Totally Unintentional Abby Causes Another Season-Ending Injury

Poor Abby Wambach.

She's a big forward with a big heart, causing big injuries.

In Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Sol, our friendly giant came in a little late on a tackle to win a 50/50 ball. Wait, that makes it more like a 55/45 ball. And she didn't win it. But she went for it—she's a competitor and no one can take that away from her.

Wambach slid out with both cleats and collided with defender Christie Shaner, who'd already reached the ball.

Shaner, in her first game (and first start) with the No. 1 Sol after being traded from Sky Blue FC, felt her tibia and fibula crack.

Donezo.

Abby knows that excruciating pain—it's the same injury that befell her in a friendly against Brazil before the Beijing Olympics. She missed the tournament and had been recovering from the break until the beginning of the WPS season.

Here's the thing—She certainly feels terrible about Shaner's injury. You know she didn't mean it; she is as sweet as they come. But as we've said before, she's an oaf.

On an earlier play in Sunday's game, she unselfconsciously took down Brittany Bock like she was an assassin running at the Pope. She's usually a fantastic forward, but lately she's been producing more broken limbs than goals.

And she's coming under fire for it.

She's already received a suspension from WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci for accidentally ending Athletica forward Daniela's season, also on a late two-footed tackle, and Abby didn't even contest it. So she "gets" it.

You'd presume she's gotten it for a while.

The last time she played pro, in 2003, she ranked fifth in fouls suffered and led the WUSA in fouls committed.

So maybe some sensitivity training is in order.

They make young boxers take ballet lessons for balance and grace, don't they? That is a fantastic idea.

She needs some, "fly like a butterfly" to go with that "sting like a bee."

I'm not saying she shouldn't play hard; I'm saying she's gotta stop playing sloppy, cause other teams are running out of next year's draft picks, using them today in trades to replace players Abby is putting out of commission.

Abby has 10 days to rest, stand in the corner and think about what she's done before July 15, when the Freedom face off against Sky Blue FC.

You can bet Rampone and Dowling will be watching Abby out of the corner of their eyes.

Photo by ISIphotos.com