When Thanking God Goes Wrong

The way I understand the rules is that if the kid waited until he reached the end zone before raising his arm, the touchdown would have counted and the penalty would have been assessed on the conversion (or is it the kickoff), right?

 

Old white rules written by old white men.

INNN MYYYY DAYYYYY we never had any fun playing any sports, and neither should these goddamn whippersnappers. Harrrumph.

 

These fucking rules are such fucking bullshit. Refs have ALWAYS had the authority to penalize and/or eject players for blatant unsportsmanlike actions (such as waving the ball at an opponent as you score) but because a bunch of fucking 68-year old Mr. Buzzcuts on the rules committee want to take the game back to the way it was when they played in 1953, we get shit like this.

BTW, if you ever get a chance to look at some game films from the 1950s, that great golden age when 90% of all major college players were nice clean-cut crew-cut sparkly-toothed white boys, it was VERY common to do stuff like hurl the ball into the end zone after scoring, hurl it over the goal posts, even booting it into the stands, etc etc.

It was only when black kids started doing it in the 60s/70s that all of a sudden the old fossil-crotches who write football rules books started getting upset about it.

 

FWIW, the statement from the MIAA:

"STATEMENT REGARDING DIVISION IV-A FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP



Franklin, MA Dec. 7, 2011 - - In response to inquiries regarding an unsportsmanlike penalty called in the Division IV-A football game the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) issued the following statement:

The official involved reported he had determined a violation of NCAA Football Rules and Interpretations of Rule 9, Section 2 covering Unsportsmanlike Conduct Section A. He called the violation and assessed the penalty.

There is no provision in MIAA rules (or rules for any other sport at any other level) to overturn an official’s call after a game has been concluded. Once the final whistle is sounded the game is over. (Reference – MIAA Handbook Rule #17, Page 24) The Cathedral coach chose not to protest the call when it was made.

At the start of the season the MIAA and football officials took comprehensive measures to ensure that everyone understood this rule. In fact, the officials at this game reminded the captains and coaches that there would be zero tolerance for any unsportsmanlike actions. Likewise, this message was communicated in the pre-playoff game administrative meeting, as well as the MIAA’s Super Bowl Breakfast with coaches and captains.

Anyone may parse the language of rules and apply them as they see fit. Contest officials must familiarize themselves with the rules, both the letter and the sprit, and bring their judgment to bear in calling the game. Per the Points of Emphasis in the NCAA Rulebook: “When an official imposes a penalty or makes a decision he is simply doing his duty as he sees it. He is on the field to uphold the integrity of the game of football, and his decisions are final and conclusive and should be accepted by players and coaches.”

The MIAA Philosophy reflects that high school students who participate in educational athletics learn many things from that experience including lessons that will be helpful as they go forward in life. While we hope and wish they would all be from positive experiences, sometimes that is not the case.

Losing a game or having an official’s call go against you or your team are all part of sports. Just like athletes and coaches, officials try hard to do the best job possible. Athletes must learn to put these things behind them and move forward. During their lifetime they will experience similar situations where they feel “wronged” by a superior or authority figure and they must learn to deal with that situation.

Finally, we would hope that in peoples’ reaction to this situation they would consider the students and coaches at Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical School who feel their properly won championship is being tarnished and discredited. "

 

Whether or not he was thanking God, that's a horseshit flag.

 

Absolutely. So, if that's taunting, who was being taunted? What's next?

Refs: "Hey son, don't you dare let me see you crack a smile after you score. That's taunting the other team."

 

And won't result in the touchdown being removed, because of those three words: after you score. This rule doesn't have a thing to do with celebrating after you score. Once you cross the goal line, you could nail a cheerleader in the end zone and the touchdown still counts. The worst you would get is a 15-yard penalty on the kickoff. Hurling the ball in the stands, over the goalposts, kicking it into the stands, those are all okay as long as you do it after you score.

I'm totally on board with these rules, and I'm in my early 20s. Seriously, I've been waiting for someone to give me a reasoned argument on this and never get one. Exactly what is wrong with having to wait until you actually score to start celebrating?

 

Okay, so does that mean if I'm a kicker and I know my 42-yard boot is good before it goes through the uprights and I raise my hands in celebration, the FG doesn't count? Nearly every FG would be no good.

Or I throw a 60-yard TD pass and when the open guy catches it, I run down the field arms in air, it does not count?

Or this rule only applies to the person with the ball?

The back judge felt he HAD to make that call to keep his status as a finals official, I'll bet. In Alabama, the officials are selected by a committee. My guess is these guys felt it was necessary with all the "big wigs" watching.

That said, the call was still bullshit. It isn't like he taunted anyone. He celebrated a TD that likely won his team the state title.

 

Agree, but don't make it worse by making up bullshit about why your fist was in the air.

 

The fact that it's a game is a good enough reason by itself. If you know you're about to score and you're at the five-yard line and you raise your hands, who does that hurt? Why does that five yards make a difference?

 

Because the 70-year-old old coots sitting in the rules committee room never pulled any of that arm-raising stuff when they were playing. They simply marched quietly into the end zone and presented the ball to the refs, consarn it. Rassen frassen harrrumph harrumph harrumph.

 

Did you watch the video? All he did was briefly stick his hand in the air--no Deion style high stepping, no Leon Lett strut, no taunting--just a raised hand. I'm not sure I would even qualify that as "celebrating." Christ, it's a teenage kid going in for the game winning touchdown in the state championship, god forbid he get a little excited.

These "absolute" anti-celebration rules are asinine. Show some common sense.