If you've ever been in a competition with someone else, chances are you've engaged in some trash talk. It doesn't even have to be related to sports. Trying to reach a goal at work before your coworkers? Trash talk. Persuading someone to take a shot with you at the bar? Trash talk.
In some cases, it can be in jest, but in others, it's meant to get under your "opponent's" skin. If you get in their head a little bit and throw them off their game, it's a little bonus that goes in your favor. You're trying to gain an edge over the opposition by any means possible. In professional sports, it's all about the head games. Whether or not the words or actions used are over the line is left up to the officiating to make the call. Lately, however, it's seemed like with the NFL's crackdown on taunting that any form of insult or getting in an opponent's face is at risk of a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Now, let's look at other sports. In baseball, trash talk between a catcher and a batter is considered a normal part of the game. Usually, it's just ignored unless it crosses a line into harassment or causes a delay in the game. In hockey, come on, sitting near the benches at a few games, I've personally heard referees themselves sling insults at players that would make their mothers wash their mouths out with soap. But again, there are no penalties called unless there's a delay of the game from the words dealt out, or the insult crosses a very thick line. In the NFL, though, it seems like you can get flagged for 15 yards and risk ejection for telling your opponent that they have perfected the main function of a vacuum cleaner.
In the Packers' week 1 matchup vs the Detroit Lions, Xavier McKinney was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct when he stood over and butted heads with the Lions' Khalif Raymond. An action that honestly seemed like Raymond initiated the little headbutt. Now, of course, we don't know what McKinney may have said to Raymond, but to be honest, I highly doubt it was so hateful and harassing that it needed an immediate flag. But it came, the Packers were penalized 15 yards, and it was announced yesterday that McKinney was receiving a $11,593 fine from the action.
Come on now. Are we being led to believe McKinney's words were so terrible that this punishment was needed, or that the delay of game was so egregious that corrective action was warranted? Earlier in the game, Brian Branch of the Lions removed Tucker Kraft's helmet while Kraft was blocking him out of the play. Branch then proceeded to toss Kraft's helmet away. This action costs the same in the game as Xavier McKinney's. 15-yard penalty; however, Branch was fined $11,593 for ripping Kraft's helmet off, and another $11,593 for tossing it away. The ripping of the helmet was probably a bit excessive, and the tossing of it could cause a delay in the game for Kraft to retrieve his helmet, get it secured, and get back in the huddle. So, that penalty was warranted.
But are those two penalties really the same?
The No Fun League
After Xavier McKinney's penalty was called last Sunday, many folks, including myself, were posting the criticism of the NFL instead of standing for "National Football League," saying it stands for "No Fun League." And it's true. If a DB can't try to get in the head of a receiver to force some drops or split-second hesitation, then where's the fun in it? No one wants to hear a defensive player say to the offense, "You almost had it there, good luck on the next play, old chum!" Though I'll admit that could be funny, it would get old pretty quickly.
So, what can be done about it?
Some of us are old enough to remember when an incidental or minor face mask penalty resulted in only a five-yard penalty. While one that was egregious would result in a 15-yard penalty. This was changed to try to eliminate a penalty for incidental contact. But, honestly, I don't think it worked as we still watch incidental contact result in the major penalty. But something similar could be adopted for taunting.
If there must be a crackdown for taunting, put a level on it. Bumping into someone and telling them they're not good at their job should not be the same punishment as ripping off someone's helmet and chucking it. Perhaps just words, as long as they're not egregious, should only cost 5 yards. Save the 15-yarder for the actions that truly make you say, "Now that was uncalled for."
No one wants to see officials impact a game. So, let's lighten up, everyone. No one wants to see a Super Bowl decided because a linebacker told the Quarterback to watch his back.