Mid-Week Madness: Edition 1 The End Zone Celebration

The six point dance...


Where did it start, who we're the best, and why the NFL pulled no punches on shutting down the most controversial part of the game.

The origins of the end zone dance can be traced all the way back to a small school in a rural Chester, PA where a future Houston Oiler, Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, was practicing what was to become his patented "Funky Chicken". Little did he know that what he practiced at Widener University and later what the world seen in 74 as a rookie Oiler would spawn a new generation of superstars.


The first generation of these six point shufflers could arguably start at the likes of Gereald Wilhite, the Denver Bronco who flipped in the air. Maybe Ernest Givins and his Oiler rendition of the electric slide. Or was it Ickey Woods the four season standout that will forever be remembered for the "Ickey Shuffle."

While all this was in good fun (and mostly good taste), The NFL put into play an "excessive celebration" rule. This rule, mostly believed to be put into play for the fun bunch (a group of redskins who insisted on choreographing routines) stated that basically you were allowed a spike or you got 15 yards for your troubles, and this is where the term No Fun League was coined.



After a few years in 1991, Paul Tagliabue changed the rule so players would not be allowed to taunt but could still celebrate. The rule today forbids "The use of baiting or taunting acts or words that engender ill will between teams". What seemed a welcome change in the early 90's opened up the flood gates to yet another generation of end zone pioneers.



The early moments were mostly fan and team friendly. Like in 1993 when Leroy Butler changed the way people looked at a Green Bay end zone when he lept the short wall to celebrate his touchdown with the fans after a fumble recovery. The Lambeau Leap is still the most widely recognized and favorite celebration of football fans.



Not all moments were as accepted as The leap or the Atlanta dirty bird however. In 1998 Fred Lane was suspended for a game and fined a game pay check ( a little over 11,000 dollars) for grabbing his crotch and gesturing to the giants fans after he scored.



As the century turned the celebrations became more entertaining but also more aggravating. TO signing a football seems harmless but watching Chad Johnson propose to a girl he doesn't know or Joe Horn pull out his phone and call home. Where did the taste go?



We all know about TO's river dance but we also know about Randy Moss rubbing his behind on things. We smile at the thought of Green Bay fans hugging another Packer from the end zone but cringe when we think of an early celebration that cost Leon Lett a touchdown and the ball from a lightning fast Don Bebe. As the NFL changes the wording and the fines and penalties will keep coming we just need to ask ourselves one thing.


Was smiling at This.

Worth putting up with this.

Til next week,
Looking Forward to Sunday
Andre

Kansas City 9 at San Diego 20

OK, so I missed most of the first half b/c of Animation Domination on FOX.

Was the kicker dehydrated after a play?
But at one point I flipped over to check out the action and got the first field goal kick by the Chiefs, yeah the one that bounced in, off the upright. And did I see something wrong, or did the Chiefs kicker go to the sideline and get a drink between the FG and the kick off? I might be wrong, but if that is what happened… Well, I don’t know what.
It’s not like he is in the game for a whole series, a FG or extra point then a kick off, then he has all kinds of time to get a drink. Like I said I could be wrong but if that is what actually happened, it struck me as odd.

Ladainian Tomlinson
LT, no surprise here, as he tore up the field with 199 yards on 25 carries, making that his 8th straight 100 plus rushing yard game. He tacked 2 more TD’s on to his single season record now at 31, (28 rushing & 3 receiving). He also broke a single season scoring record at 186 points. LT marched one TD for 85 yards, the longest of his career. He is at 8987 total yards rushing in his 6th year. So it is pretty safe to say that by the end of this season he should be half way to Emmit Smith’s (Dallas 1990 – 2002 and Arizona 2003 – 2004) All Time Rushing Record of 18,355 yards.
LT is not just a running back either, he can and will pass the ball. In his career he has thrown the ball 10 times with 7 completions, 6 TD’s and no INT’s, giving him a 152.1 passer rating. The longest pass of his passing career, completed for 38 yards.

San Diego 12 - 2
There is not much doubt that San Diego is on track. With two more wins they seal home field advantage throughout the playoffs. If they lose, they can still gain home field advantage with some help.

Kansas City 7 - 7
They are still in the playoff hunt mathematically, but it’s an outside chance. With 4 teams, one from each division, taking a playoff spot. At this point, four teams have a better record and three other teams are also at 7 – 7, fighting for two remaining openings.

I learned something.
I did learn of a rule this weekend that I was not aware of. The out of bounds rule; when a player carries the ball out of bounds with more than 5 minutes left in the half, the clock only stops until the ball is spotted. If a player carries the ball out of bounds and there are less than 5 minutes left in the half, the clock stops until the ball is snapped.

Fined $35,000 for Spitting
And I am not going to mention any names because I don't want to give him any more publicity that he already has. But if the officials had seen it, he would have been ejected from the game. I say if they know enough to fine him, a suspension is not out of line. Let him sit out a game or two, what is $35,000 to him? This guy might be a play maker, but his antics seem to play just as much of a role. If Dallas is a rose, he is the thorn. He is a fine example of what the NFL does not want in the league. Other guys have made bad decisions and apologized, and many players will say, “ I do (or did) not expect that from him, he is a stand up guy, that is so out of character” I am afraid, this is exactly what we expect from him. In fact it would surprise me, if anyone called him a stand up guy.

-TDK

Favre Sets Record

Today in the Packers win over the Lions, Brett Favre breaks Dan Marino's All Time Completion Record. The Packers are still alive for the Play off hunt, but realistically even if they get there, then what?

The Buccaneers come into Chicago and the game goes as expected for the first half if you looked at their records. Tampa, going 26 -35 after winning the Super Bowl, have struggled since winning the big one. The Buc's not having a strong offense, and a slipping defense, come back to tie it up late in the game and send it into overtime. Gould had a chance to be "Goulden" and blew a game winning kick. Gould who made 24 straight FG attempts has missed 3 of his last 8. And he did make a shorter winning FG, Bears win 34 - 31. This was largely set up by the punter pinning them at the one, and a defensive hold by Urlacher and Company.

The officials did a good job of reviewing questionable calls, reviewing 2 plays in the overtime battle.

Urlacher, "We gotta play better, if we wanna win in the playoffs". Well said, as they are still just barely getting but teams with losing records. We won't see what the Bears have until their first Playoff game.
The Bears some how manage to pick up slack in other areas when one part of the team falls. Any part of that team can score, if they can get the offense, defense and special teams all to show up and play 60 minutes, they will be solid. Can they do it, is the question. With the win today, they clinched home field throughout the playoffs.

The Saints fall to the Skins, but have still clinched the the NFC South.

The Patriots played a 4 - 9 team and beat them like a 4-9 team with a 40 - 7 win over the Texans. This is what some may have expected the Bears to do today.

I only watched a part of the Denver / Arizona game. Denver holds them off 37 - 20, and if Kansas City loses tonight against the Chargers, Denver secures a playoff spot. While a Chargers win inches them closer to homefield advantage. Not an easy task against the rival Chiefs.

One thing I noticed today. Bradshaw needs to get a haircut, he is supporting a receeding mullet.

I'll have more after the Sunday and Monday night games.

-TDK