Let me start off by saying that I have been one of the league’s more vocal defenders when people crucify the NFL and Roger Goodell for all they have done. I have been a big proponent of the crackdown on hits and making the game safer, despite what Billy who played back when it was man’s game says.
But I am not for taking the art of celebrating out of the game, although people like Billy usually are. I never have been and never will be.
The NFL has seen an insurmountable amount of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties for players taunting and I don’t like it one bit.
There were 22 taunting penalties as of week 7, which is nine more than in 2015.
I grew up in the golden age of celebrations, three guys come to mind, Chad Johnson, Terrell Owens and Randy Moss. Those three guys made the NFL fun because you never knew what was coming if they found the end zone, which was often. Chad Johnson was a celebration god in the NFL, always coming up with something each week. My personal favorite was using the pylon to impersonate a Tiger Woods putt. He is the main catalyst for why the NFL now has a penalty for using a “prop.”
Randy Moss pretended to moon the Packers fans (over the top and warranted a penalty, but fun).
Terrell Owens pulled a sharpie out of his sock and signed the ball for a young fan bound to a wheelchair. Why is that so wrong?
It baffles me as to why the NFL is not letting these guys have fun with celebrations as long they aren’t absurd.
The suits will say they want their product to be professional and that the NFL is a business, a profitable one at that. They would be right, it is. But the NFL isn’t fucking concerned about being “professional” or “politically correct.” Anyone who believes that malarkey is a meat wagon . Isn’t your biggest sponsor a beer company?
Antonio Brown was fined for twerking because it was “sexually suggestive.”
Oh yeah because a nerd playing tonsil hockey with a bombshell on a commercial for Godaddy.com isn’t. To make matters worse, the slogan on that commercial was “when sexy meets smart, your small business scores.”
If that isn’t a euphemism for sex, I don’t know what is.
Every year, we see commercials like that play during the Superbowl. Most of the funny commercials are sexist or have some sort of controversy behind them. That’s fine with me because it is made to be entertaining, just like celebrations are made to be entertaining.
As long as guys aren’t out there doing the throat slash, giving people the finger or anything like that, let them have some fun. If Odell Beckham wants to make out with the kicking net, go for it. If Brandin Cooks or Josh Norman want to fake shoot a bow and arrow, go for it. If Antonio Brown wants to twerk, go for it.
If you’re offended by it, then I’m offended that you’re offended. Don’t be a Billy.
“When is enough, enough? Fans want to see excitement,” Norman said. “They work their tails off during the week. They go to work 9-5 and they get a day off on Sundays to come out here and watch their team put on a show. We are entertainers, whether you like it or not.”
You’re damn right I want to see excitement and he said it best. NFL players are entertainers. One of the biggest critiques I hear is taunting shows a lack of sportsmanship and they are role models.
No, athletes are not role models and I don’t give a damn what people say about it. Sure, they are thrust into the limelight and children look up to them.
Colin Cowherd said it best in regards to professional athletes “illuminate and reveal, not idolize and adore.”
I don’t expect children to fully understand that concept. But rest assured when the time comes for me to be a father, if someone asks my son or daughter who they want to be most like when they grow up, I hope they say me or my wife. If not, then I’m doing it wrong.
If they idolize an athlete, that’s fine, but I hope they have that same adoration for the people raising them.
In regards to sportsmanship, celebrating a victory, both large (winning a game) and small (scoring a touchdown), doesn’t make you a bad sport. It makes you a human with emotions.
How many of you went out and had drinks on your behalf because you were promoted at work or found a great job? That is boasting a little bit, isn’t it?
Or let’s take social media for example. Anybody who says they don’t go fishing for likes with damn near every post of their child, engagement, wedding, recreational drinking or political opinions is a fucking moron. Can’t we just admit we all like to celebrate and boast about our accomplishments?
Why is it wrong for an athlete to do the same?
How many of you as kids were playing a sport recreationally or with friends in your yard and did your favorite player’s signature dance after scoring? My guess is most of you.
When I was doing my radio show in college, one of my co-hosts and I are were discussing our favorite celebrations in sports and he pulled up a video of Aldon Smith getting a sack and running to the bench and having a seat. Meanwhile, the guy I hosted the show with was part of huge upset victory for Nicholls football and ran across Texas State’s field to grab the trophy back when they were a huge rival to the Colonels. That is boasting, isn’t it?
It just blows my mind that most of the people who say they are against it, do the same thing.
Celebrations are fun and you know they are. Get off the politically correct high horse and just admit what we already know.
Let the NFL players do the same. I am tired of the vanilla crap on Sunday. You’re not going to hurt your product by letting Antonio Brown twerk after a touchdown.
One of the things I found hilarious was in last Sunday’s match up between the Saints and Seahawks, Seattle safety Earl Thomas gets a scoop and score on a fumble recovery. Once he reached the end zone, he hugs the official because he scored. Of course, the official had to throw a flag because you can’t touch an official. Although, you could see him laughing while he was reaching for it.
Stop holding true to the nickname No Fun League. For the love of god, the last thing I want is for the twat swabs like Billy to be right about something…Billy is a stupid idiot.
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