 |
| NFL Columns |
|
| Search |
|
|
|
|
| Draft Sim ID |
|
| Authored by Andrew Perna - 30th March, 2006 - 4:53 am
 Once again the NFL, also known as the No Fun League, is trying to crack down on end zone celebrations. Apparently the league still doesn?t find Joe Horn?s hidden cell phone trick or Chad Johnson?s mock marriage proposal very funny. The committee, which among others, is comprised of Titans head coach Jeff Fisher and Atlanta Falcons GM Rich McKay, is looking to implement rules that would penalize and fine players who celebrate excessively after scoring a touchdown.
Simple joyfulness such as spiking the football, dunking a ball over the goal post, or non-choreographed dance is fine. However, excessive planning and group celebration will be penalized. Players wouldn?t be allowed to celebrate with props, and antics must be carried out while standing, so you won?t be seeing Terrell Owens showcasing his worm in the end zone anytime soon.
Jeff Fisher told ESPN, ?Individual celebration was getting out of hand,? this past Monday. He went on to say, ?The players? association was unanimous in wanting to get this under control.? Personally I find it hard to believe that the latter is true. How can it be possible that players want to get rid of end zone celebrations when a majority of them would be in danger of being penalized and fined if the new rules take effect?
The Bengals? Chad Johnson didn?t take long to voice his opinion. Following the announcement yesterday he told the Cincinnati Enquirer, ?Tell the competition committee that Chad said you can?t cover 85, and there?s no way you can stop him from entertaining.?
The NFL has become a huge part of America?s popular culture and the recent exposure of player personalities has been an important contributor to the NFL?s increased attractiveness. Fans are as interested in what the players do off the field, as they are in what they do on it.
Nowadays sports are more than just ability, talent, and drive. It?s also about entertainment. The players who expose their personalities and keep themselves in the public eye will receive the endorsements and fans will take notice. That will lead to an increase in ticket sales for their team, and ultimately lead to more money and financial stability within their organization. How can that be bad?
Of course, there are some antics that have a negative impact on not only players, but their teams as well. However, those antics don?t take place on the football field, but rather off of it ? such as the infamous Viking boat scandal. So why outlaw innocent end zone celebrations?
Celebrations are fun. They bring color to a game that can at times be repetitive. Talk around the water cooler these days is as much about what Johnson, Owens, Horn, or Randy Moss did when they got into the end zone as it is about how they got there.
Major League Baseball hasn?t banned players from doing a home run trot after hitting a long ball, or refused to allow players to give love to the Man Upstairs after scoring a run.
The NBA hasn?t fined Quentin Richardson or Darius Miles for repeatedly beating their heads at the conclusion of a big shot or dunk.
So why is the NFL doing their best to take the ?flash? out of the game of football?
It?s simple ? They are just trying to live up to their name. |
