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Topic: Longhorn Football

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FearlessF

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Re: Longhorn Football
« Reply #70 on: September 08, 2022, 09:59:59 AM »
The Big 12 made it known during the offseason that players will be penalized for directing the "Horns Down" gesture towards a Texas player.

Believe it or not, Saban wasn't aware that a "Horns Down" could result in a 15-yard penalty. 

“What’s that?" Saban said. "I have not addressed it with the team, but I appreciate you letting me know that. So, you know, we’ve got a lot of other things we need to really worry about. But I think that’s a good thing for me to go over with the team so I appreciate that.”

The reactions to Saban's comments about the "Horns Down" gesture are quite hilarious.

"Bama players tossing the horns down up 35 in the 3rd and saban might explode on the sideline," one fan tweeted.

"Thank god the underdog, upstart coach is getting some help," a second fan wrote.
"Courage; Generosity; Fairness; Honor; In these are the true awards of manly sport."

utee94

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Re: Longhorn Football
« Reply #71 on: September 08, 2022, 11:12:35 AM »
Refs for the game will be SEC refs not B12, since they're visitors.

Either way, the horns-down is clearly a taunt, no different than the throat-slash or standing over a downed player.  Those get called every single time, so I'm not sure why people choose to drum up controversy over a non-controversial matter.

I'm of the opinion that these players are young men, and men can put up with some taunting.  I'd be all for eliminating ALL of the anti-taunting rules and letting players do all the horns-down or throat-slashes that they want.

But as long as there are anti-taunting rules in place, then horns-down should get called the same as any other taunt.

FearlessF

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Re: Longhorn Football
« Reply #72 on: September 08, 2022, 11:17:17 AM »
I think it's only worth mentioning cause Lord Saban wasn't aware
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utee94

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Re: Longhorn Football
« Reply #73 on: September 08, 2022, 11:25:19 AM »
I think it's only worth mentioning cause Lord Saban wasn't aware
Sure.  And I mean, why would he be?  We've only played him and his team once in the past 40 years or so, and that was over a decade ago.

Anyway with SEC refs, I have no idea whether or not they'll call it.

FearlessF

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Re: Longhorn Football
« Reply #74 on: September 08, 2022, 11:27:22 AM »
I'm guessing they call it after this media shot
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utee94

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Re: Longhorn Football
« Reply #75 on: September 08, 2022, 11:29:16 AM »
Sure.  And I mean, why would he be?  We've only played him and his team once in the past 40 years or so, and that was over a decade ago.

Anyway with SEC refs, I have no idea whether or not they'll call it.
Huh, reading through the articles, they're saying we'll be using B12 refs.  That's unusual, typically the visiting team brings its own officials to OOC home games in Austin.  Or occasionally they'll use 3rd party officials.

FearlessF

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Re: Longhorn Football
« Reply #76 on: September 08, 2022, 11:44:46 AM »
hah!  SEC refs don't like to travel either!
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CWSooner

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Re: Longhorn Football
« Reply #77 on: September 08, 2022, 12:37:13 PM »
Generally, the refs are either from the visitor's conference or from another conference.

But not always.

In the infamous OU-Oregon game in Autzen Stadium, the incompetent and/or cheating refs were from the then-Pac-10.
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utee94

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Re: Longhorn Football
« Reply #78 on: September 08, 2022, 12:56:57 PM »
Generally, the refs are either from the visitor's conference or from another conference.

But not always.

In the infamous OU-Oregon game in Autzen Stadium, the incompetent and/or cheating refs were from the then-Pac-10.
Yeah, at the time (and perhaps still) the PAC was the only conference that insisted on using its own refs for home OOC games.

FearlessF

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Re: Longhorn Football
« Reply #79 on: September 08, 2022, 12:59:20 PM »
don't rile up the Badger fans ;)
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CWSooner

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Re: Longhorn Football
« Reply #80 on: September 08, 2022, 10:25:12 PM »
As I understand it, Horns Down is only considered a taunt when it is flashed at nearby Texas players. When flashed at fans, not so.

If that's right, then is Horns Up considered a taunt when flashed at nearby opponent players?

I don't see either "Up" or "Down" to be the equivalent of the throat-slash. More like a flex.

Maybe just an arguable degree of difference.
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Mr Tulip

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Re: Longhorn Football
« Reply #81 on: September 09, 2022, 08:38:35 AM »
I believe a sports reporter asked a representative of the Big 12 Officiating office that question several years ago at one of the Big 12 Media Days before the season. In the context of taunting and general boorish behavior, the reporter asked if "Horns Down" might be considered taunting and draw a flag. The official answered, "Yes, it could be.". That was the extent of it.

The exchange was reported as "Horns Down to be penalized as unsportsmanlike".

There's obviously a nuanced context that got ignored.

utee94

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Re: Longhorn Football
« Reply #82 on: September 09, 2022, 10:48:20 AM »
Hypothetically, if, say, a Texas defender made a huge hit for a QB sack, and then stood up and did horns-up directly in the face of the opponent, then yes I'd consider that a taunt as well.  But that's something so rare that I can't recall ever seeing it occur. 

If that same player jumps up after sacking the opponent's QB and runs toward the sideline with the horns up, celebrating with his teammates, I would not consider it to be a taunt.  Horns-up when performed by a Longhorn, in all cases I recall witnessing, is a positive celebration, same as a high-5 or a chest bump or any number of other generic celebrations.  That it's school-specific to Texas, doesn't change its positive intent.

Horns-down on the other hand is ALWAYS intended to be a taunt, aimed directly at Texas.  As far I I've seen, Sooner players don't throw the horns-down when they're playing Kansas State or Baylor (although some Sooner fans in the stands do, regardless of opponent, which seems weird to me).  So it can't be considered a general celebration, if it's only done when playing Texas.  It is always contextually intended as a taunt.  Always.

Which is why I consider horns-down and the throat slash to be equivalent.

Still, if a Sooner player is running toward his own sideline or his own teammates and away from Texas players whilst doing it, I wouldn't consider it worthy of throwing a flag for taunting. 

And as I previously said, I'm all for removing the taunting rules altogether.

But as long as there are rules against it, then horns-down equals taunting and should be called the same as any other taunt.
« Last Edit: September 09, 2022, 10:53:43 AM by utee94 »

utee94

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Re: Longhorn Football
« Reply #83 on: September 09, 2022, 10:51:10 AM »
I believe a sports reporter asked a representative of the Big 12 Officiating office that question several years ago at one of the Big 12 Media Days before the season. In the context of taunting and general boorish behavior, the reporter asked if "Horns Down" might be considered taunting and draw a flag. The official answered, "Yes, it could be.". That was the extent of it.

The exchange was reported as "Horns Down to be penalized as unsportsmanlike".

There's obviously a nuanced context that got ignored.

And this is certainly true.  It's nothing more than low IQ message board and mediot drivel that Texas has ever "requested" horns-down specifically to be treated as taunting.  Mediots asked about it, officials responded, and it got reported as Texas "whining."  

Just more bullshit piled onto the heap.

 

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