Steelers RB Le’Veon Bell Plans To Continue Celebrating After Big Plays, Touchdowns

[GBMelBlount]

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell took to Twitter Tuesday to say that he won’t stop celebrating after big plays and touchdowns anytime soon.

Bell, who was flagged Sunday in the first quarter for taunting following a 16-yard run, informed fans Tuesday evening on his Twitter account that he grew up watching former San Diego Chargers and New York Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson play and that he wanted to be him as a kid.

Tomlin had a signature touchdown celebration and Bell has always wanted to mimic it and will. The second-year running back also let it be known that he won’t stop pointing after first downs, either.

During his Tuesday press conference, head coach Mike Tomlin said that he has told his players that if they can’t celebrate within the confines of the rules they won’t be allowed to celebrate at all.

“I’m not trying to take the genuine emotions and excitement of the game away from our guys,” Tomlin said. “That’s not me and that’s not the right thing to do. But I will ask them to do it within the guidelines of the rules and if they can’t do that consistently then yes [no celebrating] will be a mandate.”

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2014/09/steelers-rb-leveon-bell-plans-continue-celebrating-big-plays-touchdowns/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SteelersDepotBlog+%28Steelers +Depot+Blog%29

[Count Steeler]

You can see that discipline taking hold. Glad to see guys wanting to put the interests of the team above their individual desires and achievements.

[st33lersguy]

We're the f-ing Chad Johnson era Bungals

[steelreserve]

Oh, good, we get to see more of the ego-popping arm point. First dowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwn!

Seriously, dude. That makes everyone on the team look like a jackass. Not the least of which is yourself.

[X-Terminator]

Let me ask you guys something. When you became professionals (I know not all of you are, just bear with me here), did you stop having fun? Because that is what you are asking these athletes to do.

This is being completely overblown. If the Steelers were 4-0, this wouldn't even be an issue.

These are athletes playing a game.

A.

GAME.

Let them have fun, for crying out loud. If it were up to you, all NFL games would be the equivalent of watching a chess tournament.

[Craic]

Thank God we didn't have this problem with people like Hines Ward was on the team . . .

http://i.usatoday.net/sports/gallery/2008/11/03/s081103_steelers.jpg

Oh, wait.

[Count Steeler]

There are appropriate times to celebrate. Not after every first down.

I don't think Ward was as bad as Bell and Brown. Every first down they have to make a spectacle.

[GBMelBlount]

I think everyone is entitled to their own opinion on "celebrating."

Personally, I like celebrations that are spontaneous and a natural overflow of adrenalin and excitement.

I COMPLETELY get this.

However, IF it becomes a choreographed routine or display simply for show it annoys the hell out me.

[ALLD]

Reminds me of potty training a child. Hooray, little Le'veon did not make in his underpants. He made pee pee all by himself.

[Steeldude]

Let me ask you guys something. When you became professionals (I know not all of you are, just bear with me here), did you stop having fun? Because that is what you are asking these athletes to do.

This is being completely overblown. If the Steelers were 4-0, this wouldn't even be an issue.

These are athletes playing a game.

A.

GAME.

Let them have fun, for crying out loud. If it were up to you, all NFL games would be the equivalent of watching a chess tournament.

I have fun playing football, not dancing. Isn't football the fun part? Lame dances celebrating mediocrity have always been annoying to me, regardless of the team's record.

I watch football to see football. I do not have an ounce of desire to see a player make a fool of himself doing a fruity dance. Just my opinion : )

- - - Updated - - -


Reminds me of potty training a child. Hooray, little Le'veon did not make in his underpants. He made pee pee all by himself.

Lol.

[X-Terminator]

I have fun playing football, not dancing. Isn't football the fun part? Lame dances celebrating mediocrity have always been annoying to me, regardless of the team's record.

