Wes Welker's end zone snow angel

[Badgerinmaine]

Yesterday, the Patriots blew the Cardinals out on a very snowy day in New England. The Pats were already way ahead when Wes Welker scored, and followed it up by lying on his back and making a snow angel--the kind lots of us made as kids. It's an automatic flag to go to the ground in celebration and they got him for unsportsmanlike conduct. (Arizona, I believe, went three and out on the next series so it didn't end up hurting his team). I think the league rule is kind of silly, and I have company:

http://www.sportsline.com/columns/story/11187086

Now, I'm an old school guy about sportsmanship, "it's how you play the game" and all that. But it seems to me that there's a difference between a celebration where you are mocking someone to his face (like the old Mark Gastineau sack dance, or spiking the ball in front of someone's face). I never has a problem with the old Redskins' Fun Bunch or anything of the sort. Maybe using props is going too far, but I think the rules are too tight now.

[Rastak]

Rules are too tight? Nah. You guys are lucky I ain't in charge. Anything over handing the ball to the ref would be 15 yards. Twice in one game is auto ejection.


Jim Brown said it best, "Why all the bufoonery"

[SkinBasket]

Jim Brown said it best, "Why all the bufoonery"

Because a vast majority of the players are buffoons, as evidenced by McNabb and then elaborated on by the slew of stories afterward pointing out that a lot of players don't know dick about the game they're paid millions to play.

I agree though, that there's a difference between the contrived Ocho Cinco look-at-me stunts celebrated by ESPN and more spontaneous events like Welker's. But leaving that decision in the hands of the officials would be disastrous. Unfortunately a core group of egomaniacal cock slappers ruined the idea of spontaneous celebration in an effort to boost their name recognition and jersey sales so they could brag to each other about how clever and beloved they are.

[packinpatland]

What Welker did after scoring the TD was fine by me. How was it different than a dance in the end zone.....or the imfamous Lambeau Leap? Or everytime a defensive guy celebrates a tackle?.........or even Donald Driver doing his 'shimmy' after a great catch?
The flag was wrong.

[Rastak]

What Welker did after scoring the TD was fine by me. How was it different than a dance in the end zone.....or the imfamous Lambeau Leap? Or everytime a defensive guy celebrates a tackle?.........or even Donald Driver doing his 'shimmy' after a great catch?
The flag was wrong.

Every one of those things should draw a flag. Act like a pro dammit!

[Brandon494]

I would love to see how one of you guys would react with millions cheering for you. I agree the Ocho Cinco crap is too much but give me a break.

[Rastak]

I would love to see how one of you guys would react with millions cheering for you. I agree the Ocho Cinco crap is too much but give me a break.

Like Barry Sanders maybe?

[oregonpackfan]

What Welker did after scoring the TD was fine by me. How was it different than a dance in the end zone.....or the imfamous Lambeau Leap? Or everytime a defensive guy celebrates a tackle?.........or even Donald Driver doing his 'shimmy' after a great catch?
The flag was wrong.

I agree the Welker celebration was just a spontaneous act of celebration. He was not trying to mock an opponent or do anything obscene.

[packinpatland]

What Welker did after scoring the TD was fine by me. How was it different than a dance in the end zone.....or the imfamous Lambeau Leap? Or everytime a defensive guy celebrates a tackle?.........or even Donald Driver doing his 'shimmy' after a great catch?
The flag was wrong.

Every one of those things should draw a flag. Act like a pro dammit!

Come on........................booooooring...........

[Gunakor]

What Welker did after scoring the TD was fine by me. How was it different than a dance in the end zone.....or the imfamous Lambeau Leap? Or everytime a defensive guy celebrates a tackle?.........or even Donald Driver doing his 'shimmy' after a great catch?
The flag was wrong.

Every one of those things should draw a flag. Act like a pro dammit!

Come on........................booooooring...........

They aren't dancers, they are football players. I watch them because I want to watch football, not because I want to see the next endzone celebration. I agree with Ras. Dancing or choreographed celebrations - including the Driver shimmy - are not football and have no place in football. And that's only boring if you watch football games because you want to see more than football. For me, just football is enough.

What ever happened to the professional handshake the DB's had goin on earlier this year? That was classy!

[channtheman]

What Welker did after scoring the TD was fine by me. How was it different than a dance in the end zone.....or the imfamous Lambeau Leap? Or everytime a defensive guy celebrates a tackle?.........or even Donald Driver doing his 'shimmy' after a great catch?
The flag was wrong.

Every one of those things should draw a flag. Act like a pro dammit!

Come on........................booooooring...........

They aren't dancers, they are football players. I watch them because I want to watch football, not because I want to see the next endzone celebration. I agree with Ras. Dancing or choreographed celebrations - including the Driver shimmy - are not football and have no place in football. And that's only boring if you watch football games because you want to see more than football. For me, just football is enough.

What ever happened to the professional handshake the DB's had goin on earlier this year? That was classy!

While we are at it why don't we also just make it illegal to shout or get loud at football games. And maybe we should decide the Super Bowl champion by playing Chess.

Okay, that's a little far, but do you really think we should not allow the Lambeau Leap? Or spiking the football? I don't watch football for the celebrations but what do you think of when you think about Super Bowl XXXI? Brett Favre running around with his helmet in the air. Imagine if he just shrugged and walked off the field.

[RashanGary]

For some reason when a white guy celebrates it's much less offensive than when a black guy does. Call me a good old fashioned racist but that's just how I feel about that.

[Harlan Huckleby]

They aren't dancers, they are football players. I watch them because I want to watch football, not because I want to see the next endzone celebration. I agree with Ras. Dancing or choreographed celebrations - including the Driver shimmy - are not football and have no place in football.

I understand where you are coming from, but its a matter of taste. I kinda like the Driver shimmy. And snow angels are very cool. I liked Moss's moon over lambau. And Owen's sharpie routine was creative.

Maybe if football were all Bud Grant types, I could be OK with that too.

[Rastak]

What Welker did after scoring the TD was fine by me. How was it different than a dance in the end zone.....or the imfamous Lambeau Leap? Or everytime a defensive guy celebrates a tackle?.........or even Donald Driver doing his 'shimmy' after a great catch?
The flag was wrong.

Every one of those things should draw a flag. Act like a pro dammit!

Come on........................booooooring...........

They aren't dancers, they are football players. I watch them because I want to watch football, not because I want to see the next endzone celebration. I agree with Ras. Dancing or choreographed celebrations - including the Driver shimmy - are not football and have no place in football. And that's only boring if you watch football games because you want to see more than football. For me, just football is enough.

What ever happened to the professional handshake the DB's had goin on earlier this year? That was classy!

While we are at it why don't we also just make it illegal to shout or get loud at football games. And maybe we should decide the Super Bowl champion by playing Chess.

Okay, that's a little far, but do you really think we should not allow the Lambeau Leap? Or spiking the football? I don't watch football for the celebrations but what do you think of when you think about Super Bowl XXXI? Brett Favre running around with his helmet in the air. Imagine if he just shrugged and walked off the field.

I would have thought, "now there's a pro's pro".


Seriously, I don't mind the pure emotion but maybe reserve the theatrics for the last play of the superbowl when you win. Then run and dance. I think it was Deacon Jones on NFL network who said in his day the time to celebrate was was when the game ended and you won.


Bravo Deacon. You da man. (Actually he was).

[Harlan Huckleby]

For some reason when a white guy celebrates it's much less offensive than when a black guy does. Call me a good old fashioned racist but that's just how I feel about that.

ya, when a white guy dances its like watching a disabled person overcome some handicap, you got to cheer the effort.