What started out in the 1980’s as a rule to prevent showboating and other self congratulatory activities as were being shown by players at “The U” (University of Miami) has become a drain and a hindrance to the game of college football.

Jake Locker scores on third and goal with two seconds left and was flagged for excessive celebration and that is a 15 yard penalty.  It makes the PAT 35 yards and the PAT was blocked and the huskies lose by one.  It was a 35 yard kick after the penalty from the middle of the field and should have been made the bigger issue is Washington being in that scenario to begin with.

He threw the ball over his shoulder and celebrated with his teammates.  That’s it.  Besides the fact that the president of the University of Washington should be on the phone to the Pac 10 office making sure they realize what took place and what the ramifications could be to the Pac 10.

The referees took the ball out of the hands of the players and the coaches and now for the last two weeks players are playing a greatly emotional game and constantly trying to stifle their emotions after something great happens.

The rules were created to prevent grandstanding and ‘hot-dogging’ but showing youthful exuberance and celebrating with your teammates should not only be overlooked but encouraged.  It has to be a judgment call in the hands of the official.

Here’s the deal, passion fuels sports.  It just does and nobody should debate that.

The difference between a lot folks playing college sports at a high level and folks walking the street and just sitting in a lecture is passion.  It is a passion to be great.  It is a passion to take big risk.  It is a passion to lay it all on the line.

The same passion that makes them play at that level has to be controlled when they hit the end zone and that is not right.

I’ll say it again, passion fuels sports.  Passion fuels stadium renovations.  Passion fuels season tickets sales.  Passion fuels the million dollar salaries.  Passion fuels school keeping kids eligible as opposed to educating them.  That passion keeps the ancillary staffs and companies in sports, academics, administration, concessions, construction, and so many others in their 100k salaries.

The passion for sports is feeding hundreds of thousands of families.

Even though some coaches won’t acknowledges the internet and even dislike it obviously won’t give credence to the fact that the passion that fuels the growth and development of message boards, blogs, constant conversations, the Big 10 network and a possible Longhorn Sports Network is the same passion that allows universities to make millions of dollars and coaches to make their million dollar salaries.

So the burden bearer, the conductor of the passion, the reason for the passion can do everything from carry the marketing arm of a university to paying for women’s rowing to adding to the general scholarship fund but to display passion, that’s a “no no”.

The schools cannot hide the fact that they are passionate.  They are passionate for the money and they are passionate for what sports bring environment wise to a college campus.  That’s why the great academic schools around the country like UCLA, Michigan, Texas, Berkeley, North Carolina, Georgetown, Miami (FL), Virginia and so many other great academic schools allow some young men into school for football and basketball that wouldn’t otherwise be qualified to be on campus unless they worked in the janitorial pool.

Let the kids have some fun.  They’re lining your pockets and will continue to do so.  I am not an advocate of paying student athletes but the least you can do is let them experience the passion that you get to show in the stands, in the suites and at the bank.

Jake Locker did not taunt his opponents, he celebrated with his teammates.  He celebrated because his coach, one of the best people in the game, has his job in serious jeopardy because he graduates kids but is not winning.  He celebrated because the

University of Washington program has been kicked in the head sideways for the last couple of years.  Finally he celebrated because the Husky fan base has had their dreams deferred on numerous occasions. 

Washington was playing against a Top 15 team and had a chance to tie with two seconds left on the clock.
Seriously, who wouldn’t celebrate like crazy in that situation.

How many times this weekend will I have to see emotion and passion stifled because some ‘suit’ wants to control the actions of a young kids that just made 80,000 scream?

Let the kids play!