By Sid Saraf, FOXSports.com We’re back! Welcome to Volume XVII of Mail-it-in Friday as we keep #grinding through the NFL season. We’ve got a few topics to cover this week, so let’s not waste time. You guys are TOTES fired up about Golden Tate’s display of taunting, Dez Bryant’s antics and Nate Burleson getting free pizza. Remember, if you want your email featured here, send your missives to lacesoutmail@gmail.com. OK, let’s get to work! THE GOLDEN RULE Seahawks WR Golden Tate made an idiot out of himself on Monday night, when he taunted the Rams secondary on his way to the end zone. Well, the NFL was watching and there is scuttlebutt that the league may consider nullifying points for taunting penalties. Yup, the blood was in the water for you dear readers. Nate wrote,I fail to see why Golden Tate is getting destroyed by the media this week. Did he do something stupid and detrimental to his team? Yes. As a Seahawks fan did it make me scowl a little? Yes. Did he invent taunting? No! (See: Deion Sanders Highlight Reel.) What is the difference between what Golden did and what every defensive lineman does after every sack? Tate made a gesture with his hand at a defensive back and got a $7,000 fine and a 15 yard penalty. There's a guy out there dancing like Pee Wee Herman after a sack and nobody bats an eye! Now the NFL is talking about taking away touchdowns for actions like Tate's Taunt. I get it when they change the game for safety reasons, but how does it help the NFL brand/business to penalize entertainment generating actions like touchdown celebrations? I say, let them dance! Now excuse me, this email was so awesome I've got to bust out an Icky Shuffle. Whoa, whoa, I’ll judge what emails are awesome around here. Can I be in charge for a while? I see what you’re saying about Chandler Jones and his Pee-Wee Herman dance. But that was after he made a big play. AFTER. He didn’t put on a clown show like Golden Tate. Let me refresh your memory:
Dude, the guy hadn’t even reached the end zone yet. What’s more, he almost stepped out of bounds. Sorry, but that’s a douchey move. Cross the goal line first and then do whatever you want. If you want to break out in a Riverdance, go for it. If you want to sing an operetta, be my guest. I don’t care if you pull your pants down and do the Harlem Shake. Just cross the goal line first, please. Jim and Cindy wrote,LET'S NOT STOP THERE. THESE ARE SUPPOSE TO BE PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE. YES, IF YOU LOOKED AT THE DEFINITION OF PROFESSIONAL YOU WOULD SAY IT GOES WITH THE SPORT. BUT, A BROADER LOOK SHOULD GO TO THE WAY THE PROFESSIONAL PLAYS THE SPORT. THINGS LIKE:TAUNTING, GOING NUTS WHEN YOU MAKE A TACKLE OR GOOD BLOCK, AFTER MAKING A TOUCHDOWN, ETC NEED TO BE STOPPED TOO. THE UNIVERSITIES HAVE IT RIGHT AFTER SCORING. YOU ACT LIKE AN ANIMAL AND YOU GET A PENALITY. THE SAME SHOULD EVEN BE MORE TRUE OF PROFESSIONALS. IT'S DISGUSTING TO WATCH AND SENDS A BAD MSG TO OUR KIDS. THE NFL PLAYERS NEED TO START ACTING LIKE PROFESSIONALS AND CUT THE CRAP WHEN ALL THEY'VE DONE IS WHAT THEY ARE BEING PAID TO DO. Whatever. Listen, here’s tip to you email writers: There’s nothing worse than all capital letters. That’s like yelling in writing form. And once people start yelling, I tune out. PizzaMn47 wrote,I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOUR COLUMN ON WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN WHEN A PLAYER TAUNTS ANOTHER PLAYER WHILE SCORING A TOUCH DOWN ON A LONG PASS...........THEY NOT ONLY SHOULD LOSE THE TD , BUT A 15 YD PENALTY SHOULD SUFFICE AND AS AN ADDED BONUS LOSS OF DOWN..........THEN YOU'LL SEE THESE IDIOTS ACT THEIR AGE , THE SEAHAWKS HAVE A FEW OF THEM ON THEIR ROSTER.........BOTH ON OFFENSE & DEFENSE..........AND ANOTHER SUGGESTION I HAVE IS TO TAKE AWAY A TD FOR THESE DUMB END ZONE DISPLAYS AND ADD A 15 YD PENALTY.........THEN THE CIRCUS WILL BE ELIMINATED.........YEARS AGO MEN PLAYED FOOTBALL AND IF THEIR WAS A SACK, OR A RUNNER WAS TACKLED FOR NO GAIN OR BEHIND THE LINE , THEY DIDN'T GO INTO THESE STUPID THEATRICS........WHEN OFFICIALS START THROWING THOSE YELLOW FLAGS THAT GARBAGE WILL STOP............ Sigh, here we go again with the capital letters. And this guy has added ellipses … to it. What … a pain. God … I hate this. Please …. pass the Advil. I want … to cry. Kill … me now.
