The NCAA learning from something? That's excessively optimistic, don't you think? Is that even possible?

I remember college football (pros as well) before all the chest thumping, high fiving, end zone dancing. and other assorted nonsense.

As Jim Brown said, "when you get to the end zone, act like you've been there before."

There is plenty of opportunity for celebration, pageantry, and tradition with the bands, cheerleaders, fans, etc.

The players should play their hearts out and when the whistle blows, toss the ball to the ref and get their butts in the huddle.

Call me old fashioned but all the on field jiveass is just irritating.

Bob Higgins

Worldwide Sawdust

Jeez Louise...."jive...." Don't you trolls get enough finger exercise in the other letter sections?

The rules as written were the rules. And it didn't affect the outcome because a block is a block. I feel for the players, I feel for the fans, I feel for the coaches, but that doesn't change the fact that the rules were written than way.

They'll change it, and all will be fine. The losing coach will not have the loss counted towards his career. And they'll be fine. The players will be fine. The fans will be fine.

Everyone will be fine. A bad rule sometimes isn't recognized until it happens. The game will move on from here and be better.

So, as it happens the PAC 10 gets ripped off in football, and their opponents get ripped off in the NCAA basketball tourney. OU/Oregon (FB) and UCLA/TX A&M (BB) come to mind.

Meaningless observation, but true nonetheless.

And the NFL cracks down on player behavior because they don't want the players to get control the way they have in the NBA. And of course, any expression of spontaneity and joy is verboten in the new American mindset. Submit to authority. It's for you own safety.

Am I making too much of this? I think not.

About 99% of the time I stand with King on the opinion front, but in this case I'm clearly with Bob.

The line between celebration and showboating is a clear one, and we all know it when we see it. It's "Go, team!" versus "Ain't I cool?" It's acting with class, even when emotional. A type of discipline that says much about inner character. And especially at the college level, isn't athletics supposed to be all about discipline and character?

Celebration is a group activity. Showboating is a solo dance in the spotlight...all me-me-me. The former brings tears to my eyes. The latter makes me nauseous, because it's so oafishly overdone in public life these days.

Now I'll put my soapbox away.

When ECU pulled out a surprise victory this past weekend, the fans ran out on the field.

.....Temporarily forgetting where they were: North Carolina. So of course the cops and square badges proceeded to do what they do which was to assault, beat, taser, stomp and generally pound the shit out of people, most of whom were already face down on the ground with Elmer the fat bastard off duty cop's knee on his spine.

But hey, they were just students, so fuck them. Thank God the NCAA ignores their stupid ass complaints.

Seriously, what are you talking about? Showboating? The kid threw a ball in the air and jumped onto a pile of his teammates. That's showboating?

If you have an axe to grind, that's fine, I guess, but at least pick a case that demonstrates what you're complaining about.

Once upon a time the existence of college football was justified by the "fact" that it "built character." Now it has become a monster (at the Division 1 level anyway) that makes money for no one but a few university athletic departments (look at the money pit Rutgers has dug for itself)

So the kid was excited? Whoop-de do!!!! Properly coached he would have - should have - had it drilled into him that he couldn't do it. Ty Willingham couldn't be bothered - so it cost Ty the game, and maybe his job. Tough

College football drew a hundred thousand people a game in the 1920s when the country's population was a third of today's - and in those days what passed for sportsmanship did not allow for celebrations of this sort - you won, you accepted your due - you didn't get in your opponent's face Wouldn't be a bad thing if we went back to that - leave professional level trash talking to the true professionals, and teach a little discipline and sportsmanship to the semi-pros in Division 1

In the later 1960s, all Michigan Wolverines who scored touchdowns used to throw their touchdown balls straight into the stands. And then the fans would pass the balls up to the top of the stadium (not yet known as The Big House), and over the top, down to waiting kids. No penalties. It was fun.

And... They did not have nets yet. Every extra point went straight into the same stands, and got the same treatment. That was before footballs cost $700.89, I guess.

This was fun. I remember when they first put in the extra-point nets. It seemed nuts. But it was the first indication that America was headed downhill. If we had been thinking, we would have realized then that the dot.com bubble and the mortgage meltdown were inevitable.

Those of you whining about the fact that kids playing a game are acting like kids playing a game must have been the same ones freaking out and Bolt running away with the 100m during the Olympics, running like a bat out of hell and enjoying the moment for all the world to see...

Chill.

Fair disclosure I'm a UW alumn, so I may be a bit biased....but seriously to the poster who said when you "reach the end zone act like you've been there before", you must not have been watching Husky football these last few years!

The idea of scoring a tying touchdown in the 4th Quarter (hell the idea of not giving up 3 unanswered TD's in the 4th) would have justified fireworks and a ticker parade down the Ave!

No one is arguing that players should rub it in to the other team or somehow taunt them (I've seen the Huskies do that by hopping up and down on the O in Autzen Stadium down in Eugene and now after 5 straight poundings we apologize Ducks we really do!) but why shouldn't people be happy when good things happen?

And if you are worried about hurting the other teams feelings...why even keep score? Everyone could gather around with a Nerf Football and play 2 hand touch and then go for a beer... Oh wait maybe thats what you should be doing instead of spouting off.