OT: On the Field/Court Celebrations.

[Kibitzer]

Going way back, the most in-your-face declarations of imminent victory (intensely galling to opponents) were the trademark "victory cigars" of Celtics Coach Red Auerbach. He actually lit them up while seated on the bench as the game was still on (but the issue not in doubt).

Fast forward to current smoke-free sports celebrations. There are many. Antonio Brown got penalized 15 yards (common NFL punitive measure) and fined 18 thousand bucks for "twerking" after a TD.

The Boston Red Sox outfielders (Bradley, Betts and whomever) have made their celebratory victory dance into a pop art form. After the last out, they assemble, face one another, then two crouch as cameramen and the third does some silly brief dance. Andrew Benintendi caught ESPN attention by replicating Michael Jackson. then Mookie Betts did the "Carlton" (responding to a Twitter request). Who knows what's next?

Many disapprove of these (harmless) antics but it's more enjoyable than arguing about sitters, kneelers, or psi in game balls.

Your thoughts?

 

[Bliss]

Going way back, the most in-your-face declarations of imminent victory (intensely galling to opponents) were the trademark "victory cigars" of Celtics Coach Red Auerbach. He actually lit them up while seated on the bench as the game was still on (but the issue not in doubt).

Fast forward to current smoke-free sports celebrations. There are many. Antonio Brown got penalized 15 yards (common NFL punitive measure) and fined 18 thousand bucks for "twerking" after a TD.

The Boston Red Sox outfielders (Bradley, Betts and whomever) have made their celebratory victory dance into a pop art form. After the last out, they assemble, face one another, then two crouch as cameramen and the third does some silly brief dance. Andrew Benintendi caught ESPN attention by replicating Michael Jackson. then Mookie Betts did the "Carlton" (responding to a Twitter request). Who knows what's next?

Many disapprove of these (harmless) antics but it's more enjoyable than arguing about sitters, kneelers, or psi in game balls.

Your thoughts?

Any hot dogging or celebration back in my day would have guaranteed the hot dogger/celebrant a seat on the pine. The "Hey, look at me" attitude was completely unacceptable in the 50's.

 

[Dougie]

Personally, I don't mind a little creative celebrating. Some are actually quite entertaining. Think Usain Bolt. How about Reggie Miller giving Spike Lee the choke sign? Or the Heisman pose? Hey, it's a new world. But I did see Antonio Brown's twerking and did find it a little distasteful.

From a coaches point of view, don't:

Get yourself penalized
Embarrass your school, your city, your team or yourself
Get the opposing player(s) riled up. Excessive celebrating can really backfire.

Otherwise, I'm fine with it.

 

[DaddyChoc]

a lot of things were unacceptable in the 50's

no harm in none of it... high-5, chest-bumping, pat on the fanny... are all forms of celebrating.

after making the 1st of 2 freethrows, go over and pat the shooter needs to be outlawed... slows up the game, along with the huddle during a break in the action

 

[CocoHusky]

There is just too much celebration on routine plays for my taste. Sorry Antonio that's your job to catch touch down & sorry UCONN WCBB players that is your job to drain 3s. It is getting to the point now where someone is celebrating on every play. Last Night I was at a HS football game the DB broken up a pass and started his own celebration. On the Next play the receiver caught a pass for a first down and he started his own celebration, the most ridiculous celebration play was when DL fell on a fumble got up and started his own celebration. Give me Barry Sanders all day. Get in the end zone , hand the ball to the referee and go on to the next play. Now if you make a play that decides the game then you celebrate until the next game as far as I'm concerned because the game is over.

 

[UcMiami]

I always loved the response of Chris Carter to Randy Moss celebrating in the end zone after his TD celebrations in Minnesota - back on the bench, Chris quietly said to his rookie teammate 'Try to act like you have been there before!' and Randy seldom did much of anything for the rest of his career I believe.

I have no problem with post game celebrations, but I find all of the in-game celebrations pretty annoying. I don't mind teammates gathering to congratulate each other, but the idea of these little individual dances/performances are a bit much. They are all about the individual and not about the team. A Gronk spike, or the dunk of the ball over the crossbar are about as much as I think I can take. There was a running back who started giving the ball to the first lineman to reach him after a TD to allow him to spike it which I thought was pretty cool - acknowledging the work his teammate had done to get him into the end zone.

