From Wku Board

[eulesseagle]

rideOrDieTop

Joined: 15 Jul 2005

Posts: 2708

They are complaining about how we raise our helmets and jump before kickoff. Man I miss the gateway, where men are men that don't where skirts in their off time?

Football: Pre-game taunting leads to postgame scuffle

12:13 AM CST on Sunday, November 25, 2007

By Jeff Andrews / Staff Writer

Even though North Texas has played them just once in school history, the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers may already be one of the Mean Green’s biggest rivals.

After pre-game taunting and excessive celebrations on the Mean Green’s senior day culminated in a scuffle at midfield after the game, the Hilltoppers drew the ire of North Texas players on both sides of the ball.

“What they did at the beginning of the game with all their antics, disrespect and jumping around on our field, it [winning] was bound to happen,” said defensive lineman Montey Stevenson.

But as much as North Texas felt disrespected by Western Kentucky’s behavior, it played a role in the Mean Green escaping with a 27-26 win.

Aside from giving North Texas a little extra motivation, two excessive celebration penalties led to a crucial missed extra point by the Hilltoppers.

In the second quarter, Western Kentucky defensive lineman Terald Clark intercepted Mean Green quarterback Giovanni Vizza at the line of scrimmage and rumbled 44 yards for a touchdown, putting the Hilltoppers up 20-7.

But after the score, a WKU defensive back was flagged after jumping around in the end zone, and then multiple Hilltoppers gathered in a circle and did “the bomb,” where a player pretends to throw a bomb in the air and they all fall down when it “lands.”

“The bomb in the end zone -- major disrespect,” said running back Jamario Thomas. “That made me mad and it takes a lot to make me mad. That really made me mad -- them doing that after one of their touchdowns.”

Western Kentucky was penalized 15 yards on the extra point attempt, which kicker Chris James missed. The Hilltoppers ended up losing by one point.

“There were some things in the pre-game warm up, and things like that motivated our players,” said Mean Green head coach Todd Dodge. “Their touchdown celebration, it was probably a show of disrespect. I don’t think [Western Kentucky head coach] David [Elson] approves of that, but it ended up getting them beat in the end.”

The Hilltoppers got under the Mean Green’s skin before the game even started. Players gathered at the 50-yard line and jumped around with their helmets in the air, talking plenty of trash along the way.

“They were jumping around on our 50 while we were trying to do our pre-game,” Stevenson said. “They had their helmets in the air, spinning towels, jumping around and having a few choice words. It was ridiculous.”

Following the game, Mean Green players rushed the field after an exhilarating victory. Western Kentucky didn’t like it, and a fight took place at midfield for minutes after the game concluded. Both teams surrounded the fight before officials separated the culprits. Most didn’t see what exactly happened or what started the fight.

“I don’t even know what happened,” Thomas said. “I was actually on the bench with the drill team.”

*********************************

J.T.,

If I could have been on the bench with the drill team warming my old bones I would have stayed for the second half.

*********************************

Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 2:35 pm

Bigjeep

Joined: 15 Jul 2005

Posts: 4230

Location: 35 1/2 minutes from Diddle...30 from Chuck`s...

does seem a bit high schoolish...the celebrating I mean...

_________________

bigjeep