Patrick wrote,I agree with the rule 100%!! There is no reason to be showing off, bringing attention to yourself or disrespecting your opponent. Okay, you pulled off a great play (i.e. LSU Tigers vs. Florida Gators – LSU fake punt for TD) and it worked – let it be!! No need to pour salt into the wound.I was a high school football official and had the privilege of watching one of the best running backs in the game – Reggie Bush. However, Reggie, in my opinion, pulled a no-no in one of his games that I threw a flag on. He broke away on a sweep to the left and was heading into the end zone. At the 25 yard line, he turned around and started running backwards. While being pursued by a defender, he stuck the ball out towards the defender as if to say, “Come and take it from me.” My call was unsportsmanlike conduct at the spot of the foul. The TD was taken away and a 15 yard penalty was assessed and the ball placed at the visitor’s 40 yard line. Mind you, this all occurred way before the current rule came into effect. Granted, the TD should have counted and the penalty assessed on the kickoff but to me it was a matter of principal and his coach ‘Thanked’ me at the end of the game for making that call. By the way, Reggie scored on the next play (a sweep to the left for 40 yards) and, when he got into the end zone, turned and handed me the ball and trotted off.I agree that the players should be able to be jubilant when they make a great play – just don’t take it to the extreme and don’t rub it in the opponent’s face. To me, if one of those extremes occurs and, in the judgment of the official there is a violation, throw the flag; disallow the score and tack on a 15 yard penalty from the spot of the foul. I feel this should also take effect in the NFL – way too much of this going on. Wait, so you invented a penalty right on the spot? What the hell is that? I’m not saying Reggie didn’t act like an ass, but you can’t just arbitrarily take away points when that wasn’t in the rule book. I’m glad Reggie went on to score anyway! And here’s me taunting you:
(But thanks for the perspective, Patrick.) Rick wrote,I think the whole idea of taunting as a penalty is ridiculous. Does the NFL think it needs to be a mommy to grown men who make a million dollars a year? Maybe they should take down the scoreboard and not keep score. Flip a coin to see who plays in the Superbowl. This has nothing to do with player safety and should go the way of the drop-kick. Psst! Ummm, Rick? The drop-kick is still around. Let me add this: Judging by the behavior of many NFL players, I think they need a mommy figure in their lives. George wrote,What is fun about taunting? What does that have to do with the No Fun League? Penalize the jerks – nobody wants to see it from your team or their opponent. Duly noted. Judy wrote,Taunting end zone dances and gyrations totally are ruining football. A very simple solution would be to take away the touchdown,give the other team the ball, and eject the guilty player along with a stiff fine. Should he have to climb back in his mother’s womb, too? Take it easy, Judy. Mike wrote,What ever happened to the penalty for the home team fans making so much noise that the other team can not hear the signal calls? I think that they should go back to that one. Oh, stop. We’ve moved on from the whole crowd noise controversy weeks ago. STRANGE DEZ INDEED Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant caused a stir in Week 8 when he was caught by cameras talking in an emotional manner on the sidelines on more than one occasion. Now, as it turns out, he trying to pump up his team during one of those instances, but the whole situation has sparked debate. Bob wrote,Dez Bryant is the biggest cry baby in the league. He thinks every ball thrown should go his way and he has Tony Romo buying into it. Yes The cowboys could be great but as a team. They’re other receivers on that team and Bryant thinks he’s too good to be a decoy. With that attitude they won’t win another game. When he doesn’t catch a ball he thinks he’s an official and starts begging for a flag. He even has Romo begging with him. Coach needs to control these guys or let them set out a game or two. Kind of reminds me of two other wide receivers that are no longer players because they had no team concept—right TO and Randy---------------- Wrong. T.O. and Randy Moss aren’t in the league anymore because they’re both up there in age. At least, from a football standpoint. Believe me, both of those guys were outspoken for most, if not their entire careers. Yet, both were gainfully employed right up until the point they were considered to have lost a step. NFL teams will put up with almost anything (short of murder). As long as you can bring it on the field, you’ll have a job. Tiffany wrote,My personal opinion is that they are blowing that Dez Bryant thing out of proportion like they always do everything. The comments of Michael Irving and Marshall Faulk said it best.He was just showing emotion, no disrespect to his teammates but he was just expressing his passion for wanting to win the game.Dallas should of won that game and in the heat of the moment he just expressed himself in a way that others may think were harsh, it may have been at a different level and it could of went a different way however it is not that serious.Maybe other teammates should raise their level of intensity for wanting to win games Can’t argue with that. The Cowboys need a shot in the arm of some sort. We’ve seen a lot of calmness from the Cowboys and where has that led them? Nowhere but several missed playoff chances and years and years of mediocrity. Don’t you just want to shake head coach Jason Garrett sometimes and yell “get angry!” at him and his Princeton face? Who knows, we might look at Dez’s sideline explosion as the thing that sparked Big D’s season in a few weeks. Wouldn’t that be lovely?