In the old days, someone 'hot dogging' was likely to get his head handed to him on the next series in football, and guards who came into the lane would frequently find themselves flat on their backs in basketball, until they learned to respect the big guys. Baseball hitters who over-celebrate a home run are still apt to get pitched high and tight at some point before the game is over though the rules have tightened considerably.

(I enjoy the Red Sox outfielders little gathering after the final out, because it is a celebration of a win and not an individual play.)

 

[McFly]

Old school here. I can live without it.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Old school here. I can live without it.

welp you gonna have to turn off your TV cause its not going back to whenever... these pros get paid enough to accept the fines as well

 

[Intpseeker]

Remember the sack dance and opinions about that? Seems pretty tame now:

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

There is just too much celebration on routine plays for my taste. Sorry Antonio that's your job to catch touch down & sorry UCONN WCBB players that is your job to drain 3s. It is getting to the point now where someone is celebrating on every play. Last Night I was at a HS football game the DB broken up a pass and started his own celebration. On the Next play the receiver caught a pass for a first down and he started his own celebration, the most ridiculous celebration play was when DL fell on a fumble got up and started his own celebration. Give me Barry Sanders all day. Get in the end zone , hand the ball to the referee and go on to the next play. Now if you make a play that decides the game then you celebrate until the next game as far as I'm concerned because the game is over.

To me, what makes many of the celebrations ridiculous is that they are celebrating plays that -
- don't end up meaning anything, because you just broke up the 2nd down try and the opponent makes it on 3rd down; or you got the 1st down but the ball got turned over on the next play
- or worse, are meaningless. If your team is losing by 30+ points, I don't care how spectacular your defense on that pass was. You're losing.
As long as they don't show up the opponent too much, I don't get to twisted when they are celebrating a score, particularly if it seems to matter. Or intercepting a pass in the end zone. Basically, plays that have a tangible affect on the outcome don't peeve me as much as the others.

 

[UcMiami]

To me, what makes many of the celebrations ridiculous is that they are celebrating plays that -
- don't end up meaning anything, because you just broke up the 2nd down try and the opponent makes it on 3rd down; or you got the 1st down but the ball got turned over on the next play
- or worse, are meaningless. If your team is losing by 30+ points, I don't care how spectacular your defense on that pass was. You're losing.
As long as they don't show up the opponent too much, I don't get to twisted when they are celebrating a score, particularly if it seems to matter. Or intercepting a pass in the end zone. Basically, plays that have a tangible affect on the outcome don't peeve me as much as the others.

Agree, and I think there is a huge difference between the general excitement of making a good play and a scripted routine, especially one that is not 'a signature' move, but one that gets created during each week.
And the ultimate fail of course are the guys that injure themselves doing their little celebration - seen that a number of times.

 

[lne001]

I started watching pro sports in the 1950's. During that time the only 'hotdogging' I recall was Willie May's 'basket catch' and his fly-a-way hat on the base paths.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

When I coached HS Wrestling for 32 years I told my teams that when you over celebrate a win or whatever it looks as if you're surprised/didn't expect to win, and you got "lucky and won"!
As UcMiami said above, "act as if you've been there before!"
No #1's, jumping up and down, screaming, etc, act as if you're at work and you just completed an assignment!
Business-like!
I can't stand the NBA or NFL now a days with all the celebrations about ME! As a teenager I loved both the NFL and NBA but everything today is ME oriented!
Quick story.
1984 Class M CT State Championships
During the semi's the Killingly 132lber's Father was saying his son was going to kick my wrestlers's butt in the finals. So when I told Erick about what the Father said, he said he'll do this and that after he wins. I told him no don't do anything but look into the stands at the Father when you get your hand raised, just stare at him!
Erick won 15-0 for the championship and stared into the stands as the Father left the gym cursing!
Erick came off the mat and said Coach that was so cool!

 

[meyers7]

Starjnan FC from Iceland. These guys must spend as much time working on their celebrations as they do practicing soccer. Some of them are pretty creative though.