Tim Howard suspended and fined for Kansas City fan interaction

Tim Howard doesn’t let much get by him. Soccer balls. Sneaky bro hug attempts from strangers. Geoff Cameron’s conspiracy theories.

That enduring Keeper mentality apparently extends to fan taunts as well. Howard was just suspended 3 games and fined after a verbal confrontation with Sporting KC’s fans during their match-up with Colorado last weekend.

Howard’s choice words regarded a fan’s mother. And while I won’t embed that video here for all decency and propriety’s sake, you can see what is most likely the offending moment here, if that’s what you’re into.

Swearing happens (gasp!). It’s a competitive game where people fight each other, mostly figuratively speaking, to earn their money and possibly improve their living. But it goes without saying that at this stage of his career, Howard should know better than to react like this, even if he’s being baited by opposing fans. Something tells me he heard far worse from Liverpool fans after more than a decade playing in Manchester United red and Everton blue than he will ever hear from somebody that lives in Missouri/Kansas. Maybe all you MissoKansans are far worse people than I’ve been led to believe, but I’m pretty confident on that one. Howard didn’t let up all game, sharing some heated words with Dom Dwyer after the match as well. All told it’s a bit odd to see a veteran like Howard get so rattled.

With Howard out until May, Zac MacMath will get yet another opportunity to impress another MLS team into buying a starting-caliber Keeper, only for that team to buy a shinier Keeper option 3 months later.

UPDATE: Apparently Howard did more than just talk.