I watch football to see football. I do not have an ounce of desire to see a player make a fool of himself doing a fruity dance. Just my opinion : )

Being the old stick-in-the-mud that you are, that doesn't surprise me. Archie. :wink02:

Seriously though, I watch football for football like everyone else, but I also watch football, and sports in general, to be entertained. If a player wants to point after every first down, that's fine with me. If he wants to dance in the end zone after a TD, that's fine with me too. If they want to do a sack dance, no problem. In addition to it being fun for the players, it also goes right along with the emotion and passion of the game. As mostly unwatchable as the NFL is with all of the pussy rules and the billion commercial breaks, why in the world would you want to take that out of the game and make it even LESS watchable?

Just my opinion. YMMV.

[steelreserve]

Let me ask you guys something. When you became professionals (I know not all of you are, just bear with me here), did you stop having fun? Because that is what you are asking these athletes to do.

This is being completely overblown. If the Steelers were 4-0, this wouldn't even be an issue.

These are athletes playing a game.

A.

GAME.

Let them have fun, for crying out loud. If it were up to you, all NFL games would be the equivalent of watching a chess tournament.


Let me put it this way, if I was playing in a pickup basketball game, and some guy on the other team got in my face or did a little dance after EVERY basket, I'd just think he was a fuckin' jerk. Eventually, someone would probably punch him.

Nobody thinks you should just stand there with a straight face and your arms at your sides the whole game. Or that you shouldn't celebrate at all, or high-five your teammates after a good play, or go crazy after a touchdown or whatever. Hell, nobody's saying you shouldn't point after you make a first down, if you're excited.

It's the pre-planned bullshit that nobody likes. Bell isn't showing any excitement when he does his little first-down dance, he's just being an asshole. That's what you do if you're an asshole. People are watching because they're interested in seeing the football game, not watching you act like an asshole. Really, grow the fuck up.

[vader29]

Maybe Le'Veon wants to be a referee after his playing days are done and he is just getting practice in after every first down so he can reference his past experience on his resume and stand out from other potential referee candidates. :huh:

[Craic]

I personally don't like it and wish they'd all stop with it. Show that you've not only been there before (first downs or touch downs), but that you're not going to celebrate because you plan on being there so many times during the game that it's going to get boring.

But really, the to-do about this is much ado about nothing. He wasn't flagged for pointing for a first down. He was flagged for running his mouth in front of a ref. He didn't say he would keep running his mouth in front of refs, he said he'd keep pointing. Tomlin, on the other hand, said that he didn't care about celebrating, as long as they did it within the rules.

So, there's no issue here about "team discipline," except that Bell needs to learn to keep his mouth shut in front of refs.

[ALLD]

It's a lack of maturity when somebody needs to constantly be the center of attention. Now when it's crunch time and the Super Bowl is on the line, do you want somebody that is emotionally stable and has ice in his veins or do you want to give the ball to a clown and hope he doesn't screw it up under pressure?

[zulater]

Let me put it this way, if I was playing in a pickup basketball game, and some guy on the other team got in my face or did a little dance after EVERY basket, I'd just think he was a fuckin' jerk. Eventually, someone would probably punch him.

Nobody thinks you should just stand there with a straight face and your arms at your sides the whole game. Or that you shouldn't celebrate at all, or high-five your teammates after a good play, or go crazy after a touchdown or whatever. Hell, nobody's saying you shouldn't point after you make a first down, if you're excited.

It's the pre-planned bullshit that nobody likes. Bell isn't showing any excitement when he does his little first-down dance, he's just being an asshole. That's what you do if you're an asshole. People are watching because they're interested in seeing the football game, not watching you act like an asshole. Really, grow the fuck up.

Put it perfectly. :applaudit:

[muncher]

Why cant Tomlin grow a set of nuts and show these guys he means business by saying, "Seeing that you can't 'celebrate' like adults without penalizing the team, After you run, catch, recover or intercept a ball, you WILL hand it to the official and do nothing more BUT get off the field/back in the huddle."

[Butch]

It's a lack of maturity when somebody needs to constantly be the center of attention. Now when it's crunch time and the Super Bowl is on the line, do you want somebody that is emotionally stable and has ice in his veins or do you want to give the ball to a clown and hope he doesn't screw it up under pressure?

