Unfortunately while I feel bad for both parties Blue Hills Regional should know that they really didn't win. It was handed to them not on merit or because it was earned!

No call. If I were this kid and I saw the end zone open up like that to win a state championship, I don't know what I would do because it never happened to me.

Let the kid be excited! Did he slash his throat? Did he shoot someone? Did he stomp on an arm or turn and start mouthing off to the ref or another player? No.

Get rid of the rule. Let kids play.

the ref=Hitler

Don't chastise the official. He did his job. A rule is a rule, they broke the rule, they were penalized. That ONE call did not decide the game. I'm sure several of the coaches play calls were poor and resulted in a loss of yardage, incomplete pass, fumble or interception, but nobody is talking about that. Let's take the easy way out and blame the ref. That's not fair to the official who was doing his job.

Kudo's to the official for making the right call.

Really Joe? Hitler? I didn't notice that the football field was Auschwitz.

The people making comments also repeatedly elected Barney Frank and Deval Patrick into office. So their comments don't rate merit. Also, as for 'facts' the kid was flagged earlier in the game for the same thing (not the ref's fault the kid can't learn a lesson), secondly there were still 6 minutes left in the game and the kid threw an INT on the next play. Blue Hills WON the game fair and square. Cathedral, get over it. You lost, you don't get a trophy! You did get a lunch with Mayor Menino though. And quit blaming the ref, it was the back judge that threw the flag! Don't let facts get in the way of a good argument though!

While the action was benign compared to what we see on most Sunday’s, the rule is written to protect the integrity of the game and limit the judgment an official needs to use in this situation. The rule is clear – no taunting. By saying that the official should not have called this penalty, are you saying that he shouldn’t throw a flag if the player points at an opponent chasing him? Or if he starts to high step? Or if he does a flip into the end zone? What is so hard about teaching the kid to get into the end zone and then celebrate the great play? The official made the absolute correct call.

I watched the video; clearly a violaiton of the rule. Thank you Mr. Official for having the guts to make the right call. Too bad this doesn't happen more often.

After watching the video I feel the referee took the intent of the rule to an extreme. The player was excited and showed it. He did not try to embarrass anybody and the celebration was not excessive. Too bad that the ref has to be the focus of a championship game. I disagree with Eric... while there are many plays in a game, this game was decided by the ref.

The official has discretionary decision making authority and at that point in the game may have chosen not to enforce the letter of the rule and recognized that these players are invested in the game and the game’s outcome. The player did not hold the ball in a taunting manner, nor did the player point at an opposing player. I do not see this as a “taunting gesture” which is how the rule is written. Because the rule is vague the game officials have the latitude to interpret what exactly a “taunting gesture” looks like. This player’s action was not provoking, did not ridicule, tease, or demean in any manner and therefore does not meet the definition of a “taunting gesture.”

In no way shape or form did the player direct ill will or taunt another person or team. I am surprised the official assigned to the game of that caliber could not decipher between witnessing an honest emotion of success and taunting at someone or thing. It's called over officiating - sometimes nerves or the ref's ego gets in the way of the game.

As a high school football official, I can only ask those that are complaining about the call: Are there any other rules that you don't want us to enforce?

Of course the right call was made. The rule is clear and the official's job is to enforce it. He did that and shouldn't be second guessed. It is imperative that high school sports have striclty enforced sportsmanship rules and they must be applied during the last minute of the game exactly as they would be enforced in the first quarter. It is unfortunate that this call was late in the game and everyone thinks it affected the outcome. If there had been a clip away from the ball on the same play should it have been called?

It was the correct call, no question. Happened to LSU this year too. Celebrating is way out of control at the pro level, which trickles down to college and high school players. It just needs to stop.

I am an official. I believe that the official who called this penalty is wrong. If this is his interpretation of taunting then I seriously question his judgement. This has nothing to do with poor sportsmanship. The kid raised his hand - c'mon. This is a judgement call. Please excercise some common sense. I think all of us can recognize taunting when we see it. Good officials use common sense when working games. Poor officials cannot make the distinction and hide behind the rule book. I feel bad for both teams as neither one can claim true victory, but it will be a game that never will be forgotten by any of the players or coaches or officials involved.

The right call was made. The rule may be a little harsh but the ref made the right call. The kid 'celebrated' or did something that brought attention to himself and got a flag for it. Of course he was excited and I might have very well reacted the same as him but the rule is the rule.

