Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, August 21, 1995 TAG: 9508210123
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Knight-Ridder/Tribune
DATELINE: CORAL GABLES, FLA. LENGTH: Long
In a strange-but-true twist on a 3-year-old rule, kneeling in prayer in the end zone is now an unsportsmanlike conduct foul. It's a 15-yard penalty. It will be prohibited by the same rule that penalizes players for performing pelvic-thrusting dances and for taunting or baiting an opponent.
Absurd? Godless?
Not at all, say members of the NCAA Football Rules Committee, not if you understand the spirit of the rules.
The committee's intent is to repair what it thinks is a decaying ethic in college football: sportsmanship. The committee has singled out exhibitionism, intimidation and individualism as sportsmanship's great enemies. It is seeking a return to fair play by stricter enforcement of existing rules against taunting, dancing and excessive celebrations.
Rule 9-2-1-a in the NCAA Football Rules book has been in effect for three years. It includes prohibition of: ``Any delayed, excessive or prolonged act by which a player attempts to focus attention on himself.''
The rule has never been enforced as strictly as it will be this season.
``I think certain players at certain places were taking advantage of the spirit of the rules,'' said Rice coach Ken Hatfield, one of eight Division I-A members of the NCAA Football Rules Committee. ``We are trying to define the difference between enthusiasm and teamwork and individualism.''
The rules committee produced a 20-minute videotape that shows examples of what will be considered unsportsmanlike conduct. The tape includes about 30 plays depicting the difference between permissible spontaneous celebrations and poor sportsmanship.
One play shows former Georgia running back Garrison Hearst doing a Heisman Trophy pose after scoring a touchdown. That's now a penalty - unsportsmanlike conduct.
Another play shows an Iowa receiver high-stepping through the end zone against the Miami Hurricanes. That's belittling an opponent - a penalty.
Another shows a Notre Dame defensive back parading through the open field with the football raised to the sky after making a big play. He's drawing too much attention to himself - a penalty.
As it is when a Florida Gator turns to the crowd and quickly salutes after making a big play.
Any kind of contrived pose used to celebrate now violates Rule 9-2-1-a.
It was the debate over how to fairly enforce this rule that led to a discussion of prayer. The committee determined that if it was going to adhere to the letter of the law, it must eliminate the act of prayer from the field of play.
``There was a big-time sensitivity to the issue on the committee,'' Hatfield said. ``We didn't want to come out of the meeting reading the headline: `Football Rules Committee Bans Prayer.' We are not outlawing prayer.''
Hatfield said players can pray all they want, they just can't kneel in the end zone to do it. They can kneel and pray in their bench area on the sidelines.
``It's not an issue of prayer,'' said American Football Coaches Association Executive Director Grant Teaff, who assisted the rules committee. ``You can express indignation that we are against prayer, but the truth is we are trying to be even-handed.
``The issue is not prayer. I prayed all the time on the sidelines and I didn't have to kneel. We don't want to keep anybody from praying, but you have to draw the line. I imagine 90 percent of the players who kneel in the end zone don't usually kneel when they are praying.''Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry, also a member of the rules committee, thinks the rule won't stop anybody from praying.
``We aren't going to discourage prayer,'' DeBerry said. ``We believe in it, but we will encourage our players to be more discreet when they pray.''
That still doesn't sit well with some clergy. ``Religion, while it is profoundly personal, has never been meant to be private,'' says Father Leo Armbrust, Miami's team priest.
Dolphins receiver Irving Fryar, an ordained minister, celebrates his touchdowns by kneeling in prayer in the end zone.
``It's the same thing they do when they take prayer out of the schools,'' Fryar said. ``It's another trick from the devil.''
The last thing the committee intended was for the issue of prayer to overshadow its greater goal of improved sportsmanship.
The twist in all of this is that Teaff, Hatfield and DeBerry are very public about their commitment to Christianity. Teaff is the national chairman of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Hatfield and DeBerry are members.
``I thought long and very hard about this,'' DeBerry said. ``I'm very proud of a young man who acknowledges where his abilities come from, but again, I'm very concerned about exhibitionism and antics unrelated to the game.''
Sportsmanship became a point of emphasis in the Football Rules Committee three years ago. Concerns were raised nationally with more players ``woofing'' in an opponent's face after making big hits, and with players celebrating achievements with choreographed dance routines.
``Football is a team game, and it takes a team effort,'' said Western Athletic Conference director of football officials John Adams, secretary rules-editor of the NCAA Football Rules Committee. ``Wherever good plays are made, it's because 10 players helped the one player do his job. We felt the individual celebrations have gone too far, and some things going on are ridiculous. Players seem to be trying to top one another. The committee felt if it didn't take a stand, things would get worse.''
The committee encourages players to celebrate big plays by hugging or high-fiving teammates. The Christians on the committee will encourage their players to keep praying, inconspicuously, though. This may be difficult for players to grasp.
``I can't understand it,'' Miami linebacker Ray Lewis said. ``They said you can't bring the focus on yourself. I thought when you did that, you're making the Lord your focus by thanking Him for giving you the energy and ability to make the play.''
A new rule this year will mean a player who gets two unsportsmanlike conduct calls in one game will be ejected.
by CNB