Shutdown Corner - NFL

Shutdown Corner

Wed Nov 25, 2009 3:25 pm EST

NFL referee didn't mean to high-five Vince Young

By Chris Chase

NFL referee Jerome Boger may have given Vince Young(notes) a high-five Monday night, but it doesn't mean he liked it.

The league released a statement today clarifying that the veteran official did not intend to celebrate with Titans QB at the end of the team's 20-17 victory over the Houston Texans. Young had walked past Boger and gave him a high-five after kneeling down to preserve the victory. It was funny and spontaneous, the sort of feel-good moment that's becoming all too rare in an increasingly humorless NFL. And then the league had to go and ruin it by releasing this statement:

Said an NFL spokesman (via The Houston Chronicle):

"It was not Jerome Boger's intent to exchange a high-five with the player. It began with the referee making the proper administrative signal and resulted in the appearance of an inappropriate action.

"As Vince Young took a knee on the game's final play, Jerome Boger jogged in with his right arm in the air to signify the play was over. That is the proper administrative signal for the referee.

"As Young turned around, he saw Boger approaching the line of scrimmage with his arm raised. As Boger moved toward the line of scrimmage, he started to bring his arm down. However, before he lowered his arm, Young, moving towards the referee, raised his own arm and the two exchanged what appeared to be a quick high-five."

I'm not sure the Zapruder film was analyzed as much as this high-five apparently was. Did anybody really think Boger initiated the contact? And did we really need three paragraphs containing the phrases "appearance of an inappropriate action" and "proper administrative signal" to indicate that he didn't? (It's a good thing there isn't an administrative signal that makes a referee puff out his torso, lest any player try to come over and give a celebratory chest bump.)

The NFL is hyper-sensitive when it comes to the mere appearance of impropriety by refs (no matter how ridiculous), which is why you get $20,000 fines for obvious jokes and detailed statements clarifying intent of skin-slapping. The league needs to lighten up.

Frankly, the fact that Young and Boger high-fived makes it less likely that there's anything nefarious going on. I mean, Benedict Arnold wasn't going around giving dap to the British, you know? 

Thanks, Fanhouse

Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:
• Video: Woman phenom's first college dunk
• NFL player announces congressional run at season's end
• Man sued for 'Happy Gilmore'-style golf swing mishap

