Jozy Altidore Headbutt Video: If You Mess With a Bull You Get the Horns

Any old Texas cattle rancher will tell you, "Son, when you mess with a bull you better be ready to get the horns." Sunderland defender Alan Hutton found this out the hard way earlier today when he got head-butted by Jozy "The Bull" Altidore.

Hull City have been in a heated relegation battle for nearly the entire season. With  just three matches left in the 2009/2010 campaign to add points this was a must win game for the Tigers of East Yorkshire.

Things weren't looking too bad when Jimmy Bullard stepped up to the penalty spot with a chance to equalize. Then Bullard dinked it off the outside of the post and Hull started to slip further from there.

For a 20 year-old Jozy Altidore it got much worse.

After falling to the ground after a challenge for the ball, opposing defender Alan Hutton decides to throw a well weighted toss toward Altidore's head as he's laying on the ground facing away.

Hutton then got Altidore's forehead planted into his face and flopped to the ground as quickly as Arsenal's "weak-in-the-knees" Eduardo whenever he's in the penalty area.

Honestly, I think I've bumped my head harder on an open cabinet door.

No doubt, Altidore certainly deserves to be shown a red card. There's no question about that. What is questionable is why is Hull starting and relying on a 20-year-old for their EPL survival.

Maybe he really is that good; after all, how many other 20-year-olds are racking Premier League starts and minutes like Altidore has this year?

More likely, Hull don't have any other capable options, which also sells the argument that he's a heck of a talented player at just 20.

I don't think Phil Brown was planning to give Altidore so many crucial minutes when he first signed him on loan last August. He probably figured it would be Fagan, Vennegoor of Hesselink, or Zaki leading the charge in front of goal.

Eight months, a new manager, and three games from relegation and your best hope is a 20-year-old American striker who might be low on goals (who's not on the service-challenged Hull side) but draws a lot of free kicks and penalty opportunities with his size and quickness.

Put any young kid under that kind of pressure and then smack him up-side the head with a soccer ball, and you better be ready to see some fireworks.

Jozy the Bull has probably seen his last game with Hull, but he still has loads of upside potential. With better service from his midfield and a bit less of a temper (remember Rooney at 20, whoa) he'll be just fine.