This one got me thinking of Super Bowl IX. The Steelers were allowed to go out and get New Orleans out of their systems and were much more relaxed at game time. The Vikings and Bud Grant were the opposite uptight and acting like robots. We all know the rest of the Story.

[X-Terminator]

Let me put it this way, if I was playing in a pickup basketball game, and some guy on the other team got in my face or did a little dance after EVERY basket, I'd just think he was a fuckin' jerk. Eventually, someone would probably punch him.

Nobody thinks you should just stand there with a straight face and your arms at your sides the whole game. Or that you shouldn't celebrate at all, or high-five your teammates after a good play, or go crazy after a touchdown or whatever. Hell, nobody's saying you shouldn't point after you make a first down, if you're excited.

It's the pre-planned bullshit that nobody likes. Bell isn't showing any excitement when he does his little first-down dance, he's just being an asshole. That's what you do if you're an asshole. People are watching because they're interested in seeing the football game, not watching you act like an asshole. Really, grow the fuck up.

There's a difference between celebrating a big play or first down and taunting. The first one is fine; the 2nd one isn't. I understand there is a fine line, but as far as I'm concerned, if you're going to do that, don't do it in a way that shows up or disrespects your opponent.

Actually, if someone did a dance after every basket in a pick-up game, I'd probably laugh at him. Because that's all it is to me - someone being funny. Now if he got in my face constantly, well, that's when he goes into "jerk" territory.

And I have to ask...did you think Jerome Bettis was a jerk when he did his little dance after a big run or first down? Be honest.

[Count Steeler]

There's a difference between celebrating a big play or first down and taunting. The first one is fine; the 2nd one isn't. I understand there is a fine line, but as far as I'm concerned, if you're going to do that, don't do it in a way that shows up or disrespects your opponent.

Actually, if someone did a dance after every basket in a pick-up game, I'd probably laugh at him. Because that's all it is to me - someone being funny. Now if he got in my face constantly, well, that's when he goes into "jerk" territory.

And I have to ask...did you think Jerome Bettis was a jerk when he did his little dance after a big run or first down? Be honest.

Yes, there were times when Bettis little dance bothered me. It was not necessary after every big run.

I am all for spontaneous, emotional celebrations, when the game is on the line. But in the 1st quarter? When losing by 21? When up by 21?

I don't care if Brown (or Bell) goes to the Hall of Fame and is the 1st or 2nd wide receiver of all time. His pointing a first down every time really irritates me.

Thinking about Tiger Woods. He may have the celebration thing figured out. When it is routine and early, no fist pumps. On Sunday, getting close to the end, no or muted fist pumps. Sinks the winning putt, big fist pump.

Defensive players are another gem. Guy is getting hammered all day, makes one play and all of a sudden he can dance? Sorry, just not my style.

[X-Terminator]

Yes, there were times when Bettis little dance bothered me. It was not necessary after every big run.

I am all for spontaneous, emotional celebrations, when the game is on the line. But in the 1st quarter? When losing by 21? When up by 21?

I don't care if Brown (or Bell) goes to the Hall of Fame and is the 1st or 2nd wide receiver of all time. His pointing a first down every time really irritates me.

Thinking about Tiger Woods. He may have the celebration thing figured out. When it is routine and early, no fist pumps. On Sunday, getting close to the end, no or muted fist pumps. Sinks the winning putt, big fist pump.

Defensive players are another gem. Guy is getting hammered all day, makes one play and all of a sudden he can dance? Sorry, just not my style.

Fair enough. Personally I don't think you should celebrate when you're up or down big either. At that point you just hand the ball to the refs and walk off the field. If the game is intense and close, though? No problems with showing emotion like that.

[86WARD]

After every play its annoying. Up by 21 or down by 21...it's annoying. I don't mind the celebrations. I welcome all of them...but when it's excessive, it's more of an annoyance. What happens when they are running the 2:00 drill to win the game and Bell "forgets" they were in a hurry up and is wasting time with his celebration? And don't think it won't happen...lol.

