1.3 min readBy Published On: December 7th, 2011Categories: Features0 Comments on Excessive

Written by Peter Gailunas

Ridiculous.  That’s the first word that comes to mind when I hear about the call against the Cathedral High School player who raised his hand in the air after running 56 yards to score a touchdown.  If you haven’t heard about this yet, you must live under a rock because everyone from Wes Welker to Mayor Menino is weighing in on this subject.  So I thought I’d throw my two cents in. 

Matt Owens was flagged with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that cost Cathedral High a potential game-winning touchdown in the Division 4A Super Bowl at Bentley University on Saturday.  

Under the definition of “unsportsmanlike conduct” is “excessive celebration” and the reason for the call.  To me, Matt Owens raising his hand in the air once while running 56 yards to score a touchdown in a game of such magnitude, is in my opinion not excessive at all. It appear to be a natural reaction.  He did not taunt.  He did not showboat.  He did not dance around in the end zone.  He raised his fist.  And if you look at the footage on the news when it shows Blue Hills made an interception on the next play, one player is double fist pumping which is way more excessive.  And the player guilty of double fist pumping was not even the guy who made the play.  He’s just excessively celebrating.  

Ridiculous.  The whole thing is ridiculous.