The Touchdown Dance...R.I.P.

Today is Saturday. The day of cleaning, studying, and COLLEGE FOOTBALL. I'll admit, I'm no football fanatic, but I am a fan. I like most sports and can probably enjoy any match-up (including golf). But, to me, football is a little different than other sports. Looking at all the mess of players and bodies flying in the air, it is the perfect combination of an art and brute masculinity that really excites me and revs me up. Now, you might be thinking, I see the masculinity, but art? But to me, when the QB delivers a perfect pass, watching the ball soar through the air, making it safely through all the chaos on the field, and then landing in the soft hands of 250lb man mid-air...mmm-mmm-mmm...now, that's just a beautiful thing folks.

I remember playing tag football after school way back in elementary schools. We played with mixed boys and girls teams, two-hand touch style...but, I remember how much fun we had running around, trying to beat our opponents with "fancy footwork." But, the most fun we had were showing off our touchdown dances! I remember practicing these little dances with friends, imitating what we had seen in games or on commercials.

Fast-forward roughly 15 years...

I'm sitting here watching the VA Tech vs. UNC game, and UNC's Tate made a pretty nice run for a TD, but according to the refs "unnecessarily dove into the end zone," which they call excessive celebration, resulting in a penalty. What in the world has the game of football come to??? I remember days when the touchdown dance was revered and imitated by sports fans everywhere.

...and why are the refs acting like its a game like golf or tennis, where restraint and quietness are encouraged? Not to demean these aforementioned sports, but they are a bit on the anal-retentive end of the spectrum of sports. But, football? Football is nearly the antithesis of golf. As a rather physical sport, the players literally throw their whole bodies into the sport, and I think its only right that they be able to celebrate with their bodies in a little dance. I mean, really...what harm is a little 15 second celebratory dance inflicting? I know that I'd be excited as anything if I scored a touchdown, more so if it was like a 50yd run. Can you imagine how much adrenaline is pumping through those veins?? I think this overregulation of the game is taking a little heart out of it. I mean, a little celebratory exhibition is quite commonly a natural reaction. To restrict that, is to restrict a part of the player...