BY WILL POLADIAN, SPORTS ASSIGNMENT EDITOR
This season, the NFL decided to go stricter on the taunting rule. This is making it seem like we are ending up at the no fun league once again. What drives people to watch games are the celebrations and the emotion after huge plays. It’s just natural for emotion to come out. You should be able to celebrate and be a little disrespectful to the opposing team. It’s all part of the game. You play to win and you do all that you can to do so.
In the MLB, you see players all the time having celebrations towards the opposing teams for strikeouts or bat flips for homeruns. They are even using the slogan “let the kids play” as a marketing campaign for more emotion and to bring it full circle. You are supposed to be having fun while playing the game just like you were a kid. You shouldn’t have to take emotion out because it can cost you and your team.
To penalize teams for the emotion of a player is just unnecessary. Now, it would be understandable if it was an action that starts a fight or makes an injury occur. But at the rate they are calling it this year, it is very uncalled for.
Now with it being a 15-yard penalty also hurts immensely. A little celebration or emotional action could cost a team a drive and potentially the game as well. If it is a crucial game, it becomes a huge detriment to the team. I don’t feel that it needs to be that big of a deal. At least not a 15-yard penalty anyway. If they could add different degrees to the calls then maybe it could be useful. I feel like if anything it could just fall back under the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty if it’s that serious.
If the NFL softens the call and uses it only for the excessive cases, we could potentially grow the game even more. As a fan of the game, I hate seeing huge plays without celebration in fear of being penalized and hurting the team. It makes the game feel boring and unoriginal. With their celebrations and swagger, it builds a brand for the player and builds their character. They’re on the biggest stage so they should be able to show their swagger and character.
When the NFL went back on itself on the celebration crackdown, I felt that the league was making a huge step in the right direction. Now, since the decision of being stricter on taunting, I feel that they went two steps back.
We all love the emotion of the players, coaches and even fans when their team or favorite player makes a fantastic play and celebrates for their accomplishment. Even when the opposing team makes a play, we love the crowd booing them as they taunt and show emotion. So one thing is for certain and that’s the NFL needs to loosen the taunting rule and let the players play their game.
poladijw20@bonaventure.edu
