NFL = No Fun League? by Randall Enlow

 
For years now the NFL has been jokingly called the “No Fun League” for its increasing crackdown on player celebrations. Many longtime football fans will remember Terrell Owens and his Sharpie celebration, Joe Horn’s “cell-a-bration,”  Steve Smith’s diaper change and countless other creative ways that (mostly wide receiver) players used to pump up the fans after crossing the goal line. Most game attendees and armchair quarterbacks at home tend to enjoy over-the-top celebrations so long as they are not outright offensive. However, in recent years and particularly the current NFL season, the league has cracked down hard on players and fans having fun after scoring a touchdown. Perhaps nothing exemplifies the new strict rules more than the Vernon Davis touchdown celebration and Carlos Hyde flexing incident which both drew punishment in the 2016 season. While many can argue the previous baby-wiping, cell-phone using, autograph-signing celebrations may have been a bit much, it seems extreme to outlaw flexing your arms or tossing a ball over the goalposts. For a league that seems to dismiss the seriousness of head injuries and continues to regularly air commercials promoting beer-drinking, it seems strangely hypocritical to crack down so harshly on celebrations which are only benefitting the fans and increasing ratings.