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NFL ... "No Fun League" -- they mean it this time! (1 Viewer)

Raider Nation

Raider Nation

Devil's Advocate
Unsportsmanlike infractions

Gonna be interesting to see how strictly enforced these rules are, because we could have a flag after just about every play. I assume "Incredible Hulk" is the Cam Newton thing where he reveals his Superman outfit? No more spinning the ball. I predict they get Steve Smith on this one at least five times.

The only one I like is the "pointing" rule. As in pointing FIRST DOWN!!! after making a routine catch. That one is going to impact about 40 or 50 guys. I just wish the rule was in place when Roy Williams was still playing. Driver got out just in time, too.

 
Does this go for TD celebrations or just non-TD stuff? It's ridiculous either way, but no spiking or spinning the ball in the endzone would be the height of stupidity and pettiness.

Frankly, I enjoyed all the crazy endzone dances and celebrations. It's a friggin game meant to entertain people. Stop taking yourselves so seriously NFL.

 
As someone that enjoyed the TD celebrations of old, I really don't understand what the logic is here. Does the NFL brass really believe this takes away from the game? How are fans going to react when a big play is impacted because of a player excited about their performance?

I'm sure there will be people who see it the other way, but I don't necessarily see how this makes the game more enjoyable to watch or makes the game more competitive.

At the very least I don't have to watch one more salute.

 
Found more at SI.com. Evidently this was instituted prior to last season but they seem determined to enforce it now.

The NFL is tired of players celebrating inappropriately after successful plays and scoring plays, and its officials have evidently been charged with controlling this increasing “menace.” Section 3 of the league’s rule book outlines the behavior that will be penalized, under the banner of Unsportsmanlike Conduct:

“Sack dances, home run swing, incredible hulk; spiking the ball; spinning the ball; throwing or shoving the ball; pointing; pointing the ball; verbal taunting; military salute; standing over an opponent [prolonged and with provocation]; or dancing.”

These moves are also verboten:

“Throat slash; machine-gun salute; sexually suggestive gestures; prolonged gyrations; or stomping on a team logo.”

The updated rule book actually came out before the 2012 season, but as officials are making the rounds to NFL training camps to explain new rules and changes in emphasis like they do every year, they’re telling players that they’ll be watching celebratory behavior more closely.

Some players, like receiver Steve Smith of the Carolina Panthers, are working on alterations to their celebrations. Smith considers the ball spin to be his signature move, and he said on Monday that when it comes to avoiding penalties, “We’re working it out.”

It’s easy to understand why the NFL is trying to legislate as much violence out of the game as possible, but the limitation of expression seems archaic at best. Football is an emotional game, played under pressurized conditions, and any victory over the inherent difficulties involved will lead to a reaction. “No Fun League,” indeed.
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Ugh this is annoying as a fan. This supposed to be entertainment, and football is not supposed to be the classiest spot. This isn't golf! :thumbdown:

 
Ridiculous but then the NFL has been getting worse every year. I guess it is for player safety cause you hate to see a career ended prematurely due to an improperly done sack dance.

 
I think they should be going to opposite way with this. After a touchdown they should set a 30 second play clock where the team does their signature celebration dance all over the end zone. I mean they do it in wrestling and fans love it.

 
No more homerun swing for alf i guess. Shame because its dedicated to kids he worked with. And it meant six points for my ff team ;) lol hope this doesnt take effect like it sounds

 
It just sounds like a super subjective way of officiating that makes it easier for the league to fix games.

I mean, I generally hate conspiracy theory crap, but what other purpose could this possibly serve??

I have thought for a few years now that the NFL has tamed the players pretty well as far as dumb and needless celebrations. Hard to figure out why they are going above and beyond to take some things out of the game that are a good size part of why it is so popular in the first place.

 
Get rid of the stuff that is annoying (1st down dances after a 4 yard catch...Im looking at you Jermichael Finley...all of 3 times a year you make a 1st down reception).

Keep the sack dances...at least the guy actually did something exciting.

 
GroveDiesel said:
Does this go for TD celebrations or just non-TD stuff? It's ridiculous either way, but no spiking or spinning the ball in the endzone would be the height of stupidity and pettiness.

Frankly, I enjoyed all the crazy endzone dances and celebrations. It's a friggin game meant to entertain people. Stop taking yourselves so seriously NFL.
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:goodposting:

 
Raider Nation said:
Found more at SI.com. Evidently this was instituted prior to last season but they seem determined to enforce it now.

