Mass(ive) Controversy

Boston Cathedral High School's Matt Owens raises his arm in celebration
for what he thought was the go-ahead touchdown in Saturday's Division
4A Super Bowl in Massachusetts. Instead Owens was flagged for
unsportsmanlike conduct, resulting in his team losing 16-14 to Blue Hills.

Let me take back to a couple weeks ago. For those of you who follow this blog with any regularity, you probably remember when I railed on Buffalo's Stevie Johnson for his touchdown celebration against the Jets (if not you can read about it here).

Now, I believe Mr. Johnson owes the players on Boston's Cathedral High School an apology.

In the Massachusetts state championship, Cathedral's Matt Owens broke free for what should have been a 56-yard go-ahead touchdown. But as he raced down the field, Owens raised his fist in a brief celebration — resulting in a 15-yard penalty that nullified the touchdown.

As it turns out, that minor fist pump cost Cathedral a state title.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of excess showboating in any sport. Everybody knows the old cliche "There is no I in team," but football players especially are notorious for turning a team's accomplishments into more of a, "Look what I did."

While guys like Johnson and Chad Ochocinco give football players a bad name, what Owens did was did not warrant a flag.

One of the great things about high school and college sports is that the athletes show raw emotions. Momentum is a huge factor. It is the thing that fuels upsets and propels a team to victory.

By definition, yes, Owens was in the wrong in raising his fist. No doubt, Owens would give anything to have that second in his life back. But you have to look at the circumstances surrounding that situation.

Picture yourself in that situation as an 18-year-old athlete. This could be your greatest achievement of your life. Why wouldn't you want to raise your fist in celebration — even if it is just for a brief moment?

Those who have played sports — be it in high school, college or the professional ranks — know the rush of making such a play. As Boston mayor Thomas Menino said, "You wouldn't be a human being if you didn't show some expression."

Because of the recent antics of Johnson and Ochocinco — among many others — officials are cracking down on the celebrations — even if it means taking away a state championship.

To me, there's only one possible solution. Cathedral and Blue Hills should split the state title this year. It was an honest mistake by Owens and one I'm sure he will regret for the rest of his life. But there's no sense in punishing his team any more than necessary.