Just moments after the Blast clinched the Major Arena Soccer League Eastern Conference title, defender Pat Healey was sent sprawling to turf after being headbutted by Missouri Comets defender Andre Braithwaite during the postgame handshake.
Healey needed five stitches to close a two-inch gash just above his right eye. Braithwaite was indefinitely suspended by the league and released that evening by Missouri, which suffered its only two losses of the season in the playoff series against the Blast. The Comets' Brian Harris (three games) and John Sosa (one game) were also suspended for the start of next season.
"Missouri had not lost all season, and not only did we beat them, we outplayed them," Blast coach Danny Kelly said. "I think that was tough for them to swallow. I think they handled it very badly and with some cowardly, gutless actions at the end. That's on them. They got to live with that."
Throughout its long, storied history as an indoor soccer franchise, the Blast has maintained that ability to frustrate opponents. Sometimes, those feelings boil over and the Baltimore players are always aware the stakes are raised when they step on the field.