[Count Steeler]

Fair enough. Personally I don't think you should celebrate when you're up or down big either. At that point you just hand the ball to the refs and walk off the field. If the game is intense and close, though? No problems with showing emotion like that.

I get what you are saying. I do take issue, for example when the Steeler defense celebrated after stopping Tampas second to last drive. Intense game. Intense situation. Not time to celebrate. Game is not over and just gives the opponent extra motivation to respond.

If you are going to celebrate early you better damn well deliver when the game is on the line.

[Shoes]

Just think if everyone celebrated for doing what they were supposed to do.

[steelreserve]

There's a difference between celebrating a big play or first down and taunting. The first one is fine; the 2nd one isn't. I understand there is a fine line, but as far as I'm concerned, if you're going to do that, don't do it in a way that shows up or disrespects your opponent.

Actually, if someone did a dance after every basket in a pick-up game, I'd probably laugh at him. Because that's all it is to me - someone being funny. Now if he got in my face constantly, well, that's when he goes into "jerk" territory.

And I have to ask...did you think Jerome Bettis was a jerk when he did his little dance after a big run or first down? Be honest.


I don't really remember the Bettis dance, but yeah, if it was anything like what Bell does, it would annoy the shit out of me. I would literally be so annoyed that I would shit my pants in the middle of the game. Thank goodness for DVRs.

Really what makes the difference is whether there's a REASON to be celebrating. You made a big play like a 30-yard run, or you got an important first down on a momentum-swinging drive, or you're fired up because you ran over a guy, fine, that's great, I understand. If you're just doing some orchestrated celebration over pedestrian accomplishments, you're a dick. Not necessarily even taunting, just coming off as a selfish hot dog. The hell with that.

[tube517]

What about sack dances/celebrations. Those are pre-planned.

I've seen our defensive players do their sack "dance" and then on 3rd and 35, the opposing team gets a 1st down.

Porter had his "kick"
Keisel has the "Bow and Arrow" pose (Got flagged for it once)
Woodley had the flying kick
Foote had the foot "stomp" and kick the dirt to the back or whatever the hell that was called

[steelreserve]

I don't know. Sacks are more spontaneous, and usually happen a couple times a game. If you personally get more than one sack in a game, you're having an awesome day. I mean, yeah, you can go overboard with that too, but defensive players seem more genuinely excited most of the time when they get a sack or a tackle for a loss. It's hard to fault guys for that.

Of course, there are also the ones who dance after every tackle or incomplete pass, and guess what? They look like jerks too.

[X-Terminator]

Seems like I'm all alone on an island here :lol: I didn't expect anyone to agree with me, but still...

Anyway, I agree that there are times and places for celebrations, but my overall position hasn't changed. I don't want automatons, I want emotion.

Moving on...

[GBMelBlount]

Seems like I'm all alone on an island here :lol:

:chuckle:



http://lowres.cartoonstock.com/politics-lonely-loneliness-isolation-trust-chief_executive-jsh120807_low.jpg

[HollywoodSteel]

Seems like I'm all alone on an island here :lol: I didn't expect anyone to agree with me, but still...

Anyway, I agree that there are times and places for celebrations, but my overall position hasn't changed. I don't want automatons, I want emotion.

Moving on...

I am totally with you as far as what the rules SHOULD be. But given the inconstant subjective penalty calling in this league, you bet your ass I get mad when someone hurts the team because they just can't stop themselves from using the ball as a prop or whatever. I hate these stupid No Fun League rules, but damn, I want to win. This is at least one area where you can be overly cautious without hurting your team one bit. I did however LOVE that AB just tossed the ball to the ref on his next TD. Totally redeemed himself in my book.

That said, I'm not a big fan of the first down finger point. It wastes time when you should be getting back to the huddle, and it's during a series where you haven't scored yet, so if I'm still nervous I don't want to see the player not being totally intense about it. And a first down is just way too common of a thing to celebrate.

