DMN Burnett Blog: I really have a problem with the leagues new celebration rule

[WoodysGirl]

Celebration
10:30 AM Wed, Jul 09, 2008 | Permalink
Kevin Burnett E-mail News tips

I really have a problem with the leagues new (2006- 2007) celebration rule. Professional football is a young mans game. Played by a bunch of 20- 30 year old men who are 12 at heart, you can't take the run out of the game. I was a big fan of the "Bob and weave" and everybody tried to do the "Dirty Bird". Now all you get is a "high five". If this is the ultimate team game you should be allowed to celebrate as a team.

In the old days you had the Neil Smith and his "baseball swing" and John Randle acting like "dog" after a sack. Not so much with the baseball swing but the down on all fours would definitely be flagged and fined. I can understand something demeaning like the throat slashing or pulling out the ol' six-shooter. Celebrating with your teammate and asking players to harness their emotions takes away from the game. As some of you former players know it's hard to play when you're always looking over your shoulder. For this reason I love "Let Me See Your Grill" a.k.a. Chad Johnson. If I decide to watch a game his game will be the one I will be watching. He has the best celebrations in the game and he keeps it family oriented.

While we are on the subject lets also talk about these hits on the QB. You can't touch his helmet nor can you hit him below the knee. The last time I check this game is described as tackle football not 2 hand touch. Also if you're going in to tackle the QB you can't lead with your head. Now maybe it's just me and, the way I was taught but, I was taught to make contact with my forehead and facemask first etcetera, etcetera. In term your asking defensive players who have been taught how to tackle one why their whole life to alter their tackling pattern. To me that is more dangerous and is going to get more people hurt than not hitting a QB in the head. When you look at it, more concussion happen when the QB hits his head on the ground then a head on collision.

Who has the best celebrations?



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[GimmeTheBall!]

Celebration
10:30 AM Wed, Jul 09, 2008 | Permalink
Kevin Burnett E-mail News tips

I really have a problem with the leagues new (2006- 2007) celebration rule.

Ah, shuddup and sit down!

I've always loved the spontaneity and outward joy that players exhibited.

But then something happened. It stopped being about a team celebrating and more about some players wanting the spotlight on them.
I've seen the dirty bird, the dice throw, the cell phone call, the Heisman Trophy stance (yes, in the NFL), the I-can't-hear-you-give-me-more-applause, the taunting of a downed player, the muscleman pose, ad naseum.
It turned nasty, and self-serving and selfish. It turned unsportmanlike and foolish.

It used to be a game of hard knocks and team celebrations.
Now it seems that all the act-the-fool celebrations have been used and the NFL stepped in -- gratefully so -- and put a stop to them.

There should be some decorum, some nobility, some sportmanship displays of celebration, not some bratty acts by the feeble-minded.

In my day, we had real football and real celebrations!!!

(hitching up my pants) Harumph!!
http://av.rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0Je5X...p://www.tacobomb.com/html/Grumpy-Old-Man.html

 

[The Panch]

The Heisman Pose>>>>Real Football

 

[CrazyCowboy]

I wish they could celebrate just a little more.

 

[Brandon]

Why did they ban celebrations anyways?

 

[notherbob]

I'm a minimalist when it comes to celebrations. If there are any I think they should be minimal and more along the lines of spontaneous outbursts of joy. I don't care for the choreographed dances or deliberate denigrating of the other players. I see that as poor sportsmanship. When I was playing sports, 12 year olds might do stuff like that and the older boys would call them down on it and tell them not to disrespect their opponents, that this was a game not a gang fight.

I liked it back in the day when pro football was played by real men who thought like grown ups not a bunch of steroid-blimped people who think like 12 year olds. I find it more difficult to respect so many players today - not all, mind you, just those who still think like overgrown kids. The players today are definitely bigger and faster but nowhere near as mature or tough minded as the players of yesterday. I think the BIG money they get today contributes to their changed ways.

I greatly respect the players of today who are loyal to the game, who put their team first and act responsibly in the face of so much temptation. There are still people who remind me of the likes of Bob Lilly, Don Perkins, Staubach and Drew Pearson, just as there are those who remind me of Hollywood Henderson, and other self-centered failures and losers.

I hope this does not come off as negative, I don't intend it to be. I like football, I just don't like immature punks and self-centered losers who disrespect others and I don't think they should be given a stage.

 

[percyhoward]

Also if you're going in to tackle the QB you can't lead with your head...To me that is more dangerous and is going to get more people hurt than not hitting a QB in the head

Pass rushers can't put their heads down and tackle a QB anyway, because, in taking their eyes off the ball, they risk bringing an empty-handed QB to the ground, which a lot of times draws a flag. Ware has been called for that a couple of times, at least.

But I think Burnett has a point about new injuries resulting from defensive guys having to adjust to the rule. More and more pass rushers will start going for the ball, and the QB's throwing arm.

I know I hope Ware does more of that.