Rodney wrote,First of all Jason Witten is a captain of this team, whether Dez Bryant is right or not, he better start respecting those who have been on this team for many years. Jason knows what should be done to get the team on the right track. What was Tony doing just sitting there with no defense against Dez. I don't believe Dez was saying they were the best in the NFL, especially when they were playing a game like that. Dez was acting like an out of control eight year old without his ritalin. I don’t know what was or wasn’t said. We don’t know what really happened. What we do know is that Jason Witten has come out in support of Dez Bryant this week and that’s all I need to hear. If Witten still likes him, it must not be that bad. Kathy wrote,I think every person male or female, reporting for football should concentrate on what the heck is going on the field and not the sidelines. I have been watching football since the late 60’s. My father and three brothers pretty much ran my life, and I grew up and had two boys. they both played football as well. I know what happens on the sidelines, and I just don’t feel it’s as important as the what happens on the field. I do understand this is professional football, but seriously, what was happening on the field while he (Dez) was ranting. Does anyone ask that question? No, I’m almost positive nobody knows. Your dad and three brothers ran your life … that’s a good thing, right? Sorry, just kidding. Listen, I agree with you. I’m really not concerned with what happens on the sidelines. It’s not really not that important. Football is an emotional game played in a loud stadium. Even starting at the high-school level, there’s a lot of shouting, pleading and physical gyrations on the sidelines. We have so much access these days, which leads to nit-picking. A lot of nit-picking. We need to get over it. Except when players pee on the sidelines. That’s too funny.
IT’S JUST THE DELIVERY … Lion receiver Nate Burleson – who broke his arm in a car accident while driving home with some pizza – was given a year’s supply of pies from DiGiorno. Yeah, I know, it’s kinda silly. Don wrote,Perfect... once again corporate america sees an op to get free advertising by donating product or services to some guy who makes more in one game than the normal person makes in a year or two. That’s the first thought that ran through my head when I saw this story. Don, you and I are cynical people. Guess what? In this case, we’re absolutely right. We’re just not scared to point out the inconvenient – and sometimes annoying – truth. Jerry wrote,Why not give a homeless person a year’s supply not a Millionaire football player. Simple, we can’t just give anyone a year’s supply of pizza. How will the homeless provide free advertising for DiGiorno? And furthermore, do you want the homeless to get fat? I don’t know if you’ve heard, but there’s an obesity problem in this country.
RANDOM MUSINGSThomas wrote,we need to keep our football games at home.not in London or anywhere else,next would be china.I know I wont be watching them This is ‘Murica! USA! USA! USA! David wrote,OK, How about this rule.... Intentional grounding... Right! The QB is 1. inside the tackle's and throws the ball 2. no receiver in the area, or 3. short of the scrimmage line... Intentional grounding ...Right?Ok, QB steps back from center, throws ball into the ground (CLOCKING) the ball stopping the clock...? By definition, Isn't this intentional grounding in the purest sense?? The QB intentionally grounded the ball to stop the clock… Penalize them for intentional grounding…DUH!If clocking the ball is not by the rules definition of intentional grounding, then what the heck is it..? CLOCKING THE BALL? Where is that in the rule book? Maybe I/m just STUPID or maybe NOT!!! Thank you! I’ve never understood how spiking the ball isn’t intentional grounding. There are no eligible receivers near where he’s throwing the ball and he’s definitely in the pocket. David, you’ve done it. You’ve won the Golf Clap of the Week Award!
OK, I think we’ve had enough fun for this week. See you next time!
