The Touchdown Celebration:
Elmo Wright invented it.
Billy “White Shoes” Johnson
choreographed it.
Ickey Woods commercialized it.
The Fun Bunch and Mark Gastineau proved
that anybody could do it.
But Chad
They owned it.
They brought a new kind of celebrity swagger
to the NFL that changed the face of the game and ultimately, influenced a change in the rules.
Ochocinco: The Artist Formerly Known as
As wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals, Chad Johnson brought some fun and originality to the 2005 season. With his trademark grin and annoying-little-brother antics, you couldn’t help but love this guy. Whether he was doing the “riverdance,” proposing to cheerleaders, or performing CPR on the football, he did it with an endearing, no-harm/no-foul style.
Unfortunately the NFL (or as some say, the No Fun League) just couldn’t handle the excessive celebrations of #85 and he paid dearly in fines that year.
Preening for the cameras and promising entertainment on the field, Johnson has been criticized by players, fans and officials for making a mockery of the game. The thing is… in order to get to the end zone to celebrate as much as Chad Johnson, you have to be more than a pretty face- you have to be pretty damn good. He knows the game and he’s having fun with it.
Next up… Terrell Owens: “Excuse me sir, but is that a Sharpie in your sock?”
