OT: Lose a state championship over this?

[Blakeon18]

http://www.highschoolsports.net/spo...eam-a-state-title-in-Massachusetts/51700622/1

I'm a rules-person but I also think good judgment is important. If I am driving safely in a 25mph zone but going 26, I am breaking the law but I hope the police observing my illegal behavior would use good judgment and not give me a ticket.

I don't know if there is a video of this infraction but based on the article the refs should not have denied the touchdown....imo.

 

[EricLA]

first of all, it's a stupid rule. are they kidding with the penalty for celebrating? the penalty for taunting i totally get. getting in the opposing teams faces or making derogatory or vulgar gestures towards the other team should be cause for a penalty. but how many great sports moments have we witnessed from the winning team?

how about Brandi Chastain tearing her shirt off after scoring the winning goal for Team USA in the 1999 world cup? Michael Jordan celebrating after hitting the winning basket vs. Cleveland in 1989 (called THE shot)? those are just 2 iconic moments in sports history. imagine if the goal or basket had been called off due to excessive celebration? personally i think it's a joke (the rule). as i said - taunting? NO. Celebrating? why the hell not?

 

[vtcwbuff]

I saw the video. I'll try to find it again. The kid did nothing but raise his arm in celebration as he was on his way into the end zone. From what I saw it wasn't a taunt.
There is always the possibility that there was something going on in the game before this play

 

[Sakibomb25]

I saw the video on ESPN and man, the refs really must be sticklers for the rules. Was he celebrating? Yes. But was it to the point where it would be disrespectful to the other team? No. It was akin to him yelling out loud after the touchdown or hugging his teammates. But oops, that would be considered celebrating and they would be penalized as well probably. To lose a state championship over such a small gesture is really just a travesty to the kids, the school, and its community.

However, rather than complaining about it (the mayor did plenty of that), the coach just said that the kids will take it as a lesson that life isn't always fair, and it's how you respond to adversity that makes you a better person.

I just hope that the refs (and the high school association) get some karma coming their way...

 

[meyers7]

Agree pretty silly call. There was absolutely nothing excessive about it. (I'm not sure why celebrating is bad anyway). MIAA is about the most messed up organization I've ever seen.

Also it was not a "State Championship" per se. They don't have them for football in MA. In most sports they have the champion of Western MA play the champ of Central Mass and then the winner plays the winner of the Eastern Mass (usually divided North and South). But in Football, they just have a Western MA winner, a Cent MA winner and a Eastern MA winner, for each division. (and each section has different divisions). No playoffs for this, just top two teams in each play each other (not sure how they pick them). They call it a Super Bowl. Pretty silly.

 

[JimGunther]

Why wasn't this sort of penalty assessed on the following play / kickoff?

PS: I saw the video: It was a TERRIBLE call.

 

[Sonny44]

Another example of a power stricken official.

 

[timedout]

This was he subject of a discussion on "The O'Reilly Factor" last night.Thumbs down all the way on that decision. I say, Let'm play.