Issue date: 12/3/08 Section: Sports

Taylor Collis

The most pointless National Football League rule regards the touchdown celebrations. Teams are not allowed to have a choreographed celebration after scoring and may not use the goal posts as props. In 2006 the NFL added to the rule and instated that an automatic 15-yard penalty will be given to the team who has a player who jumps or uses a prop. Of course, there's one exception to this rule and that is the Lambeau Leap.

It doesn't make sense that football players can't celebrate after scoring without being fined or given a penalty. They are paid professional athletes who won't get their feelings hurt if someone celebrates a touchdown. A few weeks ago, the Miami Dolphins choreographed a great celebration dance after scoring, knowing they will have to pay the fine. Those celebrations make football more fun to watch and not only do the fans get pumped up but it gets the players pumped up too. I understand why that rule is in place for defensive players celebrating after a hard hit or sack, because that would seem more unsportsmanlike. But to not allow celebration after scoring and to penalize the whole team is very unfair.

I loved the celebrations like Terrell Owens pulling a sharpie out of the sock, Joe Horn's cell phone stunt, Chad Johnson's mock proposal to a Bengals cheerleader, or even old Deon Sanders' dances. The NFL is supposed to stand for the National Football League, not the No Fun League.

Ronnie Nurss

The most stupid and frustrating rule in the National Basketball Association is the "leaving the bench rule." Yes, I realize this rule prevents or limits the severity of a fight or brawl. But what really grinds my gears is how the league interprets this rule and how it punishes the wrong-doers.

Take the 2007 NBA Western Conference Finals for example. It's game four and the Phoenix Suns are leading the San Antonio Spurs with 18 seconds left in the fourth quarter. As Steve Nash is dribbling up court along the sideline, Robert Horry body checks him into the scorer's table. It's an obvious, flagrant foul that resulted from the frustration of losing at home in a big game. Totally unacceptable. The Sun's bench, including the coaching staff, is appalled and reacts rightfully so.

Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw, who are consistent starters and teammates of Nash, leave the vicinity of their bench and rush to the scene. The Suns end up winning the important game that takes the series back to their home arena, but the league suspends Stoudemire and Diaw for that game. I need to also mention that this was a Phoenix Sun's team that during that playoff push, played the same eight players because they were heavily undersized. What happens when you take away their only legit big man and starting small forward for taking a few steps off the bench? You get a depleted Suns team the next game that ultimately loses a controversial series.

It is human instinct to rush to the aid of a fellow friend, or in this case, a teammate. And it's sports for crying out loud. This playoff game was bound to create a plethora of emotions and competitiveness, or else the playoffs would simply not be as exciting. Instead of punishing players who leave the bench during a game, they should be more flexible for unique situations since every case is simply not the same in regards to this rule. I know the NBA is trying to prevent brawls and negative attention to the game of basketball, but they need to use common sense to specific situations. And they shouldn't use the rule to sabotage a fighting team's chances in an important game, especially in this case study of the Phoenix Suns.

Zaki Syed

The National Basketball Association's most ludicrous rule is requiring players to tuck in their jerseys. If a player's jersey goes past their knees or are so long that they interfered in the player's ability to play, then the rule would be understandable. However, the jerseys are not that long, so the NBA should stop acting like it is the fashion police. Some players might feel more comfortable with their jerseys not tucked in, while others might feel more comfortable with it tucked in. Since the player is the one who has to play the game, he should be able to decide how he wears his jersey, not the NBA. There are people who would argue that a tucked-in jersey looks more professional. Yeah, well, so does a suit, but it's a basketball game and not a job interview. Basketball players' main job entails getting sweaty with messed up clothes and dirty shoes. So what is the big deal if their shirts are not tucked in? This is a blatant example of the NBA making rules simply for the sake of making rules. The NBA needs to stop ruling its basketball organization like a communist country and let players decide if they want to tuck in their shirts.

Another preposterous rule in the NBA is one that prohibits players from taunting one another. In other words, players are not allowed to "talk trash." The NBA probably made this rule in an effort to prevent fights. However, if NBA players are always getting their feelings hurt and throwing temper tantrums over words, then they belong on the playground and not in the NBA. Talking trash exacerbates most sports games; nothing gets the adrenaline pumping like telling someone you will destroy them. Talking trash is the psychological aspect of the game, allowing a player to get into his opponent's head and become more competitive. The NBA's enforcement of this rule takes away from the competitive spirit that keeps players on edge. The NBA needs to get out of this fairy tale land where players compete against one another, fight to win, and yet somehow never exchange words with each other.

Felipe Molina

In recent years, the National Football League has tightened the rules on tackling the pretty boys of the NFL, better known as quarterbacks. If my memory is correct, football is a game of hitting. I know the NFL wants to protect its players, especially its quarterbacks who are the most marketable players, but it's ridiculous when a defensive player hits a quarterback just as he releases the ball and gets called for roughing the quarterback.

To make matters worse, these calls are judgment calls by the referees and these ridiculous penalties can cost a team a game, maybe even a spot in the playoffs.

What does the NFL expect the defense to do? Stop in midair and not hit the quarterback? I'm no physics major but even I know it's impossible for a 220-pound man to stop or dodge the quarterback at the last second.

Now players are being fined for tackling quarterbacks and using too much of their body weight. A few weeks ago, one of the New York Giants' defensive players was fined and flagged for tackling the quarterback and using too much of his body weight. That's outright crazy. How much body weight can a quarterback be tackled with - 20, 30, 50 percent? How does a player or even a referee know exactly how much of the player's body weight was used to tackle the quarterback?

Players like the Pittsburgh Steelers' strong safety Troy Polamalu, who calls out the NFL on the pampering of the league's quarterbacks, get fined and are told to keep their opinion to themselves. If the league is afraid about quarterbacks getting hurt, then have them wear flags. Until then, let the defensive players do what they are supposed to do - hit the quarterback. I'm not saying defensive players should hit the quarterback with reckless abandonment, but what I am saying is that the NFL needs to realize that some of these rules to protect the quarterbacks are hurting the game. Injuries happen. It's part of the game. So stop cuddling the quarterbacks.

Taylor Dunn, Ronnie Nurss, Zaki Syed and Felipe Molina can be reached at sports@statehornet.com.

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