College rule change (1 Viewer)

[GregR_2]

There is an ESPN article about college football rule changes for the coming season. This one jumped out at me.

Those changes coincide with perhaps the biggest change of the season -- implementation of the new taunting rule.

Last April, the playing rules panel approved a decision to nullify touchdowns if a player is called for taunting before he crosses the goal line. Examples include players finishing touchdown runs by high-stepping into the end zone or pointing the ball toward an opponent.

The panel decided then to wait one year before making the change.

Previously, the 15-yard penalty was assessed on the extra point attempt, 2-point conversion attempt or the ensuing kickoff. Penalties called after the player crosses the goal line still will be assessed on those plays, but live-ball fouls will be assessed at the spot of the foul and eliminate the score.

All I can say is wow. That is a ballsy rule. Imagine the winning score of the national championship game erased because the player high-stepped into the end zone from the 5 yard line, and now they get the ball at the 20 after the penalty and don't score. I'm not a particular fan of what celebrations have turned into. For every 1 that actually is fun to watch, there are 19 that make the player look like a 5 year old shouting for everyone to look at him while he moves away from and ignores his teamates who got him into the end zone so he can get his 5 second clip on Sports Center. And I mean you, Jacoby Jones. Stop dancing. Really, just stop. You. Cannot. Dance. You look like

.But I digress. Surprised to see a rule this strict even in college. I wonder if there is any chance the NFL will follow suit down the road. I would have said no, but then I'd have said the same about college actually adopting such a rule. As I've said I'm not a big fan of what 'celebrations' have turned into, but I didn't think we'd see a day that they would negate a touchdown.

 

[adrenaline]

I'm with you, wow that seems a bit harsh.

You look like

I knew what you were talking about before i watched it & was already chuckling

 

[mcintyre1]

I really don't see the point in regulating gimmicky/stupid celebrations inside of a game in which we all know we're yearning to see someone get lit up on a tackle. Football is an emotional sport. And its a huge part of the reason for its success. Bogus rule, IMO.

 

[PlasmaDogPlasma]

Luckily NCAA refs are so good and consistent that we can count on this being applied the same way in every game.

 

[RUSF18]

Luckily NCAA refs are so good and consistent that we can count on this being applied the same way in every game.

Yes, this is the real issue.

 

[FreeBaGeL]

I never really thought about it, but this makes sense. Why was a penalty that occurred during the play being assessed as a dead ball foul in the first place?

I really don't see the point in regulating gimmicky/stupid celebrations inside of a game in which we all know we're yearning to see someone get lit up on a tackle. Football is an emotional sport. And its a huge part of the reason for its success. Bogus rule, IMO.

You think people dance because of the emotion of the game? If anything, the cheesy celebrations show how much emotion is lacking in the NFL compared to other levels of football.When you score an emotional touchdown, you celebrate with your teammates, give a nice hard high five, and scream "LET'S GO!".Finding a nice open spot on the field where you can do a premeditated routine that you practiced in front of the mirror the night before is the furthest thing from emotion there is, and is only even possible if you're not overcome with emotion that causes you to actually celebrate.

 

[Hoosier16]

I can see it now. They will now be running replays to see if the player crossed the plane of the goal line before he began taunting. We'll see 4 different angles to see if the player's head started to turn or if his arm started to raise prior to crossing the goal line.

 

[mcintyre1]

I never really thought about it, but this makes sense. Why was a penalty that occurred during the play being assessed as a dead ball foul in the first place?

I really don't see the point in regulating gimmicky/stupid celebrations inside of a game in which we all know we're yearning to see someone get lit up on a tackle. Football is an emotional sport. And its a huge part of the reason for its success. Bogus rule, IMO.

You think people dance because of the emotion of the game? If anything, the cheesy celebrations show how much emotion is lacking in the NFL compared to other levels of football.When you score an emotional touchdown, you celebrate with your teammates, give a nice hard high five, and scream "LET'S GO!".

Finding a nice open spot on the field where you can do a premeditated routine that you practiced in front of the mirror the night before is the furthest thing from emotion there is, and is only even possible if you're not overcome with emotion that causes you to actually celebrate.

If we're talking Ocho-like celebrations, no, its not emotion. But it is not just those celebrations that are affected by this penalty. High step into the endzone? No TD. Flip into the endzone? No TD. Both of those are done because the player is excited about breaking one off on the defense. Fans enjoy it, players (on the same team) enjoy it and it pumps them up. In Nebraska's bowl game against Arizona, Niles Paul caught a long TD pass early in the game to put the Huskers ahead, got into the end zone, spiked the ball and flexed his (enormous) guns for the crowd. THAT'S emotion. THAT is what I want to see. And that is what I don't want penalized just so people don't have to be "inconvenienced" by gimmicky TD dances.To clarify, I guess I'll ask:

Why are we trying to make football "cleaner"? Football is dirty. Football is violent. Football is emotion, strength, agility, brutality. It plays to our base instincts of combat and competition. I hate that the NCAA seems to be making rules just so football seems more civilized. Leave my gladiatorial games alone, damnit!

 

[Phlash]

When you score an emotional touchdown, you celebrate with your teammates, give a nice hard high five, and scream "LET'S GO!".

Emotions affect everyone differently. Do you actually think this is how everyone reacts when they're hyped up? I would hope you don't.

 

[Thorpe]

I am in favor of this rule because sportsmanship is important to me. If it takes taking points off the board to stop taunting, then so be it. I hope it gets called consistently.

 

[B Maverick]

So is it taunting when a guy runs parallel to the endzone to take a few extra secs off the clock in a close game? THAT will be interesting to see if called.

All in all, the neon deion 10 yard high steps, the flip into the endzone (Stupidest celebration of all), the holding the ball out toward the def... i could do without them. But a penalty seems a bit harsh.