NCAA proposes ban on eye black messages

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"They've been used to promote everyone from the Apostle John to Michael Vick. But college football players may soon be prohibited from printing anything, secular or holy, on their eye black if the NCAA Football Rules Committee has its way.

Eye black communication was popularized by former University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, who wasn't shy about his proselytizing. In 2008 he stenciled "Phil 4:13″ for a verse in the New Testament book of Philippians: "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me." He switched to one of the gospels for the national championship game, prompting 90 million viewers to Google John 3:16.

But not everyone was a fan of Tebow's "face Tweets."

"You have to feel for the Jewish kid or the atheist kid or the Muslim kid who loves Tebow but didn't realize his fanship would involve a pitch to convert to Christianity," wrote ESPN's Rick Reilly. "What if the next quarterback wants his eye-black to say, ‘Love Satan' or ‘God Is Dead'? or ‘I (Heart) Beer'? Is the NCAA going to allow it? No chance."

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[Onceuponalife]

1. I guess Phil 4:13 didn't work for Teblow

"I can do all things through Christ....except win when it matters"

[joeybee12]

2. As Church Lady would say, "How con-veeen-ient!" Now that Saint Timmeh

is going to graduate they decide to do something about it.

[lazarus]

3. I was under the impression

that anything not related to the school was already forbidden, they just refused to enforce it.

[joeybee12]

4. God told them not to enforce it as long as his Chose One was playing..n/t

[Renew Deal]

6. The rules don't specifically address eye shade.

This is part of the illegal equipment rule:
Adhesive material, paint, grease or any other slippery substance applied
to equipment or on a player’s person, clothing or attachment that affects
the ball or an opponent (Exception: Eye shade).

There are other rules about the uniform. One of the football rules is that "anything not specifically prohibited is permitted."

[Renew Deal]

5. It should be banned

It's not within the spirit of the game or the uniform rules.

[MaineDem]

18. I agree. n/t

[MrSlayer]

7. I would prefer the eye black praise Satan.

Or at least one player to have the balls to point down after he scores. It would make things interesting.

[Onceuponalife]

19. +1

I've had the same idea about pointing to the ground and saying "That one's for you, Satan!" Or telling an interviewer "No thanks to God. I did it all myself through my superior skill. And maybe a few good blocks by my teammates...or something."

[Poiuyt]

8. Cut Tebow some slack

[Iggo]

9. Yay!

[trumad]

10. I called this a year ago...

I knew that once St. Tebow left the college ranks, they'd call for a ban.

[LisaM]

11. They should have done it earlier

However, they kind of asked for it when they had eye black with corporate logos, which I've seen. Let's hope they get rid of that, too.

[Awsi Dooger]

12. Another proposed rule change could have far more impact

The anti-celebrating idiocy is being taken to absurd extreme. Referees will be allowed to wave off a touchdown if the celebration occurs before the player crosses the goal line. Instead of penalty on the try or kickoff, it will be assessed from the spot of the celebration.

No doubt it will be applied sparingly, but imagine some hard ass conservative referee altering the outcome if something offends him. In particular, I'd advise the mid level SEC teams not to get carried away against an Alabama or Florida.

[ProfessorGAC]

13. Really?!?!?

I hadn't heard that. That's just stupid. Taken the fun out of the game will only lead to a less interesting, and therefore less salable, game.
GAC

[Awsi Dooger]

14. Technically they're targeting taunting

Not celebration. But in application anything can be twisted. Notice the committee chair uses the term "prolonged individual acts," which allows plenty of leeway.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4907531

"If passed, players who draw flags for taunting gestures on their way to a touchdown would have the penalty assessed from the spot of the foul, taking away the score. Penalties that occur in the end zone would continue to be assessed on the extra-point attempt, 2-point conversion try or ensuing kickoff.

The change would take effect in 2011 and on the NCAA's Web site, a release said the proposal received near-unanimous support.

"Taunting and prolonged individual acts have no place in our game, and our officials have generally handled these rules well," said former Oregon coach Mike Bellotti, the committee chair. "This is just another step in maintaining our game's image and reflecting the ideals of the NCAA overall."

[ProfessorGAC]

15. Still, The Spot Of The Foul?

Geez, they don't even do that for all face masking violations, and one could break a guy's neck doing that.
GAC

[lazarus]

16. is this

going to apply to high-stepping? Ridiculous rule change. They need to lighten up on the celebration penalties, not clamp down on the celebrating of a young person.

[ProfessorGAC]

17. Even In The NFL, They're Young People

Well, they're certainly younger than me! Geez, a 20 something year old who gets to play a game for a living might just be happy when they score a touchdown. They need to lighen up the celebration at every level, i think.
GAC