Washington player penalized for pointing to heavens after TD

Washington player penalized for pointing to heavens after TD

=http://rivals.yahoo.com/highschool/blog/prep_rally/post/Washington-player-penalized-for-pointing-to-heav?urn=highschool-290886]rivals.yahoo.com

Well, it finally happened: Penalties for excessive celebration have officially jumped the shark. If the NFL is the No Fun League, it's still a celebratory paradise compared to the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association. That was made clear when a Tumwater (Wash.) High running back was flagged for excessive celebration after he pointed to the heavens following a touchdown run on Monday night.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I know that some here view sports as very trivial considering all of the other significant issues floating around...

However, in "real" world-wide "football" (soccer in the US), on the international stage, there are much more freedoms for many religious gestures on the pitch/field whether we are talking about Islam, Christianity, Judaism, or even Rastarfarian/Buddist/Taoist/Spiritual...

To me, it is sad to see more of these freedoms eroded in the US--when you don't see this occuring globally...

Trivial or not, social contexts like sports are a mirror of what is happening on a broader level.

What say you?

[url=http://rivals.yahoo.com/highschool/blog/prep_rally/post/Washington-player-penalized-for-pointing-to-heav?urn=highschool-290886]rivals.yahoo.com[ /url]
(visit the link for the full news article)

It does seem to suck some of the fun out of the game if you can't have a little celebration when you score.

I really don't see the harm in it as long as it's brief and doesn't disrupt the flow and timing of the game.

Thanking God for making a touchdown


Does that mean you should curse god for failed touchdowns?

Would me more interesting if he sacrificed a chicken at each touchdown.

He pointed to the sky?

He could have been pointing at a helicopter or something.

This whole thing is absurd.

I love how in our society, the loudest most obnoxious jerk ALWAYS gets their way.

And the rest of us have to deal with it?

I don't think so.

Fight back people. Fight back.

Fixed link

Fixed your link for you.

I watched the video, there is nothing egregious about what the player did.
Trotted in the for the score, took a knee, pointed to the sky, then ran the ball immediately to the official, but gets hit with the flag on the way there.

With what we see week in and week out in almost all American sports these days, this is very tame and IMO did not warrant a penalty.
Though I do long for the days of Barry Sanders again. Score a touchdown, hand the ball to the ref immediately.
I guess the ref here does too.

Originally posted by Arbitrageur
It does seem to suck some of the fun out of the game if you can't have a little celebration when you score.

I really don't see the harm in it as long as it's brief and doesn't disrupt the flow and timing of the game.

Yes, Arbitrageur, like you I think there is so harm as long as it isn't negatively influencing.

But the greater point is that the player wasn't celebrating for his team or against his rivals:

"That wasn't the point [of the gesture], so I guess I was a little confused," Hastie told KOMO News. "I do that to give glory to my Heavenly Father, Jesus. He gives me the strength. He's the one who gives me these abilities in the first place."

Has the US gone PC-overboard?

Originally posted by SaturnFX
Thanking God for making a touchdown


Does that mean you should curse god for failed touchdowns?

Would me more interesting if he sacrificed a chicken at each touchdown.

Of course, it all does depend on your perspective

No, silly, I don't think you should curse god for failed touchdowns; you could even thank god for learning from your losses

Sacrificing chickens? Ooooo PETA would be comin' after you

reply to post by muzzleflash


Well put! In FIFA football competitions, loads of players use the sign of the cross as they arrive or leave the field/pitch. Here, pointing to the heavens is a penalty. But Washington state sometimes has to show its "we know better than the commoners" side

reply to post by youdidntseeme


Thanks for correcting my link, dear! I'm not on ATS much lately, so since the change, I admit I don't know what I'm doing.

Barry Sanders is before my time...OK, just kidding

And BTW, I love your avatar--reminds me of Willy Wonka/Charlie

Originally posted by sonjah1
But the greater point is that the player wasn't celebrating for his team or against his rivals:

Has the US gone PC-overboard?

Yes it's PC overboard for sure, or jumped the shark as they said.

There was nothing wrong with what he did. There was no significant delay to the game and it's ludicrous for any official to claim otherwise. That's the only measure I think is important. If it were up to me I'd allow a 15 second maximum celebration time after scoring, then the game must resume.

But I'm not buying the story that the intent matters. Let's say another player does an overboard victory dance that lasts for 30 seconds. That's too long and delays the game and it should be penalized for that reason whether he did the dance for Jesus or for any other reason.

reply to post by sonjah1


The judgements of the Godless are

returning on their heads ....

tenfold .

God won't be mocked .

But your 666 world economy will/has ....

reply to post by sonjah1


II've seen a penalty like this happen against AJ green on Georgia Bulldogs.

He receives the ball in the end zone, and literally stands there motionless looking at the sky for 2 seconds and got a flag.
I guess not only is a flag to point to the sky, but also to look at it.

These refs need to chill the heck out.

An Ole Miss receiver dove into the end zone as there was an LSU defender chasing him. He got flagged for the dive and it possibly contributed to Ole Miss losing the game.

Originally posted by radarloveguy
reply to post by sonjah1

 

The judgements of the Godless are

returning on their heads ....

tenfold .

God won't be mocked .

But your 666 world economy will/has ....

Do you specialize in cryptics?

Or are u from Washington?

Please clarify. Thanks in advance

Originally posted by freedish
reply to post by sonjah1

 

II've seen a penalty like this happen against AJ green on Georgia Bulldogs.

He receives the ball in the end zone, and literally stands there motionless looking at the sky for 2 seconds and got a flag.
I guess not only is a flag to point to the sky, but also to look at it.

These refs need to chill the heck out.

Don't get me started on SEC refs--they're Alabama biased--

You're right-the refs power-trip especially on the college scene

But in high school football? To flag for someone's brief expression of values....oooo....I hope when my children grow up, I'll be able to restrain myself.

Off topic, see how Richt took Green out for many games, and things didn't go well for UGA initially?...but at least that coach has some class...unlike Spurrier, Chizik, and Urban,

Originally posted by Tyrone
An Ole Miss receiver dove into the end zone as there was an LSU defender chasing him. He got flagged for the dive and it possibly contributed to Ole Miss losing the game.

I know hotty toddy was not happy about that call

But in high school football? To flag for someone's brief expression of values....oooo....I hope when my children grow up, I'll be able to restrain myself.

Off topic, see how Richt took Green out for many games, and things didn't go well for UGA initially?...but at least that coach has some class...unlike Spurrier, Chizik, and Urban,

I want to give u a big hug because you just expressed everything I feel about college football.

reply to post by freedish


awwww, Big hug for u 2

Oh, PLEASE!

This is beyond ridiculous.

So, if he had pointed down, what would have happened? Would he have been told he was a satanist? Are satanists arrested? Who knows?

If he had pointed to the east, would he have immediately been arrested as a terrorist?

I feel like pointing to the west - sundown and goodnight to this ridiculous world.

Amendment - this world isn't ridiculous, just some of the people who live here are ridiculous.