Isn’t life really a conglomerate of emotions one after the other? So, how can one refrain from expressing how they feel?
Sometimes, especially in high excitement situations (either of sadness, confusion or joy) our emotions just “leak” out.
The outward display of emotions in many sports has become taboo. From professional football to high school football, players are required NOT to show their emotions. Many people would agree that showboating is not necessary and is really a reflection of poor sportsmanship. The problem is that the definition of showboating at least in football’s rule book seems to be too ambiguous.
According to Fox’s Channel 8, showboating or what football refers to as excessive celebration is specifically prohibited. The rulebook officially “prohibits any prolonged act that focuses attention on a player”.
What do you think? Is the rule book clear enough or do you think it should be more clearly defined?
This controversy comes into light because of a high school football team from Ohio that was recently penalized for displaying too much emotion. The unfortunate circumstance is that the boy who scored the touchdown, who was one of two players that “focused attention” on themselves, did so in the memory of his close friend who’s funeral he attended earlier that day.
The referee (in question on the video below) allegedly asked the players not to thrust their fingers into the air and according to him they did so before and after that request, which is when he threw the flag and penalized the team.
Even knowing the boy’s circumstances, which the referee could not have known, is thrusting a finger into the air excessive celebration? or Are we taking this no display of emotions rule too stringently?
Check out the video below that delineates the “excessive”gesture in question.
To hear Dr. Matsumoto’s comments on the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat click here.