UnNews:NFL star apologizes for celebration
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
San Diego Chargers wide receiver Qua'Lifriaqui'Sha'Niquia Jackson has apologized for performing "an inappropriate celebration" after scoring a touchdown.
The 24-year-old caught a 16-yard pass from quarterback Timothy Whiteman, and shocked fans by simply smiling and handing the ball to the nearest official.
The capacity crowd fell into stunned silence after witnessing a professional sportsman fail to achieve the minimum expected standards of grandstanding.
"I'm sorry. It was a lapse of judgement. It won't happen again," Jackson tweeted, but many in the game remain unimpressed.
"No chest bump? Is he kidding?" asked former player turned analyst Barry Parkinsons. "This is a message for Qua'Lifriaqui'Sha'Niquia: every time you catch the ball, every time you break a tackle, you will do a little dance, you will strut around, AND You will chest bump your teammate!"
TV footage showed many bewildered fans looking around the field for a possible flag on the play. When the score was confirmed, boos rang out in the stadium. For younger fans, it was the first time they had ever seen an NFL star refuse to showboat, and many were filmed in streams of tears after Jackson's antics.
Parkinsons summed up the feelings of many when she said, "This is the last thing football needs right now. The NFL is stricken with debates about brain disease, domestic abuse, gay players, - as well as domestic abuse and brain disease.
"What really makes me mad is that, in the coming weeks, we might see youngsters up and down the country doing exactly what Qua'Lifriaqui'Sha'Niquia did today: catching a football, and not showing everyone it's the biggest deal in the whole goddamn world.
Parkinsons added: "I'm so mad my ears are literally bleeding. And I can't remember my name."