Why does the league want to ruin the game: NFL may negate TD on taunting penalties

[Mountain_Commando]

That's what happens in a team sport. Your actions ruin it for everyone else.

My own personal opinion is I don't want to see taunting full stop. It's petty and schoolboy stuff. If the punishment needs to intensify to deter people from doing it, then I'm all for it.

I coach over here in England and they already enforce it in our leagues. You don't really see it any more, bar the odd idiot with **** for brains! It works.

What's the penalty? Do you get a goal taken away?

 

[bostonbuzz]

Once the 'points don't matter everyone wins' generations hit the NFL there will be no reason to taunt. When the other team scores both teams form a circle, join hands in the end zone and celebrate the momentous occasion as one. It's only fair. No one's left out. No hurt feelings.

 

[Mountain_Commando]

I believe the rule, if adopted, will be very narrowly aimed at overtly direct acts of taunting an opponent during a scoring play. (Keep in mind that taunting otherwise is a generally applied unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.)

We all can thank Seahawks dimwit Golden Tate for making this proposed rule adjustment topical, although the antics of players like our own Logan Ryan probably have contributed. I happen to believe taunting has no place in pro football and, if allowed to go unchecked, does more harm to "the integrity of the game" than this proposed rule.

That being said (and after sleeping on it) I agree with those who fear the rule might be too far open to officials' subjective interpretation with so much at stake on a scoring play. This leaves the question of whether some cases of taunting are "worse" than others, which the proposed rule implies. I don't know what the answer might be aside from leaving the taunting penalty as is and addressing the issue further by fining perpetrators and/or ejecting them from the game.

I'm afraid I disagree with everything above, except the bolded part. If anything, the refs have repeatedly affirmed the fact that there are far TOO many vague and subjective rules within the NFL rulebook. Rules that do nothing to make the game fair, but only generate frustration among players and fans alike.

A good rule (in any system) is meant to be concise and clear as daylight...one which can be agreed upon by amateurs and experts alike. But of course, the NFL retains a plethora of 'grey' rules, because the controversy they create are good for ratings...that's simply the NFL's modus operandi.

Also, what's the need for a new taunting penalty when we already have unsportsmanlike conduct? The only difference seems to be that the taunting rules will give NFL the ability to negate a score. Now nullifying a TD because of holding or DPI makes sense, because the rationale is that the infraction enabled the outcome in the first place. But taking away a TD, for taunting, makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, is egregiously unfair to the scoring team, and will only worsen the already soiled competitiveness of the game.

If the NFL is fair and honest, they should enforce taunting as an ejection, suspension, or player+team fine. All of these would affect the team as well, which takes care of the argument that the team owns part of the responsibility. But taking away a TD...yeah, you'll start seeing Ellis Hobbes DPI-esque plays on a weekly basis.

 

[GaryfromTO]

well, they already took almost all kickoff returns out of the game when they moved the kickoff spot from the 30 to the 35 yd line, so this stupid idea doesn't suprise me one bit.

Better idea for flagrant taunting. 15yd penalty and the player is ejected.

 

[Ring 6]

Along those lines I recall Brett Favre innocently tossing a ball at a ref, but it turns out the ref wasn't ready for the pass. He immediately threw a 15 yard flag but his fellow refs talked him into picking it up.

Lloyd got 15 for that last year.

 

[groganbootleg]

Part of the problem with the Tate incident is that he was getting verbally taunted the entire game and then he gets caught for the hand waving. If the refs wanted to stop the taunting they needed to do it when it started in the first quarter with all the yapping by the DBs. But I don't know if you want to take out the verbal taunting and trash talking which has always been a part of the game.

 

[BradyFTW!]

That's absolutely ridiculous. If taunting calls negate TDs, then hopefully refs will be smart enough to literally call taunting on TDs, because that's completely insane.

Of course, in reality, with this rule it would be only a matter of time before a TD was called back on a taunting penalty that was ticky-tack at best, part of what goes on on every scoring play, and clearly just an incident of a ref exercising undue authority for no good reason. Can't wait to see that.

Bottom line, the existing 15 yard penalty is plenty harsh enough to deter all but the biggest prima donnas.

 

[ThatllMoveTheChains!!!]

Once the 'points don't matter everyone wins' generations hit the NFL there will be no reason to taunt. When the other team scores both teams form a circle, join hands in the end zone and celebrate the momentous occasion as one. It's only fair. No one's left out. No hurt feelings.

I think you're confusing the kids with the parents. Have you ever played a game with any of the products of the "everybody is a winner" generations? They're horrible sports; it seems that they never learned how to win/lose.

 

[Ivan]

Part of the problem with the Tate incident is that he was getting verbally taunted the entire game

Probably by Richard Sherman.............



I really like the way the SeaHawks play football but that team really needs to shut their collective pieholes. The only team that talks as much sh.t is the Ravens.

 

[Ivan]

How about this, if a player taunts then they have to take off their helmet at midfield and the taunted opponent gets to slap them in the face.It would be kind of like GLADIATOR, for b.tches.

