One of the newer features of sports compared

[Jim Franklin]

with earlier time is the dramatic exuberant displays by players when they have made a particular play whether it is spectacular or not. Touchdowns, Slamdunks, homeruns, hockey goals all get celebrated by the individuals and some of the teammates. I am sure Joe Dimaggio, Ted Williams, George Mikan and Red Grange were pleased with their efforts but I just don't recall them celebrating with such exuberance. Not that it is wrong, just a more recent development.

[Mike Schutz]

So, I am going to be more "old school" than brother Jim. Such celebrations bother me.

But then, it also bothered me 40 years ago when Red would light up the cigar.

I appreciate that one of the things sports teaches us is that functioning within the rules and working as a team is the most effective way to succeed. Also, that there is an appropriate way to win and to lose, and in neither case should you "show up" your adversary.

But this is not just in sports. We have lost the ability to debate ideas - to reasonably discuss ideas on their merit while respecting those with whom we disagree. Instead, we prefer to scream and yell and obfuscate instead of bringing light.

Back to the topic. In baseball, when Frank Robinson hit a home run, he did not show up the pitcher - because he knew that if he did Bob Gibson or Don Drysdale would take action. When Lenny Moore or Gale Sayers or Walter Payton or Jim Brown scored, they tossed the ball to the official. When Wes Unseld or Bill Russell or Oscar Robertson or Jerry West or John Havlicek or Magic Johnson or Larry Bird wanted to show their dominance to an opponent, they would make a great pass or hit a jumper in their face, not stand over them while thrusting their pelvis.

I preferred those actions over what I see these days. But then, I am old school.

[Bob Evans]

Joe Paterno tells his players that when they score a touchdown that they ought to act like they have been there before.

[Joe Hittle]

Hey guys,

If you want to see an "old schooler" talk about the way he went about doing business in his day, check out www.cubs.com where they have a video clip of Ernie Banks that loads automatically once you get to the page.

Here's a guy who talks about it being embarrassing to him that he had success doing what he did so very well for so very long.

Obviously, my appreciation for Ernie may be a little slanted, but if you watch it, I think you'll see why I think it fits quite well with the theme of this thread.

Joe

[Mike Schutz]

Speaking of "old school," it is amazing to see the resurgence of the Boston Celtics as led by old school Kevin Garnett. In the NBA teams take on the personality of their best player, and Garnett's work ethic and emphasis on defense is truly contagious.

I never had the opportunity to see him play when he was with the Timberwolves, but I am truly impressed. He is one of the few contemporary players who would have fit in with the old school Celtics of the past, such as Bird, Russell, Cowens, and Havlicek.

[Billie Goodson]

I think Barry Sanders (someone help me here, I thought I recalled that about him) never really celebrated -- and sometimes the way he got there deserved some celebrating. Also, LaDainian Tomlinson today does not celebrate. Of course, he did slightly overreact last year when the Chargers lost to the Patriots -- the Patriots put on one of the most childish of celebrations following that win. And how can forget the pathetic display that Chad Johnson put on this year where he over-hyped his celebration that was basically him wearing a jacket that said Future-Hall-of-Famer -- well, not for that celebration certainly.

[Jeremy D. Scott]

Back to the topic. In baseball, when Frank Robinson hit a home run, he did not show up the pitcher - because he knew that if he did Bob Gibson or Don Drysdale would take action. When Lenny Moore or Gale Sayers or Walter Payton or Jim Brown scored, they tossed the ball to the official. When Wes Unseld or Bill Russell or Oscar Robertson or Jerry West or John Havlicek or Magic Johnson or Larry Bird wanted to show their dominance to an opponent, they would make a great pass or hit a jumper in their face, not stand over them while thrusting their pelvis.

Larry Bird is still considered by many to be the greatest trash talker of all-time.

[Ryan Scott]

Larry Bird is still considered by many to be the greatest trash talker of all-time.


That's a good point. The modesty came only in not showing up the opponent publicly. I'm sure those guys said the same things to each other as guys now; they just didn't do it openly.

[Mike Schutz]

I would agree. There is a difference between trash talking, which for the most part is only between players, and putting on a public display.
Wasn't it Bob Feller who said, "If you can do it, it ain't braggin'."

[Steven Martinez]

I think Barry Sanders (someone help me here, I thought I recalled that about him) never really celebrated -- and sometimes the way he got there deserved some celebrating. Also, LaDainian Tomlinson today does not celebrate. Of course, he did slightly overreact last year when the Chargers lost to the Patriots -- the Patriots put on one of the most childish of celebrations following that win. And how can forget the pathetic display that Chad Johnson put on this year where he over-hyped his celebration that was basically him wearing a jacket that said Future-Hall-of-Famer -- well, not for that celebration certainly.

Tomlinson celebrates after every touchdown when he stands upright like a ballarina and does his little flick of the football behind him. He does it every time he scores. He is one of the worst culprits of TD celebrations. He gets away with it because everyone thinks he is a nice guy. If it was TO or Chad Johnson they would get 15 yards for taunting.

[Steven Martinez]

Barry Sanders handed the ball to the ref everytime.

By the way, you should see the celebrations I preform after every post. It is almost as good as the one I preform after I eat breakfast which is slightly beaten by my post-shoe tieing exstravaganza.

[Bruce Carriker]

Joe Paterno tells his players that when they score a touchdown that they ought to act like they have been there before.

Herm Edwards hasn't been real successful winning football games for the Chiefs this year, but he has an old school philosophy that copies Paterno: Äct like you've been there before; act like you plan to be there again.

In a game earlier this year, a young DB, Bennie Sapp, got an unsportsmanlike conduct flag for taunting a receiver. First Edwards went after Sapp. Then he went after the official. Watching on TV, it appeared that he was disputing the flag, but in his press conference after the game he said, "I asked the ref if he wanted to throw him out of the game. We're the Kansas City Chiefs and we don't act that way, and the young man (Herm calls his players "young men" a lot) needs to learn that lesson."

Sadly, too many of them still DO act that way, even if Herm's philosophy is opposed to it.

[Bruce Carriker]

Priest Holmes never celebrated in KC that I can recall. And he sure got to the end zone A LOT from 2000-2004.

[Steven Martinez]

Priest Holmes never celebrated in KC that I can recall. And he sure got to the end zone A LOT from 2000-2004.

He didn't celebrate his TDs but he would turn his body while holding the ball toward deffenders to taunt them while he went in the end zone.
http://photos.signonsandiego.com/gallery1.5/030807kc/ERholmestdA209383?full=1
http://www.viewimages.com/Search.aspx?mid=2532013&epmid=2&partner=Google