The LSU Penalty

The rule was put in for guys sticking the ball toward a defender's face, running in backwards, high stepping, and diving into the end zone for no other reason that they thought it was cool. I think the rule needs to be in there, but it has to be an obvious taunt. Not just a happy player scoring a TD.

 

That new penalty caused all the confusion at the end of the USC-Utah game that wreaked havoc in Vegas.
USC blocked a field goal on the last play and ran it back for a touchdown.
Some of the press box officials thought the taunting penalty was called, which wiped out the touchdown, but others thought the end zone celebration penalty was called, which would have allowed the touchdown to count.

 

So this LSU guy, a punter who likely will never get within 30 yards of the end zone again, runs in on this tremendous fake. 92,000 fans screaming their damn fool heads off, probably the most exciting moment of this kid's football career and a moment almost anyone would pay dearly for the chance to experience just once in their lifetime.
And he's a hot dog because he didn't just hand the ball to the ref and act like nothing ever happened?
Sorry. There's things that are obviously over the top, but you've got to give these guys some leeway and let them enjoy the moment.

 

You got proof of racism? If not, I'd like to point you to a nice gallon jug of STFU.

 

At this point it doesn't matter what we think of the rule or what players think of the rule. It's clear that some refs are going to call it and refs are going to have a different interpretation of the rule and kids probably will never know who or when it will get called. Do they want to take that chance?

The solution, a pretty simple one I believe, lies in the answer to the question I posted above: Do you want to score a touchdown and therefore help your team, or do you want to strut and try to make Sports Center? Because the refs apparently aren't going to let you have it both ways.

 

Probably best just to legislate joy out of sports altogether.

 

I saw the penalty called in a semi-pro game I covered this afternoon. The guy dove into the end zone like a rugby player scoring a try. The coaches tried to say he was diving to avoid a defender. The refs didn't buy it. No touchdown, 15-yard penalty. The team ended up losing in overtime.

 

It's a bad rule. College football has a real issue with celebrations and I'm going to agree with Starman to a degree: This goes back to black guys celebrating touchdowns back in the day that was in a way that was very uncomfortable for the powers that be.

I don't think this kind of rule is necessary. I think it's the kind of thing that takes care of itself with enough Leon Lett/Don Bebee moments.

And this isn't even the worst enforcement of celebration/taunting rules involving LSU in the last few years. In 2009, there were two HORRIBLE excessive celebration calls against Georgia's A.J. Green, then LSU's Charles Scott, after touchdowns. The one against Green allowed LSU to get the field position to set up the winning touchdown run by Scott (who was flagged after his score).

I think those were worse calls that the one against Wing (he's Australian so I guess he doesn't know better). Here's why: After Green and Scott's touchdowns, the last thing I was thinking is they'd done anything post-play that was wrong, especially Green who celebrated with his teammates and only briefly looked -- just looked -- into the crowd. Scott simply did the two-hand point to the sky thing (the officials evidently thought he was taunting the UGa. students).

When Wing spread his arms out toward the Florida players, the FIRST thing that crossed my mind was "the little bastard's going to get a taunting penalty." I've heard others say they did not think anything of what Wing did, but I did. He didn't just hold the ball out, he sort of squared his upper body up towards a couple of Florida defenders in pursuit.

 

Let him celebrate. He's a punter.

 

Got to keep the student-athletes under your thumb the whole time, lest they realize they are the show everyone comes to see.