Updated throughout the day with quick takes from staff.
The Kansas State Wildcats came within inches, or one salute, of coming back to tie the Pinstripe Bowl. Instead, an ill-timed excessive celebration penalty, levied after Adrian Hilburn scored a touchdown to bring the Wildcats within two, turned a three-yard two-point conversion attempt into an 18-yard attempt. Kansas State's conversion failed and Syracuse left Yankee Stadium with the Pinstripe Bowl title.
Check out the video of the excessive celebration "penalty."
The explanation of the penalty was just as ridiculous as the penalty itself. The flag came-in because officials felt Hilburn was "drawing attention to himself" by saluting the crowd after the touchdown. In this instance, after the officials had already been calling a terrible game in the first place, it's safe to say the refs had a tangible impact on the outcome of the game.
Would this be a penalty if Hilburn broke out the salute in the Armed Forces or Military Bowl? Caught up in the heat of the moment, was it so bad that he showed some emotion after a huge play? It's not like Hilburn was showing-up the Orange or taunting the opponent. He simply gestured to the crowd.
It's a shame such a great game ended on such a sour note.. Just think, next year they can take away touchdowns for excessive celebration.
5 comments
Comments
seems to me the young man brok a rule...
sorry. too bad. so sad.
SHASHASHAA!!!
by RustyShackleford on Dec 30, 2010 7:45 PM EST reply actions
broke*
SHASHASHAA!!!
by RustyShackleford on Dec 30, 2010 7:46 PM EST up reply actions
seems to me that you're an idiot
seriously? he did a quick salute, and because of that his team was robbed of the opportunity to tie the game. it wasn’t like he was spending too much time in the endzone or taunting the opponent. It’s sad to say that in the heat of the moment, it was the referee who was at fault, because they’re not supposed to let the emotion of the game get to them, much less the players.
by Nayeem JohnWall Chowdhury on Dec 31, 2010 12:34 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
We've all seen worse go unpunished.
It’s just sad to see at such a crucial moment for them. Not a good bowl season thus far for the Big XII.
by AeroPurt on Dec 30, 2010 9:36 PM EST reply actions
Tennessee's Bray
… has been making such gestures post-score all night tonight and nary a thing has come his way, hanky-wise. The Vols could very well have been trying their OT extending PAT (with one miss already on the evening) from the 18 instead of the 3 (which is what, a 35 yd attempt?).. He did the double throat slit and THEN the salute after the TD pass.
Of course, I didn’t see him salute after throwing the pick which likely gave the game to the Tar Heels.
But the point is, the KState gesture was far less self aggrandizing AND far less taunting and effected the final outcome, while the Vols gesture brought nothing. NCAA may wish to have a conference call with their officials to make sure we don’t see such double standards as we go into the ‘Big’ bowls. Yeah, that’ll happen.
by JD SoOR on Dec 30, 2010 10:47 PM EST reply actions
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