MODESTI: Athletes should follow rules when it comes to celebrating
Of all the goofy things athletes have done in the name of celebration lately, that Philadelphia receiver’s act Monday night takes the cake.
DeSean Jackson couldn’t wait to celebrate his first NFL touchdown, so he didn’t. Sixty yards into what would have been a 61-yard catch-and-run against Dallas, the young product of Cal’s hallowed halls of academia casually tossed the ball to the turf and commenced to boogie. Once his screwup was confirmed by the videotape, the referee placed the ball at the 1-yard line and obliged the Eagles to formally take it over the line.
Add DeSean Jackson to a roster that includes University of Washington quarterback Jake Locker, sprinter Usain Bolt and closer Francisco Rodriguez and the entire Angels team, all of whom have forgotten when, how and how much it’s proper to celebrate.
There’s a right way and a wrong way:
Right: Celebrate with someone, preferably teammates (Magic Johnson hugging everyone on opening night 1979) or fans (the Lambeau Leap).
Jack Clark might have broken Dodgers fans’ hearts with his 1985 home run in the National League Championship Series, but you had to love what he did as soon as the ball crashed into the bleachers. Clark’s first move was to face the St.Louis dugout and pump both fists toward his equally joyous mates.
dailynews.com
9/16/08
Magnolia Tribune