At least it wasn't an SEC officiating crew with the benefit of instant replay calling the game! Who knows what would have happened. They allow TD's when the ball never crosses the plane!

Officals have leeway when calling many different calls - holding, pass interference, etc. inwhich they have to make split second decision to ignore or call the foul - this was one them and the ref choose wrong. If they want to encourage sportmanship then stop:
- the dancing over a sacked QB - who is sometimes injured and thus in pain.
- the dancing and celebration after catching a ball, making a tackle, making a first down etc.

For some players the touchdown they score could be the only one after years of competion and maybe the only one they will score in their life based on the position they play.

GOD Forbid someone gets excited to enter the end zone and score a touchdown. People have to realize that this isn't the new dodge-ball. There is going to be a winning team and a loseing team.

It's not weather you win or loose, it's how you play the game, and most importantly, how much FUN you had while playing the game. This whole society that makes everyone a winner isn't teaching anything and in turn even hurting sportsmanship.

As an official, I can assure you this official either had a prior agenda or has absolutely no common sense. This was a situation where his white hat (Referee) should have stepped in and asked, 'Are we really going to do this?' It would have been easy to wave this off. However, since it wasn't, the MIAA should take actions to see that none of this officiating crew is ever allowed to work a post-season contest again. It is obvious, they weren't up to the test to handle a state championship-deciding contest. My heart goes out to this team. They were obviously robbed by a crew that thought their involvement in the game, and interpretation of the rules, was more important than the game itself. Very sad

Is the penally for 'taunting' or for 'celebrating'? If it's for 'celebrating', then I guess it's a good call. If it's for 'taunting', I don't see that in his actions.

I have one more thing to add. I sense a lot of emotion in some of the comments here. IF you had any interest in this game, your comments mean nothing. All of the people who wanted one team to win will see it one way, the others will see it the other. As an objective observer, and I really wanted to see the play to evaluate it, I can tell you unequivacally, the interpretation of this call was WRONG!!! This play was over-officiated, cut and dried. I'm sure if you watched the entire game you would see players celebrate a big hit! You would see players jump up and be happy after a long run!!! Defensive teammates would celebrate a big stop on third down!!! There is no difference. This was a flinch! A realization that this young man knew he was going to score! Are we going to take away home runs in baseball when a player connects and he thrusts his arm in the air when it goes over the fence??? Come on guys! Wear the stripes proudly. Don't embarass us with this type of interpretation. The game is for the kids. Not for you!!!

A couple years ago, the U. Wash. Husky QB scored a TD with a couple seconds left to go. As he got up off the ground, the ball left his hand into the air (thrown? hardly) and his team was given a 15 yard penalty...the extra point was blocked and my BYU Cougars won. I was a BYU cheerleader, I am a huge BYU fan, I appreciate the W, but that victory has an asterisk, even in my mind. It was a lame call. The ball wasn't thrown at anyone, didn't sail into the stands, no taunting, not thrown at the ref. It was an amazing drive by an amazing competitor. Yes, an extra point from 15 yards deeper is makeable, but it was blocked because they didn't have a good kicker (no leg...low angle). We 'won' kinda.

These seriously frivolous penalties are stupid.

My brother was playing in OT in the state championship basketball game in the Kingdome (yes, a few years ago)...and the PA announcer kept telling us to sit down. NO FREEEEEKING WAY. Let the game be played. Let some emotion show on the field and in the stands. This is excitement, not taunting. The kid just scored the game-winning championship touchdown and some PC-psychotherapist thinks its bad that he get excited...don't want to hurt anyone's feelings.

Why do we even keep score? Someone might get their feelings hurt if they get less points. Let's just have a practice, have everyone buy new uniforms, show up for a 'team' photo, have an awards ceremony where every kid gets an MVP trophy and then go home?

After viewing the video, reading the rule, taking everything into consideration, and reading that the QB was penalized earlier in the game, I still stand by my earlier email.

However, I would quantify it with this:

To me, it looks like the QB did what he did as a spiteful gesture not to the opposing team, but to the official(s) who earlier penalized him; and, it looks like the official threw the flag as an acknowledgment of the Qb's actions, and as a way to spite the QB back.

I still think it was the wrong call by the referee, but the QB's actions I would call 'a punk move'.

As we can't tell the mindframe of either person, the line is too fine to take away the championship.

