player in Colombia faces up to three months in jail for kicking an opposing team's lucky owl, which had been been hit by a ball after landing on the field Sunday. The owl died Tuesday. The owl was considered a good luck charm for the Atlético Junior squad in Barranquilla and lived in its Metropolitan Stadium. Luis Moreno, a Panamanian player for Deportivo Pereira, was met with chants of "Murderer! Murderer! Murderer!" after kicking the owl and had to leave the stadium under heavy police guard, according to the Daily Mail in London. (The Daily Mail has video of the owl kick, or you can check it out on YouTube.) For those too squeamish to watch the footage, which the Daily Mail warns constitutes animal cruelty, a Pereira defender chases a Junior attacker into the penalty box, wins the ball from him and clears it, poorly, hitting the owl that had landed on the field. The referee stops play, and Moreno trots over and kicks the bird off the field, a distance of about three yards. The incident was aired on national television and prompted widespread outrage, and not just from Junior fans. Environmental groups urged sanctions against Moreno and called for protests at the National Soccer building in Bogota. Moreno apologized, saying it was not his intention to harm the bird. "I did it to see if the owl could fly," the Daily Mail quoted him as saying. The owl was taken to Zoosalud veterinary clinic in Barranquilla, the Daily Mail reported. Veterinarians said it was suffering from stress and needed sedation but that X-rays indicated no fractures. The veterinarians later told Colombia Reports, a news website, that the owl died early Tuesday of respiratory arrest. A Spanish-language report from Radio Santa Fe in Bogota said that Moreno faces one to three months in prison and a maximum fine of 50,000 pesos, about $26. Moreno apologized again in a news conference and said he would accept responsibility. "I apologize to the whole country and more to the fans of Barranquilla because it was a very grave action, and if I receive a penalty, then I'll take it." http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/01/footb...f-field/?hpt=C2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Dick Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Man, Whooooooooo does he think he is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 A professional soccer player in Colombia faces up to three months in jail for kicking an opposing team's lucky owl, which had been been hit by a ball after landing on the field Sunday. The owl died Tuesday. I'm too squeamish to watch. how many licks did it take? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman_Nick Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 He's a new class of criminal....a Birderer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I'm not clicking that link. I won't get fooled again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEC=UGA Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share Posted March 1, 2011 My favorite part: A Spanish-language report from Radio Santa Fe in Bogota said that Moreno faces one to three months in prison and a maximum fine of 50,000 pesos, about $26. Um, your honor, say we make it, oh, 200,000 pesos and take the prison term off the table... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Should I feel bad that my dinner last night was about the same as kicking an owl in Central America or serving 3 months in prison? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEC=UGA Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share Posted March 1, 2011 Should I feel bad that my dinner last night was about the same as kicking an owl in Central America or serving 3 months in prison? You just know that someone ate that owl for dinner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 You just know that someone ate that owl for dinner. It probably made them feel like a filthy rich American eating something other than dirt and shame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikesVikes Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Was kicking the bird a foul? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i_am_the_swammi Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Was kicking the bird a fowl? Fixed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chargerz Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 So kicking the bird made it kick the bucket? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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