But I'll tell you what I hate the most. When Ike plays like shit for 3 seasons and defends one ball so he does this swaggin' arms crossed move like he's the shit. Fuck you. Cover someone for sixty minutes one god damned time and catch one ball that hits your hands. I think of it as a business being in the red. Ike needs to make up for all of that first. It will be a while (if ever) that he gets back into the black as far I'm concerned. Then you get to celebrate. Or if you win a game with a play, fine. But no one on that defense gets to celebrate right now as far as I'm concerned.

[ALLD]

You didn't see Jerry Rice do stupid shit after making a big play.

[86WARD]

But you did see Randy Moss do it and he wasn't too shabby...

[GBMelBlount]

But you did see Randy Moss do it ...

Maybe it's the marijuana

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yb4bLKRe14Y/TM8Vul3kAGI/AAAAAAAAAhs/hUP0Y8sNutw/s320/datelines-randy-moss.jpg

[steelerdude15]

I still don't think he did anything to deserve a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct last week.

[HollywoodSteel]

I still don't think he did anything to deserve a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct last week.

That's the problem with the NFL now. You just can't take the chance anymore. It might sucks, but you have to play it safe. There's no upside to risking a penalty after a play. Just hand the ball to the ref and slap your teammates high five on the sidelines.

[HollywoodSteel]

That's the problem with the NFL now. You just can't take the chance anymore. It might sucks, but you have to play it safe. There's no upside to risking a penalty after a play. Just hand the ball to the ref and slap your teammates high five on the sidelines.

To illustrate my point about the inconsistent refs, Stevie Johnson just did THE EXACT SAME THING after a TD that AB was flagged for last week (spinning the ball), but no flag called on Stevie. Does anyone in the NFL even look at this kind of thing?

[86WARD]

Of course
Not.

[Count Steeler]

To illustrate my point about the inconsistent refs, Stevie Johnson just did THE EXACT SAME THING after a TD that AB was flagged for last week (spinning the ball), but no flag called on Stevie. Does anyone in the NFL even look at this kind of thing?

The penalty was for going to the ground, not spinning the ball.

[ALLD]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJBKyTfCjCc

[Nadroj 20]

It is an emotional game so I understand the occasional celebration. Personally though, I favor the guys who get up and hand the ball to the ref after making a big play or touchdown. Just something I value.

[stillers4me]

Maybe it has something to do with this.......the 2014 version of "He got jacked up!" The NFL used to celebrate the big hits. We know where that went. Now if you dance, you can make the reel.


Seriously, this tweet was at the top of the page this morning:

519797872767037440

[Steelman]

Maybe it has something to do with this.......the 2014 version of "He got jacked up!" The NFL used to celebrate the big hits. We know where that went. Now if you dance, you can make the reel.


Seriously, this tweet was at the top of the page this morning:

519797872767037440

"Dancing with the Starters"??? :doh:

[steelreserve]

You didn't see Jerry Rice do stupid shit after making a big play.


But you did see Randy Moss do it and he wasn't too shabby...


Yeah, and think about the difference between the two ... bring up Jerry Rice, and you think "Wow, what a great player." Bring up Randy Moss, and you think "Wow, he was such a great player that I guess I can overlook the fact that he acted like an asshole. Or at least while he was at the top of his game you could overlook it."

Remember how later in Moss' career, talented as he was, few teams were willing to even think about hiring him because the "distraction" wasn't worth it? Sure, that was about more than touchdown dances, but for a lot of guys, that all sort of goes hand-in-hand with ego and attitude. I hope none of our players turn out like that.

[Craic]

I still don't think he did anything to deserve a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct last week.

Well, there's no taunting allowed, and he was flagged for talking smack in front of the ref. Unless you heard what he said, that's really not a call we can make, IMO. It might have been as weak as, "I'll see you again in a few seconds," or as brutal as, "I'm going to make you bleed like an Ebola patient." One of those would deserve a penalty (if not a swift kick).

[X-Terminator]

"Dancing with the Starters"??? :doh:

This is not exactly a new thing. NFL Network has been doing this for several years now.

[Count Steeler]

This is not exactly a new thing. NFL Network has been doing this for several years now.

Gotta fill that time some how.