Sticksboi05 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 http://espn.go.com/boston/story/_/id/7327275/celebration-penalty-td-costs-cathedral-high-school-team-title BOSTON -- A Massachusetts high school lost a state championship game because a player raised his arm in triumph as he ran for what would have been a go-ahead touchdown, and Boston mayor Thomas Menino doesn't like it. The penalty for the gesture by Cathedral High School quarterback Matthew Owens in Saturday's Division 4A Super Bowl led to the losing team wondering if the referee's decision could be challenged. The state association said Wednesday that it could not. "I think sometimes these rules are written by frustrated athletes," Menino said from Cathedral, according to Wednesday's Boston Herald. "They never participated in a sport, and they don't know what it is to be excited. You play in a football game, you run for a touchdown, and you do something special." Blue Hills Regional Technical School athletic director Ed Catabia told The Boston Globe on Sunday that the referee made "a great call, the right call." "We try and play by the rules, and the rule is 'no celebrating,' " he said. The referee was enforcing a sportsmanship rule that prohibits players from celebratory or taunting behavior while scoring a touchdown. ... Gutless call by the referee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DM72 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 I saw it this morning. I don't care if it's in the rules or not, the ref should be ashamed of himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sticksboi05 Posted December 7, 2011 Author Share Posted December 7, 2011 I saw it this morning. I don't care if it's in the rules or not, the ref should be ashamed of himself. But the rule says no "taunting." If that is taunting than the pansification of America is just about complete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattFancy Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 There is no way that should be considered taunting. Horrible call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corcaigh Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 It sucks but the ref is damned if they do and damned if they don't. The opposing coach would very likely have appealed and made a big deal of it if the call had not been made. The rules committee should fix the prohibition against celebration, or face situations like this. I think refs can call the difference between taunting and excessive celebration (which should be prohibited), and a harmless act, and the rule could reflect that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattFancy Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 It sucks but the ref is damned if they do and damned if they don't. The opposing coach would very likely have appealed and made a big deal of it if the call had not been made. I doubt it. Over the kid raising his arm in the air as he is going in for a score? Who wouldn't be excited they just had a huge run to win the State Title? If he was dancing or talking trash on his way in, that's another thing. But to raise your arm in the air?? Definitely not taunting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonArtest15 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Awful call to DECIDE the championship game...I know if I was on the losing team that "won," I wouldn't feel right about the way that my team was decided the victor. At all. As a competitor, you can't be happy w. the outcome of a game of this magnitude when it's decided b/c of a stupid "taunting" rule. What the heck was the kid supposed to do? He was caught up in the moment and only raised his hand...jeez. SMH. Is this what sports are coming to? Shame on the ref for throwing the flag on that. Do any of you honestly think the opposing coach would have raised a stink if no flag was thrown? I don't. If I was the coach of the other team, I wouldn't even accept the trophy. They didn't win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DM72 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 The opposing coach would very likely have appealed and made a big deal of it if the call had not been made. No he wouldn't. If he did, he'd just come off as a sore loser. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corcaigh Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 I doubt it. Over the kid raising his arm in the air as he is going in for a score? Who wouldn't be excited they just had a huge run to win the State Title? If he was dancing or talking trash on his way in, that's another thing. But to raise your arm in the air?? Definitely not taunting. If the rule says celebration, believe me an opposing coach will scream blue murder. NFHS had a prohibition on high school girls wearing glitter on their faces for field hockey because some folks said in Southern California it was being used for gang signs. Seriously. So for a few years, until enough coaches and ADs complained enough about it, girls wearing glitter were not supposed to play field hockey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilmer17 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 The Wussification of America continues. You cant celebrate a victory anymore? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corcaigh Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 No he wouldn't. If he did, he'd just come off as a sore loser. Did you read the article ... "Blue Hills Regional Technical School athletic director Ed Catabia told The Boston Globe on Sunday that the referee made "a great call, the right call." "We try and play by the rules, and the rule is 'no celebrating,' " he said." ADs and coaches care about the rules, not sportsmanship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Botched Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Did the "arm raise" include a finger? