High School Football Player Penalized For Tribute To Dead Friend

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If there was ever a penalty that the coach won;t get mad about it is most likely the below one.   Huff Post breaks it down;

A high school football player’s tribute to a deceased friend in last Friday’s season opener may have cost his team the game. After Louisville High School receiver Alex Schooley scored the go-ahead touchdown to put his team up 26-24 with 1:15 left in the game against Walsh Jesuit in Ohio, he pointed to the sky as a tribute to a close friend who died in a car accident last week.

The referee, however, threw a flag after in the middle of the gesture and penalized Schooley for excessive celebration, giving Walsh Jesuit excellent field position. They drove down the field and scored a 29-yard field goal to win the game.

As you can imagine this has caused quite a stir in the town, yet the league stands by the statement saying that the correct call was made because  ”any prolonged gesture that draws attention to himself is a foul.  Regardless of the penalty during the game, this isn’t a great look for the league.

[youtube width="640" height="390"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8i2wRj_kxk[/youtube]

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While You're At It...

  • DaveRosen

    So it’s a penalty to point to the sky for three seconds, but not to hit a receiver who has made a catch and taken five steps in the end zone? Pretty clear the ref had money on this one.

  • tront11

    there is so much emotion that is expressed through football and it’s a damn shame that this might be the only these young people can express themselves and you tkae that away. WOW!! Remember, there are other negative ways to dispay emotion. Let em have this.

  • EastTNMarine

    I am very disturbed by this “penalty” call. I’m all for keeping things under control during sporting events, but there was NOTHING wrong w/ what this youngman did. I sincerely hope there will be a long, loud public outcry over this until this “ref” loses his stripes, preferably in a public manner.

  • lgrove

    You have got to be kidding me……I don’t think the ref was paid off he is the guy who never could have made the varisity football team or even the CYO, now he feels power over those who can and do. I have seen much worse in high school games across the nation. What a JOKE!!!

  • bnb998

    The hit in the end zone well after the catch & control of the ball should have been a 15 yard unnecessary roughness penalty. The celebration and brief tribute to his deceased friend was not a penalty in anyone’s book except for the official that called it.The young man had just scored what should have been the winning touchdown for his team and was an emotional outpouring for the team. The actions of the official were that of a loser that has probably never played the game.

  • CeasarBigzZavala

    THIS IS SOME BS FOOTBALL. WHAT IS THE NFL? NOTHING BUT ATTENTION AN THIS MAN PLAYED HARD TO SCORE THE TOUCHDOWN FOR HIS NOW RESTING BUDDY. THIS IS SERIOUSLY SOME CRAP, THEY SHOULD’VE WON THAT GAME NO DOUBT. EMOTIONAL THOUGHTS COME AN POINTING UP TO THE SKY IS A H*** OF A LOT LESS THAN WHAT IT COULD’VE BEEN PERIOD!

  • Texas-Writer

    The call is a travesty. Football officials seem to be terrified of players showing emotion and yet that is the very reason fans enjoy the games. Refs should be an invisible part of the game … but there are those that want attention and so they “take control” of the game. This ref ignored a blatant late-hit foul committed against the kid that made the touchdown, then throws a flag for a very benign gesture in the midst of a whole team celebrating . Sadly this demonstrates an obvious bias on the part of that official and the league should sit him for several games.

  • LouisvilleLeps

    I shot the game video for this game:

    Full Highlights and complete game story here: http://louisvilleleopards.org/leopards-rally-but-fall-on-a-heartbreaking-kick/

    Individual Play on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8i2wRj_kxk

    Feel free to embed the youtube code into this blog post you have my permission to embed it!

  • LouisvilleLeps

    I shot the game video for this game:

    Full Highlights and complete game story here: http://louisvilleleopards.org/leopards-rally-but-fall-on-a-heartbreaking-kick/

    Thank you so much for embedding my video here!

    - Leopard Nation

  • davejandrews

    It is Louisville, OHIO! The crazy thing is there was a very long moment of silence that the ref’s were on the field for. The only thing I can say is I know for a fact that they were told not to do it again. Just a shame to throw a flag at that time of the game. And I was standing there thinking the flag was for the late hit after the catch! Still did not cost them the game. davejandrews GOLEPS

  • JeffersonHayes

    honestly , this isnt the first, last season it was some schmoe zebra in washington when a kid took a quck knee to thank god for the ability to make the place during the play offs . This sickens me that we have Let people Take God away from our Children . its a sad day to see those who should be leading a guiding not Stepping up when they should Parents Encourage your Coaches to support players when these things happen!

  • The Right Reverend Mr. Earl

    Let me get this straight. God helped the one kid, the one catching the pass, but the kid who didn’t knock down the pass, God didn’t care for him that much? Was the db like a Jew or Muslim, or, heaven forbid, Gay? God should keep his nose out of sports and instead use his omnipotency to prevent hunger, disease, child sexual abuse by the Church, violence against women. Maybe even intercede to keep storms out to sea. Or help you with your punctuation and reasonless capitalization.

  • bnb998

    God has matters of considerably more importance to attend to than taking sides in a football game or a war. He has Multiverses to tend to as all is his Creation. What he does do is give us ALL the ability to do our best in any situation. In football, as in life or anything really, the person with the fire, the desire is the one that will take the day. It is what I call “Wanna’” as in “Ya’ Gotta’ Wanna.’” The person with the most Wanna on that play was the receiver that caught the ball.The official that didn’t see the vicious hit 5 yards into the end zone, but saw a 2 1/2 to 3 second tribute to a fallen friend took the Wanna away and gave the other team a golden chance. Games should be decided on the field, not by some fool that has probably never played. But I bless the official for showing us how NOT to be in life. I bless the receiver more for showing us how to live life to the fullest.

  • The Right Reverend Mr. Earl

    Blasphemer! God is not “some fool that has probably never played.” He is the Creator. And as so created football as His gift to mankind for something to do after Church. Take it back or rue the day!

  • bnb998

    @Reverend Earl – If you would read more carefully rather than judging me (ONLY The Good Creator can do that), you would see that I have not referred to the Good Creator, but the official as some fool that has probably never played. I would never refer to the Good Creator as such as he is the Good Creator. Football is a part of his creation, but he does not take sides. For him to do so would be a negation of Free Will.I spoke no blasphemy, but you have by accusing me of same. However, I will be the man of God that I am (24×7) and not demand that you “Take it back or rue the day!”

  • AngelaDarden

    @The Right Reverend Mr. Earl I don’t know what church you preach at, but I don’t want to attend it. My God said judge not least you be judged and as a man of God you are not following that practice

  • AngelaDarden

    @The Right Reverend Mr. Earl Once again, being judgemental

  • shawa666

    @bnb998 But isnt your god omnipotent and omniscient?