For those who claim to be officials and think this was the wrong call, what other rules do you normally set aside during a game? For fans or coaches, are there other rules you want officials to ignore or would you rather them just pick a few. the rule is the rule. Bad rule or good rule, it must be enforced. To compare it to other celebratory or taunting actions is unfair because the rules do not specifically address dancing after a QB sack. This action is SPECIFICALLY identified in the rules.

as someone said earlier....kudos to the official for having the guts to call it. what are we teaching kids if we pick and choose what rules to enforce?

To anyone who thinks this call was correct, you either have an obvious vested interest in the outcome, you apparently do not understand the emotions in competitive athletics or you habor and wish to promote some other inexplicable agenda. I don't even have a dog in this fight but actions like this, simply illustrate the degree of what I feel has become the 'wussification' of America. The 'everyone gets a trophy for participating', the 'we don't keep score' or any other way you want to describe the attitudes creating a passive, noncompetitive generation of castrated males that has become the laughing stock of other countries. I certainly don't condone poor sportsmanship and ACTUAL taunting of an opponent, particularly at this level, but when did it become a crime err penalty to enjoy winning and being proud of your (or your team's) accomplishment?

I truly love the comments by those acting as seasoned experts, when they obviously do not even have a fundamental understanding of the topic matter. tatements like 'the right call was made', 'the rule was enforced' and my favorite, 'the rule is clear and the official's job is to enforce it' with a completely odd and off topic comparison to whether a clipping penalty should be called. Where were you going with that anyway, Stan?

I echo the sentiments of BR and DM (and others apparently 80%+ LOL!) and am particularly amused by the comments about rules are 'black and white.' Are you for real? Do you know the actual name of the document in which they use to govern and enforce codes for this sport? The '2011 and 2011 NCAA Football Rules and INTERPRETATIONS'!!! While some rules are monosemous, many rules require at least some level of 'interpretation.'

While the following excerpt from the above stated manuscript has been abbreviated, none of the actual wording has been altered. So in direct reference to your earlier comment Mr. or Ms. CONCERNED that 'celebratory QB sack dance' (that makes me miss Mark Gastineau) or 'taunting actions' are 'not specifically addressd' but this action is 'SPECIFICALLY identified', this Bud's for you...

Rule 9, Section 2 covering Unsportsmanlike Conduct Section A

Pointing the finger(s), hand(s), arm(s) or ball AT an opponent, or imitating the slashing of the throat

Taunting, baiting or ridiculing an opponent verbally

Simulating the firing of a weapon or placing a hand by the ear to request recognition.

Any delayed, excessive, prolonged or choreographed act by which a player (or players) attempts to focus attention upon himself (or
themselves).

An unopposed ball carrier obviously altering stride as he approaches the opponent’s goal line or diving into the end zone.

Removal of a player’s helmet before he is in the team area

Punching one’s own chest or crossing one’s arms in front of the chest while standing over a prone player

Going into the stands to interact with spectators, or bowing at the waist

So, anyone? Bueller...Bueller????

Game officials have an obligation to 'mange' the game. In some leagues and their rules and guidelines it's literally referred to as 'game management'.

Applying the rules correctly, and, as is the case in some instances, 'interpreting' the correct application of the rule(s), are all part of good game management.

It looks like some good 'game management' was missing here.

And again, even though I believe the referee erred in his call, (it was poor game management), the rules noted in these blogs provide him the leverage to make the call he made.

The player's actions can be interpreted as being 'excessive' 'choreographed' and did in fact bring 'focus attention upon himself...'

'Any delayed, excessive, prolonged or choreographed act by which a player (or players) attempts to focus attention upon himself (or
themselves).'

That's why 'good game management' is a must.
Unfortunately, not everyone is capable of it.

The call was horrendous! For the psychologist who was privy to what the player and referee were thinking ought to see a Psychologist himself. As a former high school, collegiate and professional cfootball coach, I have had many disagreements with officials; most were concerned with interpretation of a rule. (For example, an official is not supposed to call a clip unless he sees the point of contact from the beginning. If he sees the end of a play and the blocker is blocking the defender from behind, he should not call a clip) Good judgement and common sense are absoluely necessary be a good official because in many instances the interpretation of a rule is determined by the officials judgement,

While I agree with the intent of this particular rule, one cannot take emotion out of the game. Anyone who has played the game dreams of making the play that wins a game. When it finally happens, to not show some emotion would be unnatural. The official was wrong and should not be permitted to officiate again unless it is in pee wee football.