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corcaigh Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 There is no way that should be considered taunting. Horrible call. Horrible rule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattFancy Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 If the rule says celebration, believe me an opposing coach will scream blue murder.NHFS had a prohibition on high school girls wearing glitter on their faces for field hockey because some folks said in Southern California it was being used for gang signs. Seriously. So for a few years, until enough coaches and ADs complained enough about it, girls wearing glitter were not supposed to play field hockey. There's raising your arm in excitement and then there's celebrating. High-stepping your way into the endzone like Deion is celebrating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PokerPacker Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 celebrating during play should not be a penalty. Celebrating after play should not be a penalty unless it delays the game or if it is made as a taunt to another player. ugh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corcaigh Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Do any of you honestly think the opposing coach would have raised a stink if no flag was thrown? I don't. If I was the coach of the other team, I wouldn't even accept the trophy. They didn't win. Absolutely the coach would raise a stink. During high stakes games, while the game is going on, coaches want the game officiated according to the rules, not according to common sense or sportsmanship. Here's another scenario from personal experience. A State final game. With five minutes to go, the operator of the stadium game clock (which is the official time) makes an error causing an additional minute and a few extra seconds to be shown. There are two officials with watches as back up. One official has a problem with their watch - it's out by less than five seconds - but the other knows with 100% certainty to the second what the correct remaining time should be. Everyone else knows the correct time to within a few seconds because the stadium clock was displaying it prior to the error. By rule the officials are required to ask the coaches which time they want to use: the stadium clock time or the time determined by the officials. The coach who was behind in the game insists on using the stadium clock time which everyone knows to be wrong. Sportsmanship takes a back seat to winning in most high stakes games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renaissance Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 1) Why was that considered taunting when the action wasn't even directed at the opposing team/fans. 2) If I recall correctly, this play did not cost them the game; the interception on the resulting play did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABQCOWBOY Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 1) Why was that considered taunting when the action wasn't even directed at the opposing team/fans.2) If I recall correctly, this play did not cost them the game; the interception on the resulting play did. Had they allowed that TD, they never would have been trying to pass that ball and no interception would have occured. Here's the play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostofSparta Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 2) If I recall correctly, this play did not cost them the game; the interception on the resulting play did. Wait, are you suggesting that the ref negating the go-ahead touchdown with a borderline penalty call and forcing them to run more plays to score the TD didn't cost them the game, simply because the next play (which shouldn't have had to happen) was an INT? edit: Skip Bayless could not sounds like more of an idiot in this clip if he tried. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popeman38 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 The play happened with over 6 min left in the game. This was a judgement call by the official. Bad judgement? Probably. But this single call did not result in the team losing the state championship. It was just 1 call in a game that had over 100 plays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABQCOWBOY Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 The play happened with over 6 min left in the game. This was a judgement call by the official. Bad judgement? Probably. But this single call did not result in the team losing the state championship. It was just 1 call in a game that had over 100 plays. No, I am pretty sure that it did. I have to disagree with you here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corcaigh Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 1) Why was that considered taunting when the action wasn't even directed at the opposing team/fans. I don't know what rules they play to, but from the article I think any form of celebration on field is prohibited. The rule is not just about taunting. Maybe it should be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HailGreen28 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 This is one of those times, that Steven A Smith is absolutely right. And right and wrong, Skip and Steven A are still idiots. Terrible call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABQCOWBOY Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 This kind of thing is becoming more and more common I guess. Johnathon Gray, the Gatorade POY from Aledo Texas was ejected for high stepping into the endzone in the Championship game just this past weekend I believe. I don't get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GibbsFactor Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 But the rule says no "taunting." If that is taunting than the pansification of America is just about complete. I blame womens lib. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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