digg delicious
more

767 Comments

Post a Comment
  1. bjliquid_007
    1. Posted by bjliquid_007 Wed Nov 25, 2009 3:34 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Vince Young also slapped a ref on the butt after his attempted goal line plunge during that game. I wonder why they didn't issue a statement over that?
  2. bjliquid_007
    2. Posted by bjliquid_007 Wed Nov 25, 2009 3:37 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    "It was not Jerome Boger's intent to present his right buttock for slappage following Vince Young's goal line rush. The referee was making the proper administrative signal to place the ball at the 1 yard line, which resulted in the appearance of an inappropriate action after said cheek came in contact with the quarterback's hand."
  3. Peter D
    3. Posted by Peter D Wed Nov 25, 2009 4:07 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    VY is just thanking him for the horse collar "penalty"
  4. pianow
    4. Posted by pianow Wed Nov 25, 2009 4:11 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    A good friend of mine was a high school basketball ref for years. Once, in the heat of the moment, he high-fived a coach after a made three. We still tease my amigo about that one.
  5. That Guy You saw but you arn't sure
    5. Posted by That Guy You saw but you arn't sure Wed Nov 25, 2009 4:20 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Anyone care to guess how bad the fallout and how loud the cries would have been if... Tom Brady high fived a ref after a win....
    Think about it....
  6. daddymag
    6. Posted by daddymag Wed Nov 25, 2009 4:46 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    So, you can't say to a ref, thanks for helping me get through my day of work here, see ya next time... but all these guys who try to kill each other for the previous three hours can all hang out and pray about it afterward?
  7. dudelabowski
    7. Posted by dudelabowski Wed Nov 25, 2009 4:50 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    If Tom Brady and a reg made contact the ref would have been called for a flag. :)
  8. That Guy You saw but you arn't sure
    8. Posted by That Guy You saw but you arn't sure Wed Nov 25, 2009 4:53 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    again - If Tom Brady does it - is it still "no biggie"?
  9. dardeidar
    9. Posted by dardeidar Wed Nov 25, 2009 4:57 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    #5 shut up patriot fan, this has nothing to do with new england cheattriots just let it go you chump its was just funny
  10. Anrkist
    10. Posted by Anrkist Wed Nov 25, 2009 4:58 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    We lost that game fair and square... I'd hate to see anyone say other wise.
  11. Bill K.
    11. Posted by Bill K. Wed Nov 25, 2009 5:08 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    as much as the NFL is sucking the fun and funniness out of stuff like this, at least no one has Tim Donaghy-like fears when it comes to football, like we do in the NBA and NHL.
  12. That Guy You saw but you arn't sure
    12. Posted by That Guy You saw but you arn't sure Wed Nov 25, 2009 5:11 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Actaully - I'm not a Pats fan at all... but you go ahead and think that if it helps you dismiss anything... cool?
    The point is - with ALL the questionable calls this year and the sometime mind blowing officiating - and not to mention a flag being tossed if a player so much as sniffs a QB (Brady) does the NFL really want to let it just slide and not say something.
    Hey it was all in good fun right? Not like say jokingly offering a ref a dollar bill... oh wait? Did that happen? What was that 20K? Did anyone really think it was serious?
    Hey - if the titans had a witty nickname like "new england cheattriots" maybe it would have been a bigger deal when the QB high fived the ref.
    Can no one really see the irony here?
  13. QueBuey?
    13. Posted by QueBuey? Wed Nov 25, 2009 5:22 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Lol #7
  14. Daniel G
    14. Posted by Daniel G Wed Nov 25, 2009 5:27 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    The NFL is thinking big picture here. Obviously the majority of us don't think there was anything inappropriate going on, but there is always the 10% that wear their tin foil hats and think that every game is rigged and every call that goes against their team is fixed. The statement was for THOSE people. Not the rest of us.
  15. Jacob
    15. Posted by Jacob Wed Nov 25, 2009 5:28 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    atleast they didnt fine VY for assaulting a ref
  16. Wingsfan2520
    16. Posted by Wingsfan2520 Wed Nov 25, 2009 5:33 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    MJDouche sucks
  17. Studman
    17. Posted by Studman Wed Nov 25, 2009 5:33 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Sounds racist to me. Could a little collusion be in the making?
  18. Vince Young Fan
    18. Posted by Vince Young Fan Wed Nov 25, 2009 5:34 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Man do I love VY! I predicted when Jeff Fischer announced Kerry Collins was the starter that the Titans wouldn't win a game until Vince was the starting quarterback and it came true! He is so dynamic and is back to his Texas National Championship form. Now we just need to have another National Championship for Texas this year and see how Colt does in the NFL. Look out!
  19. Brett
    19. Posted by Brett Wed Nov 25, 2009 5:34 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    The Horse Collar was a bad call, but so was the LEG whip that wasn't called on the previous Drive...it all evens out.
  20. dardeidar
    20. Posted by dardeidar Wed Nov 25, 2009 5:34 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    #12only you can see it, it's not about brady or anyone else lighten man, you must be a referee or something like #2 its fun man
  21. dardeidar
    21. Posted by dardeidar Wed Nov 25, 2009 5:34 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    #12only you can see it, it's not about brady or anyone else lighten man, you must be a referee or something like #2 its fun man
  22. Patriot 666
    22. Posted by Patriot 666 Wed Nov 25, 2009 5:34 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    and if he did so what...congrats to vince young...let the ref celebrate
    fookin nfl is so uptight...loosen up yer drawers a little tight azzez....
  23. Michael
    23. Posted by Michael Wed Nov 25, 2009 5:34 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    i think it was good,
    more of that needs to happen
  24. adam s
    24. Posted by adam s Wed Nov 25, 2009 5:34 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Ok, so if i'm understanding this correctly, what you are saying is that the referee gave him a high-five?
  25. donald
    25. Posted by donald Wed Nov 25, 2009 5:35 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Who cares?

Shutdown Corner

Add to My Yahoo! RSS

MJD

Shutdown Corner is an NFL blog edited by Matthew J. Darnell. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

Contributors:
Chris Chase, Doug Farrar, Kevin Sullivan, Mark Pesavento, Shane Bacon, Kerry Rhodes, Jay Busbee, Brett Michael Dykes,

Teams

Customize to follow news and rumors on your favorite teams. [ Sign in ]

Related Photo Gallery

More NFL Photos »

Y! Sports Blogs

Shutdown Corner Recent Readers

(provided by MyBlogLog)