Well here's a stupid freaking idea

[detlef]

I know of almost nobody who's satisfied with the manner in which the officials have been able to govern the whole "taunting" rule with regards to post TD celebrations. So what do they do? They extend it to include taking away TDs if a guy seemingly taunts on his way to the endzone.

 

T-minus and counting until the first time a winning TD is taken away because some red-ass throws a flag because a kid smiles on his way to scoring the winning TD. I mean, we've already seen simply being excited because your team scored the go-ahead TD construed as "taunting", so why should we expect otherwise?

 

Has anyone bothered to ask the fans or players if they find basically all the celebration that occurs to be offensive? Shouldn't that count for something? I mean, isn't that what is being protected? The delicate egos of the opposing fans and players because someone has the gall to emit emotion after scoring on them? These are kids! Kids who have spent all week getting pumped up beyond control about kicking ass. Then they do and we're supposed to be shocked because they mob the guy who scores? It's a freaking joke.

[buddahj]

I don't know why it's such a big deal if they celebrate after a TD. I say let them do it all they want. It's not hurting anyone.

[Timmypg]

NCAA wants the players to be robots.

[Kid Cid]

Nothing pisses me off more than showboating. Jump around, be excited, sure that's to be expected. Choreographed dances and other in your face moves, stay the F away from the sport. That being said, taking a TD away is a very stupid idea.

[detlef]

Nothing pisses me off more than showboating. Jump around, be excited, sure that's to be expected. Choreographed dances and other in your face moves, stay the F away from the sport. That being said, taking a TD away is a very stupid idea.

I guess I only think it's lame whenever it is, in fact, lame. TO's sharpie and dude with the cell phone, were freaking great as far as I'm concerned and I've never gotten the, "in your face" part that people seem to see. In fact, one could argue that it's more "in your face" to be nonchalant about scoring. As if to say, "BFD, I just scored."

 

More than that, I also fail to see the notion about trying to separate "the game" from showmanship. As if "the game" in itself is not played for the purpose of entertainment. It also comes up in interviews. Guys who don't talk to the media are seen as a-holes. But so are guys who don't give vanilla responses. So, it's really important that these guys avail themselves to us through the media, but just as important that they don't actually speak their mind.

[Kid Cid]

I guess I only think it's lame whenever it is, in fact, lame. TO's sharpie and dude with the cell phone, were freaking great as far as I'm concerned and I've never gotten the, "in your face" part that people seem to see. In fact, one could argue that it's more "in your face" to be nonchalant about scoring. As if to say, "BFD, I just scored."

 

More than that, I also fail to see the notion about trying to separate "the game" from showmanship. As if "the game" in itself is not played for the purpose of entertainment. It also comes up in interviews. Guys who don't talk to the media are seen as a-holes. But so are guys who don't give vanilla responses. So, it's really important that these guys avail themselves to us through the media, but just as important that they don't actually speak their mind.

Is it more in your face to hand the ball to the Ref and run off the field or to look directly at the linebacker of the other team and yell. "We just scored on your weak ass! Stop that beotch!"

 

And I thought the TO thing with the sharpie was stupid as hell.

 

The bottom line is that we are asking them to be entertainers with their athleticism, not their theatrical creativity.

[Cameltosis]

Is it more in your face to hand the ball to the Ref and run off the field or to look directly at the linebacker of the other team and yell. "We just scored on your weak ass! Stop that beotch!"

 

And I thought the TO thing with the sharpie was stupid as hell.

 

The bottom line is that we are asking them to be entertainers with their athleticism, not their theatrical creativity.

 

OK, but what happens when its a grey area and the ref decides its taunting. For lack of a better example off the top of my head, a handful of years ago in the OSU/Mighagn game Santonio Holmes scores a late TD to take the lead. He was runnng to the goal line and split 2 Michigan defenders. He lept from the 2 yard like and did a somersault into the endzone landing on his butt. There were 2 defenders within 2 yards. Could he have made it without the dive/summersault? Probably. Was it taunting? Probably not. He was flagged and OSU had to kickoff from deep giving Michigan good field position. It did not alter the outcome of the game but if they took away the TD it might have.

 

This rule is a bad idea. Let the kids play and have some fun. If a guy does a neon Deon arm behind the head high step for 30 yards its a little different from an effort play that could be considered taunting but might not be.

[detlef]

Is it more in your face to hand the ball to the Ref and run off the field or to look directly at the linebacker of the other team and yell. "We just scored on your weak ass! Stop that beotch!"

 

And I thought the TO thing with the sharpie was stupid as hell.

 

The bottom line is that we are asking them to be entertainers with their athleticism, not their theatrical creativity.

Well, for starters, looking directly at the other team and yelling that would, in fact, rather undeniably be taunting. It is malicious and pretty impossible to construe any other way.

 

Regardless, I guess I didn't get the memo when "we" decided that we didn't want to see them party on the field. Again, I find it odd that we expect a very, very specific amount of animation from the guys who play this game.

[Timmypg]

I don't like taunting but the NCAA has been ridiculous at times. Last year ND ran in a late go ahead TD on the road. The RB put his finger to his mouth as if to shush the crowd. He got flagged for taunting. Simple things like that must be let go.

