Religious bias from the Referees at the Superbowl.

[cleanhippie]

When Green Bay scored, after the initial congratulations the players are allowed to give themselves, the scoring player walked a few feet, went to his knees, and gave a yell in celebration. He was penalized, and rightly so, for excessive celebration. (Going to the ground after a score is explicitly prohibited)

On the next score by Green Bay, the same scenario played out, with the scoring player walking away from the group, taking a knee, and the ref reaches for his flag, but as soon as the player bowed his head in prayer, the ref let go of the flag and walked away. No penalty.

Why is a prayer after the score NOT considered excessive celebration when an exuberant yell is? Religious bias? of course.


on edit: I am NOT anti-prayer by player, I just want the rules evenly applied to all.

[Richardo]

1. Jesus Christ...

...you're stretching for something to complain about.

[cleanhippie]

3. SO you are ok with religious bias then?

[ensho]

5. kick

nt

[Richardo]

9. Maybe he's biased against showboating.

[cleanhippie]

10. He? The ref?

I would hope he is, but why is one showboating and the other not?

[Goblinmonger]

19. The rule says you can't go to the ground.

Jared Allen had to change his rodeo celebration so his knee didn't touch the ground.

They have defined going to the ground as showboating. Why no penalty for going to the ground?

[LanternWaste]

14. Seems everyone has one, one way or the other.

"SO you are ok with religious bias then?..."

Seems everyone has one, one way or the other.

[Joe Fields]

2. I think a speedy and fair trial, followed by a quick hanging is in order...

[cleanhippie]

6. I would be happy with simple equal treatment for all.

[PVnRT]

4. Two things

1. Regardless of what is in the rules, that call was grade A horseshit, and did not meet the intent for why that rule was created in the first place.

2. Jennings kneeled down briefly OFF of the field of play.

[cleanhippie]

7. Refresh my memory.

I do not recall who did what, only what happened. In both cases, the players were in the end zone.


And which call was horseshit, the first one? I agree. I don't care if a player wants to pray either, just for the rules to be applied evenly.

[PVnRT]

13. The first one was Nick Collins after the interception

The second was Greg Jennings, and he was not in the end zone when he did it. He was running out of bounds as he caught the ball, and he did not return to the field of play. You can't flag players for celebrating off of the field.

[cleanhippie]

16. Maybe I will have to look at it again.

Jennings TD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb--GBa9k5Y

I see what you are saying. Maybe I have it wrong. Do you think had he stepped back into the end zone and done that he would have been flagged?

[quinnox]

8. What I wonder is all those players who kneel down as in holy prayer

I bet half of 'em are having wild drug fueled orgy parties in the off season. Football players are not known to be the most moral people around, but its funny that they kneel down in front of a stadium of people to pretend they are.

[DefenseLawyer]

11. I notice that the people that sweat over excessive celebration

are all old white guys. Let me just throw that into the mix, since you brought up the issue. Does "showboat" = "uppity"? Hmmmmm.....

[cleanhippie]

12. I am not against excessive celebration, of any kind.

I remember back when the end zone celebrations and antics of player like Chad Johnson were funny and entertaining.

If a player wants to pray instead, fine by me.


What I object to is one being allowed over the other.

[petronius]

15. I agree with you - if both players performed the same act (going to the ground)

in the same spot, then the penalty should be both or none. But more generally the whole 'excessive celebration' thing is ridiculous - unless it's directed at the other team or meaningfully delays the game or impairs player safety, I say let them do it...

[DefenseLawyer]

17. I didn't mean you personally

You just brought up the subject. But, if you listen to sports radio you know that there are some people that get REALLY upset by endzone celebrations. Those people are almost exclusively old white guys while the celebrators are mostly young black men. I think there is a bit of culture clash at play, but I also think there is a bit of "know your place" in their vitriol as well.

[Goblinmonger]

20. I very much agree with you.

It is a race issue, imho. I loved Mendenhall's celebration when he just screamed and threw the ball into the stands. That was every bit as celebratory as Collins (though Collins may come across as more "planned" since he had time to think about it).

The rule is horseshit. Just needs to be applied the same.

[SpiralHawk]

18. "You win the argument. You are 100% correct, as everyone must agree...

"...End of discussion. Ding ding ding. Someone made plain old-fashioned, fair-and-square common sense. There is nothing else to say. Play ball."

- Ref

[cleanhippie]

21. Uh, thanks?

[RagAss]

23. Correction...They are old, fat, pale white guys.

[deaniac21]

22. It is absolutely all about keeping the black man down.

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

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