Football: Too much celebrating?
Taking away touchdowns for too much exuberance?
Wow, harsh.
I have to admit, I secretly sort of liked the Dirty Bird, the Funky Chicken, the Ickey Shuffle and Desmond Howard’s Heisman pose, though I realize the scoring celebrations have spun out of control in recent years.
Still, it seems to me the new college rule on taunting is on the Draconian side. What about the other 10 players who just did their jobs without celebrating?
The new ruling states:
“This will be the first year of the rule change regarding unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, which will be treated as either live-ball or dead-ball fouls. Previously, all fouls of this kind were treated as dead-ball fouls.
“The change means, for example, that if a player makes a taunting gesture to an opponent on the way to scoring a touchdown, the flag would nullify the score and penalize the offending team 15 yards from the spot of the foul.
“Penalties for dead-ball misconduct fouls (for example, unsportsmanlike behavior after the player crosses the goal line) continue to be assessed on the ensuing kickoff or the extra point/two point conversion attempt.”
To me, a penalty for excessive celebration is OK. But voiding a touchdown thanks to the actions of one overly enthused player as he crosses the line? What if he points heavenward? Is that taunting the opponent? What if the player points to his mother in the stands? Taunting?
Now such an action could cost a team the game.
Do you think the new rule is too harsh?