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.

[yonif]

[Modernman]

The No Fun League strikes again.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

How much does he make of of his endorsement contract with Verizon?

[thinktwice]

Primadonna behavior is -- especially repulsive in sports.

[battlegearboat]

Glad to hear it!

Could've been more however.

"Pro Sports" does not get any of my money, in any way and damn little of my attention.

[blowfish]

If these displays keep up, people might start thinking that football is just a form of entertainment. Can't have that.

[Tired_of_the_Lies]

Why does the NFL have this rule anyway? I'm not a huge football fan and don't keep up with the game generally, so I know I am out of touch, but how does celebrating a touchdown in the end zone equal unsportsmanlike conduct?

[StatesEnemy]

The next violator should be fined 10 times that, and immediately be thrown out of that game.

[LS]

There is a big difference between "fun" and self-promotion crap. The NFL was plenty "fun" when great runners like Gayle Sayers and Jim Brown merely DROPPED THE FRIGGIN FOOTBALL when they scored.

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

[Mr. Bird]

Primadonna behavior is -- especially repulsive in sports

I hate it when my team's opponent does something like this, but it really is harmless. T.O.'s Sharpie incident was hilarious, and this phone antic could have been better if it was a camera phone and he snapped his picture.

In football particularly, the players have to get so intense between the whistles, but then return to normal when the action stops? That's not possible, and I think the only penalties for this should be direct taunting (in the face) of the opponent.

[LS]

Easy. It is a form of trying to humiliate the opponent and promote yourself. It has nothing whatsoever to do with football. They can't fine these guys enough. It's "ghetto ball," nothing more.

[Callahan]

I believe NFL fine money is donated to charity, which makes it tax deductable, so don't shed a tear for Horn. I think end zone celebrations are cool, but pulling out props (sharpie pens, cell phones, what's next? Laptop PCs?) takes it too far.

[discostu]

It's not celebrating the TD that's unsportsman like, it's the level of celebration. Endzone dances are still common but when you start hiding props in the padding around the goal post you've pushed it to an unacceptable level that's insulting to the other team and the history of the game. This is the NFL not the WWE if all they want to do is put on a show to the chears of the crowd I'm sure Vince McMahon can find room for them, in hte NFL they need to share the field with 21 other people and should show a modicum of respect and professionalism.

[smith288]

The Icky Shuffle, the dirty bird and other types are fine with me but the prop celebrations is Ghetto ball and im sick of watching that.

Its a shame that a Sophmore like Fitzgerald has more glass than 90% of NFL players.

[Dante3]

I'd rather they would crack down on Tagliabue who doesn't have all of his marbles and has issued orders straight from the Twilight Zone.

[blowfish]

If a DB stands over a fallen QB and yells at him, that's humiliation. If Joe Horn does his cellphone antic, nobody takes it seriously.
And moderns sports is all about the promotion of stars to increase interest and boost sales. The idea that the NFL would promote Michael Vick jerseys on the one hand and say 'it's all about the team, not the individual' on the other is so laughable it's not funny.

[discostu]

I also think the celebration needs to reflect the frequency the player scores. Wide recievers get in the end zone a lot, unless it's a game winner or their first one they shouldn't act like it's such a big deal. Same with runningbacks and QBs, linebackers and offensive linemen should get like 30 seconds to screw around. But in general I have to quote Jerry Rice "you should act like you've been there before and are going to be there again".

[labowski]

Horn himself said he'd probably be fined 10 or 15 thousand dollars for doing it, but he did it anyway. I guess 30 thousand was out of his price range so now he's all upset.

[No Blue States]

Score a touchdown, spike the ball and jump. Dogpile the reciever or RB, but those stupid dances really get on my nerves. thats all i know. Maybe in the playoffs or superbowl it wouldnt look so gay.

Go Cowboys! 1 win and were in.( for at least one week)

[OldFriend]

I thought that cell phone call was one of the classier endzone antics in a long long time.

They worry so much about the antics on the field while coddling the crimes they commit off the field.