On Saturday, the Georgetown football team proved that it can excite its fans. After losing two fumbles, it looked like it would be business as usual for a Georgetown opponent. However, the Blue and Gray pulled out another impressive homecoming victory. There was one thing, though, that did not excite me about the Hilltop footballers on their way to victory: their celebrations after good plays, which involved acting out a basketball jump shot.
Seeing this celebration, which originated in the New York Giants’ defense, reminded me of just how bad it is. Any given Sunday, Giants defenders can be seen practicing their jump-shot form. Every Michael Strahan sack or R.W. McQuarters interception is promptly followed by a jumper, which is in turn promptly followed by me sprinting to the nearest bathroom. Right now, I would rather watch Jeter fist-pump after Jeter fist-pump than another Giant jump shot. Well, maybe I won’t go that far, but come on, New York. You’re leading the NFC East. You can be more creative than this. It’s agonizing in more ways than one.
First of all, it looks ridiculous. Seeing grown men in pads and helmets jumping around like jackrabbits is at best only pathetically amusing. Remember that these linebackers weigh in at around 250 pounds while the defensive linemen push the 300 mark. If I get anything from watching the Geeee-Men jacking up fake shots, it’s that I realize exactly why they’re in the NFL and not balling it up with LeBron and D-Wade. They’re lucky you can’t airball on an imaginary hoop.
The celebration also makes no sense. This is football. There’s no place for jump shots on the gridiron. Not all celebrations have to make sense and fit the sport. But if they don’t, they’d better be creative. It’s cool when Ricky Schramm putts an imaginary golf ball towards the corner flag after scoring a goal or when Chad Johnson does the same with a pylon after a touchdown. Tony Gonzalez dunking the football over the goalpost is fine too. But the jump shot is the equivalent of Michael Jordan acting out robbing a homerun after draining a game-winner or Johan Santana tackling his catcher Joe Mauer everytime he gets a strikeout.
In order to have a good celebration, it must be original. Yes, the Giants’ jump shot is original, but I think there’s a reason why no one ever did it before. The fact is that the football jump shot is uncreative and not cool. Maybe the problem lies with the stricter regulations in the NFL on celebrations. Truly creative minds, such as those of Chad Johnson, Steve Smith, T.O. and Joe Horn, have been handcuffed by fines. These are the guys fans would like to see struttin’ their stuff. It should be the Giants who are getting fined for their lame jump shot.
I’m just saying that athletes, particularly professionals, need to learn. Next time, you should all just trot around the bases after a homer, get back and start learning how to play defense after a rim-rockin’ jam and hand the ball to the ref after a touchdown. Act like you’ve been there before.
