NFL Football Cracks Down on End Zone Stunts

VOA ^ | 17 Dec 2003, 15:18 UTC | VOA Sports

[yonif]

The National Football League is again cracking down on player celebrations in the end zone. The league fined New Orleans Saints receiver Joe Horn $30,000 on Tuesday for making a choreographed cell phone call in the end zone to celebrate a touchdown Sunday. Horn's agent, Ralph Vitolo, says the player will appeal. Teammate Michael Lewis was fined $5,000 for helping orchestrate the stunt. After catching the second of four touchdown passes in a victory over the New York Giants on Sunday, Horn was handed a phone by Lewis, who pulled it from under the padding used to protect the goal post. Horn was still wearing his helmet when he punched in numbers, put the phone to the earhole and spoke into it for a few seconds.

The Saints were penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct for the stunt. After the game, Saints head coach Jim Haslett said the team would not punish Horn, but that he was disappointed in the receiver's "selfish" act.

In another game Sunday, Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Johnson retrieved a sign from behind a snowdrift and held it up after a 10-yard touchdown catch. Johnson's sign read: "Dear NFL: Please do not fine me again." But the NFL did on Tuesday in the amount of $10,000.

[Paul C. Jesup]

It's ridiculous, and it is "NBA-izing" the NFL.

Your post reminds me of the 'North Dallas Forty' movie, which was a pretty good Football movie.

[Libertarian4Bush]

whether or not behavior is "ghetto" has nothing to do with the race of the player. showboating to embarass another player is immature and stupid. it's not enough that you just burned them for a touchdown? an UNIMPORTANT touchdown at that? half the time I didn't even spike the ball. ever watch a class act like barry sanders?

[Revolting cat!]

Seriously though, the whole thing is so ritualized and predictable as seen on TV, from the language spoken by the players and the commentators, to the camera angles, the bench behaviour, that in the end it's little different from professional wrestling and serves virtually the same human need for theatrical entertainment. Sport? Foggetaboutit! It's a spectacle.

[Catspaw]

I think there is a difference between a player celebration (and by the way, they drop the ball before the leap) and a "me-first," showboating thing like what TO and Horn did. And it's easily corrected by some stiffer in-game penalties, like the subsequent kick being moved back to the 10 yard line, or the 5 if you have to.

Yeah, I know they drop the ball (the Lambeau Leap was invented by LeRoy Butler, a fine man).

But when they're hotdogging it (made famous by Packer Ezra Johnson), a 15 yard penalty and a whoppin' big fine is appropriate. What's disappointing is that his team didn't see fit to punish him.

[1Old Pro]

After catching the second of four touchdown passes in a victory over the New York Giants on Sunday, Horn was handed a phone by Lewis

I don't know why they went thru all the trouble of hiding the phone and retrieving it. Against the Giants, the entire New Orleans team could carry a phone in one hand and play football with the other and still beat the Giants.

[TankerKC]

I rarely watch the NFL anymore, 'cuz I can't stand the stunts and grandstanding. At least this guy made a touchdown. Some of the players act like they just single-handedly won the Super Bowl every time they are involved in a tackle.

[BlueNgold]

I don't care about any of this unless it impacts the progress of the game. If it presents a delay then penalize and fine them. If it's just a bunch of 24 yr olds acting up like, well, 24 yr olds, who cares???

[lelio]

As long as Engram of the Seahawks can do The Sprinkler I'm happy.

[Squantos]

Eggzactly.........and the NFL ain't even "teaching" sportsmanship anymore. Go Green Bay !

Stay Safe !

[KansasConservative1]

I personally think it is great when they celebrate. I love watching the show! They are very creative and I find it extremely entertaining. Flame away!

P.S. I loved the time the guy took a sharpie out and signed the football. That was a classic!

[oldcomputerguy]

Let's say Horn's contract pays him $10M per year.

You obviously are confusing baseball salaries with football salaries.

Most players in the NFL make less than 1M per year, often in the 600k range. They often receive signing bonuses that are 1-2M or more IF they are top drawer talent or top round draft choices.

