Touchdowns are cause for celebration on the Stampeders
By Vicki Hall,
Edmonton Journal
CALGARY – Perhaps the Calgary Stampeders should change their name to the Calgary dance troupe or the Southern Alberta theatrical arts company.
Judging by their touchdown celebrations, the Stampeders definitely have a flare for the dramatic. They deserve full marks for artistic impression in their latest end-zone routine — a simulated bobsleigh run — unveiled last week during a 41-23 victory over the Montreal Alouettes.
After the requisite touchdown, master choreographer Jeremaine Copeland sat down and wrapped his legs around the goal-line pylon. The rest of the receiving corps tucked in behind him, and the players swayed together in a pretend trip down a bobsleigh track.
“I know you don’t normally have five people on a bobsled team, but we put five in there,” Copeland said. “It was Ken-Yon Rambo’s idea, and I just ran with it.
“We were thinking about crashing the bobsled and carrying it off, but we just got up and out of there.”
Old-school footballers frown upon touchdown celebrations of any kind — never-mind antics like the skits perfected by the Stampeders. CFL stars of the past simply handed the ball to the official and ran back to the huddle.
The modern-day theatrics sicken Bob Dean, who played for the Eskimos from 1954 to 1956.
“I have had enough of paid professional football players dancing, prancing … and making spectacles of themselves following touchdowns, tackles or some other routine task of football,” Dean wrote in a letter to The Journal. “I want to watch football, not ballet or exhibitionism.
“If they persist in childish, immature antics, get them tutus and dancing lessons and let them perform as an ‘act of idiots’ at the Fringe.”
Funnily enough, Stampeders head coach Tom Higgins is no fan of touchdown celebrations, either.
“Do we give them time during practice in which to prepare? No. Absolutely not,” said Higgins. “I still don’t like it. I’d rather they hand the football to the official, but they seem to have some fun with it.
“But that individuality? I’ll never take it away from an athlete. That’s part of what the CFL is all about.”
Still, Higgins asked his team to tone it down a few weeks back after the receivers pretended the football was a champagne bottle. They popped the cork, poured drinks for all and then stumbled around like they were drunk.
“We got a few calls from people on that one,” Higgins said. “There’s a line, so let’s make sure we don’t go over the line.”
But where is the phantom line? Stampeders rush end Rahim Abdullah figures anything involving public nudity — like a player pulling down pants — is offside. Montreal slotback Ben Cahoon doesn’t want to see any celebration that’s derogatory towards the other team.
“But I don’t mind touchdown celebrations one way or another. I’m amused by them. I don’t think they should be banned,” said Cahoon, who calmly drops the football after he catches a touchdown pass.
“That’s just my personality, I guess,” he said.
“Maybe I’m just a boring guy. I have enough to worry about on the field. I don’t have time to worry about dance steps and choreography.”
Geroy Simon did the choreography for his trademark touchdown celebration a few years back. The B.C. Lions slotback puts his hands on his hips and poses like Superman. But even he thinks the Stamps deserve a penalty flag for bad taste.
“I think some of that stuff is stupid,” he said. “My son watches Power Rangers, Batman and Superman, and that’s where I got my thing from. It’s quick and simple. It’s not anything like a bobsled or anything like that.”
The Edmonton Eskimos won’t dance, pose or act out any kind of script, promises wide receiver Ed Hervey, 33.
“I don’t have anything against it,” he said. “Touchdowns are not the easiest thing to get, but we did our dancing early on in our career. We want to win a championship. We want to be dancing when we go home at the end of the playoffs.”
In the meantime, Abdullah wants the CFL alumni to know the Stampeders mean no disrespect.
“I know the old-school guys might not understand, but this isn’t the same game that was played in the ’50s and ’60s. As long as we don’t take it too far, it makes people turn on the television and watch the game.”
Dean knows he’s old school, but he’s ready to turn his television off if the trend continues.
“I’ve followed this game for 1,000 years,” he said. “This stuff makes me sick to my stomach.”
