NFL penalizes Muslim player for praying

a reply to: DogMeat

Using the ground for celebration is not allowed, although Tebow was allowed to kneel.

Wrong, tebow was allowed to do it without flags.
If you watched football you know what tebow's celebration was and why he did it and it was allowed.

DP

“the officiating mechanic in this situation is not to flag a player who goes to the ground as part of religious expression, and as a result, there should have been no penalty on the play.”

It's apparent that he wasn't penalized for praying, regardless of religion.

However, this points out a glaring flaw in the rules. How are refs supposed to interpret religious expressions during a game? ...Instant replay and officiating staff in the booth with theology background?

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

Correct ! Now the NFL is looking to make a rule change to allow muslims to do this.
Just stating the sad state of affairs.....

originally posted by: eNumbra
Trying to find a video that actually includes the slide(the actual supposed infraction) rather than just a montage of him catching the ball then cut to praying or just praying or everything else completely unrelated to the event/missing it in its entirety.
Because I can't honestly see how "sliding in" would be considered "showboating" outside of a very strict enforcement of "using the ground to celebrate"... which I then have to ask... if I'm standing on the ground, am I not using it?

But then the NFL has had no credibility for a long time.

You can not go to the ground. On your knees, or back, or stomach, or side, in a celebratory manor. Rule ARE rules.

Unless the Brandy Chastain knee slide is an integral component to muslim prayer rituals, I don't understand the league's apology this morning.

originally posted by: DogMeat
Dude needs to fill out a "Hurt Feeling Report"



Rules are rules, except when it comes to muslims?? Really..



This is the game and these are the rules.. get used to it or over it... yer call.



It a white christian were to do this he would be under the same rule and no they would not take it back..just sayin.



Are we now to have one set of rules for muslims and one set for all other's?

Same rule? How come Tebow never got penalized for Tebowing? He was a white Christian. What am I missing?

a reply to: UnBreakable

Tebow caused the rule...

eta: that was /sarc

Life used to be so much simpler.

a reply to: UnBreakable

I don't believe Tebow ever did a powerslide into the kneel.

originally posted by: thesmokingman
You can not go to the ground. On your knees, or back, or stomach, or side, in a celebratory manor. Rule ARE rules.

Yes, the problem is that the rule is meant to eliminate showboating/excessive celebrations - and yet there's nothing excessive about this one.

So whats wrong with excess?

I used to like the excess

originally posted by: thesmokingman

originally posted by: eNumbra

Trying to find a video that actually includes the slide(the actual supposed infraction) rather than just a montage of him catching the ball then cut to praying or just praying or everything else completely unrelated to the event/missing it in its entirety.

Because I can't honestly see how "sliding in" would be considered "showboating" outside of a very strict enforcement of "using the ground to celebrate"... which I then have to ask... if I'm standing on the ground, am I not using it?



But then the NFL has had no credibility for a long time.

You can not go to the ground. On your knees, or back, or stomach, or side, in a celebratory manor. Rule ARE rules.

Why was Tebow allowed to kneel on the ground without penalty then?

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
a reply to: UnBreakable



I don't believe Tebow ever did a powerslide into the kneel.

Then the NFL should define what constitutes a "power slide". I'm sure Tebow's knee slid when he knelt down.

I'd like to see a faith-healing routine between two players to test the rule.

... should be allowable.

Let's be honest this is a non issue when the player the infraction was levied against has no issue with the call then neither should we.

Now for the person who said he should take his prayer rug out there, come on man, really? I'm sure no Muslim of the non extremist variety had an issue with him not having a rug beneath him or the fact that he wasn't facing directly to the shortest distance to mecca. Hussein Abdullah was born and raised a Muslim and is a devote one at that. Look into his history he truly is a remarkable player and person.

A reply to: DogMeat

They allowed tebow to do it in the name of religion already, they are not changing anything.
In fact look up Brandon Marshalls celebration, he goes down to his knees and holds is arms out and never get a flagged for it.
Stop trying to make this a nfl catering to muslims when it is not

a reply to: burdman30ott6

You are correct, but it doesn't change that he never got flagged for the same rule of going to the ground.

IDK what it is but the officials have SUCKED in the last few years. Too many rule changes? Too many of the old guard retiring?

originally posted by: UnBreakable

originally posted by: thesmokingman

originally posted by: eNumbra

Trying to find a video that actually includes the slide(the actual supposed infraction) rather than just a montage of him catching the ball then cut to praying or just praying or everything else completely unrelated to the event/missing it in its entirety.

Because I can't honestly see how "sliding in" would be considered "showboating" outside of a very strict enforcement of "using the ground to celebrate"... which I then have to ask... if I'm standing on the ground, am I not using it?



But then the NFL has had no credibility for a long time.

You can not go to the ground. On your knees, or back, or stomach, or side, in a celebratory manor. Rule ARE rules.

Why was Tebow allowed to kneel on the ground without penalty then?

The reasoning goes that because he slid, it violated a rule about celebrating on the ground. The exception to the "going to the ground" rule is that it's not a penalty if the player does so to pray.

www.sbnation.com...