Touchdown celebration

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Washington Huskies players celebrate a touchdown

In gridiron football, touchdown celebrations are sometimes performed after the scoring of a touchdown. Individual celebrations have become increasingly complex over time, from simple "spiking" of the football in decades past to the elaborately choreographed displays of the current era.

NFL football

extra point attempt, which could potentially push an extra point kick out to 48 yards and make it far less certain to be converted.[3]

Simply "spiking" the ball is not interpreted as excessive celebration unless the ball is spiked towards another player on the opposing team. Jumping onto the outer wall to accept contact from fans, such as the Lambeau Leap, is also not considered such, as it is off the field of play.

NCAA football

NCAA also penalizes excessive celebrations with a 15-yard penalty. NCAA Football Rule 9-2, Article 1(a)(1)(d) prohibits "Any delayed, excessive, prolonged or choreographed act by which a player (or players) attempts to focus attention upon himself (or themselves)"; in addition, Rule 9-2, Article 1(a)(2) asserts that "After a score or any other play, the player in possession immediately must return the ball to an official or leave it near the dead-ball spot."[4] Additionally, if a player's actions are considered "unsportsmanlike conduct" the result is dead-ball foul; a "flagrant unsportsmanlike conduct" foul requires player ejection. If a player's nonfootball-related act (e.g. taunting or cursing) causes an opponent to physically retaliate, it is considered fighting and both players are ejected.[5]

Arena football

The rules for celebrations in the Arena Football League were the same as the NFL; no props were allowed. However, choreographed or group dances were often seen after a score.

AAF

In the Alliance of American Football, it was an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty to propel the ball out of the field of play during a touchdown celebration. This "no souvenirs" rule was in place so that the AAF would not lose possession of the electronic tracking apparatus embedded in each ball.[6]

CFL football

Player celebrations

The

NFL
when it comes to touchdown dances. It often has very small, if any, penalties handed out to players who celebrate excessively.

CFL end zone celebrations often include more than one player, often a whole wide receiving corps of 4-6 players. Past celebrations have included five Calgary Stampeders receivers holding out their hands and mimicking the pouring of drinks from a champagne bottle, then stumbling around as if drunk; another end-zone routine simulated a bobsleigh run when receiver Jeremaine Copeland sat down and wrapped his legs around the goal-line pylon with the rest of the receiving corps tucked in behind him. The same group also pantomimed a four-seater stationary bicycle, which all players played a role for the bicycle.[clarification needed]

Henry "Gizmo" Williams
celebrated punt return touchdowns by doing a backflip in the end zone.

The

hand grenade
has exploded.

In the 2008 CFL season, the Winnipeg receiving corps did a few celebrations, most notably a version of Duck, Duck, Goose, as well as a walking race across the end zone.[7]

In the 2009 CFL season, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats did a memorable celebration in Winnipeg, as a fishing boat was at the edge of the end zone. Hamilton scored two touchdowns within a minute, both times got into the boat and celebrating as though they were fishing, literally showboating.[8]

During the August 14, 2010, a celebration by the Toronto Argonauts in which several players mimicked a rowing crew drew an Objectionable Conduct penalty.

In the 2018 CFL season, Ottawa Redblacks offensive lineman Jon Gott chugged a beer after teammate Mossis Madu scored a touchdown during the final game of the regular season against the Toronto Argonauts. Although Gott was not penalized, fined or suspended for the action due to the league relaxing its rules on touchdown celebrations, the CFL subsequently revised their policy to prohibit the use of alcohol or drugs or the mimicking thereof.[9]

Stadium celebrations

Long-standing tradition at McMahon Stadium has a horse run the length of the stadium with a team flag each time the hometown Calgary Stampeders scores a touchdown.[10] The Montreal Alouettes' touchdown celebration is similar; it features a man carrying an Alouettes flag and running across the field every time the Alouettes score six points at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium. Other stadiums have developed similar traditions. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have a small airplane (known as the "touchdown plane"), along with a cannon blast that goes off after every score.[11] The Saskatchewan Roughriders fire smoke mortars from behind the goalposts in celebration of home team touchdowns. The Edmonton Elks have a fire engine circle the field after each touchdown, throwing souvenirs into the crowd.

Memorable celebrations

Effect on game play

It has been argued that celebration penalties have affected the outcomes of games.