 

[Kdo5]

That would be an appalling rule. I like the fact that the TD always stood regardless of an after-the-play penalty. So unnecessary.

 

[Tunescribe]

Also, what's the need for a new taunting penalty when we already have unsportsmanlike conduct?

You're not paying attention. Taunting already is flagged under unsportsmanlike conduct. The proposed change pertains to taunting (one of many possible unsportsmanlike conduct penalties) being grounds for calling a score back if committed during the process of a scoring play. It still would be unsportsmanlike conduct, not a "new taunting penalty."

 

[QuantumMechanic]

You're not paying attention. Taunting already is flagged under unsportsmanlike conduct. The proposed change pertains to taunting (one of many possible unsportsmanlike conduct penalties) being grounds for calling a score back if committed during the process of a scoring play. It still would be unsportsmanlike conduct, not a "new taunting penalty."

Don't unsportsmanlike conduct penalties by the offense during a scoring play currently negate the scoring play anyways?

 

[Joker]

yes it would...if called during the play...of course

 

[brdmaverick]

We have already seen a taunting penalty play as such a HUGE call in a game.

In last year's Kansas City - Pittsburgh game, the Steelers faced a 3rd-and-forever. The Steelers QB dropped back, was sacked, fumbled, and the defense ran it in for the TD. A flag was thrown for the over-celebration.

then............challenge flag.......

The quarterback's arm was going forward, it's an INCOMPLETE pass, but oh wait, the penalty STILL stands. Instead of at the very least being fourth and forever with a punt, an automatic first down is awarded because of a TD celebration for a TD that 'never happened'.

 

[Mountain_Commando]

You're not paying attention. Taunting already is flagged under unsportsmanlike conduct. The proposed change pertains to taunting (one of many possible unsportsmanlike conduct penalties) being grounds for calling a score back if committed during the process of a scoring play. It still would be unsportsmanlike conduct, not a "new taunting penalty."

Understood. I still don't agree that taunting (whether before, during, or after the scoring play) is grounds for negating a score. Especially so in a league, whose officials are all too often inconsistent, who consider making a snow angel unsportsmanlike conduct.

 

[reflexblue]

Goodell wants a nice sanitized NFL, no playing rough, no name calling, everybody has to play nice. The situation reminds me of those kids soft ball or soccer games that end in a tie so no ones feelings get hurt. Except for trying to limit concussions he should just leave the game alone, like the saying goes 'if it ain't broke don't fix it'. But Goody and the owners want the game to be PG rated, those hard hits and TD celebrations leave a bad impression on kids is what i think they think. I know this... They want to squeeze every last penny out of the game, and that may have to do with it in some way according to their thinking. Maybe they think that a milder NFL will lead to a wider audience.

 

[ausbacker]

Probably by Richard Sherman.............



I really like the way the SeaHawks play football but that team really needs to shut their collective pieholes. The only team that talks as much sh.t is the Ravens.

Why should they shut up? Their performances cash the cheques their egos write.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

When an individual player does something unsportsmanlike (where it draws a penalty) it should and does affect the whole team (and of course rules like this already exist widely). Also, rules against certain types of taunting already exist. Further, if you take a penalty while the ball is live, why would it not affect yardage gained? Of course it should affect the yardage gained (f the ball is dead, i.e. the TD has been scored, the point of yards gained is moot). Some of the arguments being made here lack quite a bit of foundation.
Should a taunting penalty targeting the tate thing exist? Tough to say but I have NO problem with the "whole team will be penalized for one guys unsportsmanlike". If a team, like Seattle, can't be coached to a degree that celebration can't be held back for a few seconds until the goal line is crossed? That's the failure of the team and will be the consequences for the team. I am ok with limits to behavior otherwise the game will become problematic on multiple fronts. However, I do agree with those who are concerned with referee interpretation. I am ALWAYS concerned with rules that are left open too significant interpretation. Ultimately I think the NFL should just send out memos to teams and let them know there will be significant off the field consequences for these infractions. Hopefully that can contain these kinds of things until they are in the endzone.

With that said, if this rule if put in place it should be the least talked about, least called, least remembered rule ever! And as far as a player goes, if you can't wait until the endzone before you want to do whatever foolishness that makes you happy (meaning just wait that horribly long couple of seconds), what a sad commentary on the kind of player you are. And if the team is doing it more than once, what a sad commentary on the coaching staff.

 

[UK_Pat37]

I don't get how people can be concerned about 'interpretation'. There aren't many celebrations before you enter the EZ that aren't deemed as taunting. High stepping, pathetic flips when no one is around you over the goal line, pointing/waving at players....it's all taunting.

How often do we even see any of the above? High stepping isn't that common in the NFL. Most players tend to keep their celebrations until they have crossed the goal line. This is hardly a MASSIVE change for people to accept. It's just going to be there for the brain farting idiots like Tate in exceptional circumstance.