The single stupidest move an NFL player can make during a game is to actually go through with his ridiculously choreographed celebration dance.
Yes, I am one of the apparent few who does not tune in to a football game to watch players dance. If you do find yourself to be one of the many viewers who does tune in to an NFL game to enjoy watching men gyrate their hips and make kissy faces, perhaps you need to check your manhood card at the door.
In 2009, John Clayton, of ESPN, wrote about the league and how the owners took a 29-3 vote in favor of giving officials the power to penalize any team with unsportsmanlike conduct 15 yards on the ensuing kickoff for a player or players who conduct excessive celebrations anywhere on the field.
Seven years later and one again the NFL is making a point to curb excessive celebrations. I, for one, am happy see the smack down, although I don’t think the league goes far enough to stop idiotic celebrations.
The NFL bylaws—2000 Resolution G-3A—specifically state that the “Competition Committee is concerned about overall on-field player conduct, including (1) celebratory acts taking place on the playing field that go beyond the natural, spontaneous expressions of exuberance that add to the excitement of NFL games, (2) actions that are sexually suggestive or can be otherwise be construed as being in poor taste, and (3) actions that are unsportsmanlike toward officials.”
Now, I am not against a spike, dunk or any other act that is truly an act of spontaneous exuberance after a score. But those acts that are clearly choreographed like the ridiculous dances players concoct should be flagged, not just for unsportsmanlike, but for stupidity alone. If you, as a player, actually took the time to dream up some idiotic dance moves, how much time did you waste not studying or practicing for the game itself?
Antonio Brown! Can you hear me? Or am I taking away from your dance practice? Unbelievable. Unbelievably stupid is what it is. But at least he scored a touchdown.
What really irks the utter s***t out of me are the players, with teams losing by as much as four touchdowns, who dance, wiggle and jiggle after they make a play. One play out of 200 on the day, I might add. This player could have been getting beat on every play before, but gets one good lick on his opponent and all of a sudden it’s as if he just won the Super Bowl single handedly.
I remember last year two Oakland Raiders I think it was, while losing the game, made a great play on defense and decided run behind the offense about 20 yards to celebrate together. Meanwhile, the offense ran the next play and voila. Penalty on the defense for being offsides. Morons. Complete and utter morons.
This is the kind of stupid that should be bred out of society. But no. We reward these people with more money than 20 average people could ever see in a lifetime. The least we could do is penalize these players even if they don’t commit “normal” penalties. Amen!