there is only one acceptable way to celebrate a touchdown :o)
Posted on 09/30/2014 7:22:40 AM PDT by GIdget2004
Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah followed in the footsteps of many other players on Monday night when he celebrated his interception return for a touchdown by going to his knees in prayer.
Unlike those other players, Abdullah was penalized for going to the ground under the league’s rules for unsportsmanlike conduct. The only difference between Abdullah and the other players was that Abdullah is Muslim and his prayer therefore looked a bit different than what we’ve seen from others, although that didn’t make it any odder since the NFL doesn’t have rules governing which deity their players are permitted to offer thanks to after a touchdown.
Abdullah said he thought the penalty might have been for sliding to his knees rather than dropping, but NFL spokesman Michael Signora didn’t split any hairs on Tuesday when announcing that the official erred in throwing the flag.
“Husain Abdullah should not have been penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct following his fourth quarter touchdown,” Signora wrote in an email to PFT. “Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1 (d) states ‘players are prohibited from engaging in any celebrations or demonstrations while on the ground.’ However, the officiating mechanic in this situation is not to flag a player who goes to the ground as part of religious expression, and as a result, there should have been no penalty on the play.”
(Excerpt) Read more at profootballtalk.nbcsports.com ...
Canned controversy designed to gin up exactly the response and counter-response that occurred. “Teachable moment” courtesy the NFL and NBC. Consider yourselves enlightened, flyover country rubes.
Why leftists think they can stuff this genie back in the bottle once traditional America is destroyed is beyond me.
They’ve said it was the slide on his knees more than the prayer that brought the flag. Excessive celebration and all. But that’s OK. I’ll take an unsportsmanlike penalty in exchange for a pick-six any day of the week.
My abstinence of all things NFL is going well...only glimpsed about 5-10 minutes of the games this weekend...figure by next weekend I’ll be completely detoxed.
I saw it and it was a ‘is that what I think it is’ moment.
And I have no problem with the flag. It’s not the act of thanking ‘their’ God. It’s that the act is a little more orchestrated, more of a display. More along the lines of someone going off into a break dancing routine, which is the purpose of the rule.
Let the kids pray, briefly after a score. It has nothing to do with which religion it is. It's a league plagued by violence and domestic abuse issues. Seeing players pray is a good thing.
The rule was not in place when Tebow was in the NFL. If it had been a Christian the NFL would have drawn and quartered him then killed his family.
They must not make footballs out of pigskin anymore.
Could have been. It was the 4th quarter so I think it was the east end zone.
He shouldn’t have been penalized. PERIOD.............
Are you sure about that? I was wondering the same thing only yesterday. The sun seems to be, in a lot of games, right in the QB's eyes on some stadiums I saw Sunday afternoon........
Dumb rule. This weekend quarterback Matthew Stafford ran in for a touchdown, was touched, fell down but immediately put his arms in the air in celebration. How does this not violate the same rule? is it okay if you’re already on the ground but you can’t go to the ground if not?
I’m not sure what this is supposed to discourage.
The NFL, like everyone else these days, only believes in punishing Christians for prayer.
I have watched bigger celebrations when a player downs a QB or messes up a reception.
and no penalty if he beheads a defender also.
Boo on the NFL for saying that prayer is unsportsmanlinke!
I have no doubt that Tebow will be asked about this, and that he will defend Abdullah on First Amendment grounds.
I think I read where the NFL mandated fields be North-South with the exception being indoor stadiums. In the fall as the sun drops further south the sun can be a factor.
Old school is real football. The current National Felon League is sissified and overpaid.
Cut salaries by 90% and let the boys just play!
I am of the opinion that they can celebrate how the want as long as it:
1) Is off the playing field
2) Is on their team’s side of the field
3) Is at least 5 feet away from the fans
4) In no way interferes with the field, operations of the game (ball handlers, netting for field goal, etc), or delays the game.
Then I would like to see the NFL instruct the TV crews to NOT SHOW THE CELEBRATION. The lack of attention would quickly mute most of this.
there is only one acceptable way to celebrate a touchdown :o)
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