The NFL is tired of players celebrating inappropriately after successful plays and scoring plays, and its officials have evidently been charged with controlling this increasing “menace.” Section 3 of the league’s rule book outlines the behavior that will be penalized, under the banner of Unsportsmanlike Conduct:“Sack dances, home run swing, incredible hulk; spiking the ball; spinning the ball; throwing or shoving the ball; pointing; pointing the ball; verbal taunting; military salute; standing over an opponent [prolonged and with provocation]; or dancing.”

These moves are also verboten:

“Throat slash; machine-gun salute; sexually suggestive gestures; prolonged gyrations; or stomping on a team logo.”

The updated rule book actually came out before the 2012 season, but as officials are making the rounds to NFL training camps to explain new rules and changes in emphasis like they do every year, they’re telling players that they’ll be watching celebratory behavior more closely.

Some players, like receiver Steve Smith of the Carolina Panthers, are working on alterations to their celebrations. Smith considers the ball spin to be his signature move, and he said on Monday that when it comes to avoiding penalties, “We’re working it out.”

It’s easy to understand why the NFL is trying to legislate as much violence out of the game as possible, but the limitation of expression seems archaic at best. Football is an emotional game, played under pressurized conditions, and any victory over the inherent difficulties involved will lead to a reaction. “No Fun League,” indeed.
Click to expand...
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They don't want it perceived this way but clearly they are targeting specific players when they resort to identifying specific moves by name. Do they just intend to keep adding "moves" to this laundry list every time the players innovate?

 
Sounds like it's going to resemble the college game, from this point on, celebration wise.

Smacks of old time football back in the leather helmet days. I may be in the minority, but I'm fine with it.

 
Raider Nation said:
Unsportsmanlike infractions

Gonna be interesting to see how strictly enforced these rules are, because we could have a flag after just about every play. I assume "Incredible Hulk" is the Cam Newton thing where he reveals his Superman outfit? No more spinning the ball. I predict they get Steve Smith on this one at least five times.

The only one I like is the "pointing" rule. As in pointing FIRST DOWN!!! after making a routine catch. That one is going to impact about 40 or 50 guys. I just wish the rule was in place when Roy Williams was still playing. Driver got out just in time, too.
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Agree on Steve Smith, although I love Steve Smith the player, and I do not mind the ball spinning. I despise the first down pointing thing, I always hated Rodgers belt thing (Just cause I thought it looked stupid), I hate the Cam Superman thing, personally I didn't mind most of the TD celebrations, but the NFL is probably going a little overboard now.

 
I don't know about the 2012 "no fun" rules ... but I know when the ruled banning team endzone celebrations took effect in 1984, it was said to be in reaction to this incident (think it was 12/11/1983 WAS @ DAL). Two Cowboys ran into the middle of Washington's "Fun Bunch" to break up the high-fives, to no avail.

Somehow, I remembered that as being an actual on-field fight between the two teams. Looks like it was pretty tame, though I'm sure the Cowboys were PO'd for real. Maybe there was another incident later where there was more fisticuffs,

Maybe the 2012 rules are in place to head off fighting? In any case, there will still be TD celebrations -- 5 yards on the kickoff is nothing. What will smart is having a sack or 1st down wiped off the board for celebrating.

 
I can understand some of these things:

“Throat slash; machine-gun salute; sexually suggestive gestures; prolonged gyrations; or stomping on a team logo.”

But, if they actually start limiting the harmless, not-unsportsmanlike things, it will be sad.

 
Make each penalty 15 yards from the line-of-scrimmage to nullify the play. This will stop this crap especially when touchdowns start coming off the board.

 
Clearly they're doing this to get the ball back in the refs hands so Chip Kelly can more effectively run his uptempo offense.

 
Good. Nothing worse than an extended celebration dance, plus the pointing gesture, for FIRST DOWN!!!!111!1!111~~~!!!Juan! after a three-yard gain in the 4th quarter when his team is losing 38-6.

 
I can only imagine this is to give refs more power to influence games and the ultimate, make the games longer so they can get more commercials.

