You think NFL celebration rules are crazy? You ain't seen nothing yet.
Bills star Stevie Johnson was recently fined $10,000 for his post-touchdown mocking of Jets receiver Plaxico Burress shooting himself. But that's small potatoes compared to a Boston high school football team that lost out on its first championship because of a relatively benign touchdown celebration.
Cathedral High School's star quarterback, Matthew Owens, raised his arm just before entering the end zone and that was enough to keep his squad from winning the local Super Bowl title.
With six minutes to go and his team trailing by four points, Owens was penalized as he ran into the end zone for unsportsmanlike conduct because he raised his arm overhead. WBZ-TV reports the quarterback's father, Kenneth Owens, believes the official had a personal beef with his son.
Before the game, both schools were warned not to take part in any unnecessary celebrations. Owens' move was deemed excessive, and Cathedral lost its perfect 11-0 season. Blue Hills Regional Technical High in Canton Mass. took home the Division 4A Championship trophy instead.
Blue Hills coach Ed Castabla backs the decision, telling NECN "There was no controversial call. The MIAA made it perfectly clear at the beginning of the season that this would not be tolerated."
Cathedral has asked for more information about the rule, to prevent it from hurting its teams again. And the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association has looked into the penalty.
But there will be no reversal; the MIAA says that when the game ends, the game ends. No appeals are allowed.
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