This was such a BS call. Furthermore, according to callers to WEEI this morning, that same ref called two more questionable unsportsman like conduct calls. Including one on a 4th and short conversion where two linemen hugged after the 1st down was awarded.

The pussification of America continues.

I wanna know how that was excessive.

/Or how it was taunting if that was the call

I can't wait until football is played by robots. None of this useless emotional stuff.

SilentStrider: I'm sorry. I don't care what the rules say. Eat the flag ref. This is not about you and however many tickytack fouls you want to call. This is about the kid playing the game. Raising a hand in celebration hurts no one, and doesn't interrupt the flow of the game., and should never have been called as a penalty.

And it certainly isn't taunting... The farking ref is a dickbag.

/ref should be punched in his tiny nuts.

You can hate the rule, but don't hate the ref.

The main problem with sports is people.

Aren't those penalties usually tacked onto the ensuing kickoff?

The dad's explanation is the best part: "Well, durr, God is in the sky, and he was just pointing at God, now let me count to potato before I forget how."

It's one thing to not allow a team dance off in the endzone, but this is just insane. I ran track in high school and I saw plenty of people pumping their fist just as they got to, but had not yet crossed, the finish line. No one ever cared.

Gulper Eel: Personally, I'd be more upset that my dad went whining to the Herald about it and went full drama queen.

^^THIS^^

It's a well known rule that everybody is aware of. How farking stupid do you have to be to break it and then biatch about it?

Referee needs to be fired and banned from officiating sports ever again.

Why they want to take the joy out of sports?

Kyle Butler: Aren't those penalties usually tacked onto the ensuing kickoff?

The current college rule is that if you get the penalty before scoring the TD, the play is nullified. Penalty is assessed from the spot of the foul. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after you score would be enforced on the kickoff or the conversion attempt.

SOMEBODY PLEASE THINK OF THE PRECIOUS SNOWFLAKES

SilentStrider: I'm sorry. I don't care what the rules say. Eat the flag ref. This is not about you and however many tickytack fouls you want to call. This is about the kid playing the game. Raising a hand in celebration hurts no one, and doesn't interrupt the flow of the game., and should never have been called as a penalty.

That's why I prefer the way rugby handles refereeing. The referees have discretion as to what is and isn't called, it's all their judgment. If they believe an infraction is minor and does not affect play, they will allow the players to play. In football, referees are instructed to enforce the rules to the letter on every play. The referee was correct to throw the flag according to the rules, but he shouldn't have to do it. In this case, though, the ref should have eaten the flag regardless of the rules.

That said, the father of the kid is an asshat. All you need to say is that the QB is an 18 year old who got overexcited and forgot the rules. Don't bring Tebow into this, it had nothing to do with religion, just a natural outporing of emotion by kid who thought he just won a championship. I feel really bad for the kid, but fark his dad for being stupid.

nmiguy: Referee needs to be fired and banned from officiating sports ever again.

For enforcing the rule? He did nothing wrong.

Krymson Tyde: ...but that doesn't change the fact that you broke it and it was properly enforced.


Oh and you'd know that enforcement was proper because...


Krymson Tyde: I can't speak to this State's rules...


...you're ignorant regarding the rules of this particular state.

Do you know who else celebrated by raising one hand?

Don't worry the kid is fine now, that very night he received all the loving he needs, his father made sure of that.

ChrisDe: You can hate the rule, but don't hate the ref.

It's EXTREMELY doubtful that the ref is calling every single rule in the book to it's literal interpretation. Otherwise there would literally be a penalty every play. Since he isn't calling every single rule he should have used that same judgment on this play.

Horrible ref is horrible.

No one has discussed the real issue here.

They call this game the Super Bowl? Hell, you have to pay the NFL's outlandish license fee to even utter those 2 words in succession on any media outlet. It's so bad that most just call it "the big game" or some such when they tie promotions to it. How is this podunk high school game allowed to use it with impunity?

This kid should be banned for life from all sports. He broke one of the cardinal rules of sports: do not do anything that may hurt someone's feelings.

itsdan: Krymson Tyde: gesture or activity that draws attention to one's self.

Like having the ball? I find lots of attention is drawn to the person with the ball.


Even better, what is a running back supposed to do during a play-action pass?

I always thought the best way to prevent someone from pumping their fist and dancing in the end zone is to keep them from scoring. If you give up the points - just get ready for the rain of shame.

SilentStrider: I'm sorry. I don't care what the rules say. Eat the flag ref. This is not about you and however many tickytack fouls you want to call. This is about the kid playing the game. Raising a hand in celebration hurts no one, and doesn't interrupt the flow of the game., and should never have been called as a penalty.

i totally agree with you...but, that's not the way it works. the refs are accountable to assignors, board members of their pool, the exec director of their pool, are constantly being watched and graded...and, i can guarantee you that that ref hates the rule also. but, if he doesn't call it he gets into a shiatstorm the next week.

/long-time ref
//never made that call
///have got into said shiatstorms.

Gulper Eel: ark2612: It's EXTREMELY doubtful that the ref is calling every single rule in the book to it's literal interpretation.

Extremely doubtful...except for the part downthread where the Weenerser notes that the refs were being sticklers about the rule earlier in the game.

At that point, a good coach instructs his players that they do not so much as smile until they're in the locker room.

That even speaks more to the ref being horrible. You enforce the rules at your own leisure? Celebrating (if you could even call it that) a touchdown is worse than holding, pass interference, and a number of other penalties that are looked away upon? The fact that THAT is the rule the ref decided to focus and be consistent upon tells me enough that he shouldn't be reffing high school games.