[Gopher]

Doing something offensive is completely different than doing something lame. My feeling is do away with the excessive celebration penalty completely. If, however, your celebration takes so long that it delays the game from continuing, call the penalty exactly that... Delay of Game.

 

Taunting is another issue completely. But, if a ref calls taunting, in my opinion, it better be pretty clear that the offending player was indeed taunting. Not just celebrating in such a way that SOMEONE could find it offensive... I'm talking about shoving his finger in the face of the opponent, throwing the ball in the direction of the opponent, making an obscene gesture, etc.... something blatant. Anything less than that, and my feeling is that people just need to get thicker skin.

[detlef]

Doing something offensive is completely different than doing something lame. My feeling is do away with the excessive celebration penalty completely. If, however, your celebration takes so long that it delays the game from continuing, call the penalty exactly that... Delay of Game.

 

Taunting is another issue completely. But, if a ref calls taunting, in my opinion, it better be pretty clear that the offending player was indeed taunting. Not just celebrating in such a way that SOMEONE could find it offensive... I'm talking about shoving his finger in the face of the opponent, throwing the ball in the direction of the opponent, making an obscene gesture, etc.... something blatant. Anything less than that, and my feeling is that people just need to get thicker skin.

Well said. It's so simple and obvious and yet...

[Rockerbraves]

I know of almost nobody who's satisfied with the manner in which the officials have been able to govern the whole "taunting" rule with regards to post TD celebrations. So what do they do? They extend it to include taking away TDs if a guy seemingly taunts on his way to the endzone.

 

T-minus and counting until the first time a winning TD is taken away because some red-ass throws a flag because a kid smiles on his way to scoring the winning TD. I mean, we've already seen simply being excited because your team scored the go-ahead TD construed as "taunting", so why should we expect otherwise?

 

Has anyone bothered to ask the fans or players if they find basically all the celebration that occurs to be offensive? Shouldn't that count for something? I mean, isn't that what is being protected? The delicate egos of the opposing fans and players because someone has the gall to emit emotion after scoring on them? These are kids! Kids who have spent all week getting pumped up beyond control about kicking ass. Then they do and we're supposed to be shocked because they mob the guy who scores? It's a freaking joke.

Gonna be hard to enforce the new taunting rule without a national NCAA uniform definition of what exactly draws a flag for so called taunting.

 

Crazy rules like this one in some way remind me of my days of watching my kids play T-Ball where keeping score was frown upon.

[Kid Cid]

I don't like taunting but the NCAA has been ridiculous at times. Last year ND ran in a late go ahead TD on the road. The RB put his finger to his mouth as if to shush the crowd. He got flagged for taunting. Simple things like that must be let go.

This is where I personally draw the line. Playing to the crowd or the other team should be flagged. That's not emotional outburst, that's calculated display and is exactly what the NCAA is trying to stop.

 

Now, I will say again, that I think taking a TD away is ridiculous. If the NCAA is really serious about stopping this, they should just fine the coach or the school. Let the kids play.

[Timmypg]

This is where I personally draw the line. Playing to the crowd or the other team should be flagged. That's not emotional outburst, that's calculated display and is exactly what the NCAA is trying to stop.

 

Now, I will say again, that I think taking a TD away is ridiculous. If the NCAA is really serious about stopping this, they should just fine the coach or the school. Let the kids play.

 

They're kids who watch the NFL superstars do it all the time. Unless you say something directed at a player or throw the ball at them you shouldn't get flagged. Little things like shushing a crowd should be ignored.

[Kid Cid]

They're kids who watch the NFL superstars do it all the time. Unless you say something directed at a player or throw the ball at them you shouldn't get flagged. Little things like shushing a crowd should be ignored.

So you want your kid to act like an ass because he saw TO do it? That's not exceptionally sound logic there.

[Timmypg]

So you want your kid to act like an ass because he saw TO do it? That's not exceptionally sound logic there.

 

No, but I don't think showing emotion makes you an ass. I'm not saying pull a Sharpie or dance but excitement is natural.

[Kid Cid]

No, but I don't think showing emotion makes you an ass. I'm not saying pull a Sharpie or dance but excitement is natural.

Throwing your hand in the air, jumping up and down shouting "Yippee!" is showing emotion. Shushing the crowd is a calculated act; it is not an unscripted emotional outburst. If the NCAA has to draw a line, that is where I think it should be drawn. It makes for a logically consistent rule that can be applied evenly across all conferences. Plus it has the added benefit or removing asstardery from the game.

[Cameltosis]

Throwing your hand in the air, jumping up and down shouting "Yippee!" is showing emotion. Shushing the crowd is a calculated act; it is not an unscripted emotional outburst. If the NCAA has to draw a line, that is where I think it should be drawn. It makes for a logically consistent rule that can be applied evenly across all conferences. Plus it has the added benefit or removing asstardery from the game.

 

if this is the case then waiving your arms upward to encourage the crowd to be louder is taunting as well.

[Kid Cid]

if this is the case then waiving your arms upward to encourage the crowd to be louder is taunting as well.

OK. I thought that's what cheerleaders were for anyway.