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| "I've always wanted to do this!" |
LSU's punter Brad Wing had what would've been a 52-yard run erased by an unsportsmanlike conduct call after he held the ball out toward a Florida defender. It was the right call, according to Coach Les Miles.
"It was absolutely correct. What a great lesson it will be to our guys to have to take points off," Miles said. "Celebrate? Are you kidding me? In a big game, where four points is very important we won't do that. It's just not something that we're going to do."
Six weeks into the season, the call on Wing was the first time it had been acted on. Now this phenomenon known as end zone celebrations and trash talking is more cultural than people want to admit. It’s a right of passage for ball players in the African-American community and now it's spread throughout the culture of sports. More than 70% of the players in college and in the NFL are African-American. So to take taunting or celebrating out of the game would be like completely changing it. Therefore, guys would have to be reprogrammed because this is how so many were taught to play.
When kids first learned how to play ball, they were taught by the older kids that the game is played between the ears. See everyone in the hood had talent, speed, agility and quickness. So the playing field many times was level. How can a kid get an advantage? By getting inside of the other guy’s head.
It’s was as simple as that. If you wanted to compete in the hood you had to be able to hold your own. If you weren’t not strong mentally you wouldn’t be able to compete. So kids in that environment learned to be tough early on or they wouldn‘t make it. You couldn’t afford to get labeled as the kid that couldn’t take the trash talk because you’ll get targeted daily. Guys would intentionally go after you just to break you down mentally. Those were the rules.
It’s more than just a game it’s about who’s tougher between the ears. Those that were the toughest mentally usually became the better players. Those that weren’t, typically quit before they got out of middle school. That’s just the way it was. This was the way guys were taught to play the game. The question has always been, how can I get an edge on a guy that has the same amount of talent that I have? There’s no secret formula or magic potion, just rattle the other guy until he breaks.
Also the game is a lot more fun to play when everyone understands the rules of engagement. The weak players were eliminated in middle school so that the real trash talkers make it to high school. Then the celebrations and talk gets even louder and more harsh. By the time guys make it to college it’s at a fever pitch. Why do you think that the Miami Hurricanes were so successful in the 1980’s thru 2001? Yes, they were obviously better than other teams but they also got into their heads and wore them down. It's much easier to beat guys that were internalizing the taunting and taking it personal. It’s called “gamesmanship”. I can beat you as long as I’ve got you doubting yourself and many times that means trying to embarrass you in the process. If I'm successful at doing that, I'll beat you 100% of the time.
Muhammad Ali was the king at doing it! Michael Irving “The Playmaker” and Deion Sanders “Prime Time” were very affective as well. Remember when Billy “White Shoes” Johnson would do the crazy legs in the end zone and people would go crazy? That made the game more fun to play and watch. It's entertainment isn’t it? Why are people trying to take the attitude out of the game? That’s what makes the game the game!
I hear the commentators so many times demonizing players for celebrating by saying that they’re disrespecting the other team. That’s exactly what they’re trying to do. Point blank! They’re trying to get into the heads of the opponent so that they can win the game. However, the only people that make comments like that are people that didn’t grow up in the culture of talking trash and celebrating.
I was happy to see an Australian punter show a little street flair as he strolled down the sideline in Death Valley. The fans loved it, the other players loved it and the Les Miles loved it even though he couldn't say it publicly. I'll bet everything that the brothers from Florida hated the fact that a punter, albeit an Australian punter, took them to the hood for just one minute! It was great!
Players already know! If you don’t want to see a guy dance, celebrate or talk trash keep him out of the end zone and that goes for punters too.
Holla At Ya Boy!
Jay Graves
Twitter: @jaygravesreport
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