By JACKSON WANG
Sports Editor
In the past few years, the NFL has been a lot tougher on players for celebrating after scoring a touchdown, maybe taking it a little too far on penalizing players.
Two days after Veterans Day, the Denver Broncos traveled to Arrowhead Stadium to take on the Kansas City Chiefs. With 6:44 left in the game, the former Heisman trophy winner, Tim Tebow, hit Eric Decker in stride for a 56-yard pass for the eventual game-winning touchdown.
After scoring the touchdown, Eric Decker got on one knee and saluted to all the men and women serving the United States around the world. Unfortunately, it cost him and his team 15 yards.
Decker was flagged by the officials for an unsportsmanlike penalty. I guess when you want to show some respect to the soldiers serving your country around the world, you’ll have to either get penalized for doing it or don’t do it at all.
I understand that the NFL is trying to cut down on excessive celebration, but Decker’s salute was not excessive.
According to the NFL rules, excessive celebrating is when a player leaves his feet or uses a prop for the celebration. What is not excessive is spiking the ball or jumping on to the wall to make contact with fans.
Decker’s celebration didn’t include leaving his feet or using a prop. If you want to count using his hand to salute as a prop, then counted, but other than that, everything else was within the rules.
It all makes sense though, player who do the Lambeau leap don’t get penalized because jumping isn’t an excessive celebration move. Oh wait, it is.
Spiking the ball isn’t an excessive celebration either. Oh wait, it is because their using a prop.
It all makes sense though, saluting the men and women who protect your country, excessive celebration. Jumping on to a wall to celebrate with fans and spiking the ball, not excessive.
Did I also mention that giving the ball to a cheerleader isn’t an excessive celebration either?
On that same day, after scoring a touchdown for the Bills, David Nelson went over to his girlfriend, who is a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader, and gave her the ball. Guess what happened? No penalty was called.
That’s not excessive celebration right, wrong, because there was a prop being used, a football. Still no penalty was called.
I understand the NFL rules, they want to cut down on excessive celebrating and taunting as well. If the NFL is going to follow their rules, then footballs being spiked and jumping on to the wall are both illegal. Also, giving the ball to your girlfriend is illegal as well.
Eric Decker was only showing respect to the men and women who serve this country. It’s not like he was using a prop to honor them, he just gave a simple salute.
Saluting to your country should be legal and the officials shouldn’t throw a flag the next time they see a salute.
