end the classless crap

from the Tennessean:

Friday, 01/19/07

Don't cast Patriots as bad sports

Commentary by DAVID CLIMER
Senior Writer

Maybe NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell should add Miss Manners to his staff.

Judging from the sound and fury out of San Diego last weekend, we've gotten to the point where proper etiquette is as important as blocking, tackling and the salary cap in the NFL.

What's next, lace frills on silk penalty flags? Officials holding a pinkie upward when they signal a first down?

At issue are the events that immediately followed New England's victory over the Chargers. It seems that a handful of Patriots players had the audacity to stomp on the home team's lightning bolt logo and mimic the "Lights Out" dance of Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman.

San Diego superstar LaDainian Tomlinson became so incensed that he stormed off the field and later said:

"The Patriots showed no class and maybe it comes from their head coach."

Tea and crumpets?

That parting shot at Bill Belichick is telling. Granted, Belichick is not the most en-dearing of coaches. He dissed Jets Coach Eric Mangini, a former assistant to Belichick, after one game and later shoved a cameraman out of the way to get to Mangini after their first-round playoff game.

Even Mike Ditka, a Hall of Fame tight end, Super Bowl-winning coach and now a TV talking head, criticized the Patriots. This is interesting considering how Ditka's '85 Bears smirked, taunted and Super Bowl Shuffled their way to the title.

Excuse me, but somehow I'm not connecting the dots here. How did the Patriots go from a model organization with a colorless, no-nonsense coach to the second coming of the Raiders?

This stuff happens when a team pulls off an against-the-odds win. Sure, it was a bit out of character for the Patriots, who usually take the high road because, they're usually the favorite. For once, they acted like everybody else in the NFL.

Granted, the mimicking of Merriman's dance was a little over the top, but so is the dance itself. When your on-field celebration pushes the envelope like this — or like Terrell Owens or Chad Johnson, for that matter — turnabout is fair play.

No harm done

In other words, how can you feel your team is being dissed when the very dance that is being mocked is disrespectful? If you act the fool, don't get upset when that foolishness is turned against you.

So let's stop the whining, shall we? If the Chargers hadn't blown an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter, they'd be preparing for the AFC Championship instead of pouting and pointing fingers.

Beyond that, since when is the NFL supposed to be all touchy-feely? You spend four quarters trying to bury your opponent. Why should the post-game be one big group hug?

A suggestion: If Peyton Manning puts the demons to rest and finally wins The Big Game on Sunday evening, let's permit him to remove that invisible monkey from his back, throw him to the turf and stomp on him in front of the Patriots bench.

And let's allow him to do it without Miss Manners throwing a hankie.