For one minute, can we all take a step back and try to have enough self confidence that we don't need to call out other people for being "soft" or "pussys" for not appreciating Centro's "badass" victory celebration. Let's be adults. Thanks.
Imagine if this were the NCAA basketball championship or the BCS championship game and, on national television, one of the players makes a huge play and celebrates with the throat slit. And not just any player, a senior leader. What would the reaction be? There would be in-game consequences (unsportsmanlike conduct penalty or tech. foul) along with the player being chastised for making such a stupid, freshmen-like decision that cost his team. ESPN would be sure to point out the boneheaded, selfish, 'look at me' move.
What Centro did was no different. Yes, he absolutely dominated the field. Nobody else had a chance. But to celebrate with a gesture that has been addressed and deemed inappropriate by every professional sports league in the country and the NCAA is childish and only makes the kid look like he is trying too hard to be cool. I know most of you are high school/ college kids who never leave your room covered in PRE posters, but in the real world in which the rest of us live this type of posturing is immature and foolish.
Before someone attacks me, I am not demonizing celebratory acts. Quite the opposite, I think there is nothing like watching an athlete who is taken over by the ecstasy of what he/ she has just accomplished. Think Sheila Reid winning the 1500- huge smile, obviously overjoyed with the emotion. Where Centro's is different is that it displays no emotion, comes of as rehearsed and planned, and looks corny. It makes him look like a no-class high school kid. If i were his father or his coach, I would be incredibly proud of the run, but equally disappointed that I have not taught Matt that actions such as these are not OK.