NFL's new celebration rules kill endzone fun

By Frank Curreri
Collegian Staff
April 5, 2006

The NFL, more commonly referred to these days as the No Fun League, has done it again. The league’s competition committee, with the approval of the NFL Players Association, recently met to discuss certain issues in the league. While the panel addressed technical concerns such as the down-by-contact rule, much of the talk focused on toning down touchdown celebrations.

The committee ruled in favor of clamping down on touchdown hijinks, including prohibiting players from celebrating on the ground. In addition to this was the exclusion of using props, a technique favored by some of the league’s premiere wideouts. Owners overwhelmingly agreed that football has no room for such theatrical individual behavior.

Those being hurt by this ruling include high-profile entertainers such as former Eagle Terrell Owens, as well as Chad Johnson of the Cincinnati Bengals. Owens has been known to use pom-poms, and once spiked a football on the blue star in the middle of the Dallas Cowboys field; Johnson mock-proposed to a cheerleader and used an endzone pylon to putt the football like Tiger Woods.

Although some would contend that this ruling does not put a damper on the game, I strongly disagree. By putting restrictions on individual celebration, the league is destroying the entertainment aspect of football. Granted, this isn’t professional wrestling, where the sole purpose is to entertain, but fans thrive on anticipating the newest touchdown celebrations.

We as an audience have come to expect these displays as part of the game. What the league doesn’t understand is that even though it is a form of individual celebration, it is the result of something much greater: the team scoring. As soon as owners start scoring touchdowns, then they can make the rules. By restricting the theatrics from the game, the league has put shackles on a player’s right to express himself.

These highlights are an integral part of ESPN coverage. We watch to see what endzone dance made the Top 10 countdown every week. How could you not have fun watching Chad Johnson perform CPR on a football? The league should have made a simple clause stating that if any celebration delayed the game significantly or was detrimental to the team or the league, appropriate action would be taken by way of penalties and fines. No fights broke out last season, so why the ruling? In an interview with Fox News, Johnson stated, “It seems like whenever the league sees us enjoying ourselves and having fun, they want to take it away from us.”

By putting these rules into effect, the league is trying to be as “old school” as possible. I can respect that owners want football to follow a business-like approach, but today’s fans are not students of the “old school.” This is a new generation filled with excitement and creativity, and by placing restrictions on players, these owners are trying to destroy the most entertaining sport out there. No matter what restrictions you put on the players, you can’t destroy their creativity. Players like Johnson are going back to the drawing board to entertain us again. The sad thing is the league will find a way to add more restrictions when that time comes. I say let them play—and enjoy the show.

currerif1@lasalle.edu