Celebration needs to go

by Matt Paulson
Editor in Chief

I enjoy watching the NFL on Sunday. Sitting back, grilling and enjoying some cold refreshments is my ideal vision of a Sunday afternoon.

Being a Vikings fan, however, these Sunday afternoons, as of about the last six weeks, have become increasingly stressful and taxing on my blood pressure.

But I still look forward to them all week.

One thing about Sundays, though, is starting to become overwhelmingly irritating. Why is it that in the NFL, no player holds the capacity to make a play and jog off the field or back into the huddle? Why is it that, as fans, we have become subject to the most embarrassing, ridiculous celebration dances after every play?

It is no longer after just touchdowns. We see choreography worthy of MTV after every tackle, every 2-yard run, every catch, every defensive stand, even every block. I am waiting to see the entire offensive line break out into the chorus of “Bye, Bye, Bye” because their running back picked up a few yards.

I am waiting to be at the video store, glancing through the do-it-yourself dance pieces – as I often do (not really) – and finding “Darren’s Dance Grooves: The Offensive Line, Big but Nimble.”

We don’t see pitchers break into the “dirty bird” every time they throw a strike. In Nascar, drivers don’t stop, get out of their cars, and break it down every time they pass someone. We don’t see hockey players engage in a little choreographed ice dancing every time they complete a pass or check someone.

Football seems to be the only widespread professional sport in which it’s OK to excessively celebrate every play – no matter how insignificant.

I’ve had about as much as I can take. It has become a complete distraction. It needs to stop. Guys, just jog back to the sidelines or the huddle.

You don’t need to dance. For the most part, it makes you look stupid, and it brings your teammates down with you, because, generally, they join in, and before long, it looks like the cast of “West Side Story” put on 100 pounds and donned football equipment.

Not only does it make everyone involved look stupid, it takes away from the play. If, for instance, someone makes a play worthy of merit, that merit is tainted by these imbecilic shows of celebration.

When did this become such a part of professional football? Why is it that the play cannot just stand alone? Why is it that the players must make sure everyone knows what they did by making fools of themselves?

This brings up another question: What happened to the humble hero? The quiet superstar? What happened to those players that were so good that they’re play on the field spoke so loud that they didn’t need to embarrass themselves by subjecting us to their gyrations?

Is this because of the intense popularity of professional sports? Has entertainment value begun to outweigh athletic ability? Is the contest now about ratings rather than who scores the most points?

Maybe I’m a traditionalist, but I like to see the best team play rather than the one who can concoct the most provocative celebrations.
We’ve come a long way since Icky was no longer allowed to do the “shuffle” in the end zone, and it’s time we go back.

Matt Paulson, a junior journalism major, is editor in chief of the Campus Times. He can be reached by e-mail at phil6483@comcast.net.