The September 6, 2008, game between Washington and BYU saw the Washington quarterback, Jake Locker, score a touchdown, putting Washington within one point with two seconds to go. Upon entering the endzone, however, Locker threw the ball high in the air. His team was penalized, the referee applying NCAA Rule 9-2, Article 1(a)(2), which states that "after a score or any other play, the player in possession immediately must return the ball to an official or leave it near the dead-ball spot," paragraph (c) of which forbids "throwing the ball high into the air." BYU blocked the ensuing 38-yard extra point attempt and won the game.[33] On December 30, 2010,

New Era Pinstripe Bowl against Syracuse, narrowing the score to 36–34. He subsequently saluted the crowd in a quick military fashion and was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. The penalty pushed Kansas State's 2-point conversion attempt (to tie the game and possibly force it into overtime) back to the 18-yard line. Kansas State then missed the 2-point conversion, and Syracuse went on to win the game.[34]

See also

References

  1. ^ Archive index at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Thomas, Jeanna (May 23, 2017). "NFL voted on rule changes for the 2017 season, and we graded each one". SBNation.com. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  3. ^ "Celebration fouls may complicate the post-touchdown try". 30 August 2019.
  4. ^ 2008 NCAA FOOTBALL RULES AND INTERPRETATIONS Archived 2008-09-10 at the Wayback Machine, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Page 112, Accessed August 4, 2008.
  5. ^ Unsportsmanlike vs. Personal Fouls[permanent dead link], 2007 NCAA Football Guide, Page 3, Accessed August 4, 2008.
  6. ^ "How the AAF's strict "no souvenirs" rule claimed its first victim". FootballZebras.com. February 11, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  7. ^ Video of touch down celebration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aavPl9AfqE
  8. ^ dickenz21 (9 November 2009). "Ticats boat celebration td". Youtube.com. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 24 November 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ Williams, Rob. "CFL amends touchdown celebration rule after player chugs beer mid-game (VIDEO)". Daily Hive. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  10. ^ Stampeders homepage Archived 2009-01-06 at archive.today
  11. ^ "(no title)". Winnipeg Sun. Retrieved 24 November 2017. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  12. ^ Bill Pennington (September 30, 2001). "Giants' Wide Receivers May End Long Drought". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-02-03.
  13. ^ Finley, Bill (November 13, 2005). "Father of End-Zone Dance Explains His Happy Feet". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
  14. ^ "The Fun Bunch". Archived from the original on 2008-01-21. Retrieved 2008-02-03.
  15. ^ Gwen Knapp (December 21, 1997). "Dances with Hanks". Sfgate.com. Retrieved October 16, 2011.
  16. ^ Phil Taylor (December 1, 1997). "Basketball Jones". Sportsillustrated.cnn.com. Retrieved October 16, 2011.
  17. ^ "Bills WR Johnson Fined $10,000 For TD Celebration". Buffalorumblings.com. October 2010. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  18. ^ "'Why So Serious' Nets Johnson Serious Fine - WBEN NewsRadio 930 : Buffalo & Niagara Falls, NY". Archived from the original on 2011-01-01. Retrieved 2011-01-08.
  19. ^ "Steve Johnson celebrates TD with a Joker quote on his shirt". Sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  20. ^ "Bills' Steve Johnson fined $5,000 | National Football Post". Archived from the original on 2011-01-04. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  21. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved 2019-02-24.
  22. ^ "The majesty of the Gronk Spike: How it began and why it's so awesome". ESPN.com. 2018-01-30. Retrieved 2019-02-24.
  23. ^ "Rob Gronkowski's TD ritual becomes a fan phenomenon". Boston Herald. 2012-01-20. Retrieved 2019-02-24.
  24. ^ "Spike-tacular: Gronk's signature TD celebration a huge hit". NFL.com. Retrieved 2019-02-24.
  25. ^ "Let's get Physical". Boston Herald. 2012-01-20. Retrieved 2019-02-24.
  26. ^ "A Brief History Of The Gronkowski Spike". Boston Magazine. 2012-11-05. Retrieved 2019-02-24.
  27. ^ Chase, Chris (October 21, 2012). "NFL Gangnam Style: Mike Tolbert vs. Jason Pierre-Paul (VIDEO)". Usatoday.com. Retrieved 2012-10-23.
  28. ^ Saraf, Sid (21 November 2013). "Jimmy Graham pulls a Shaq and bends the goal post in Atlanta". Fox Sports.com. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  29. ^ "Marshawn Lynch fined for obscene gesture at end of TD run".
  30. ^ Chiappelli, Kirstie. "Doug Baldwin says vulgar celebration directed at group". Sporting News. Archived from the original on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  31. ^ Wagoner, Nick (4 February 2015). "NFL fines Doug Baldwin $11,025". ESPN.com. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  32. ^ Schilken, Chuck (7 December 2015). "Steelers' Antonio Brown flagged for 'using the goal post as a prop' [Video]". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  33. ^ Booth, Tim (2008-09-06). "BYU holds back Washington on last-second PAT block". Associated Press. Archived from the original on September 13, 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-08.
  34. ^ "Excessive celebration flag curbs K-State's enthusiasm". Kansascity.com. Retrieved 2011-01-01.

External links