Raiders cornerback thinks he was flagged because of his religion

[Nikki Stone1]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Raiders-cornerback-thinks-he-was-flagged-because?urn=nfl,194364


Tue Oct 06, 2009 3:16 pm EDT

Raiders cornerback thinks he was flagged because of his religion
By Chris Chase

An Oakland Raiders cornerback claims he was penalized on Sunday for making a religious display while celebrating an interception.
After picking off a Matt Schaub(notes) pass in the end zone, Oakland Raiders cornerback Chris Johnson celebrated by dropping to his knees and raising his arms in triumph. He was instantly flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for excessive celebration.
Johnson later complained that he was whistled for thanking God:

"I'm just getting on my knees giving my respect to God. I don't see how that's a personal foul or anything like that."

He actually stated exactly why it's a personal foul in the first sentence and the reasoning has nothing to do with religion. A rule instituted in 2006 prohibits NFL players from celebrating in the end zone by "going to the ground to celebrate a touchdown or using the ball as a prop." The instant Johnson fell to his knees he violated the rule. After he did that, Johnson could have read scripture, done a silent prayer or helped an old lady across the street and it wouldn't have mattered. (And, incidentally, it looks a lot more like Johnson is asking the heavens to praise him, rather than the other way around.)

So, there is no religion controversy here (despite attempts to start one by some Bay Area bloggers), but there is still an issue, namely that the NFL's touchdown celebration rules are inconsistently enforced and completely hypocritical.

It's not OK for Johnson to go to the ground in celebration/prayer after an interception, but Jared Allen(notes) can fall to his knees during his lame sack dance? And the Lambeau Leap is fine, but players can't coordinate a touchdown high five? And what's the difference if a player raises his arms in triumph while on a knee but not while standing on two feet?....

[FiveGoodMen]

1. Arrogant, mother-fucking prick thinks god takes time out to help HIM make points

Fuck the fucking fuck.

[taterguy]

2. Did you read the fucking article?

He was celebrating a fucking interception, not a fucking touchdown

[Name removed]

6. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MNDemNY]

3. Well, it is as likely as god doing anything else.

But yes, fuck the fucking fuck.

[FiveGoodMen]

13. Agreed!

[MNDemNY]

18. Personally, I think the old goat spends all his time messin' with sporting events.

:evilgrin:

[joeybee12]

11. Half the world starves, but God is apparently in his Barcolounger

cheering this dude on, raising a brewski.

[Soylent Brice]

22. this whole thread is cracking me up.

:rofl:

[Nailzberg]

30. If these athletes would stop occupying all his time with thier praise, he'd have time for hunger.

[YOY]

14. +1

n/t

[theophilus]

29. Obviously a proud member of the "F" generation. n/t

[KG]

4. anytime the raiders score this year could be classified as a miracle.

[Nikki Stone1]

5. LOL!!!!!!

:D

[Lone_Star_Dem]

9. OMG! Good one!!

:thumbsup:

[BlooInBloo]

26. (facepalm)

[Lone_Star_Dem]

7. What part of "falling down in the endzone" does he not get?

Celebrating in the end zone is a penalty. Even if he can't understand that.

[sui generis]

8. and I'm just dancing the Watoosie as a sign of my faith

with a little cabbage patch and a mash potato samba thrown in for good measure.

Praise babyjeebus.

[Bill McBlueState]

10. if the NFL were flagging people *because of* their religion

There would be several incidents of it in every single game. But there aren't, so the claim is BS.

[LovinLife]

12. If I was a ref I'd flag him just for being a member of the Raiders and having the audacity

to celebrate anything.

[blueknight]

im a big football guy

but i dont think god gives a fuck who wins a game, and who dont

[LovinLife]

16. Maybe if Brett Favre or Tim Tebow is playing the big man pays attention, but

I doubt he was tuned in for the Raiders/Texans game.

[subcomhd]

15. "You ever notice how athletes never blame god

when they lose? 'God made me drop the ball. The good Lord tripped me up behind the line of scrimmage'"

george carlin

[donco6]

20. I say "goddammit" all the time when they fuck up.

Does that count?

[subcomhd]

21. As a cowboys fan, I must confess I have called down the wrath of god a lot lately. lol. nt

[donco6]

24. I kinda felt bad for you during that last game with the Broncos.

But I'm still glad we won.

[BlooInBloo]

27. There's nothing remotely unique to athletes about that. It's the fundamental anti-person nature of

religion.

Above all other rules: God gets all of the credit when things go right, and people get all of the blame when things go wrong.

[southernyankeebelle]

17. LOL - I think god is to busy with many problems going on across the

world to worry about a football game. I wish people would stop and think about this. Everyone is always saying god loves and bless america. I think everyone would feel that way about their country not just america. When you have Bush saying god is on our side. How does he know? Does he have the inside track with god? What about other countries that are christain nations in a war don't they pray to god to help them? Why wouldn't he listen to them. How about the muslim god they pray and why wouldn't god chose them? Think about it Hitler's prayed to god, so did Stalin and Mussolini. God must of loved them to because they prayed to god. What about the other team, they pray to god to win also. Come on folks, this is just to get teams motivated. God doesn't take sides. He thinks we're a bunch of idiots praying for a sports team.
'

[Spirochete]

19. Wonder who he thanks

when he's beaten deep for a TD....

[FriendlyReminder]

23. This thread is absolutely cracking me up. Good end to a crappy day!

While I call baloney on the religious persecution claim made by the player, the letter of the rule is that you cannot go to the ground to "celebrate a TOUCHDOWN". The rule says absolutely nothing about going to the ground to celebrate for any other reason including Jared Allen's sacks and other plays ANYWHERE on the field. Also, looking at the replay, Johnson was not on the field of play, he was past the endline.

Poor officiating in IMHO but the NFL is a cabal and there will never be an improvement until they get full time refs and better people training these guys.

[petronius]

25. Perhaps the whole 'no going to the ground' rule is designed to penalize

prayer-like demonstrations, and thus the entire celebration rule is based on an effort to discriminate against Christian players. Johnson needs to peruse the minutes of the Rules committee, and find out what the motivation for the rule actually was. He may have uncovered a nest of satanic anti-Jesus hatred in the upper echelon of the NFL (god-warriors can never be too vigilant). :silly:

Of course, it sounds like the rule is about TDs, and if he didn't score one I can see how he might feel a bit hosed...

[BoneDaddy]

28. The problem is that this "infraction" is totally arbitrary

based upon who are the officials. That is the problem. A simple gesture like this, regardless of what you think if religion, is rather tame, compared to the public displays of ridiculousness that some athletes engage in.

I do not, however, think that this moron is correct and that he is being "singled out" because of his religion.