The contacts are not guaranteed and if they rip up their knee, they get no more money. If they are cut in the middle of the season, they get no more money. They are paid per game.

I think Joe Horn probably got the 2M+ signing bonus but I would be surprised if his "salary" was higher than 1M. 30k is noticeable. Horn came up from very bad circumstances if memory serves and he is a tireless worker and producer. He typifies the American dream in my book.

I guess I'll forgive him this time.

[No Blue States]

"remember his standing on the star in Dallas."

I think i remember a Cowboy pummeling him to the turf for that. It was great theater then.

[Alberta's Child]

If the NY Giants had any b@lls, Horn would have been taken off the field on a stretcher during the Saints' next offensive series.

The NFL shouldn't have to regulate this kind of adolescent behavior -- the players should do it themselves.

[MikeO]

Chuck Noll used to tell his players pretty much the same thing. Grandstanding is pointless.

[Mr. Bird]

The NFL shouldn't have to regulate this kind of adolescent behavior -- the players should do it themselves.

That's why baseball doesn't have too many blatant celebrations. The threat of a Randy Johnson fastball in the ear subdues the most audacious hot dog.

[Alberta's Child]

Great story from one of John Madden's books:

During a game in the 1970s against the Philedelphia Eagles, the aging, broken-down, future Hall of Fame center Jim Otto was having a difficult time against the Eagles' middle linebacker. The linebacker spent the entire first half running all over the field, shutting down the Raiders' running game and generally making a fool of Otto.

One play late in the first half was a run wide toward the Raiders' sideline. The Eagle player knocked Otto on his @ss and strung the play out to the sideline for no gain. Coach Madden exhorted Otto to get his @ss off the ground and figure out a way to deal with the Eagle linebacker.

The linebacker turned to the Raider sideline and yelled at Madden something to this effect: "He can't stop me, coach -- he's just an old, broken-down mutt who can't keep up with the big dogs anymore!"

Otto slowly got up off the ground and gave a look toward Madden on the sideline, and Madden said he knew right away that the Eagle linebacker had made a big mistake. As it turned out, the linebacker didn't have a single big play in the second half of the game -- and maybe made one more tackle the rest of the game.

Several years later, Madden was working as an announcer and interviewed the player from the Eagles. He mentioned the incident, then marveled at how much Otto's play improved after he had been belittled by his opponent like that.

The linebacker was confused:

"Otto's play -- improved? He never told you what happened, did he?"

Apparently not. As it turned out, on the very next play from scrimmage, the play ended in a pile of players in the middle of the field. Otto singled out the Eagle linebacker during the play, summoned every bit of energy he had left in him, drove his knee into his head, and damned near split his helmet in half right above the facemask. The linebacker then described to Madden how he played the entire second half in a semi-fog, not really even knowing where he was.

[OldFriend]

Maybe we could torture the offender too, while we're at it. After all, he's committed a high crime and misdemeanor in your book. Sheesh!!!

[OldFriend]

It's funny, my kids played soccer when they were in grade school and every once in a while there would be a team that scored a goal and got back into position.......never exhibiting any emotion of any kind.

That was just so weird coming from 8 or 9 yr. olds.

IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FUN....and a little cheer for your teammate is so encouraging.

[Tired_of_the_Lies]

Thank you all.

I understand the reasons against the cell phone stunt and other commercializations or pre-planned, clearly choreographed stunts.

OTOH, I still think genuine, spontaneous excitement about and celebration of the success of making a touchdown is a legitimate part of the game and not an insult to or humiliation of the other team's players.

I've seen college teams penalized for really minimal celebration, and it has never mede any sense to me. It kind of takes the fun out of the game (in part at least).

[blau993]

There will always be exceptions and knee-jerk dumb calls by referees, but on balance, I don't think you will see many flags thrown for a player simply jumping in the air with joy or teammates hugging him or patting him on the back. What you will see, and should see, flags and fines for are the pelvis grinds, the finger pointing,the dance routines, etc. Those are meant to taunt, and they detract from the game. They also send a message that I am all that matters and that I scored this touchdown all on my own. Football is a team sport, and damn few touchdowns are ever the work of one player.