 
I'm fine with the elimination of celebrating the mundane (first downs, a hard tackle on a player 15 yards down field etc.) as well as throat slashing, but getting rid of some of the other stuff is just ridiculous. Next, I imagine after a touchdown there will be a mandated handshake between a receiver who scores and the DB who was beaten on the play, or a DL will have to write a letter of apology after a sack. This is an emotional game. Why legislate as much emotion out of it as possible?

 
This is awful. If enforced correctly, it's going to make ever game last much longer.

I can understand a few, as mentioned, the pointing, but what they should include, but don't, is the "flag-throw" every receiver in the league does. That got ridiculous fast.

 
The Kansas Comet said:
I'm fine with the elimination of celebrating the mundane (first downs, a hard tackle on a player 15 yards down field etc.) as well as throat slashing, but getting rid of some of the other stuff is just ridiculous. Next, I imagine after a touchdown there will be a mandated handshake between a receiver who scores and the DB who was beaten on the play, or a DL will have to write a letter of apology after a sack. This is an emotional game. Why legislate as much emotion out of it as possible?
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Longer games= more commercial time= more money, it gives the refs more power to control the outcome of games which the NFL likes for some reason and I am guessing they will say that it somehow shows they care about player safety and this keeps the game safer. The NFL is involved in litigation regarding player health and safety so they really want some CYA in this area.

 
Grigs Allmoon said:
I can understand some of these things:

“Throat slash; machine-gun salute; sexually suggestive gestures; prolonged gyrations; or stomping on a team logo.”

But, if they actually start limiting the harmless, not-unsportsmanlike things, it will be sad.
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Yes, these are fine. But I agree, there is a big difference in doing a machine-gun dance, and spinning a football.

 
If they're going to ban everything, players might as well thrust their hips while machine gunning with one hand, and throat slashing with the other.

 
I think the Incredible Hulk is the Clay Matthews thing, not the Cam Newton thing.

I guess they can't list every single act but if they are going to legislate these acts, then what about the Newton Superman or the Foster Bow?

Personally, I LOVE the salute if it is to the fans and after a TD. To me, that is nothing unsportsmanlike. Its really just a tip of the hat to the fans and back. Other sports make a point to include their fans. The only part the NFL seems to want from its fans is their money. Its almost like the people that supplt the revenue to this business is nothing more than a necessary thing the shield has to tolerate.

Some of the best moments in sports (any sport) is when the fans get that brief sense of connecting directly to the achievement on the field. Heck, I don't play gold nor watch it but I've seen that highlight a million times of Tiger dropping that ridiculous putt and then fist pumping (back when it was original) and I recall thinking "that's pretty cool..Everyone is into it."

 
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The Kansas Comet said:
I'm fine with the elimination of celebrating the mundane (first downs, a hard tackle on a player 15 yards down field etc.) as well as throat slashing, but getting rid of some of the other stuff is just ridiculous. Next, I imagine after a touchdown there will be a mandated handshake between a receiver who scores and the DB who was beaten on the play, or a DL will have to write a letter of apology after a sack. This is an emotional game. Why legislate as much emotion out of it as possible?
Click to expand...
THe problem with that is if a player actually did turn to the DB and extend his hand to shake it, he would be flagged for taunting.

 
Shutout said:
I think the Incredible Hulk is the Clay Matthews thing, not the Cam Newton thing.

I guess they can't list every single act but if they are going to legislate these acts, then what about the Newton Superman or the Foster Bow?

Personally, I LOVE the salute if it is to the fans and after a TD. To me, that is nothing unsportsmanlike. Its really just a tip of the hat to the fans and back. Other sports make a point to include their fans. The only part the NFL seems to want from its fans is their money. Its almost like the people that supplt the revenue to this business is nothing more than a necessary thing the shield has to tolerate.

Some of the best moments in sports (any sport) is when the fans get that brief sense of connecting directly to the achievement on the field. Heck, I don't play gold nor watch it but I've seen that highlight a million times of Tiger dropping that ridiculous putt and then fist pumping (back when it was original) and I recall thinking "that's pretty cool..Everyone is into it."
Click to expand...
My favorite TD celebration was when Ochocinco flew two sets of Bengals fans into GB (one for each endzone) and put them in the front row so if he scored he could do the Lambeau Leap into Bengals fans. Thought it was pretty cool. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCizUYHeO0I

 
Spin said:
Shutout said:
I think the Incredible Hulk is the Clay Matthews thing, not the Cam Newton thing.

