







Many UGA fans have a "gesture" of their own that they

would like to make towards the refs of this game.

Not really, but I try to approach it that way

"Any delayed, excessive, prolonged or choreographed act by which a player (or players) attempts to focus attention upon himself (or themselves)."









Now I love my boy, Stevie, but watch his celebration towards the stands at the end of this play and tell me what you see.





It probably means "We're gonna beat

you in basketball, too sucka!"





“After scoring the touchdown, the player threw the ball into the air and we are required, by rule, to assess a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. It is a celebration rule that we are required to call. It was not a judgment call.”





Bullcrap.





Not only were there possibly plenty of other examples of excessive celebration during the game (that were not flagged), but my examples above (and plenty more that happen every Saturday during college football season) show that the excessive celebration rule is nearly always a judgement call on the referee's part.





And besides, the kid wasn't taunting anyone or trying to draw attention to himself; he was celebrating an amazing play with his teammates.









And this flag in my pocket was giving

me a wedgie; what's your point?









Look, there's no question that players taunting the other team after a touch down has no place in the collegiate game. Even though football is a violent and emotional sport, there has to be a level of sportsmanship that should be expected.









The 'Ickey Shuffle', however, is still awesome.





In the end, I'll admit that I don't have a solution to the issue of when refs should or should not throw the excessive celebration flag. I do, however, have one piece of advice:





Football is an emotional game, especially at the collegiate level, where you are dealing with teenagers and young adults.





...or that you're just pulling it out

of your butt to relieve a wedgie.



