WWTBAM Bored

By the players, I mean.

What brings this to mind? I happened to tune in the Steelers-Ravens game last night, late in the first half, Pitt up 35-7. One of the Ravens players managed to sack the Pitt QB, then got up and did his little dance and air punching like it was a big thing. I'm thinking, "Dude, your team is down by four touchdowns in the first half. WTF are you celebrating, that you stopped them from going up by FIVE??"

I've forgotten the coach who said something like "Behave like you're going to do it again" in response to an overly enthusiastic touchdown celebration. The same is true for good defensive plays. It's your JOB, man! It should be a regular occurrence, not a special event worthy of choreographed rejoicing.

I think a little exuberance is a good thing, but it appears to me that the post-play celebrations are about bringing attention to the player, not about expressing the sheer joy of playing the game.

Steroids...

TheCalvinator24 wrote:I think a little exuberance is a good thing, ...

The emphasis should be on the "a little" part. Some should get five yard penalties for "delay of game".

TheCalvinator24 wrote: ... but it appears to me that the post-play celebrations are about bringing attention to the player, not about expressing the sheer joy of playing the game.

Not always, but yes, much of the time. I'm amazed that more of those players don't get royally smashed into the ground at the next opportunity (and several more thereafter).

I don't understand it either, especially when your team is getting beat like a drum. My favorite player who always showed class after scoring a TD was Barry Sanders, he never spiked the ball, just handed it to the Ref.

"When you get in the endzone, act like you've been there before."

Bear Bryant (American Football coach, 1913-1983)

Estonut wrote:"When you get in the endzone, act like you've been there before."

Bear Bryant (American Football coach, 1913-1983)

Thanks! I figured someone around these parts would know the quote and speaker.

traininvain wrote:I don't understand it either, especially when your team is getting beat like a drum. My favorite player who always showed class after scoring a TD was Barry Sanders, he never spiked the ball, just handed it to the Ref.

Larry Fitzgerald is from the same school.

Demonstrations in college are usually genuine.

Demonstrations in the NFL are choreographed. Everyone knows and expects it. When was the last time you saw the opposing team get upset about one of those sack "shows"? It's all part of the production and the NFL decides how much or little to allow.

This year they banned spiking the ball except after touchdowns, although there's no really logical reason to do so. If it's done to protect the other team's feelings, then why limit it to non-touchdown plays? They say it's delay of game, which it might be IF the intent were to stop the clock (like faking an injury), but that's the case about 1% of the time.

The NFL did stop multi-player sack shows a couple of years ago but they still allow and, frankly, expect this type of show.

gotribego26 wrote:

traininvain wrote:I don't understand it either, especially when your team is getting beat like a drum. My favorite player who always showed class after scoring a TD was Barry Sanders, he never spiked the ball, just handed it to the Ref.

Larry Fitzgerald is from the same school.

I didn't know Fitzgerald went to Oklahoma State.

gsabc wrote:By the players, I mean.

What brings this to mind? I happened to tune in the Steelers-Ravens game last night, late in the first half, Pitt up 35-7. One of the Ravens players managed to sack the Pitt QB, then got up and did his little dance and air punching like it was a big thing. I'm thinking, "Dude, your team is down by four touchdowns in the first half. WTF are you celebrating, that you stopped them from going up by FIVE??"

I've forgotten the coach who said something like "Behave like you're going to do it again" in response to an overly enthusiastic touchdown celebration. The same is true for good defensive plays. It's your JOB, man! It should be a regular occurrence, not a special event worthy of choreographed rejoicing.

If it's Ray Lewis you're talking about, that is something he is pretty infamous for, since I always see the guys on ESPN's Page 2 ripping on him for it...

lb13

silverscreenselect wrote:Demonstrations in college are usually genuine.

Clearly, you do not watch enough college football.

I'd say about 90% of the celebrations are for "show" in Division I-A. (Heck, even Husker players were celebrating touchdowns in Saturday's game, although the last one was done very sheepishly.)

There is little reason to do these celebrqations unless it is a TD, late in a game, to put your team ahead or win the game. The same goes for "big defensive plays" (it has to be done in a crucial moment in the game. Otherwise, just get back into the huddle or to the sideline)

This seems to be a fairly recent problem. I blame the Miami Hurricanes. If they did not start it, they certainly ramped it up and showcased it to future players watching on television. (Plus, they are/were easy targets to blame. <g>)

Appa23 wrote:This seems to be a fairly recent problem. I blame the Miami Hurricanes. If they did not start it, they certainly ramped it up and showcased it to future players watching on television. (Plus, they are/were easy targets to blame. <g>)

I blame the coaches of all sports from high school (and before!) on up who condone the "bratitude" of their better players. These kids grow up with a sense of entitlement to their special treatment, resulting in on- and off-field antics that would be subject to immediate ridicule or, in the case of some non-sports actions, arrest in anyone else. It's only the most egregious and non-ignorable events that get punished, and even then it's often just a slap on the wrist.