I guess they can't list every single act but if they are going to legislate these acts, then what about the Newton Superman or the Foster Bow?

Personally, I LOVE the salute if it is to the fans and after a TD. To me, that is nothing unsportsmanlike. Its really just a tip of the hat to the fans and back. Other sports make a point to include their fans. The only part the NFL seems to want from its fans is their money. Its almost like the people that supplt the revenue to this business is nothing more than a necessary thing the shield has to tolerate.

Some of the best moments in sports (any sport) is when the fans get that brief sense of connecting directly to the achievement on the field. Heck, I don't play gold nor watch it but I've seen that highlight a million times of Tiger dropping that ridiculous putt and then fist pumping (back when it was original) and I recall thinking "that's pretty cool..Everyone is into it."
Click to expand...
My favorite TD celebration was when Ochocinco flew two sets of Bengals fans into GB (one for each endzone) and put them in the front row so if he scored he could do the Lambeau Leap into Bengals fans. Thought it was pretty cool. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCizUYHeO0I
Click to expand...
I think my favorite of all time might be when T.O. pulls the Sharpie from his sock and autographs the ball. Just something about that one that was so thought out yet appeared so original and spontaneous that just personifies T.O.

 
Raider Nation said:
Unsportsmanlike infractions

Gonna be interesting to see how strictly enforced these rules are, because we could have a flag after just about every play. I assume "Incredible Hulk" is the Cam Newton thing where he reveals his Superman outfit? No more spinning the ball. I predict they get Steve Smith on this one at least five times.

The only one I like is the "pointing" rule. As in pointing FIRST DOWN!!! after making a routine catch. That one is going to impact about 40 or 50 guys. I just wish the rule was in place when Roy Williams was still playing. Driver got out just in time, too.
Click to expand...
Is this for real? I'm in the minority of fans in that I usually like rules clamping down on "unsportsmanlike" horseplay, but these are going too far, even for a prude like me.

 
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/eye-on-football/23054349/nfl-spinning-ball-celebrations-only-penalized-if-directed-at-opponent

NFL: Spinning ball celebrations only penalized if directed at opponentTwitter's been awash with debate over the not-really-proposed-since-they're-already-in-place rules regarding celebrations: the NFL's been putting an emphasis on players spinning the ball in celebration. People are not happy about it either.

But everybody can relax a little now, because as it turns out, the celebration flags will only get thrown if someone is "directly" taunting an opponent.

to clear up bad info re: td celebrations like military salute/spinning ball: only flagged if player does it directly @ opponent

— Brian McCarthy (@NFLprguy)

August 7, 2013This makes much more sense. The NFL's been cracking down on taunting -- and celebrations in general -- for a while but refusing to allow players to a) spin the ball in celebration or b) salute to the crowd just seems silly.

Instead, the idea is to limit the amount of taunting on the field which will, presumably, limit the amount of fighting on the field and therefore limiting the perception of the NFL as a league full of thugs.

Or something. The point being is that Steve Smith can now spin the ball in the end zone (one of my favorite celebrations) as long as he's not spinning it towards whatever defensive back he's just torched. And J.J. Watt is allowed to salute the crowd after a sack as long as he's not pointing his salute towards Blaine Gabbert's corpse in front of him.

 
I didn't have a huge problem when they first came out with something about celebrations. When players started acting out skits it became a little much I thought.

But this new stuff just goes way too far. So now JJ Watt can't send out a tribute to the orphaned kids he played wheelchair basketball with that weekend? Idiotic.

ETA: Missed that this stuff is only when directed at an opponent. I'm fine with that then.

 
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I'm glad to see the NFL implement these rules. I tune in for football, not to watch someone try to elevate their personal stock by performing a well rehearsed skit simply because they did the job they're getting paid millions to do. Hopefully this will eventually trickle down so that I don't have to watch that crap from 8 year olds in saturday morning rec leagues who think it's an integral part of the game.

Edited to add: GET OFF MY LAWN!

 
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Can't wait for the first Patriots opponent that does a TD dance that ends with him making a gun with his fingers, getting a teammate to get on his knees and beg for his life, then he shoots him in the head.

 
This takes some of the emotion and momentum-building out of the game for some players, and the crowds actually love it when a player points upon making the first down. The NFL gave power to these committees and rules makers when some discipline was needed but now they're just justifying their jobs or assignments with bs. Whatever committee/department is doing this, just end it.

 
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