Excessive celebration?????

[MassCobra]

Are you kidding me? oke:

Here's the play.

Controversial Call -- Cathedral vs. Blue Hills - YouTube


Here's the story.

BOSTON (CBS) – A touchdown celebration cost a Boston high school team a championship over the weekend.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Carl Stevens reports

As Cathedral High School played Blue Hills in the Massachusetts Division 4A Super Bowl Saturday, quarterback Matthew Owens ran the ball in for a fourth quarter touchdown and what appeared to be a game-winner.

But just before he reached the end zone, Owens was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct-excessive celebration for putting his left hand in the air.

The ball was brought back to the 24-yard line and moments later Owens threw an interception and Cathedral ended up losing 16-to-14.

The quarterback’s father, Kenneth Owens, suggests that the referee had a personal agenda against his son.

Students at Cathedral say it’s sad to see their perfect 12-0 season come to such and disappointing end, but what parents and coaches are most proud of is how the players conducted themselves in this championship loss.

It would have been Cathedral’s first Super Bowl win in school history.

But, before the game, both teams were warned about unnecessary celebrations.

The MIAA is looking into the penalty.

The school wants to know more about the rules, so something like this never happens again.

 

[joeg215]

Oh man, if that ref worked in the NFL his head would explode.

 

[Outlaw99]

let them celebrate. i miss the days where they could have fun...but people are whiny bitch ass pussies and cant handle it.

its ok when they do it...but cant handle someone else doing it.

 

[mysterio]

What a sad and cruel joke. Raising his hand in the air....are they friggin kidding us??

That's a giant WTF call if there ever was one.

 

[65fastback2+2]

Oh man, if that ref worked in the NFL his head would explode.

no kidding

 

[65fastback2+2]

my buddy had a great suggestion for the nfl....you get 10 seconds to do whatever the crap you want

 

[Camaro_94]

Thats kinda ****ed up..

 

[03_SVT_Freak]

Just another failing of the "everyone gets a pussy participation trophy" generation. Wouldnt want to hurt anyone's feelings. That's bullshit

 

[blueovalfan]

**** THAT, flag should have never left his pocket! I've done worse after a sack in our HS playoffs lol

 

[Ramairgt1]

As a high school football official I wouldn't have thrown that flag. BUT as mentioned in the article both teams were warned prior to kickoff.

Unfortunately for the losing team the pregame notification makes the call justified no matter how tacky or low it might have been.

One of the state playoff games here in GA had an inadvertent whistle on a fumble near the end of the game. The ball was given back to the team that fumbled and they scored a few plays later to win the game. Unfortunately shit happens, no one is perfect.

 

[Sinister04L]

Raising your hand in the air hardly seems excessive.

 

[mysterio]

Raising your hand in the air hardly seems excessive.

Not only that, but in another article on the situation, it was reported that it was the kid's 18th birthday.

You score the potential winning touchdown, in the state finals, on your birthday......who WOULDN'T show some emotion?? Come on.

Even the mayor of Boston is commenting on how lame it was:

Celebration penalty on TD costs Cathedral High School team title - ESPN Boston

 

[matab14]

what a crock! Seriously! I don't see how that's even remotely excessive!

 

[snakebitgt94]

let them celebrate. i miss the days where they could have fun...but people are whiny bitch ass pussies and cant handle it.

its ok when they do it...but cant handle someone else doing it.

I agree. I remember in the Miami episode of 30 for 30, someone said "If you don't like us dancing, don't let us score." That should be the celebration rule.

 

[x99blacksnakex]

Welcome to Massachusetts, where you aren't allowed to hurt anyone's feelings by celebrating a State Championship win that you EARNED. It's football, not an everyone wins Cambridge Soccer team. At the least, the ref could've picked up the flag, and made it right.

 

[Ramairgt1]

I didnt realize MA plays by NCAA rules.
NFHS rules would have been from the succeeding spot or kick off if it had been called

 

[95PGTTech]

Ref is down huge to his bookie and can't make his payments, tosses the game. I don't know how this rulebook is written, but even if it was a justified call, it should be assessed on the kickoff, not nullify the play. The "excessive celebration," even if you agree with it, did absolutely nothing to impact the actual scoring event, like a block in the back or offensive holding would have.

 

[SID297]

As a high school football official I wouldn't have thrown that flag. BUT as mentioned in the article both teams were warned prior to kickoff.

Unfortunately for the losing team the pregame notification makes the call justified no matter how tacky or low it might have been.

One of the state playoff games here in GA had an inadvertent whistle on a fumble near the end of the game. The ball was given back to the team that fumbled and they scored a few plays later to win the game. Unfortunately shit happens, no one is perfect.

Unless the warning was for them to not show any emotion at all I don't see how a prior warning can excuse that call.

 

[Ramairgt1]

Unless the warning was for them to not show any emotion at all I don't see how a prior warning can excuse that call.

The warning was most likely for sportsmanship which includes celebration. Then again only the people in the pregame conference would truly know what was said.

Prior to every high school, college, and semi-pro game that I have ref'd in NY and GA all team captains are reminded of sportsmanship among other things.

Was it a bad call in my mind? Yes and No. The player did draw attention to himself by celebrating prior to a score, per the rules that warrants a flag. Was it excessive celebrating? In my mind, No.

I would have simply given him a warning after he crossed the goal line.
Then again nobody but those officials knows those teams and any potential issues that might have happened earlier in that game.

The ref should take some of the blame but not all of it.
There are 4 people that need to be blamed for the loss, in no particular order
The guy who celebrated prior to scoring
The ref for throwing a flag that should have been left in his pocket.
The guy who threw the int after the penalty
The guy who implemented NCAA rules for a high school football game.

BTW watch the left tackle during the play, he clearly took the defender to the ground and then pancaked him while the ball was still in the free blocking zone, per the rules that is a hold:uh oh: The LJ should be keying on the tackle during that play.